Hairy Hands

Anyone been chased on their bike by a Coyote? Wow, had a strange and exciting experience today. Was out in the country riding along and saw a dog down the road. As I got closer the dog started looking like a coyote eating some road kill. As I rode by he started chasing after me (like every other farm dog does) but this guy was really fast. He never barked or growled. Chased me for a quarter mile and then stopped.

I knew coyotes were around, but I have never seen one in real life, much less have one chase me. Cool experience.

Homeyba

During a race through Death Valley a coyote ran across the road in front of a friend of mine sat down and watched him ride by. Very strange.

As far as you's goes, it could have been a domestic dog/coyote cross breed. They are not as weary of people as pure bred coyotes are.

StephenH

I was manning the corner on the Texas Time Trials last year and a coyote ran by not 10' from me. That was along in the middle of the night. Strange things happen in Nemo, Texas.

Machka 

I have encountered heaps of coyotes. They are quite common in the Canadian prairies. Most of them just watch me go by ... several have run away ... one or two have ran along side me a little ways.

I guess they can be dangerous ... I think I've heard of one "incident" with them. But for the most part they're all right. Domestic dogs are much more of a problem.

valygrl

Ooo, creepy!

Not chased, but I encountered a small pack on a trail run once and ended up turning around and going back the other way, they stood their ground on the trail. They're all over the place both here in Boulder and in my old home in CA.

Ray R

I see them occasionally on my early morning commutes. They are usually crossing the road in front of me in the twilight and disappear off the shoulder into the brush. Once in a great while I see one on the way home in the afternoon. Never had one come after me, though.

Barrettscv 

I came across one a few miles north of Chicago! He/she was alone, but I took a detour. I didn't want to find out how fast they are.

Homeyba

The thing that got my attention was once while riding down a country road at about 35mph in the early morning I saw what looked like a large dog in the road ahead of me. It was sitting, starring into some bushes on the side of the road. It was so intent on those bushes that it didn't hear me coming. As I got closer and closer the thing kept getting bigger and bigger. Finally I yelled at it because I was worried I would run into it. When it heard me it got up and I noticed it had a really long tail and it definitely wasn't a dog! The mountain lion then turned and ran off the in the other direction. I only missed it by 10 feet or so. That was pretty cool!

Machka 

90% of the time the coyote would have run away from you ... no need for a detour. They are fast, but they aren't interested in you ... they are interested in things like mice or rabbits.

Machka 

I had a mountain lion saunter across the road in front of me, and then crouch on the embankment on the other side of the road and watch me cycle past on a brevet a few years ago.

There I was cycling alone on a deserted road in the Canadian Rockies at about 9 pm ... the sun was just setting when I saw this thing cross the road. I was trying to figure out what it was when it crouched ... and as soon as it did, I knew it was from the cat family, and was a very large cat ... by the time I was a lane's width away from it, I knew what it was.

I had my helmet light on, so I turned my head to "look" at it and hoped that the bright shiney "eye" way up there would give it the idea that I was really big. It didn't chase me, but let me tell you that I was pretty shakey and jumpy for about an hour after ... and then just jumpy for the rest of the night.

electrik

el chubacabra, brother.

Coyotes are around, but they're pretty timid. If it gave chase it was probably because there was food(the roadkill) involved.

cccorlew

On my midnight commute home along canal/bike MUP trails in California I encounter coyotes. They just trot along. They can be pretty fast. If this one wanted to catch you I think it could have.

Mr. Beanz

See them all the time on Glendora Mtn rioad rides. They're usually just chillin' as we roll by. Gotten a few in my videos, they are actually very fond of being recorded and love being on camera!.

Barrettscv 

We had a cougar killed by police within the city limits of Chicago in 2008: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...ugar-shot.html

Of course, the radio comedians had a good time with it: "Did you hear there was a cougar on the prowl in Chicago? She was driving an Escalade".

jmaurice

On last week's 508, I was crewing for Desert Coyote and as we summited the final climb just 30 miles from the finish, we heard coyotes howling and offering support!

RFC

Really, I see coyotes several times a week and always enjoy the experience. Here in AZ I always get a kick out of it when new former Easterners worry that coyotes are going to carrying away their 12-year-olds (could be a good thing). Check it out for yourself, but coyotes are small to medium size dogs (25 to 45 lbs) that eat rabbits and other small game. They are not a threat to people, but are very smart and flexible and adapt to a suburban environment.

They will eat poodles, but that might be considered a public benefit.

Now, Javelinas defending their young are another story.

trek330

I saw a coyote in the Bronx,New York City,Van Cortlandt Park a few months ago!!Very exciting.I mean our idea of wildlife is a chipmunk and the occasional skunk!!

Hairy Hands

The Bronx? Wow, that seem like a hell of a place to go for a bike ride. I am in New York 10 to 15 times a year, and the Bronx doesn't look like a safe place to ride. Of course I usually just cruise by in a taxi, so I'm sure it looks worse than it really is. No insult intended just the observation of a guy that lives in the country.

Richard Cranium

The Coyote was bluffing. He was chasing you "off" the road kill, but not really attempting to attack.

Coyotes in urban areas can become more aggressive. I guess confrontations with small children are possible.

TMB

I was out yesterday afternoon, just putzing around.

Came to a stop sign and looked to my right.

There was a baby mountain lion sitting on the centre boulevard, looking at me. It just stood up and walked off into the Arroyo.


I see coyotes all the time, hardly even notice them anymore there's so many of them.

Bears get my attention though.

kjfitz

About 2 or 3 in the morning Sunday between Lompoc and Buellton I felt like I was surrounded by coyotes. I only saw two but I could hear them close and far. None chased me but they still added life to my dead legs. Can't imagine what I'd done if they'd chased me.

zonatandem

Had a nice coyote 'concert' about 2 a.m. last week.
They are quite common here in the desert southwest and usually travel in pairs; as people encroach on their territory they will eat dogs and cats. E-Z pickins'!

Joel S.

Cripes! The biggest things I've seen on the trails out here have been deer. I've ridden past more than a few does and her fawns. Rode past a young buck, little nervous about seeing a full grown one. Don't really want to get charged...

There are coyotes out here, but I haven't seen any... yet.

Mtbnomore

Having grown up in AZ, I ran across them all the time, and they typically just ran away (even in packs). I also ran across javelinas, which look like small boars and WILL run you down.

RFC

+10 Apparently it takes Westerners to explain Coyotes to the rest of the country. These are small dogs -- 25-45 lbs -- that live in small family groups, not packs, until the young reach a certain level of maturity. They are not 175 lb Canadian Timber Wolves. They hunt very small to small game and, yes, sometimes small poodles, the other white meat. Cats are also fair game. They do not take children, let alone, adult cyclists. Prior to the elimination of wolves and cougars from the West, the Coyote range ended at about the Mississippi. Because they are so versitile, they were able to fill the Western predator niche around civilization, which the wolf could not.

I consider it a sort of pagan blessing everytime I see one. They are the ghosts.

Now, Javelinas, very cool animals. Leave them alone and you are fine. A couple of weeks ago, I came upon a pack with young. I stopped about 30 feet away to watch. The boar and females stood their ground and snapped in my direction (I was at a safe distance) while the yearlings and new born jumped a short fence to escape.

Wildness keeps the suburbs from being totally vanilla.