Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Who is the Hunter and Who is the Hunted?

After a day of hunting the backside of the property, I noted a couple buck tracks and decided to set-up a camera on them and see if I could catch a glimpse of the potential rack of the deer that left them. On the way back home, I pulled a camera out of my backpack and hung it on a tree. 

The next weekend I went out and reclaimed the camera and began reviewing the photos and that is when I noted that a coyote had likely been following me. I finished setting up the camera at 5:59 PM and at 6:11PM along comes Mr. Coyote. Considering it took me a few minutes to re-pack my backpack and put it on, the amount of time separating me and the coyote was probably less than 5 minutes. The coyote was likely watching me from a distance the entire time, attempting to determine if I was a target worth tackling. 

While attacks by coyotes on humans are extremely rare, I am curious if had it been joined by others or had I been a woman or a child and of smaller build, if an attack would have occurred. While Maine law requires you to have an unloaded firearm, after the end of legal hunting hours, it does not limit your ability to carry a fully locked and loaded concealed weapon. Each of us needs to make his/her own choices about what it means to be safe and protected in the wilds, for me, peace of mind comes in the form of a handgun. 


14 comments:

  1. I was out early one morning a few years ago, and came face to face with a BIG coyote (well, it seemed big at the time...). I was in Albuquerque on some property located in the city! I was so startled and frightened that I turned and ran as fast as I could. I'm sure that was the wrong thing to do, but he didn't follow. When I told my story later, I was told that he was probably more scared of me than I was of him...He didn't look scared! He was walking right toward me! =(

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    1. Kim,

      You never know when an animal might carry rabies and be much more brave then you are typically prepared to encounter. I think I correct in assuming that the only animal you should NEVER run away from is a grizzly bear . . . all other potentially dangerous critters RUN!

      Don't those fancy new waders of your have a gun holster?!?! :)

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  2. I often wonder what is watching me...out on the river or on the trail. Good, and very thoughtful post.

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    1. I always find it interesting to check the game cameras at our bear baits and see that bears leave and arrive to the baits often minutes after or before our arrivals and departures.

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  3. I don't think an adult persons build warrants whether a coyote will attack, but I do see what you are saying in the instance of a child. I saw a video on youtube not too long ago of a man video taping a coyote coming after his feet. Here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqVE9qfg7yI

    I wonder if they're just becoming more curious of human presence? Maybe because some people who venture into the woods unfortunately leave a trail of trash behind, which may also include food scraps. Just a theory! :)

    ~Ash
    www.extraordinaryoutdoors.com

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    1. Ashley, I think animals are are able to judge size and if provided a choice would sooner attack a smaller foe. During a grizzly bear attack you are told to open your jacket and hold it out in your hands to make your profile look bigger. I think a coyote would attack a woman of average build before it would attack a man of average build.

      That video was GREAT. . . it also enforces the fact that some people are idiots.

      Well, it has been shown that animals who are repeatedly fed by humans OR continually get scraps from campgrounds laden with human scent eventually lose their fear of humans. I think you have a VERY viable THEORY!

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  4. I've never had a coyote come after me or anything, but after being in the same area as a mountain lion with my bow buck. I always carry a handgun while hunting. Also the fear of poachers who want to get angry that have weapons also makes me carry a handgun. I don't particularly want to have to use my bow for self defense.

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    1. I agree, I think a small handgun for hunting is a nice "option" to have should it be needed. There is probably a 99.99% chance that anything would ever happen to require that you pull it BUT if you ever need it . . .

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  5. I'd been brushing the horses with my daughter, talking and catching up on the day when the horses became upset. A moment later a coyote yipped from corner of the barn. Of all nights to not have the guard dogs with us. We settled the horses, waited a few minutes and when they stayed calm, left the horses to go to the house. There stood the coyote, between the barn and the house, and not at all interested in moving. We waited it out. It was an extremely snowy winter. Coyotes were everywhere and bobcats were so hungry they were snatching house cats off back porches. We took no chances that night and didn't go out again that winter without the dogs.

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    1. By the end of the winter bobcats and coyotes definitely become less "cautious". Their drive to survive by filling their empty bellies over powers their fear of humans. It also makes it a GREAT time of year to hunt them. LOL!

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  6. I always carry my handgun. Even when I'm hunting. Not because I'm scared, but because you never know when a horse may become injured, a bad shot may be made, a bear may come too close to the blind you & your child are sitting in, etc. So far I've never had to use it in defense.

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    1. Like I mentioned above to Reel . . . 99.99% chance of never needing BUT there is always that .01% . . .

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  7. Yeah. A coyote is mostly hoping you're doing to kill something or drop a Slim Jim he can scavenge. There are periodic attacks on humans, but as you say those are almost entirely on children and the actual level of even to the children is incredibly small. Now if you had seen a grizzly bear, crocodile, or great white shark on the cam, that would be another story.

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    1. LMAO . . . Griz, Croc or Shark! Don't forget Mt. Lion and Bigfoot!!

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