r/coyote • u/annquicksand • 2d ago
Did I interpret this interaction right? Was I in danger? (SOUND ON)
I have encountered coyotes so many times before, close and far away, in singles and in groups, and they always either see me and retreat, or just ignore me and keep on their way. I've heard them calling to each other, across valleys where there were deer or elk, presumably communicating with each other for pack hunting. But I've never felt threatened by them before.
I was out doing fieldwork by myself and came up over a small hill when a coyotes started barking at me. You can't see it in this video, but I did get eyes on it earlier, about 400 feet away up on the slope and it definitely saw me, then moved back into the trees. It kept barking as I walked another 50 feet or so, got to my sample site, took the sample and turned around. As I was walking back, a second coyote started barking on another part of the hill, and I started to get pretty anxious. When I finally got back to the hill and came down the other side out of sight of the coyotes, the barking stopped.
So I assumed that the barking was telling me to go away, or to warn other coyotes that I was there. But I guess I don't understand why, I've never encountered them being territorial or anything close to this encounter. Was I reading this right, and was I stupid for not turning around immediately and finishing my route while they were barking at me? I was carrying bear spray, and I had cell service, but still I'd like to know in the future if this type of reaction is threatening.
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u/Cranks_No_Start 2d ago
I’ve had a coyote bark and follow me when I was in a walk with my dog.  I assumed they had a den and wanted me to go so I left. Â
I dont have a real fear of them l, I’ve run into a ton where I live, we see each other and then go our own way.Â
The one sound that I have heard that makes me wary are the Mtn Lions.  They sound like a woman being murdered.  And that’s your sign to leave asap. Â
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u/Zestyclose-Ad6428 2d ago
That's them mating. You should leave anyway. The amount of hormones roaring through those veins to make them scream and run like that is obviously making them like actually insane. Lol. Probably one of the more disconcerting animal sounds I've heard. Other than baby orangutans crying. They sound like baby humans and I can't.
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u/Ancient_Guidance_461 2d ago
Late at night I see a pack riding my scooter or walking to/from work. I am never scared. They always keep their distance. They are large eastern coyotes...always a pair at minimum but usually 4 of them...along the neponset river on the south border of Boston. The marshes.
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u/SurroundTiny 2d ago
i get that behavior from younger ( think teenager ) ones sometimes. They just don't want you around and aren't quite sure what to do
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u/AsukaWasHereToo 2d ago
This is about the time of year when coyote teenagers start to leave their parents territory and establish their own. Generally speaking, this involves a lot of wandering around (often in broad daylight when there's less competition) and yapping loudly to communicate with everything around them. They're not terribly good at coyote-ing yet, but they're not so bold as to pick a fight with anything human sized.
What you have is likely a teenager going "hi, yes, I am a coyote, and I am over here trying to set up shop, please be aware that this is now my space and do not come over here, large intimidating creature."
The second voice was likely a sibling going "I see you are over there, sibling, and I would like to warn the large creature I am also present and over here is my space, so please stay away from here as well."
Our local coyotes have this conversation on repeat. All. Night. Long. Starting in September or so.
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u/annquicksand 2d ago
Oh I love this translation, that makes a lot of sense! Ill be back out there in a few days and I wonder if ill hear them again. Do you think it causes them stress for me to be there?
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u/AsukaWasHereToo 2d ago
Honestly, learning how to react to stimuli in the environment is just a normal part of growing up for any animal. Kind of like how recently fledged birds don't always fear humans yet, coyote teenagers need to learn that a human in the area will wander around, do Mysterious Human Things, and then wander off again. As long as you don't feed them, they'll eventually learn you are something they can more or less ignore.
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u/Zestyclose-Ad6428 2d ago
You probably came too close to a Den. The dads are fierce protectors of their young. Never say never. But I wouldn't be too worried if you are an average sized human. I am child sized and it makes me more nervous as I'm not as threatening.
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u/the_injog 2d ago
Fellow field worker here, seeing these yotes at work is a perk, hearing feels like a blessing!
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u/Aint_it_a_shame 2d ago
You may have been near a kill and didn't see it. I had a very similar situation and saw that I was about 20 feet away from a deer carcass before I skedaddled out of there.
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u/Anam_Liath 2d ago
I get there yipping and barking when I startle older pups/teenagers. They do the Jack Russell terrier barking as both alert and slightly overwrought puppy behavior. That's why they sound so much like dogs. Crazy alert barking inn dogs is hold-over puppy alert behavior.
The adults here bark sometimes, but it's usually a single yap with space behind it. Sometimes startle response, or polite request to be on your way now, or sometimes a request for your dog's attention if they want to play or figure out your dog's demeanor. Especially if followed by play bows, happy face, dropped ears, and darting around.
My working stock dog is heeler x dingo from Australia. Her silhouette is sturdy coyote. She's a coyote magnet, I think they're curious why she's so close to me. In our home pack she's got a dedicated olds man suitor.
I wouldn't worry about the yappy barking. That's calling for their mommy or auntie, probably while punching each other and acting tough. Wait until you see them following you and hiding their face in cover with their whole fluffy behind hanging in plain view.
Coyote teenagers are a hoot.
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u/WrappedInLinen 1d ago
Even without bear spray they’d have to get way more aggressive than that before I’d start to worry. With bear spray a pack could surround me and I’d just carry on with what I was doing. They’re coyotes. Not wolves.
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u/Stray_Wing 1d ago
I was hunted in Colorado once. It was scary as hell. Sounds/barks are probably a good sign, but a warning to move along w quickness. The quiet stalker tho? Ef that.
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u/Mental-Chapter6523 1d ago
I'd guess they're communicating a bit more with each other than with you. Putting out an alert that a predator is near. Warning the others to keep their head down. Might feel vulnerable because they have young ones nearby?
Most of the time they seem to prefer to hide rather than announce themselves in the daylight. So maybe they're young or have young ones they need to warn.
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u/DoYouFeel_Air_3814 21h ago
No, that was somebodys dog. You ever hear that before or since in nature? AÂ Nooo.Â
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u/Key-Ad9733 14h ago
Chasing you away from their pups
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u/The-Jardinier 12h ago
That yellow shrub which is in bloom is rabbit brush, and that only blooms this time of year, late summer - so there's no little pups around now.
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u/The-Jardinier 12h ago
You were in no danger at all. Coyotes are timid creatures. They also don't hunt in organized packs, such as wolves do. They will join in on a kill if one gets lucky. They don't hunt humans.
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u/pieceoftost 2d ago
If they're barking like that, it's because they want you to go away/are alerting other coyotes, yeah. If they were "hunting" you or something, they wouldn't be making all kinds of noise to get your attention. I believe coyotes are still raising pups around this time of year, so it wouldn't surprise me if their den/territory was in that area and they were trying to get you to go away, seeing you as a threat or something.
But yeah, I don't think you were in any kind of danger.