How dangerous are the coyotes?

Just wait until they reintroduce the Florida Panther. (that program is coming, though fairly far away in time.) I saw a story on it the other day. By the way, the Florida Panther is a native species, along with the Black Bear and Red Wolf. When the wolf and panther were killed off, there was a huge gap in the cycle of life, leaving room and need for another species, such as the coyote, to take their place.

There are folks east of Tallahassee (towards Perry) who swear they hear/see the Florida panther prowling about. It could just be the hunters mixing it up with "wild turkey", but Ted Turner's Avalon Plantation [Homestead] is in the general area. Panthers are not supposed to be up on the panhandle.

There are folks east of Tallahassee (towards Perry) who swear they hear/see the Florida panther prowling about. It could just be the hunters mixing it up with "wild turkey", but Ted Turner's Avalon Plantation [Homestead] is in the general area. Panthers are not supposed to be up on the panhandle.

Some of my guys said that during a controlled burn near Watercolor and 30A a panther got forced into 30A and hit by a car. I still quiz them about it and they swear they are unmistaken.

Coyotes running in packs are dangerous. Don't see them alot at Camp Creek, but, there's 3 young ones running around and there droppings are visible everyday.

You might want to make that 2 ....saw a small one dead on 98 yesterday. As for the panthers, there are folks that swear there was one near Four Mile Village as recently as last year. They could very well be in Tallahassee as well as they HAVE been found hit on 75 as far north as Ocala.

Isn't there a wild cat in this neck of the woods that often gets mistaken for a panther?

I know there was a thread about them here, maybe a year ago, and I'd search for it if I could remember what they were called.

Unfortunate thing about the panther is that since they are solitary, and coyotes in this region have more pack tendencies.. There's a good chance that coyotes could thwart a re-introduction plan for the Florida Panther.

Panthers ARE in the panhandle, and even a bit farther north. In the early 90's my grandfather found some tracks in the beanfield which he plastered and sent to UGA for identification. We all thought we had found evidence of Bobcat-zilla, but it came back as a Florida Panther.

And this was in extreme southwest Georgia. There's just very few places remote enough for them to thrive anymore. Even places like pt. washington state forest are too clearcut and pressured to hold more than say.. 3 or 4 panthers, even with all that acreage. Re-introduction would be awesome, there's just not much space for them anymore.

Unfortunate thing about the panther is that since they are solitary, and coyotes in this region have more pack tendencies.. There's a good chance that coyotes could thwart a re-introduction plan for the Florida Panther.

Do coyotes eat mice? I know they eat cats, but they have not gotten all of mine, yet, but this year I am being overrun by field mice. Never really had the problem in years past, but four in 3 days is more than I have seen in 20 years.

Isn't there a wild cat in this neck of the woods that often gets mistaken for a panther?

I know there was a thread about them here, maybe a year ago, and I'd search for it if I could remember what they were called.

That would be the jaguarundi that is seen around here but I dont know how anyone could mistake it for a panther as it is alot smaller and very dark in color.
I think you were looking for http://www.sowal.com/bb/showthread.php?t=19536&highlight=jaguarundi

Thanks so much Jodi. Years ago I was coming down 83 from the beach at dusk towards 98 and saw a large animal crossing the road heading into Point Washington State Forest. I thought it was a coyote until it jumped probably the last 15 feet from the street to the woods. Its tail was enormous and I have wondered ever since what kind of animal would have a tail that long compared to its body. It may have been 70 to 100 pounds.

oopsie .... just posted about the other animal ... somehow we missed jodiFl's post ....

Somebody brought a pair of Coyotes to Eglin Reservation to hunt them some years ago. We've seen at least a half a dozen dead along 98 recently. They are agressive, and it's open season if someone likes to hunt!

Thanks so much Jodi. Years ago I was coming down 83 from the beach at dusk towards 98 and saw a large animal crossing the road heading into Point Washington State Forest. I thought it was a coyote until it jumped probably the last 15 feet from the street to the woods. Its tail was enormous and I have wondered ever since what kind of animal would have a tail that long compared to its body. It may have been 70 to 100 pounds.

From the Wiki:
The jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi) is a medium-sized Mexican, Central and South American wild cat: average length 65 cm (30 inches) with 45 cm (20 in) of tail and a weight of about 6 kg (13.2 lbs). It has short legs and an appearance somewhat like an otter; the ears are short and rounded. The coat is unspotted, uniform in color, and varying from blackish to brownish gray (gray phase) or from foxy red to chestnut (red phase).

Personally, I think this talk is another urban myth. I was born and raised in this area and have hunted it the first 30 years of my life and until I read about it here, never heard of such a thing.

From the Wiki:
The jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi) is a medium-sized Mexican, Central and South American wild cat: average length 65 cm (30 inches) with 45 cm (20 in) of tail and a weight of about 6 kg (13.2 lbs). It has short legs and an appearance somewhat like an otter; the ears are short and rounded. The coat is unspotted, uniform in color, and varying from blackish to brownish gray (gray phase) or from foxy red to chestnut (red phase).

