I just had a close encounter...

[03Lightningrocks]

with Wiley Coyote!!! My neighborhood has problems with coyotes coming into our yards at night, hunting for stray pets to eat. I just went out to get my mail and when I turned around, there was a coyote not five feet away from me. I think I caught him as off guard as he did me...LOL. We just stared at each other for about five seconds. It seemed like five minutes. He spun around and ran off between the houses. Now for the lucky part of it all. I normally put my PM9 in my back pocket when I go outside at night. Tonight, I was talking on the phone with my son and not thinking as I went out to the mailbox. It was funny because my first thought was "Oh crap! My gun is in the house!". My second thought was "what if he comes at me?". Normally, a coyote would never let a person get this close. It made me wonder if he was rabid or something. LOL... I even thought about jumping on top of my brick mail box. I am kind of glad I forgot to take my weapon outside with me because it scared me enough that I might have shot him. 99.9% of the time, I carry my gun with me to go outside at night. The rare time I don't, I find myself in a position to possibly need it. I may not have shot him. At the least I would have put the weapon on him in case he started at me. That was just strange... I live in the "big city". You don't expect to walk up on a coyote in Plano.

[rwg3]

I have had two similar encounters in Plano this winter. Once when out on a bike trail walking the dogs and once when doing yardwork one afternoon last week. It is kind of shocking to run into one in a subdivision especially in broad daylight. The dogs were going nuts and I wasn't really paying attention thinking they were barking at kids. Now when they raise a fuss I am much more likely to investigate. Glad you both went your seperate ways.

[Keith B]

We don't live that far apart, but I see coyotes frequently, as well as have seen a bobcat and raccoons within the past few months. Most of the time they are caught on my security camera, but have actually had close encounters with coyotes out along the creek walking trail. I really think they are just getting used to humans being around that they don't worry too much about distance any more and as long as you don't move toward them, then they will kinda go about their business or move away.

And, rabid coyotes are not very common as they have pretty well eradicated it with bait in areas that they had issues. I would worry more about rabid skunks around here.

[CC Italian]

I live in the highly populated suburbs of Houston and I see them all the time near the sporadic patches of undeveloped land. I would always see them behind the Wal-Mart in Spring. They are there but only come out at night and stay close to the tree line. Same goes with deer; they still have them even in the city limits. They are just in little tiny small sections that haven't been developed.

I know within the last year they had a few mountain lion (cougar) and bobcat sightings out in west Houston near Katy. So the animals are still around in the big cities!

[03Lightningrocks]

I have had two similar encounters in Plano this winter. Once when out on a bike trail walking the dogs and once when doing yard work one afternoon last week. It is kind of shocking to run into one in a subdivision especially in broad daylight. The dogs were going nuts and I wasn't really paying attention thinking they were barking at kids. Now when they raise a fuss I am much more likely to investigate. Glad you both went your separate ways.

Wow!!! I wonder what the deal is? My neighborhood sends out emails when we are having pets attacked. It seems like the past year has been more cases than usual. I live about 300 yards from a "greenbelt" area. A creek runs through and there are patches of trees on each side. I am assuming they live in that greenbelt and come into our yards at night. I really don't want to blast one of the creatures. It would have turned my evening upside down. Calling the cops and all the extra curricular stuff that goes into discharging a firearm. I am much happier watching TV and surfing the net. I bet he is much happier too...LOL.

Yep Keith, we are not that far away from each other. I have seen them along the walking trails more than a few times but to walk right up on one in my front yard while jabbering on my cell phone was highly unexpected. I guess I should be grateful it wasn't an actual BG... he would have had me for sure... I was in serious condition "not paying one bit of attention"! I started wondering if the critter could climb on top of a mailbox. Now that I think about it, he might have been a werewolf!!!

[steve817]

One of our building maintenance guys was bitten by one a few months back on DFW airport property. He was carrying something out to the dumpster and as the story goes unwittingly cornered it.

[03Lightningrocks]

It continues... My neighbors dogs are going nuts. I bet that dumb coyote is still wondering around out there! If he meets the pit bull next door, he won't be so eager to hang out around here.

[03Lightningrocks]

One of our building maintenance guys was bitten by one a few months back on DFW airport property. He was carrying something out to the dumpster and as the story goes unwittingly cornered it.

That was what went through my mind. He might charge me out of fear.

[Keith B]

One of our building maintenance guys was bitten by one a few months back on DFW airport property. He was carrying something out to the dumpster and as the story goes unwittingly cornered it.

That was what went through my mind. He might charge me out of fear.

They will usually not charge out of fear unless cornered and no where to run. The only other time they might come at you would be if you had a small dog on a leash and it decides you have a snack on a string.

[03Lightningrocks]

They will usually not charge out of fear unless cornered and no where to run. The only other time they might come at you would be if you had a small dog on a leash and it decides you have a snack on a string.

Bawahahahahaha!!! I just choked on my coffee!

[Keith B]

They will usually not charge out of fear unless cornered and no where to run. The only other time they might come at you would be if you had a small dog on a leash and it decides you have a snack on a string.

Bawahahahahaha!!! I just choked on my coffee!

By the way, shooting a coyote in Texas as a defense requires a specific weapon

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[rwg3]

If you do shoot it, will you run for Governor?

[sugar land dave]

My, Mr Postman! What big eyes you have......

[03Lightningrocks]

By the way, shooting a coyote in Texas as a defense requires a specific weapon

I need to get one of those. That would be cool to have ten or fifteen years from now. It is a part of our heritage as Texans. He is lucky he didn't sneak up on Governor Rick like that! He would be toast!

[Oldgringo]

We went shopping in Tyler this past Monday. As we went around the southern bypass between 69 and 155, we spotted a pack/covey/gaggle/herd (?) of wild hogs right on the side of the road within the city limits in broad daylight! I pointed them out to Mrs. Oldgringo who said, "...well, honk, or something".

You just never know...