Can a coyote pack take down a healthy horse? Even if they do not outright kill a horse, coyotes could badly wound one. What are your thoughts? The officers from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources say coyotes would be unlikely to kill a grown horse. Many folks with horses keep larger donkeys to help protect their horses from coyotes and wild dogs. Donkeys are wonderful that way – they are very protective and more aggressive than your average horse. ~ HfH
From: Lansing State Journal
By: John Carlisle
Photo: Detroit Free Press)
OXFORD – The coyote came out of the woods, walked right up to her back patio and stared at the house.
Kallie Meyers was inside, and she was so spooked she took a photo in case nobody believed her. It didn’t look like any coyote she’d ever seen. Bigger than normal.
She wanted proof because she’d been told that coyotes don’t come around houses, especially one where five dogs like hers have the run of the property. And that coyotes don’t get that big.
Her neighbors didn’t need proof that they’re out there, though.
“I saw two really healthy coyotes going right through my backyard,” said Sally Stevenson, 68, who lives two miles over in Metamora. “My German shepherd is 70 pounds and they were at least that size or bigger. Usually you hear them if they’re packed up and they get an animal — they all go crazy and start yipping. It’s very noisy.”
Jake Losin was in the yard at his sister’s house across the street from Meyers a couple weeks ago when he saw a pack of about eight coyotes. “The very first one I saw, I thought it was a deer,” the 22-year-old said. “I looked at it and it was huge.” He stayed outside and watched several other packs move through.
Over the past few years, Meyers said, all her ducks and geese have been killed. The foxes, opossums, raccoons and rabbits in the woods around her have all disappeared too.
Then nine days ago, on a Saturday in mid-afternoon’s broad daylight, one of her horses was attacked and mauled so bad it had to be put down on the spot.
Meyers says those coyotes did it.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says that’s not true.
Callie1983
There are now Coyote Hybrids. They are mating with Wolves whom have lost their mates. These Hybrids are easily 100 lbs. and very dangerous. A Canadian Hiker was killed by these Hybrids and it was horrific. Please Google for the details.
A pack of aggressive Coyote Hybrids can kill a horse, cow, or any domestic animal. Blame the Department of the Interior for the Slaughter of Wolves which has made these Hybrids possible.
sherriey
sorry….but the MDNR is very very wrong. probably saying such to keep the folks from panicking. i live in NY…out in the boonies. 1 mile from me a couple yrs ago, in broad daylite a pack went thru s boarding barn and took down a $10.000.00 NSH mare. i leased a mare to a friend in northern NY a few yrs ago and a pack came thru and went after her mares….one being mine…drove them thru a fence and my mare almost lost her rear leg from fence cuts. my horses have been chased by them in daylite…at nite they are up by the barn in coyote proof electric/mesh fencing to protect them. our coyotes are HUGE! a local hunter that hunts them says they go 80-90 lbs and the reason being they are a wolf/coyote cross. coming in over the northern NY/Canadian border. they are not afraid of people! several yrs ago, while i was out hunting behind my barn, a blinding snow storm came up out of nowhere. i was down into an old apple orchard and had a long climb up to my fence line to get home. the snow was coming down in a blizzard and accumulated very fast into over a foot of snow while i was trying to get home. suddenly behind me, very close…..probably in my same tracks, a coyote howled. then one on my right, then one on my left howled….very close. i still had to get to my pasture fence ahead of me….but these guys had a purpose and that was to cut me off. i had a shotgun but couldn’t see but a foot in front of me. by the time i got to the fence line they were howling so close that if it let up a little, i could see them very clearly. i was scared, to say the least. so, i fired a round behind me, then one to each side of me. i didn’t hear any more howls and made it to the barn. i have no doubt that they were after me. no doubt at all! another time i was walking down the side of my house heading towards the barn. half way to the gate i heard a noise in front of me. i looked and there stands a huge male coyote…head down, teeth showing in a low growl with every hair on his back standing up….staring at me. you NEVER run from a predator! never! you will not win and it will attack you. i didn’t have the pistol with me either. no weapons at all. i slowly inched my way to the gate, keeping my eyes locked on his showing him i was not intimidated by him. i made it to the gate which he wouldn’t fit thru. he then lifted his leg on my shed, scratched the ground with his back feet and slowly walked away. was i scared….HELL YES!
a bow hunter friend of mine about 2 miles away was treed by a pack one afternoon and had to stay in the tree all nite. he escaped in the morning when they finally left. all around me dogs/cats/horses/people have either been attacked by them or threatened by them or have had pets missing by them. the goat/cow farm on the road behind me had to get Lamas to protect his critters….they are as good as donkeys….he was losing calves and goats all the time, now he may still lose one…but not like before. they have even been known to go into barns to kill something…be it horses or goats….these animals are very aggressive and are not to be underestimated. we are in NY….and we have a bad coyote issue here!!!!!!! so why can’t Michigan have one too? they are next to Canada and wilder then we are! MDNR is full of crap!
