Date: Tue, 3 Sep 2002 14:58:49 -0500
Reply-To: Harmon Seaver <hseaver@CYBERSHAMANIX.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Harmon Seaver <hseaver@CYBERSHAMANIX.COM>
Subject: Re: dogs to alaska?
In-Reply-To: <044601c25389$5bc07640$319c4094@BILLPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Well, having lived in BC and then for a long time in far northern MN, I can
assure you that coyotes will kill dogs, even large ones. What they do is one or
two will start "playing" with the dog, gradually lead it off into the brush,
where the pack is waiting. A friend of ours watched them do it to his dog, heard
the dog crying but couldn't get to it in time to help. I was working outside one
day, had my big Airedale with me, noticed after awhile he wasn't around, and he
didn't come when I called, which was unusual, and since there was fresh snow,
started tracking him. I found him down in the nearby cedar swamp with two
coyotes. Since it was around their breeding season, I wasn't sure exactly what
was going on, or if there were more around.
Coyotes vary a lot in size -- those two were pretty big, at least
50-60lbs, pretty normal for that area. Not nearly as big as the timber wolves
around there, which were extremely plentiful as well. A number of people where
we lived in MN had their dogs killed by wolves, some right in front of them. We
had a big wolf come into our dog yard (we had a sled team) one night, right into
the middle of them, the dogs didn't seem afraid, but the wolf ran when he heard
us.
And no, I'm not down on wolves or coyotes -- they are just doing what comes
natural. Most dogs probably have plenty of good tasty fat on them. 8-)
On Tue, Sep 03, 2002 at 01:34:47PM -0700, Bill N wrote:
> Dogs will keep black bears out of your camp, but grizzlies will come in just to kill and eat
> the dog. Coyotes shouldn't be a problem for a lab, but smaller dogs are in real danger from
> them. Coyotes are smaller than you think (usually about 30 pounds, sometimes a bit more) and
> won't usually tangle with anything their size or bigger. Remember, there are no vets in the
> wild, and they can't afford to get injured. There are no grizzlies around here, but where I
> live, we get LOTS of coyotes right in our backyard, along with javalina, deer, occasional black
> bears, mountain lions, rattlesnakes, gila monsters, and now jaguars have been reported in the
> Winchester mountains, which are about two miles away. If they are there, they are probably
> here as well.
>
> Bill
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Harmon Seaver" <hseaver@CYBERSHAMANIX.COM>
> >
> > I've camped with dogs (and cats) for years, wouldn't have it any other
> > way. Dogs are especially nice when bears are around. Depending on the dog,
> > however, it's not a very good idea to let them just run loose. Coyotes will
> > definitely entice them off, then kill them. Wolves will kill them and eat them.
--
Harmon Seaver
CyberShamanix
http://www.cybershamanix.com
| 
