Alan Skeoch

Month: October 2022

  • Coyote note from Patricia…yip yip yip is chilling

    Note came as soon as Patricia read my episode…see below
    Hi Alan
    To add to your story and Kent’s, we hear and see lots of coyotes during the winter when the Credit River is frozen over. We see them trotting along – it can be disconcerting when they are running toward you! (They have never stopped near us; they just run on by!)
    When we are dog-sitting (daughter Martha’s black Lab), we keep her on a leash during walks. We have never seen one when we have the dog with us.
    Once, a pack tried to lure a neighbour’s German Shepherd (a large male named Shadow) to the island in the Credit. Shadow is never on a leash. Most of the coyote pack hung back, hidden among the island reeds, while one lone coyote played and flirted to attract Shadow to follow her/ him (probably her!). Tim, the dog’s owner, saw what was happening and called Shadow back to shore. The big animal immediately turned and trotted home.
    We hear the wild loud “yip yip yips” signaling a kill usually in the wee hours of morning when it’s still dark. And very cold. The sound is chilling!! Nature’s way though. Now that Brightwater has taken over a huge patch of what had become coyote territory, we expect to see more coyotes trotting along the frozen Credit River this winter.
    Patricia

  • Fwd: EPISODE 602 SO YOU WANT A PET COYOTE…NOT A GOOD IDEA



    Begin forwarded message:


    From: ALAN SKEOCH <alan.skeoch@rogers.com>
    Subject: EPISODE 602 bark! BARK! Bark! There is s big coyote down there….look!
    Date: September 30, 2022 at 5:36:28 PM EDT
    To: John Wardle <jwardle@rogers.com>, Marjorie Skeoch <marjorieskeoch@gmail.com>, Alan Skeoch <alan.skeoch@rogers.com>


    EPISODE 602    bark! BARK! Bark!  There is s big coyote down there….look!


    alan skeoh
    Sept 30, 2-022




    “Her camouflage is also perfect…her smell is not!“
    “Alan, the dog is going crazy…must be coyotes.”

    At first we could see nothing.  Then a large coyotes stepped from behind a bush into
    the open spot.  It stopped, took its time to check us out and continued to tease
    Woody who is very brave when behind a chain line fence.

    COYOTES AS PETS…YES, IT IS POSSIBLE BUT NOT DESIRABLE

    There are people who have pet coyotes but I think taming a coyote

    is  bad idea for several reasons.  Breeders sell them for around $400
    each.  Cheap $50 coyotes should be avoided…problems there with
    health of the animals likely.

    KEEPING  a coyote may be illegal in the first place.  So read no further.

    If you are determined to get a coyote consider these problems.  First is space.
    A tame coyote needs about 1.5 acres minimum space.  Not many people have
    city lots that size.  Then it must be fenced about 10 feet high with an extra two feet
    buried…12 inches down, then folded back another 12 inches so the coyote cannot
    dig itself out.  Fencing a larger space, say 10 acres, won’t work because the coyote
    may feel it is in the wild…i.e. not tame.  Fencing the real rate of a male coyote is out of
    the questions as in the quote below.

    “It is not possible to have a pet coyote if you do not own a large plot of land. And we mean large! You can’t keep a coyote in an apartment or a suburban housing plant.
    It’s not fair to the coyote to live in such small quarters and can end up causing behavioral problems.
    According to the Virginia DWR, coyotes have a home range of about 6 miles in diameter. Male coyotes can range even further, especially if they are looking for a female or trying to start their pack.”


    Your tame coyote may like you as long as you show it you are the alpha parent…the
    indisputable boss.  Possible to do.  But be careful bringing friends around.  The coyote
    might see them as competition for affection and for food.  Bite them.  Same a applies in
    spades for pets.  GRRRR!

    What will you feed it?  Squirrels?, rabbits?, cats? rats?   Just about anything it seems but be sure and feed it often
    otherwise your coyote will start looking at other livings things like your pet cat.

    And do not think you can take a tame coyote for a walk on a leash.  If other leashed dogs are passing by the
    coyote could go berserk trying to get them and lots of biting will happen to all in the coyote’s way including
    you I imagine.




    Who is inside the fence?  The coyote? Or us?  The answer is obvious.


    There is no coyote in this picture above.  Could be though.  The picture below is our backyard, unfenced part, and there is a
    coyote present…almost invisible.  Coyotes have decided that urban life is OK and now seeing a coyote on your street is
    common.  When i was a kid, decades ago, coyotes were almost fictional creatures skulking around the American west where
    they originated.  Not so today.




    HERE is a coyote story from Kent snd Jan Farrow

    KENT FARROW…COYOTE STORY FROM WASAGA BEACH



    Hi Allan…..love your backyard and farm and creatures that are lured to them.  We do not have coyotes at the cottage but we do have our passive fox(if there is such a thing at!  We are back to Wasaga after a 4 month stay at the cottage .  In Wasaga we have many coyotes that roam about feeding on rabbits and stray cats.  THREE winters ago we lost a yearling deer , who despite being protected by 5 other adults, was surrounded and consumed on the golf course fairway behind us.  All that was left were the two hind legs.  They take no prisoners when hungry especially when the snow is deep.  We are home for a few more days to let impending hurricane Ian pass and then back to ‘Hodge Podge Lodge ‘ to close up.  Stay safe!<image0.jpeg>

    This would have been 3 winters ago when there was close to 18-20” of snow on the ground.  There was a small herd of dear wintering on the golf course….3 adults and two young ones.  We also had 2 coyotes trailing them .  I have them on my trail cam.  We heard the celebratory yipping noises and in the morning my son found the two hind legs.  We see them trotting across the farmer’s fields at times.  Any ways that is natures food chain I suppose.  After all, Wasaga is a Provincial Park.

    Kent Farrow

    Sent from my iPhone


    Kent Farrow