Choppy had quite the exciting walk yesterday afternoon – three deer ran right past us, then came back (apparently, we were less of a threat than whatever they found elsewhere). When we got home, the coyotes sounded like they were in the backyard. We could hear them, but we couldn’t see them. Most days our walks and returns home are a lot less exciting – and that’s fine with me.
Walk One:
Date: March 16, 2017
Location: Home
Length: 1.3 Miles
Who: Sarah & Choppy
Walk Two:
Date: March 16, 2017
Location: Home
Length: 2.1 Miles
Who: Sarah & Choppy
And a very quick (10 seconds or so) video of the coyotes – they were making a lot more noise than this, but this was the only video I got. With the sound on, you should be able to tell how loud and close they were.
Travels with Choppy 
We live near a lot of wildlife but coyotes are not among the residents. Deer on the other hand…we have our fair share and then some. Sounds like Choppy had a lot to download to Schooner upon returning back to home base.
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I’m surprised you don’t have coyotes – they are in so many places these days (like the middle of cities). Count yourself lucky – they are pretty creatures, but they do enjoy kitty and small dog snacks.
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Gotta love Mother Nature being so close you can hear her critters. When I played the video, Sam cocked his ears and turned toward the laptop. They just have ‘spoken’ directly to him! 😉
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Oh, that’s cool! It’s a rare sound or video that catches Choppy’s attention from my computer anymore. I think she knows nothing that comes from it is real. About the only exception is if I play a video where I say her name, in which case I think she must not realize it’s coming from the computer and not me.
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Wow. That’s a little too close in sound for comfort, eh? And what…Choppy didn’t give chase to the either the deer or the coyotes? 😉 Did Schooner react at all to the coyote calls?
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Schooner seemed more interested in getting outside than worried about the coyotes. Note: the fact that he wants outside when there is a clear danger to him is one reason why he should NOT go outside. He doesn’t need to become a coyote snack!
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Amen to that. Silly Schooner.
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Wow, that’s close! Coyotes are adapting to suburbia, following the deer. It’s a balancing of nature. But coyotes don’t descriminate when they are hungry, so cats and small dogs beware!
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Even 15-20 years ago when I was at Northwestern, we had coyotes in the city on our campus – I imagine there are more now. Coyotes are such adaptable creatures. I once read they’re found in every state but Hawaii.
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I believe it. And cleaning up wherever they go!
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Ye gads they sound very howly and scary!
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They eat a lot of small dogs and cats in some places. I think ours are more inclined to eat rabbits, geese and other small outdoor critters, but I’m not planning to give them the chance to eat one of ours!
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No indeed!
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The coyotes really are too close for comfort! I love that Choppy is still game to protect you. 🙂
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She’s game, but also not so crazy as to get in a fight she can’t win with them! There’s a point to give up, and she knows that.
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Self-preservation kicks in, even in the domesticated pet. Awesome. 🙂
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Well Choppy seemed like she wanted to join them but then realised, no bacon!
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And if there’s not bacon, why do anything?
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Exactly
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Amazing, that they sounded so close to the house. And Choppy seemed to be a little scared, or was she just coming inside quickly for something else?
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She is definitely scared of them – she’ll bark a little from the safety of the porch (you can hear her growl in the video), but she’s smart enough to know not to mess with them. A single coyote she could probably handle, but any more than that and she would be in trouble.
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Wow, 3 deer! A dog’s dream come true!
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Seriously! She has an excellent life, even when it comes to happy accidents like this.
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Amazing how quickly Choppy wanted to go inside. Once in a really great while I’ll do a “coyote howl”…2 kitties look like : “WHAT.!?”
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She’s not dumb about them – she could probably handle one, but any more than that and she would be in trouble.
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Did Choppy chase the deer at all? Tippy takes after them when we see them on our run. We have coyotes around here too, but haven’t heard them that close. (Several years ago one lone coyote came around the corner of my garage while I was sitting out there.) Still, if we happen to be outside at night and they start howling, she is more than happy to make a hasty retreat back into the house, just like Choppy.
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Choppy will give halfhearted chase after deer. She wants to chase them and does, but she doesn’t give them a full chase. I don’t know if she’s gotten a good hoof to the face or if she’s just generally intimidated by their size, but they don’t get chased like smaller critters.
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