Callie1983
It truly is unreasonable to not acknowledge that these Coyote Hybrids exist, and are enormous compared to the average Coyoote which is a dog sized animal, meaning it weighs around 50 lbs.
My friend in California had some get into her Barn but she has a full blooded Wolf that was seized from a Wolf Puppy Mill in Florida. Not even these Hybrids will go near a full blooded Wolf.
I am sorry for the loss of the Horses and other domestic animals due to this Hybrid. I do not condone how FWS kills them, they use cruel and brutal methods such as poisoning them so they bleed from the inside out, of if they find them they will give them a ‘Gut Shot’ which causes a slow and painful death. That is a favorite method of Wolf Hunters because it does not do too much damage to the ‘Trophy Pelt’.
The balance of Nature has allowed this Coyote Hybrid to make its way out of Canada to the US. They have been seen from California to New York. They are very real and very dangerous.
Lahle Wolfe
First she loses her horse in a horrific attack and the she is attacked for warning others of coyotes?
We live in SoCal where coyotes are EVERYWHERE. I was told upon my arrival not to worry – they don’t come out during the day, they shy away from people, the won’t attack healthy dogs – or people.
Wrong.
Three coyotes came into my yard in the middle of the day while I was out there with a dog and two came right up in front of me pacing and making noise. I literally threw lawn chairs at them only to have my dog fly past me. The two in front were merely distracting us — there was one behind me only a few feet away when our dog went after it. I have no idea what that coyote would have done to me were it not for my dog but they are clever — they were clearly orchestrating a sneak attack.
Coyotes have also attacked children in broad daylight out here in California — trying to drag them off.
I believe this woman’s story and so should you.
sherriey
yes! i forgot the story about the wife of a friend….not far from me, couple miles….her children were out side sitting by the above ground swimming pool. they had just got out and were sitting in the sun playing in sand with their toys. their mom went inside to get a towel. when she came back out, there was two coyote “hybrids’ that had come around the backside of the pool and was grabbing one of the kids by the back of his wet shirt trying to drag him back behind the pool where it came form. the other was standing there…i assume waiting its turn to grab the other kid. these kids were about 4 & 6 yrs old. the woman threw rocks, plants, rake, lawn chair…etc….at them…finally hitting the one with its mouth full of kid-shirt over the head with a garden shovel. they both then ran off leaving the kid behind. the mom called the police but they just took a report, didn’t do anything. her husband was the one that got treed by the pack and had to stay in a tree until morning.
they are brazen and are not fearful of humans….they are very very dangerous!
there is a law here for keepers of livestock…..if an animal, domestic or wild….comes onto your property with the intent of harming your animals…you have a right to defend those animals.
and so i will and i do.
Callie Durling
I support Defenders of Wildlife because I have owned 2 Wolves in my life. They are Legal where I reside on the East Coast and these 2 were dumped at the Dog Pound. The Pound knows to call me if they get a Wolf or Wolf Hybrid. I had at one time a Wolf, a small Dog, and a Cat. The Cat ruled the Roost. Never did these Wolves bother my other pets. They were afraid of everything.
We DO have Coyotes in my Mom’s Neighborhood and it is secluded and on top of a Mountain. The Coyotes a indeed Brazen and the neighbor was feeding them! We told her to stop and informed her the Chipmunks, Raccoons, and the Foxes have all been killed by these Coyotes.
I informed her of the danger which she refused to believe. I told her my Mom will call the Police if they hang around so they can be shot. I do not like harming any animals but when these aggressive Coyotes are around nobody is safe including Children, Adults and family Pets. As I said the Coyote Hybrids will not go near a full blooded Wolf.
The Balance of Nature is out of Whack due to the cruel ‘Hunting Derbies’ arranged by the Fish and Wildlife Service (the worst Agency ever, with the BLM taking a close second). We must allow the Wolves to remain as well as the Wild Horses and Burros.
I rescue Horses, Dogs, Cats, and Wolves when the Pound calls me. They know I will always take them because they are neutered males and den either in the closet or under my Piano.
These Coyote Hybrids are very real and that must be made clear to every State so that people can distinguish them from Wolves.
CD