My Grandpa (the Tenino one) hunted coyotes for bounty in the 20's-30's. Some of the stories he told about their cunning was amazing, backing up in their own tracks, leaving false trails in the snow...
I wonder if these folks know most urban yotes, like the ones I see on city streets most nights have eaten most all the cats-dogs that you see the Lost Pet flyers for?
I came out of one of Microsofts buildings last summer (across from the UPS yard in Redmond) and had a coyote calmly walk out of the bushes not 15 feet from me. It had no fear of me at all..it actually came back when I whistled at it. That was a little disturbing. Most I see, especially in the Bothell-Woodinville-Kirkland area are pretty shy.
How much press did the killing of that Canadian singer by 2 coyotes get? What would the Anti's say about that?
Coyote kills Canadian girl.
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33509516...news-americas/TORONTO - Two coyotes attacked a Canadian woman while she was hiking alone in a national park in eastern Canada, and authorities said she died Wednesday of her injuries.
The victim was identified as Taylor Mitchell, 19, a singer-songwriter from Toronto.
She was hiking solo on a trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia on Tuesday when the attack occurred. She was airlifted to a Halifax hospital in critical condition and died Wednesday morning, authorities said.Coyotes, which also are known as prairie wolves, are found from Central American to the United States and Canada.
Wildlife biologist Bob Bancroft said coyote attacks are extremely rare because the animals are usually shy.
Bancroft, a retired biologist with Nova Scotia's Department of Natural Resources, said it's possible the coyotes thought Mitchell was a deer or other prey.
"It's very unusual and is not likely to repeated," Bancroft said. "We shouldn't assume that coyotes are suddenly going to become the big bad wolf."
Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokeswoman Brigdit Leger said other hikers heard Mitchell's screams for help on Tuesday and called emergency police dispatchers.
Police who were in the area reached the scene quickly and shot one of the animals, apparently wounding it. But the wounded animal and a companion coyote managed to get away.
Paul Maynard of Emergency Health Services said Mitchell already was in critical condition when paramedics arrived on the scene and had multiple bite wounds over her entire body.
"She was losing a considerable amount of blood from the wounds," he said. ‘ An official with Parks Canada said they blocked the entrance to the trail where Mitchell was attacked and were trying to find the animals to determine what prompted such an unusual attack. "There's been some reports of aggressive animals, so it's not unknown," said Helene Robichaud, the park's superintendent. "But we certainly never have had anything so dramatic and tragic."
Mitchell was an up-and-coming folk and country musician.
"Words can't begin to express the sadness and tragedy of losing such a sweet, compassionate, vibrant, and phenomenally talented young woman," Lisa Weitz, Mitchell's manager, said in an email. "She just turned 19 two months ago, and was so excited about the future."
