Q&A for How to Survive a Coyote Attack

Coyote attacks against people have been known to happen but they are rare. In those instances where a coyote has attacked a human being, there have been only 2 deaths confirmed from this in Canada and the United States. The coyote is wary of humans; it knows humans as strong, big, diurnal hunting creatures and it knows that it is not a good match should it attack a human. The most likely reason for an attack would be if you were to threaten its cubs or its own life. Your pets, on the other hand, are at great risk should a coyote come close to cats or dogs.

While coyotes are mainly nocturnal, this does not mean you won't ever see them during the daytime. For starters, both dawn and dusk are still times with some light during which coyotes are likely to be active as part of their nocturnal foraging. And, they may be around during the day for such reasons as needing to move cubs away from danger, needing to escape danger themselves, sating hunger when they caught nothing at night, moving from one location to another (especially if there are territorial disputes) and the like. However, they will be super wary during the daytime, as they know they have little cover if spotted by predators like humans.

Check out Methods 2 and 3 of the above article for the recommended steps to take if you need to defend yourself against a coyote. Remember that coyote attacks on a human being are rare and if you avoid threatening the coyote, it'll do its best to get away from you.

The main methods include noise, fences and negative reinforcement, like spraying the coyote with a hose if you see it. Also, keep pets and food sources safe indoors, to discourage coyote visits. You'll find lots of helpful ideas for keeping coyotes away from your home and pets in the wikiHow: How to Keep Coyotes Away from Campsites or Homesteads .

Coyotes are wild animals; they are neither nice nor mean. They are trying to survive.

Canines often open their mouths when struck very hard in the back of the head/neck. The coyote is likely attacking because it feels threatened. Make sure it sees an adult as the biggest threat and not a child, this way it will attack a far less vulnerable person in your group.

Yes, so try keeping your pets safe indoors. It's true they can jump that high.

No. This animal most likely has rabies, so either report it, or dispatch the animal yourself and then turn in the carcass to your local DNR. In most states you can dispatch an animal if it has harmed you or your livestock or if you suspect it may. With an animal foaming at the mouth, you definitely have reason to suspect you could be harmed, so you can dispatch the dispatch the animal yourself. If you don't want to do this, call the DNR/animal control.

It's possible, but it depends on the coyote, the size of your dog, etc. It's not very likely either way unless the coyote feels threatened somehow.

Carry bear or pepper spray with you as well as a good, solid walking stick. And keep your pets on a leash at all times. If you have cats, keep them indoors. Also, try to go walking with a friend or two. Coyotes are less likely to go near a group of people than just a single person.

An adult male coyote in pursuit could go 69 km. per hour (43 miles per hour).

Call your local animal control or wildlife rescue and tell them what has happened, or just call the police and they will contact the appropriate organization for you.

Yes, they can smell your fear just like dogs and many other animals. When you're scared, your body secretes certain pheromones, and the coyote can sense that.

Humans are not in the coyote's diet, but they will readily attack young children that are unattended. They do prey upon pets though.

The odds of a coyote attack are not likely. However, you should avoid interaction and confrontation with coyotes so that you do not provoke an unwanted attack.

Wild coyotes are no laughing matter. Do not go after them unprepared. You will need a vehicle to stay safely inside. If attacked, consider climbing a tree or getting inside a vehicle or building. They attack in packs, so fighting them with your bare hands is next to impossible. Sticks won't do you much good either, though a knife might deter them once two or three are wounded. Waving a fiery torch at them might help keep them at bay, as might sounding a loud and penetrating alarm.

First of all, find out WHY they're coming back every night. Something is attracting them, dead animal carcasses nearby, an excess of mice in the field, your compost pile, etc. Then maybe consider getting some wolf or cougar urine to put on different places around the yard to discourage them from getting any closer. Stop with the shots in the air too. I don't want to say this, but if all else fails it may be time to stop deliberately missing those coyotes if they are that insistent on coming back.

They are predators and will attack some animals for food. They will also attack defensively if they feel threatened. This is usually the reason they attack humans.

Having a coyote as a pet is a dangerous thing to do. It's hard to tell if it is really tame, and legally it is considered feral. This means if someone gets hurt, your family can get sued for keeping it.

Yes. It will drive them off because lions are big and powerful animals.

Prepare by thinking about what weapon or protective instrument you might have with you, such as a stick, flashlight, knife, heavy backpack. Or see if there's a medium sized stone nearby and take that along. Keep alert, remain quiet unless confronted, seek shelter if available, climb tree if available. Call for help on cellphone if possible.

The color and consistency of coyote scat depends on the diet of the pest. Coyotes that primarily feed on livestock and other animals will produce dark, soft scat that contains fur and bones. Those that consume a lot of fruit will produce crumbly droppings that are lighter in color.

Coyotes are pack animals and will defend one another. Never kill a wild animal unless it's for food or self-defense.

You should never own a coyote in the first place. Check with your local authorities to see if owning a coyote as a pet is legal. Even if it is, it's not a good idea to have predators as pets. They can always turn on you.

No, you should not play dead. If this problem occurs, don't panic; however, know that you will most likely be bitten or scratched by the coyote. If the coyote lunges at you, put your arms up immediately. It is better to be bitten in the arms than the stomach or neck. Yell as loud as you can for help (and to possibly scare the coyote). If you have a firearm, shoot it in the air once. The coyote should retreat, but if it doesn't and is still hostile, you will need to aim and shoot the coyote.

Unless the coyote has a illness, your dog should be fine. You should take her to the vet, and after the puppies are born, call a wildlife institute to see if there is anything special you will have to do in caring for them.

A coyote bite could be an inch or more deep, depending on the area and force of the bite.

I hope that you are kidding, and I hope that your friend is alright, but you should have talked them out of it and ran away with each other. Pepper spray is effective, but not too effective.

You can try to scare them off with some kind of weapon, bright lights, etc.

Coyotes usually weigh 15-46 pounds.