John in NH
Member
Question: Anyone here ever have an issue with coyotes while hiking, especially in central NH or elsewhere in New England?
Up until recently, I admit I operated under the assumption there was nothing in the NE woods wildlife wise to be afraid of. I do not mean to spark paranoia by this thread, either. But I have had a lot of close calls with coyotes recently, including a very close one yesterday:
Incident: Thurs 1/26/12 Piper Mountain. Belknap Range near town of Gilford, southwest of Lake Winnipesaukee
I had some free time yesterday morning, so I started solo up the icy Piper Mountain Trail at 8:30 am. I had a feeling I might encounter coyotes when I saw fresh scat right past the gate. From the half way point of the trail to the summit, I was followed by a howling pack of coyotes (4-6 total based on unique responding calls). Their howling sounds like a big dog bark (think German Sheppard) with a higher pitch whine/howl at the end (wolfish). From the sound, they were below me at that point. I may have startled one out of a spruce tree right near me, but it could have just been a spruce grouse (though with no wing or cackle noise..hmm) Spent a few minutes at the Piper summit, and the coyotes sounded very close. For the descent, they followed me ALL the way down (that’s 1.3 miles 1100 vertical), getting very close based on the howls, and then the howls got a little further away, and then a minute of silence. Then all of a sudden, the howls sounded only fifty yards away again and the cycle would repeat…about fifteen times! I couldn't tell if they were stalking me, investigating me, or just following and then avoiding me. It was quite scary to be honest. Sometimes they were so close I could hear them panting and breathing. I had no real weapon and no idea what I could do if all of sudden I saw them blocking the trail around the next bend. I had my hiking poles, whistle, and flimsy bladed filleting knife.
By contrast, I have been hiking in the Whites for over eight years, logging over 1000 miles, and have never heard a coyote there or seen one, but have seen their scat from time to time. Never thought twice about them up there. Never heard them in Massachusetts or Vermont either.
So what going on here in Central NH? Are the coyotes growing in number? Forming more packs. These coyotes are not like the small wylie coyotes looking western ones you might be imagining. These are 40-50 pounds, are dark, almost black in color, have 50-88% Wolf DNA according to NH Fish and Game fact sheet, look like a cross between German Sheppard and black wolf.
I have them on my property at home (in Central NH) and have seen them numerous times up close. I hear them at home almost everyday and running through streets in area—there is a pack.
Other encounters I’ve had with coyotes in the past year:
--August 2011 Going out to the car at my house, 2 deer where nearby, put their whites tails up and ran. A second later, a pack of six coyotes, who must have been stalking two deer jumped out of the brush 40 feet from the car with three people trying to get into it and chased the deer, unfazed by human presence. I did call fish and game asking if this was concerning. They laughed and said, no, its just New Hampshire.
--Sept 2011 Descending Mount Major in dark after sunset photography, had pack nearby but never close enough to worry.
--Oct 2011 Descending same Piper Mountain trail had howling pack nearby for last 20 minutes of descent
---Jan 2012 Oak Hill, Concord, NH howling pack, but not too close to me
So I was just wondering if I am a coyote magnet or if anyone else has had a problematic encounter. Also, what should you do if you were surrounded by a pack of coyotes? I have heard stand tall, throw rocks, use stick if attacked. Would pepper spray help?
Up until recently, I admit I operated under the assumption there was nothing in the NE woods wildlife wise to be afraid of. I do not mean to spark paranoia by this thread, either. But I have had a lot of close calls with coyotes recently, including a very close one yesterday:
Incident: Thurs 1/26/12 Piper Mountain. Belknap Range near town of Gilford, southwest of Lake Winnipesaukee
I had some free time yesterday morning, so I started solo up the icy Piper Mountain Trail at 8:30 am. I had a feeling I might encounter coyotes when I saw fresh scat right past the gate. From the half way point of the trail to the summit, I was followed by a howling pack of coyotes (4-6 total based on unique responding calls). Their howling sounds like a big dog bark (think German Sheppard) with a higher pitch whine/howl at the end (wolfish). From the sound, they were below me at that point. I may have startled one out of a spruce tree right near me, but it could have just been a spruce grouse (though with no wing or cackle noise..hmm) Spent a few minutes at the Piper summit, and the coyotes sounded very close. For the descent, they followed me ALL the way down (that’s 1.3 miles 1100 vertical), getting very close based on the howls, and then the howls got a little further away, and then a minute of silence. Then all of a sudden, the howls sounded only fifty yards away again and the cycle would repeat…about fifteen times! I couldn't tell if they were stalking me, investigating me, or just following and then avoiding me. It was quite scary to be honest. Sometimes they were so close I could hear them panting and breathing. I had no real weapon and no idea what I could do if all of sudden I saw them blocking the trail around the next bend. I had my hiking poles, whistle, and flimsy bladed filleting knife.
By contrast, I have been hiking in the Whites for over eight years, logging over 1000 miles, and have never heard a coyote there or seen one, but have seen their scat from time to time. Never thought twice about them up there. Never heard them in Massachusetts or Vermont either.
So what going on here in Central NH? Are the coyotes growing in number? Forming more packs. These coyotes are not like the small wylie coyotes looking western ones you might be imagining. These are 40-50 pounds, are dark, almost black in color, have 50-88% Wolf DNA according to NH Fish and Game fact sheet, look like a cross between German Sheppard and black wolf.
I have them on my property at home (in Central NH) and have seen them numerous times up close. I hear them at home almost everyday and running through streets in area—there is a pack.
Other encounters I’ve had with coyotes in the past year:
--August 2011 Going out to the car at my house, 2 deer where nearby, put their whites tails up and ran. A second later, a pack of six coyotes, who must have been stalking two deer jumped out of the brush 40 feet from the car with three people trying to get into it and chased the deer, unfazed by human presence. I did call fish and game asking if this was concerning. They laughed and said, no, its just New Hampshire.
--Sept 2011 Descending Mount Major in dark after sunset photography, had pack nearby but never close enough to worry.
--Oct 2011 Descending same Piper Mountain trail had howling pack nearby for last 20 minutes of descent
---Jan 2012 Oak Hill, Concord, NH howling pack, but not too close to me
So I was just wondering if I am a coyote magnet or if anyone else has had a problematic encounter. Also, what should you do if you were surrounded by a pack of coyotes? I have heard stand tall, throw rocks, use stick if attacked. Would pepper spray help?