Personally, I think this talk is another urban myth. I was born and raised in this area and have hunted it the first 30 years of my life and until I read about it here, never heard of such a thing.

I guess I'm back to wondering just what it was that I saw bound through the air like a cat/dog.

Well...they are definitely large cats here. I haven't been privy to many - heard them more before the coyotes showed up - but my dad used to see th. Seems somebody had one treed somewhere off of Bay Drive last year and it was classified as a jaguarundi (thanks jodi).

Okay guys. I can certainly say that all of you co-conspirators have had your fun. I trusted each of you so I went along with this Jaguarundi stuff, even though in the back of my mind, I should have known better. But after this weekend I started asking around. I spoke to native Floridians, born and raised in this area, hunters and sportsmen alike. I have never felt like such a fool as I was trying to explain to these people what a Jaguarundi was. Nor have I ever been laughed at by so many different people.

So you got me. I am certain that all of you were in on it in some way. And you have all had your fun. Ha Ha.

Okay guys. I can certainly say that all of you co-conspirators have had your fun. I trusted each of you so I went along with this Jaguarundi stuff, even though in the back of my mind, I should have known better. But after this weekend I started asking around. I spoke to native Floridians, born and raised in this area, hunters and sportsmen alike. I have never felt like such a fool as I was trying to explain to these people what a Jaguarundi was. Nor have I ever been laughed at by so many different people.

So you got me. I am certain that all of you were in on it in some way. And you have all had your fun. Ha Ha.

Dude, c'mon, you know there are flying cat/dogs in the forest.

The cougars in sowal are far more dangerous than any other cat in the area.

Do coyotes eat mice? I know they eat cats, but they have not gotten all of mine, yet, but this year I am being overrun by field mice. Never really had the problem in years past, but four in 3 days is more than I have seen in 20 years.

Coyotes will eat just about anything. Their main diet is small rodents like mice and rats. They will eat your garbage if you leave it out. In the warmer climate of FL, coyotes likely remain quite small in the 20 pound range and so would be difficult to be much of a threat to most children.

That being said, they are a carnivore with the right teeth to get into trouble. Mix that with starvation, rabies or people actually feeding them for fun and you have a recipe for headlines.

I personally fear a coyote more than I would a timber wolf from back home.

Coyotes will eat just about anything. Their main diet is small rodents like mice and rats. They will eat your garbage if you leave it out. In the warmer climate of FL, coyotes likely remain quite small in the 20 pound range and so would be difficult to be much of a threat to most children.

That being said, they are a carnivore with the right teeth to get into trouble. Mix that with starvation, rabies or people actually feeding them for fun and you have a recipe for headlines.

I personally fear a coyote more than I would a timber wolf from back home.

They definitely find house cats tasty. In my neck of the woods, sandestin has been trapping coyotes for the last year or so due to some sort of outbreak. It's common to see them crossing 98 from the state forest at night. Interestingly enough, while a large number of domesticated cats around here have gone missing over the last year (including my own) the local feral cats seem to be quite adept at staying out of their way. They do seem to have a lot of close encounters though, I often spot feral with missing tails and heavy scar damage to the hind quarters.

The cougars in sowal are far more dangerous than any other cat in the area.

I like cougars. Seen any 'round my parts?

Coyotes will eat just about anything. Their main diet is small rodents like mice and rats. They will eat your garbage if you leave it out. In the warmer climate of FL, coyotes likely remain quite small in the 20 pound range and so would be difficult to be much of a threat to most children.

That being said, they are a carnivore with the right teeth to get into trouble. Mix that with starvation, rabies or people actually feeding them for fun and you have a recipe for headlines.

I personally fear a coyote more than I would a timber wolf from back home.

I was checking out a coyote that had just been hit by a vehicle near Peach Creek the other day. I figure he went 65 lbs. He had large, healthy canines. Is that real big for a coyote, 65 lbs?

They definitely find house cats tasty. In my neck of the woods, sandestin has been trapping coyotes for the last year or so due to some sort of outbreak. It's common to see them crossing 98 from the state forest at night. Interestingly enough, while a large number of domesticated cats around here have gone missing over the last year (including my own) the local feral cats seem to be quite adept at staying out of their way. They do seem to have a lot of close encounters though, I often spot feral with missing tails and heavy scar damage to the hind quarters.

I got out and about at 4:00 a.m. this morning and heard some cats making big noise at the edge of the forest.

I like cougars. Seen any 'round my parts?

...should I or shouldn't I answer this?

...should I or shouldn't I answer this?

I think you just did?.?.?

Local paper just did an article on coyotes eating pets, attacking humans, and how to deal w/ them etc. The biggest problem is people feeding them so they lose their fear of humans. Among suggestions were getting rid of fruit trees that attract the small mammals they feed on, getting rid of any trash/food that attracts them, and using fencing to protect smaller pets in your yard.

Gotta love a journalist who uses "Wily coyotes" to start a story off! :rofl:

I think you just did?.?.?