JoGI attracted the coyotes

The other evening after it snowed I took my youngest Eskie out for a walk in my woods (I have a 10 acre farm with the woods being the back 7 acres). We got to the back of my farm & the sun was going down. I was enjoying taking pictures & managed to drop my mitten.

I had to turn on the light on my phone & back track my steps in the snow....successfully found my mitten but JoGI managed to get the fur on his neck caught on the barbed wire fencing. At first I thought it might have gone through his skin but no blood so I was holding onto the fence & trying to get his fur uncaught. He was Yelping like he was hurt (basically scared) & he kept yelping from the time his fur got caught (probably several minutes of yelping).

Just as I was getting the last of his fur off the barbed wire, I her the helping of the coyotes right across the creek that is at the back of my farm. They were way too close & having no weapon myself, I decided to yelp it up & started making it sound like we were 10 vs their 4-5 pack of coyotes.

With the snow on the ground & all the branches on the ground & brush that his leash kept getting tangled on....I was starting to feel a panic setting in.

All of a sudden it was quiet....no coyotes. We got closer to the slope that we go up to get to the house & I kept looking around wondering when the silent coyotes were going to come out of the woods at us.....but I guess they didn't have any interest in crossing the freezing cold creek.

I was sure glad that Tawny didn't come wandering into the woods with us....she willingly stayed by the front porch....my eldest little eskie dog now........we all got safely back into the house without any damage to anyone.

Friends were telling me that I really need to to out with at least a knife that would have been able to cut free his fur much easier....but also suggested that one should not go out into the woods without at least a small gun for protection.

After that experience & how scary it was to have that many coyotes howling so close to me.....at least a gun shot would scare them away. I have used pan lids to scar them away close to my house.....any noise works well....but I can definitely see that it would be a good idea after that rather scary experience.

I love walking in my woods in the evening rather than in the day & that's the time when the coyotes do come out.

Had to laugh last night when I drove in my driveway. My headlights caught 2 little eyes wandering across the field on that side of the house......I'm sure it was a little opossum as it seemed to have the opossum walk. Lots of critters come out of my woods.....& I would never shoot them unless my eskies & I were in danger of our lives & then I would shoot to scare rather than to kill....only if it was absolutely necessary for protection would I ever kill with a weapon.....but I want to be able to protect my babies when we go out for a walk in the woods also as you never know what you might come across.

Eskie, as much as you like walking in your woods in the evening, maybe you should stick to daylight hours. Be careful hon.

I live on the edge of a mountainous desert open space. The coyotes come out at dusk, hunt the neighborhoods looking for pets left out unawares. They have caught enough that they return often, and it is a horrific sound to wake up to in the middle of the night! Yikes!
I am usually up early enough in the morning to see and hear them returning to the hills to sleep for the day.

I'm careful to accompany my doggie outside after dark as we are warned here that a 6 foot fence will not even slow them down, but a human presence will.

You might consider a walking stick, pepper spray, or a noise maker that fits in your pocket. They are looking for easy ... I think, and are probably less interested in pursuing an animal with a human in tow ...IMHO.

I'm sure it was JoGI's yelping & sounding hurt & scared that brought the coyotes out so quickly not knowing that I was there with him even though I was constantly talking to him (I always talk to my doggies as we walk).

Interesting as a friend on her farm a few miles away heard the coyotes at the same time.....so she noticed how loud they were also.

There were enough downed branches that I could have picked up to hit them off with if necessary but was fumbling around initially with my phone in my hand for light & his leash in the other hand to hold on to him when I got him loose & then I had my pair of mittens I was trying to stuff into my pockets so I wouldn't loose them again.......I needed a 3rd hand to hold onto a stick or weapon for defense.....instead I decided to use my voice to sound larger than we really were. Figured if the coyotes could sound loud, if I sounded louder I would possibly be able to scare them away.....it actually did work, but not something I would want to depend on though.

Yep, that time of day isn't wise to go out into the woods at even though it's my favorite time of day for the beauty & the colors of sunset. Will be more careful after that close call.

You are like me in that I talk to my dog all the time and especially when we are walking, along with foot stomping at times (snakes).
Glad you sorted it out with everything that night. Keep a watchful eye though, as you know, now they know where you and your dogs are. Do you have a whistle that could hang around your neck? Hands free and could be a help in lots of situations.
It sounds lovely and beautiful where you are on the farm.
All the best to eskielover today

Great idea.....I actually have one that I got in a survival kit that my BIL gave each of us years ago.....I always keep it in my purse in case of an emergency (self-defense without a gun).....thank you for reminding me that it would work for my walks in the woods also

The wolves and bears come out to play in the early a.m. and sunset here. A weapon is a necessity here for long hikes in the woods, walking through tall grass, etc but i think everyones on the money for not going out after certain hours when it can be helped. There are natural things you could do to keep the coyotes off your property. I think its bear urine? Anyway its in a bag that you can attach to trees and such. Hope this helps and glad youre ok