How Do Other Animals React ?

[Guest Joey Kay]

Sorry, Joey, I didn't mean to be touchy, but you get that way after being ridiculed for a few years over everything you say on a subject.

I didn't realize that you were sincere.

Its cool homie, I understand. Im jus wanna learn.

[southernyahoo]

Wow, my mind is getting blown. Lol, why dont they teach this at school, or was I jus not listening at the time. But I have another question, what does the coyote do for the BF, the help is mutual right. Maybe the coyotes work as look outs for humans?

It would only be speculation for me personally, but I could see a similar sort of relationship to Humans and dogs, but more towards the common goal of survival. I personally have probably heard a coyote about a hundred times more often than I've seen one in the wild, and that is likely do to their own elusiveness and keen senses. I think that "if" BF were running with a pack of coyotes it could key off of them to avoid intruders or find food. The coyote might benefit as well, on larger kills after the BF has had it's fill. JMHO, I couldn't claim to know for sure.

[indiefoot]

There are several mentions of dogs, wolves, or coyotes associated with sightings in the reports. I would imagine that a squatch would sleep better knowing a coyote was there to alert it to any danger.

[Branco]

pardonable offense? C'mon now. I know bigfoot and coyotes would be in the same vicinty to make contact,.I jus wondering how the BF would go about making the coyote its pet.

Joey, I was also unaware you were serious. I was just messing with you, OK?

But, I'm actually glad you made that post, because I have been wanting to try to clear up this thing about the relationship between coyotes and BF. What I am about to say may sound bizarre and off-the-wall to some, but it is based on facts and personal observations that have been obtained and/or made during the past thirty something years that I have devoted to learning about these critters. I first learned of BF on the same night that I learned of their unique relationship with coyotes. Until that night, I had hunting with a gun and bow for over 40 years. I put up the weapons after that hunting trip.

It was a very cold night in December at a small, remote deer camp in the Ouachita mountains. The six of us were sitting around the campfire about 11pm, dreading to go to bed in the bitter cold. It was clear, moon nearly full and absolutely no breeze. Suddenly something began yelling from the top of a mountain ridge about 1/2 mile away. The sound was unbelievably loud, and without a break, it changed from a yell to a roaring shout and then into a screaming sound that was absolutely frightening. The uninterrupted sounds lasted for over twenty seconds. The volume was so intense that we felt like we were sitting in front of a concert amplifier. When the sounds stopped everyone sat in stunned silence. Finally, the only man there that was older than me, turned to me and quietly asked, "What in God' name was that". Although I thought I knew everything in those mountains, I had to say I didn't know.

We finally got into our beds. Five of us were sleeping in two tents. The other grown, but young man had chosen to sleep in the open bed of his pick-up. About 2pm, everyone else was asleep. I heard a coyote make a short and soft squealing sound alongside the creek and about 100 yards from camp. Within a few minutes I heard the slow and deliberate sounds of bipedal footsteps in the leaves approaching the camp. I knew that the man in the pick-up bed was locked-and-loaded with a rifle, shotgun and a .44 mag pistol. The footsteps slowed but continued alongside the creek, passing within 10 yards of the man asleep inthe truck. When those footstep went out of hearing, a small pack of coyotes followed the same trail. But they were nervous and noisy. Everyone woke up and the man in the pick-up hollered and made a lot of noise grabbing a spotlight and the pistol. The coyotes hauled butt of course. I didn't tell the others about the bipedal footsteps. Only two of them know now.

During the next 20 years or so I learned that BF will put up with a pack of coyotes following them while they are hunting and foraging as long as the coyotes don't interfere with their activities. If they do, the BF will try to catch and kill them. On three different occasions I have heard BF try to run down coyotes that had messed up their hunts. In Jackson County, WV, a BF coming down a mountain to our call had a pack get in front of him. He roared and charged them, they scattered like a covey of quail, each one squealing and yelping as if they were being beaten. In Montgomery County, AR, we were in "tree houses" that had been built in a creek bed by teenagers. They had been run out at night by one or more BF. We called, got a response, and heard a BF coming through the creek bottoms. It stopped, but a pack of coyotes got too close. We heard a crashing sound, (we thought the sound was made by a large rock that hit brush) and immediately one coyote began screaming in pain and moved slowly away; the rest of the pack ran off scuealing. We looked for a coyote body the next morning, but didn't find one. One other time in the Ouachita Mountains late at night, we heard several deer snorting from the slope of a mountain. Earlier we had heard two BF calling to each other from the top of the mountain itself. After the deer snorted, something burst into the ooyote, sending them screaming in all directions. Again, they sounded as if something was about to kill them. In south Arkansas a few years ago there were several reports from hunters who had found the bodies of coyotes that had been caught and partially skinned alive. That has also happened to dogs that have tried to defend themselves or their pups. Two such cases that I am real familiar with have been reported in the press. BF has a reputation for killing dogs. Most dogs in rural areas will "booger bark" like crazy when they smell one, but if they approach the dog(s), they find a hiding place and shut up. If they don't, they will pay the ultimate price. Hundreds of such cases in the rural South.

