[Roly Poly]

Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen? It’s happened twice to me now. The first time there were a pair of them and they were barking at me and either going parallel above me or they would drop down on to the trail behind me. And the same thing happened yesterday. Is this behavior perhaps because they have young pups around and wanted me to get on my way? I had 2 large leashed dogs with me both times. I mention the size of my dogs because they were not small dogs that perhaps might seem like prey. The incident yesterday was one coyote that kept barking at me and then following me. As soon as it started barking one of my dogs really wanted to go meet it. Not a good idea!

[JonnyQuest]

Might have been more interested in your dogs than you. A few years ago while hiking around Umatilla Rock by Dry Falls, a coyote seemed very interested in luring one of our dogs away from us.

[Roly Poly]

JQ, yes I was wondering if that’s what it was trying to do and if my dog had been off leash that’s exactly what would have happened.

[Bootpathguy]

"Ever had a coyote follow you?" Only when walking our dogs. I agree with the other comment. They are interested in the domestic dogs.

[Malachai Constant]

I have had cougars follow me in the Olympics many times. Coyotes not so much lots in our back yard lots on trails mostly heard rather than seen. Had the running around our tent along 395. Seen them in Bellevue, Issaquah, and CA. Along roads in Yellowstone and BC. Seen skat all over Ontario. Had dogs flush them. Usually they turn tail if they see you. No big deal they are everywhere almost always they are more scared of you than you of them.

[Gil]

I've had that happen once. I was up in the Cuyamaca Mountains, trying to get close to a large herd of deer grazing in a huge open meadow. I was slowly going from tree to rock to tree. When I was just close enough to get a good photo, I heard a bark behind me and the deer ran another 50 yards away. I turned around and a coyote was standing about 100 feet behind me. I tried to quietly shoo it, but it wouldn't go. So I kept moving toward the deer, and when I was again about the same distance from them, the coyote barked again! And the deer ran again. This happened a third time, too. So I turned my attention to the coyote, and it finally ambled away. Never got a decent photo of the deer.

[Washakie]

They were trying to lure your dog away from you.... and not just to say hello or invite it to go to Ivar's for some fish and chips.

[Anne Elk]

A friend has 20 acres east of Redmond which border a greenbelt. She sees lone coyotes on her property frequently as well as deer, and an occasional bear and bobcat. She mentioned the other day that there's one coyote that's now gotten used to seeing her and gets quite bold - but he's not so much interested in her as what happens when she's around mowing her fields. He keeps a certain distance but behaves more like a dog - sitting around and watching her, even lazing about in the sun. My friend realized that he's learned that when she's mowing, it's snack time! The mowing rousts out the small rodents and rabbits for him. I told her she was his "badger" - see my video post on this page. But my friend wanted me around when she was doing the farthest back end of her land yesterday, "just in case".

[IanB]

Drifting with the thread... "My" coyotes are always shy when they know I'm watching them, but are often about. I encourage them with treats in the compost pile. I figure they are my best allies in controlling rabbits, rats and moles, and for making the deer feel generally unwelcome. I love it when they throw big concerts at night!

[Roly Poly]

Hmm, so no one thinks it could be because there were young pups close by and it was shooing me down the trail. It was a little spooky because my imagination got away with me and I wondered if a whole pack would be summoned. On a related note, about 25 years ago, on the Smithbrook road, I was with my my beloved dog Iris when we came across a pack of sled dogs. About 20 of them, probably belonging to the guy in Index who used to have 26 at one time. Anyhow, my dog must have sensed the possibility of them packing up on her and got quite scared. So did I.

[Bootpathguy]

[Anne Elk]

Roly Poly - I also think the idea of pups nearby is a possibility. Especially the barking behavior. In my prior post, I forgot to say that I've seen the coyote on my friend's farm when I've been there alone. One time I'd been sitting on a rock and he didn't see me. But as soon as I moved, he took off like lightning. So generally I'd say they're skittish unless they "know" you as a fixture in their territory, or they're guarding something.

[coldrain108]

[Sky Hiker]

What did the howling say?

[lopper]

I commuted by bicycle for about 30 years. During the time I worked near Boeing Field, I cycled in from Kent on the Inter Urban trail each morning. Just north of Fort Dent, there is a stretch by the Duwamish River, closely bounded by high blackberry thickets. On two occasions, after pedaling past what I thought was a large skinny dog, the canine pulled in behind me and ran along, very close behind, matching my speed, but losing interest after about a quarter mile. No growling or yipping. Just a curious urban coyote. Something odd enough to be remembered. Also once, biking the log-road connection between Federation Forest and Champion Creek to Lester, I had a tailgating coyote join me for a bit.