Summer Coyotes

by Barbara
(St Thomas, Ontario, Canada)


Katie Emberley from Hagersville, Ontario wrote ... We hear coyotes often, but haven't seen any since we moved out to the country in April. Tonight, I was pulling up our long driveway with hedgerows on either side and a blonde coyote ran right out in front of us, illuminated by the headlights. About 35-40 lbs I guess, based on similar dogs that I know. It had a nice thick coat and healthy tail. It was cool to finally see one. We've seen tracks and scat at that section of the driveway too, which is about halfway between us and the nearest neighbours. It shows how they really want to be as distant from us humans as possible.

Talia from Fonthill wrote ... Hello, this is my first ever coyote sighting and it happened in my backyard! I am lucky to be surrounded by farmland, wetland, and some forest where I live off of Rice Road in Fonthill, Ontario. I have a dog who weighs about 80 lbs and patrols the fenced-in yard. It was about 8 pm in the month of September. He was barking pretty fiercely, and I look out back to see a white, fluffy face bouncing up and down on the other side of the fence. At first the coyote didn't see me, and I was looking at it intently trying to figure out what it was - it looked like a Husky. As soon as it saw me, it stopped bouncing, and went back into the brush. It looked to be about the same size as my dog, and a fluffy white, grey coat. I have heard this is a hunting method, luring the prey into the forest with a false pretense of playfulness and friendliness. The rest of the pack waits hidden until they surround the victim. Scary!

Tim from Sebright, Ontario reported ... I spotted one, good size looked very healthy near a swamp on a rock out cropping on the back side of Queen Elizabeth Park (my property). It stayed still watching my vehicle for several minutes then took off in the woods. I was surprised it stood and watched me for so long.


Luke from Caledon East, Ontario said ... I live on a property on the Gore Road, it was 9 pm in August. It was light enough to see, but also close to dark. I came out to see my two dogs have a barking stand off with a coyote about 100-200 meters from the house. I saw them from the deck, then as I starting making my way down, the coyote saw me and he ran off. We've been seeing them more and more on our property lately. I worry if they might fight one day.

Coyotes in Barrie Ontario in July ... we have had 2 sightings at Theta TTS at 8 Truman Road in Barrie, Ontario. 2 employees, one on the afternoon shift and one on the night shift have walked out of the building in the shipping area and encountered a coyote. We do not know if it is the same one or not. The first encounter on the afternoon shift was at dusk and the coyote was aggressive and growled and slunk to the ground. The second sighting in the same spot but at 3 am – this one turned and ran

Robert Gravel, Trenton, Ontario wrote to tell us ... Saw a coyote standing on the walking trail as we approached about 150 feet away. The walking trail is located along the Trent River from Lock 1 to downtown Trenton. My wife and I continued to walk the trail. The coyote unhurriedly walked into the woods. As we approached the area where we saw the coyote I was surprised to see the animal lying only several feet from the trail in the woods. He watched us closely as we walked by but made no move. My wife and I did not stop, did not run but simply kept walking normally. We did not expect to see this and am lucky for the experience.

Elizabeth Freitas, Port Colborne, Ontario, wrote to say ... It was just after 6 pm on an evening in July in Port Colborne. My 40 lb Staffordshire terrier cross and I were walking on the Gord Harry trail in between cement Rd and Bessie heading east when a blond coyote came out of the bush. The Coyote was approx 6 meters from us. She paused for a moment, watched us, my dog wanted to get closer as I slowed down. I was waiting for a person to come up behind the animal as I thought my eyes was first seeing a dog. The animal then turned away from was and proceeded down the trail before crossing into the field opposite it popped out of. It was the strange back end of this animal when it galloped away that made me question what exactly I was gazing at. It reminded me of a deer. The moment it entered the field, crows cawing echoed for what felt like eternity. I was pretty scared to continuing on the path. As I feared this carnivore would attack my dog, but we were safe. I snapped a large branch from a tree just in case it decided to confront us. No issues. Just another opportunity to face my fears. I survived to tell the story. Lol

Marcia & Ron, Gower, Ontario sent us their report ... We often hear the yips/howls of coyotes from the woods behind our rural home backing onto farmland, the Malakoff forest, and Steven's Creek. We hear them during the night, before dawn. On July 3 2016, at about 9 am, our dog barked at something in the trees behind our house. My husband was doing yard work and went to investigate. To his shock, 2 coyotes loped past him only a few feet away. Both coyotes turned and looked at him but didn't lose stride. About 10 minutes later, we heard the familiar yips/yelping coming from the trees on the other side of our yard. This was repeated around 6 p.m. same day when the coyotes passed in near proximity, yipping and yelping although we didn't see them. These brief sessions of yelping continued on and off during the night and past dawn. This is the first time we've seen them and know them to be on our 2 acre property.

Crosbie, Royston Rd, Burkes Falls, Ontario wonders whether he observed a Coywolf ... this was seen in spring 2016, the animal was larger than a standard coyote, blond in colour and was seen on Peggs Mountain Rd, Burkes Falls.

JY from North York, Ontario said ... About 3:40 am in the morning, I walked about York University Heights Blvd, and at the end of the road where you see a lake, I saw a pair of coyotes which were very tall and large. As big as a wolf, and indistinguishable. One of them was about 100 lbs, the other, 130 lbs. One came down from a small slope from the roadway, towards me as I walked pass by them. I must have been close to the moving wolf at a distance of 8 meters. I didn't know what it was just knew it was something big as I saw its lower half moving toward. Then noticed the other coyote waiting, about 12 meters away. The one that was moving toward me moved back up the slope, and looked at me with the other coyote. They stared and was hesitant. Nobody was around. I am unsure if one of them came near me to attack me then saw my size – then decided not to. When they were looking at me I decided not to make further eye contact and kept walking at a steady pace. They moved on and didn't follow. There were rabbits moving about few hundred meters away from them, but I am unsure if they were trying to see me as a prey. It was an interesting experience. I am going to exercise anyway but just in case, with a knife. They seem to be naturally cautious and shy animals indeed. But I can't find out why it was running towards me, then turning back. Perhaps there was a critter among the bushes. They were essentially wolves, and I would not want to be bitten by them.

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