But, there are also numerous eyewitness accounts of BF carefully carrying off and petting small cats and dogs.

Not trying to convince anyone of anything. Just sharing what I know while I still can.

[Branco]

I doubt it..

You have a way with a few words. I wish I could get the knack for that. LOL.

[gigantor]

Wow Branco and Sasfooty, that's interesting.

So, are you gonna try to "catch" one? It seems to me you have the opportunity to do so...

Edited October 12, 2010 by gigantor

[BobbyO]

You have a way with a few words. I wish I could get the knack for that. LOL.

Just the truth Branco my Friend, always the truth..

Not my fault that some don't like it though at times..

[Guest FuriousGeorge]

Wouldn't animals be freaking out and fleeing everywhere, every time, when bf is around? That would be my guess. Unless they are skeptical. Then they would remain unfazed.

[Sasfooty]

Wow Branco and Sasfooty, that's interesting.

So, are you gonna try to "catch" one? It seems to me you have the opportunity to do so...

No....I don't have any more opportunity to catch one than someone in NYC, & I wouldn't if I could.

Frankly, I'm just glad that they don't want to catch me.

Wouldn't animals be freaking out and fleeing everywhere, every time, when bf is around? That would be my guess. Unless they are skeptical. Then they would remain unfazed.

I must have a "different" kind of BF here, because animals aren't afraid of them at all. Well, except for skunks. I think they either like to eat them, or just don't like them being around, because all the skunks have disappeared. We used to be overrun with them, but I haven't seen or smelled one in ages.

The cows, horses, & cats ignore them. I had a young raccoon that used to come to the house begging food, & I was afraid that they might eat him, but they didn't. We even have deer that stay around close to the house.

Edited October 12, 2010 by Sasfooty

[Branco]

Wow Branco and Sasfooty, that's interesting.

So, are you gonna try to "catch" one? It seems to me you have the opportunity to do so...

Have no idea where you got the idea that I have the "opportunity" to "catch" one. I have tried for a very long time without success to get a good photograph of one, or a DNA sample from one. If I had an opportunity to catch one, I must have overlooked it. So please tell me how to catch one, and what would I keep it in if I did.

[Guest Micahn]

Until that night, I had hunting with a gun and bow for over 40 years. I put up the weapons after that hunting trip.

I do not understand why that encounter would make you stop hunting.

[Woodslore]

I got two things. Sorry for the quoting the way I do I always mess it up when I try the "right way"

1/ "So, it does seem to me that there are some animals (more likely predators) that do not run from loud vocalizations, instead , they are drawn right to them, perhaps depending on the call itself."

Good point Southernyahoo. I know from documentaries that there is a theory out there that some bear will come to the sound of a rifle shot in what is believed to be the hope of a free meal. This is mentioned in the Nat Geo Hunter and Hunted T.v series in the episode about Alaskan Brown Bears on Kodiak Island. I have also heard it mentioned on some hunting shows aired on MyOutdoorTV.com.

2/ "Wow, my mind is getting blown. Lol, why dont they teach this at school, or was I jus not listening at the time. But I have another question, what does the coyote do for the BF, the help is mutual right. Maybe the coyotes work as look outs for humans?"

This just kind of hit me after reading it. I can remember, and maybe some of you can as well, an episode of Weird True and Freaky on animal planet about animal partnerships. One that i think ties it well here is the Coyote and the badger. The coyote works above ground and will drive rodents into their holes while the badger goes in after them. The badger in turn flushes the prey out, and if lucky gets one for itself. the Coyote above ground goes after the flushed prey, kind of like how humans use dogs to flush birds and rabbits. I thought it was interesting. Maybe BF and the Coyotes work in a similar way. the Coyote pushes the prey to a BF in wait and than takes it down has his fill and leaves it for the Coyotes? just a thought I'm not expert on this kind of thing just trying to find a theory.

[Guest vilnoori]

Around here it is not uncommon for cougars to follow a hunter around, waiting for the gut pile after he cleans the deer. I've heard of this more than once.

[BobbyO]

Really Vil ??

That's pretty scary tthinkign about it, but an easy Meal i guess without losing many energy reserves..

[Sasfooty]

Wow Branco and Sasfooty, that's interesting.

So, are you gonna try to "catch" one?

I can't stop thinking about this question. It's strange but that thought has never entered my mind.

It brought up a mental picture of a blind turtle trying to catch a cheetah with a butterfly net.