Published by Kimsmithdesigns
Documentary filmmaker, photographer, landscape designer, author, and illustrator. "Beauty on the Wing: Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly" currently airing on PBS. Current film projects include Piping Plovers, Gloucester's Feast of St. Joseph, and Saint Peter's Fiesta. Visit my websites for more information about film and design projects at kimsmithdesigns.com, monarchbutterflyfilm.com, and pipingploverproject.org. Author/illustrator "Oh Garden of Fresh Possibilities! Notes from a Gloucester Garden."
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Good Morning Gloucester 
Hey Kim… A few weeks back I saw a coyote walking down Rocky Neck Ave onto the neck while I was driving off around 6PM. They seem to be everywhere these days. That was a first in my 40 plus years on the neck. Randy
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Thanks Randy and Joey for writing–interesting coming from long-term residents.
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bring back leg traps! till then good luck!
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What made him so dangerous and hungry
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Because he was on a well-trafficked path in broad daylight ten feet away from eating our dog.
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That’s right call the national guard there is a menace. matter of fact call the president and tell him there is a extremely dangerous and hungry coyote in the woods. Give me a break….
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A totally unnecessary comment. Were you bored, restless and angry with someone that day or do you just thrive on negativity?
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I’m really looking forward to watching “Meet the Coywolf” on PBS’s Nature on January 22 (streamable online after). It’ll be good to learn more about our new neighbors. Preview here: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/meet-the-coywolf/meet-the-coywolf/8605/
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I ‘m glad you’re both ok. they are nasty critters. and you DONT want to get bitten by one of them. Very aggressive and dangerous;
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Thanks so much Pam.
I agree, coyotes are are dangerous and aggressive. My conclusion is based on my own experiences with coyotes and the experiences of others who have had similarly frightening experiences.
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Kim thanks for the warning. Anyone walking needs to be aware of the wildlife doing what they do.
Sometimes we get just a bit complacent.
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Thank you PV for commenting–this post was meant as a public service warning.
I returned to the berm shortly after posting to look for my dropped lens cap and at the very moment that I hit the path, a sweet, guileless unleashed dog came trotting up to greet me. The owners were far down the path. I told them what had happened and they were very happy to know, as they leashed their dog!
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Glad you took the right action for the situation. I seem to remember an ongoing post about coyotes and/or variations of wolves in the Gloucester area. If anyone knows of established guidelines for these encounters ~ please post.
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Hi Mary, This may be the post you are thinking of–
https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2012/07/26/the-warrior-surviving-coyote-attack-2/
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It’s good to be careful, especially about having your dog tangle with these guys, but nobody I know around that neighborhood has had any problems. Hungry? Dangerous? I’m not so sure.
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Jay, I am not sure what you mean by problems? Countless families in our neighborhood have lost beloved family pets and their chickens to the coyotes.
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Let’s not get all panicky, folks. We need expert opinion from biologists who can investigate our region to determine, coyote population, prey species availability, personal safety risk and advice for avoidance. Maybe we also need a web site for citizen sightings, info, etc. Happy New Year …
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We don’t need a biologist to tell us that we are living with an aggressive predator!
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He probably felt cornered and startled. Both you and the Coyote did the right thing. Share the planet.
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The only animal cornered was my dog and the only reason she survived is because she was on a leash next to me and because I startled the coyote when I stood up suddenly.
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Growing up I had never seen a coyote in our East Gloucester neighborhood for 35 years. Now I see them about once every two weeks and as close as 10 feet away.
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I am all for wildlife being protected, but not when they are a danger to humans. My neighbor was walking her very large dog on Washington Street near the O’Marley school sign when a coyote emerged from the brush and CHASED both her and her leashed dog down Washington St. until a driver passing by saw what was happening, pulled over and yelled “jump in”. Someone else was in her driveway near Goose Cove and was about to get out of her car when she saw a coyote 10 feet away, staring at her. After 30 mins of this standoff, it was clear he wasn’t leaving so she did. She does not have a dog. Also children are not allowed to play sports in the fields at O’Marley due to strong coyote presence.
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O’Maley school…damn you auto correct! 🙂
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Thank you Jenna for sharing these events. Very alarming–the coyote chasing both your neighbor and her dog. That children can no longer play in the fields at O’Maley is noteworthy. The coyote problem seems to be growing exponentially.
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Thank you for this post! You may have saved my dogs life. I walk my small dog thru Eastern Point quite often. I let her leash down to walk and smell on the roads were there is little traffic. Thank you, Thank you, thank you!
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Thank you Lisa for writing and for understanding the post in the spirit in which it was written, which is to warn fellow dog owners and parents of small children of the very real present danger of coyotes living in our midst.
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A good heads up. thankyou . I will remember this this summer when we’re up.
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THANK YOU!!!!!
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Very welcome Pam and Laura, and very glad you find the post helpful.
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No matter how we feel about the coyote as an animal, and without judging any animal on the basis of morality, let’s not forget that the coyote is basically a land shark. If it’s hungry (often, in winter) and sees prey (your dog or cat), it will attempt to kill it and eat it. It will do this in your back yard. It’s the only wild animal on Cape Ann that will do this. How you respond to this fact of life is up to you. If you think that coyotes are picturesque symbols of untamed nature, then you will have no problem making your own dog or cat available to their eager jaws.
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Kim- I did not see this GMG as it was buried in later emails I had to did out like the snow… You absolutely did the right thing letting others know about this and call game and fish ASAP about encounter. Glad you both got away unscathed – Nation-wide there are more encounters with Coyotes as (Humans have also moved into their habitat). Coyotes, like other wildlife, also take advantage of food that people leave out, such as messy garbage cans, bird seed and even cat and dog food left out for pets. Coyotes will also eat feral and free‐roaming cats. The only way to keep your cat safe from coyotes is to keep it indoors.
Coyotes are rarely dangerous to people. The key to living with coyotes is remembering that they are naturally afraid of people. The most effective way to prevent a bad encounter with a coyote is to reinforce this natural fear through your behavior. If a coyote is seen in its natural habitat, it is fine to watch it from a distance. Coyotes are often seen in neighborhoods near natural areas. Never approach a coyote, let your dog approach it, or feed it. If you are approached by a coyote, or it comes into your yard, scare it away by shouting at it and waving your arms over your head. These actions will reinforce the coyote’s natural fear of people and teach it that your yard is not available territory.
Dave :-O
Mass Game and Fish
http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/
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Kim, right now is the beginning of mating season for Coyotes. They are their most aggressive during this time. They will team up on dogs by trying to lure a dog away. I’ve always gone under the impression if there is one there are 3. When I lived in Concord and surrounded by fields and woods, they were common to the area and very loud at night. I don’t ever let my Golden’s out without being with them over here on Mussel Point.
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Thank you Warren! This post was written in January 2014, but just as you pointed out, it is again coyote mating season. I recently ran into a pair that seemed quite interested in my activity, the larger of the two especially. Lately I have been filming the Snowy Owl in the early evening and without fail, the moment the sun goes down the coyotes have their first meet and greet of the evening with loads of yipping, howling, and chortling that can be heard for miles. Take care and good idea about your Goldens!!
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