Yipping . . . What Does It Mean?

[Jewels 0]

So, I got home on Saturday and went to bed as usual. I awoke to the sound of what I thought was a pack of dogs, seemingly ripping something apart piece by piece. I looked out the window and it wasn't a pack of anything and they weren't chewing anything apart. It was two coyotes under the pine tree in the front yard, doing some sort of wild yipping serenade. I turned on a light, which made them stop in their tracks. Then, one of them did this leisurely stretch, rump in the air, as if to say, "I see you. You don't bother me." But he nosed the other one to point out my presence and nudged him along, so they left. Most bizarre noise I've ever heard. I could swear my skin detached from my body, listening to that weird melody.

I tried to look up data on the internet and definitely see references to coyotes yipping, but everything makes a generic reference to sounds that are about defining territory or that are maternal calls. Nothing says "this eerie yipping means _______________." Any ideas? They clearly didn't seem stressed, so I'm guessing it was more of a conversational message. Still, I'm really curious.

(BTW, I live in suburbia and I'm never leaving the house alone after dark again.)

TPM Sister #102

[CSpenceFLY 1]

Not sure what it means but it damn sure will make your skin crawl.

[gonzalesna 1]

I can't answer your question, but don't worry... coyotes don't mess with people. they'll get into your food, but they'll leave you alone unless you threaten them. They're all over the base I'm stationed at. They keep their distance from people. (Not always fast enough to get out of the way of the cars though.)

Some people refrain from beating a dead horse. Personally, I find a myriad of entertainment value when beating it until it becomes a horse-smoothie.

[Jewels 0]

Not really what I expected by the mailbox, that's for sure. How they managed to sound like there were so many of them is beyond me.

I sure hope all the neighborhood pets were indoors that night.

TPM Sister #102

[Jewels 0]

Promise? I have these Little Red Riding Hood visions flashing through my head, even though that was a wolf and these coyotes didn't appear to be cross-dressers.

TPM Sister #102

[gonzalesna 1]

ya, they're small game hunters and scavengers. They don't like people and they REALLY dislike vehicles moving down the road at high speeds

Some people refrain from beating a dead horse. Personally, I find a myriad of entertainment value when beating it until it becomes a horse-smoothie.

[Jewels 0]

Good. Then I'm buying an armored vehicle. That sound gave me the heebie-jeebies. (That's the technical term, I think.)

I still wonder what it was all about, though. I fully would have expected something like a chase after prey, but nope, it was just some sort of call into the darkness.

TPM Sister #102

[Lindercles 0]

I'm pretty sure it means "interloper--devour immediately, no questions asked."

[jumper03 0]

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Good. Then I'm buying an armored vehicle. That sound gave me the heebie-jeebies. (That's the technical term, I think.)

I still wonder what it was all about, though. I fully would have expected something like a chase after prey, but nope, it was just some sort of call into the darkness.

Scars remind us that the past is real

[Jewels 0]

EXACTLY--that's what I'm afraid of!!

(You pay waaay too much attention.)

TPM Sister #102

[Jewels 0]

I know. I have no sense of courage whatsoever.

TPM Sister #102

[AggieDave 6]

That sound will really get to you when you're camping on Lake Texoma with nothing but a blanket and a tarp. You hear them get closer and closer (probably no closer then 100yrds, but it sounded real close). That's when you get up at 0400 and build a fire to keep them at bay.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Jewels 0]

That does it. You're the designated fire builder.

TPM Sister #102

[jumper03 0]

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I know. I have no sense of courage whatsoever.

They are very curious animals, very sociable but no back bone. They'll run if you go "BOO!"

Unless they are rabid - then get in the house and start shooting them.

Scars remind us that the past is real

[Jewels 0]

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They are very curious animals, very sociable but no back bone. They'll run if you go "BOO!"

Unless they are rabid - then get in the house and start shooting them.

LOL--That's helpful. I might be able to shoot them with my hair dryer, but that's about it. I like the thought that they share my lack of bravery. Skittish is good.

TPM Sister #102

[AggieDave 6]

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Unless they are rabid - then get in the house and start shooting them.

You know there are companies out there with really good "varment" versions of the AR-15 in .223 that are great for shooting coyotes.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[livendive 8]

Like gonzalesna said, they're nothing to really worry yourself about. They'll go after cats, and some domestic dogs (especially little ankle-biters), but not usually after humans. Think of them as a canine version of rats. When I used to run my dogs in an area populated by coyotes, I'd take a gun if only running one dog, and not bother when running both of them.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[Jewels 0]

That's good--because I really have no idea what an "AR-15 in .223" IS. I have an ankle-biter dog myself, but she'll never be out at night when it would be most likely to be a problem. Frankly, if it hadn't been for that horrific sound, they might've even looked playful. But the noise. . . . WOW. I never knew they could do that.

TPM Sister #102

[AggieDave 6]

http://www.gunblast.com/Bushmaster_Varminter.htm

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Jewels 0]

LOL--That thing looks WICKED!!! How many degrees do you have to have before you can operate that thing?

TPM Sister #102

[AggieDave 6]

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How many degrees do you have to have before you can operate that thing?

Just a GED according to the military.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Jewels 0]

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How many degrees do you have to have before you can operate that thing?

Just a GED according to the military.

Oh, yeah, THAT'S comforting. I think the coyotes sound less dangerous.

TPM Sister #102

[davedlg 0]

I live right up against the mtns (Lakewood, CO) and I've seen many coyotes running through the neighborhood at night. I've never seen the type of behavior you're talking about though. Weird...

[BillyVance 35]

My wife once woke up to go to the bathroom, and it was during the summer, so we had the window open, and our cat was sitting on the sill. When she went in there she saw the cat's fur was all standing on edge. Peering out the window, she saw two coyotes sitting outside the window looking back at her for about a second or two before they scampered off.

I'll bet those bastards had something to do with the disappearance of one of our young cats a few years ago.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[LisaM 0]

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They'll go after cats

Exactly why my kitties stay indoors!!!

~ Lisa
~ Do you Rigminder?