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I was out with the kids geocaching by a steam on a trail back is some pretty deep woods. I did not see the coyote that was drinking out of the stream, and we were being quiet enough, that we were pretty much right on top of him before all of us including the coyote become aware of each other.

The kids screamed and ran backwards, I froze and drew my gun, then started backing off slowly. Once I was far enough away, the coyote bolted across the trail and into the woods.

Needless to say, it was an exciting encounter, and the first time to draw since having the CHL.

We saw a king snake later, but that was no big deal after the coyote experience.

When you said you had a Gov Perry experience I thought you meant you spend too much time doing your hair and not enough time thinking

I started carrying when I bike and walk the trail in my neighborhood.

Neighbors have reported coyote sitings.

I did read that they generally, will not attack an adult human. Probably a child.

Actually, my hair did look quite astounding during the encounter.

I think the animal knew he was outnumbered and he did not want to tangle with us, we just had him backed up to water with no out.

Still, quite the adrenalin rush!

King snake was probably more dangerous than the coyote.

C-dub wrote:King snake was probably more dangerous than the coyote.

Isn't that Obama's Secret Service handle?

sjfcontrol wrote:

C-dub wrote:King snake was probably more dangerous than the coyote.

Isn't that Obama's Secret Service handle?

Love it. LOL

FYI.....King snakes are good snakes. They actually go after the bad ones.

King snakes and texas black rat snakes are welcome in my book. I have been bitten by a texas black rat snake in the wild, and it left a good welt. Just glad it was not something from the viper family!

I do wonder what the secret service call him tho. Is that public knowledge?

They call him "Radiator Hose".

driver8 wrote:They call him "Radiator Hose".

You got the first letter right. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 01079.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I posted this over on another forum and thought I’d share here.

Coyotes are a huge pest around my home in Houston. I've seen and heard more coyotes on the bike trails I ride than I ever saw growing up in the hill country.

I really get a big kick out of all the lost dog signs I see in our neighborhood. It's funny (not really, actually kinda sad but I’ve never really cared for toy dogs) that all the lost dogs are those little yappy lap dogs that people seem to love. I haven't the heart to call the people up and 'splain things.

I live close to Cypress Creek in northwest Houston and mountain bike the trails that are in the flood control land. All combined, it’s probably close to a thousand acres of undeveloped land that ends up underwater about three times a year.

The plain fact is that if those little yappy lap dogs get out and run off and have to spend one night out doors, what’s left is coming out of the south end of a northbound coyote within 24 hours. I see those coyotes roaming around people's yards all the time when I'm driving around late at night. I’ve only seen a couple when riding the trails during the day but I hear them quite often running while I’m riding in the woods. I can tell they are Coyotes because their footfall pattern is faster than a deer and slower than a rabbit or squirrel and we have no stray dogs. By the time I’m stopped and looking, they are long gone.

If someone is out there on those trails and is walking their small dog, those Coyotes will attack with the dogs owner standing there holding the leash. I've heard dogs owners complain about it at the POA meetings. My answer of course is to get a real dog. At least a lab or border collie sized.

Yes, I am compassionate and do feel the pain of a loved pet that is lost but hey, we are surrounded by very dense woods and those woods are absolutely packed with all manner of wildlife. Cross Jones road off the street I live on and you better at least have a machete on you to cut through the brush or you will not get far. You also better be wearing high boots & leggings cause the copperhead and cotton mouth population is thriving. Small dogs just won’t survive a night if they get left outside or run off for a night on the town. That’s just how it is.

I really wish the coyotes had an appetite for stray cats. Stray cats we got and in abundance. Apparently, little dogs are the snack of choice.

I had no idea there were coyotes in the houston area.

TDDude wrote:[SNIP]

I really wish the coyotes had an appetite for stray cats. Stray cats we got and in abundance. Apparently, little dogs are the snack of choice.

The coyotes that live south of Colorado Springs sure have an appetite for cats. My brother said they found lots of cat bones when they were building their house - and lots of neighbors posting signs for lost cats. Maybe nobody out in the country has little dogs.

On the topic of little yappy dogs: When I worked in MA, I heard about a lady that lived right next to the big bird sanctuary in central MA. A hawk had taken one of her dogs and she called the sanctuary demanding that they do something about it. As they were trying to explain that thats how nature worked, the hawk (or another one) came back and grabbed the second dog. I'm not sure why I find that funny, surely some deep character defect.

I live in what is very much suburban Grapevine, and my particular street does not back up to any kind of overgrown areas. But like a lot of cities in the metroplex, there are lots of green belts between the various subdivisions in Grapevine, some of which contain municipal parks, and most of which share the common feature of having a creek running through them. Those creeks are like freeways for wildlife that's either passing through, or "grocery shopping" in the burbs. I've seen coyotes on the streets of my subdivision on several occasions. I worry for the neighborhood cats whose owners don't have the sense God gave an armadillo, and who let their pets wander at night.