Disarming Prematurely

[PJSprog]

Wednesday is garbage day where I live. We're on a small farm, with a wooded area just across the road from the end of our "lower" driveway (from the walkout basement side of the house). With the passing of DST, it's now dark by the time I get home from work in the evening. I walked into the house, and was followed shortly after by an electrician friend we'd invited over for some troubleshooting work. After chatting a bit, I remembered that I still needed to bring up the garbage can from the road.

As I headed out the door, I noted that I had already removed my CCW, as I usually do once I get home for the evening. Oh, well. No big deal, right? I'm just walking to the end of the driveway and back. It's not quite 100 yards. No problem.

Did I mention it was dark?

Just as I got near the road, I heard a low growl. I stopped. It stopped. My eyes had started to adjust, and I saw nothing around me, so I continued. The growling started again, and this time I could tell it was coming from the trees across the road. I was mildly regretting my decision at this point. As I reached the trash can, I stomped my foot and clapped my hands as I was using my baritone voice advise the obviously agitated puppy in the darkness that such behavior was unacceptable. The growling stopped, so I closed the lid and started pulling it back up the driveway towards the house. The wheels on the gravel were more than loud enough to obscure any other noises around me. So, there was that. The "not-quite-100-yards" walk back to the gate at the top of the driveway seemed much more like a "not-quite-200-yard" walk. I arrived at the gate sans chew marks.

I told my wife about it after the electrician left. She just shook her head at me and said, "You know there are coyotes over there, dummy."

 

[jimbo555]

I don't disarm till I go to bed. And then it's on the night stand next to me.

 

[Onward Allusion]

I wear mine during almost all waking hours. Coyotes are everywhere. There's also coydogs which are becoming more common in IL. Those critters are not afraid of people.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I have been charged by a coyote in the woods, and it realized it had bit off more than it could chew pretty quickly. I've also walked right up on a den with pups and mom high tailed it out of there. And I walked up on one that was stalking a whitetail mother that had a fawn in tow. Each time I have been unarmed because I can't carry on the job, and each time the coyote has ran like I just lit its tail on fire. Honestly, I don't think coyotes are as big of a threat as people think. They are more often than not more bark than bite. Clapping and yelling was the right thing to do.

That doesn't mean a rabid or starving one would do the same, though. And no matter if they worry you or not, the growling would have freaked me out too. Keep in mind, they can see well in the dark, and we can't, but the coyote doesn't know that. From the coyote's perspective, you are able to see it too, and you are blatantly and deliberately approaching it. So I guess I'd growl as well.

All that being said, if I was walking out to the end of a hundred yard driveway in the dark, I'd be armed too. I have a lot of mountain lions in my neck of the woods, and they do come into town. I also own 0.68 acres of wooded, unlit land that whitetail deer like to lounge around in. Seriously, I could go hunting in my yard with a claw hammer. But my point is that the prey species is here, so I really should assume the predators are near by as well.

I need to be better about carrying around the house, and I need more motion sensor lights around the house for security. Thanks for the reminder, and I'm glad the situation ended as growling only, and not death nibbles.

Consequently, I've been charged by whitetail bucks in the rut twice, once a half of a block from where I live now. And wandering domesticated dogs have been a far bigger threat to me than native predators. I actually had a chow/hellion/jerk dog follow me home. It kept circling around me and trying to get behind me. I kept trying to kick it, and it would stay just out of reach. The forth time it charged me, I dropped my bag and ran straight at it and yelled "Come here you son of a $%^&!" That's when the dog realized it had screwed up and it was about to get its teeth kicked out. It high tailed it out of there.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I wear mine during almost all waking hours. Coyotes are everywhere. There's also coydogs which are becoming more common in IL. Those critters are not afraid of people.

Yeah, it seems the feral domesticated dogs, and coyote and domestic mixes are more aggressive than regular coyotes. Heard some real horror stories.

 

[medalguy]

I volunteer several days a week at a national preserve nearby. I have seen coyotes take down young elk during the calving season, but generally they leave larger animals alone. A rabid critter is another matter entirely. Beware of those guys. A healthy coyote I leave alone. Everybody is somebody's dinner after all.

We frequently come across elk carcasses that bears or mountain lions have taken, and they are pretty well consumed by the time we see them. I worry far more about a mountain lion than a coyote.

 

[bannockburn]

Seems like I hear coyotes a couple of times a week out back behind our property (large wooded area). Haven't run into any yet but if I were taking the dog for walk, I certainly would be carrying.

 

[another pake]

Sounds like it probably was a yote.

But have you ever heard a big boar raccoon? They can growl with the best of em. And they don't mind doing it, especially if approached. They don't have many defenses.

 

[flphotog]

I usually remove my handgun when I'm home but it's always within reach. I also don't ever go out without it. It's actually gotten so that anytime I reach for it, my puppy heads to the door thinking he is going to get to go outside.

 

[Yo Mama]

Used to carry EVERYWHERE at ALL TIMES. But then reality hits, and I have three kids to play with at home, so it comes off when I arrive often.

I've found that when I need to jet outside for a honey do list, I'll always have a light and pocket knife. I know it's not a replacement for a gun, but for my purposes I feel plenty safe.

 

[joem1945]

I'm always armed!! ALWAYS. I live by myself and there are yotes, mountain lion or 2 and maybe a predator. There are agressive dogs roaming the woods so it's prudent to be armed.

 

[yugorpk]

Foxes too. Don't laugh . I see them 10X as much as coyotes . A full size red fox in native territory is as big as a coyote and those suckers have sharp teeth.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Well just don't do that again. Even in the country you have 4 legged dangers . Last year my Daughter came across Bobcat on my parents farm. It jumped out a pine tree and ran off.

 

[Shovelhead]

After dark walks on my property always include a firearm and a large flashlight.
We have pretty much everything from a 6' black bear (wife spotted him one day beside the pond) on down the food chain on our land.
Good to see your tactic worked.

 

[Leanwolf]

I read an article recently (forgot the title so can't source it) regarding the interbreeding of wolves and coyotes in the northeast. Seems the eastern Canadian grey wolves migrated south into the New England states and have been breeding with the coyotes to birth a super hybrid predator, "Coywolves."

The people where the Coywolves are operating have been having quite a few problems with them.

Never hurts to be aware of what's out there.

L.W.

 

[lionken07]

I almost always carry a light with me. Sometimes it's not always just about being armed. You need to see your surroundings!

 

[scaatylobo]

not likely

I "might" remove the gun prior to going to bed.

BUT the blades & the light is in the pants at all times.

I live in a rural part of a very small city,deer,fox,yotes can ALL be rabid.

I rather have the carcass to test than not,after an attack.

Glad the OP was ok,but he learned a lesson .

 

[sequins]

When I first started carrying I'd take it off my belt when I got home and switched into relaxing non-work clothes. I have several roommates and after not too long I noticed that people were coming or going from the house while I was in the bathroom, kitchen, or somewhere other than my room where my gun was... What if they hadn't been friendly? It was a pretty clear learning experience.

 

[ku4hx]

I'm "disarmed" when in the shower ... that's pretty much it. But even then, comfort is just outside the shower door. We've learned the hard way, twice in fact, always "expect company" (as my wife puts it) because when it comes, it won't be when you thought it would happen.

 

[PJSprog]

Yeah, definitely a lesson learned. We have coyotes in abundance around here, as well as foxes, 'coons, bobcats, opossum, and groundhogs. Those critters are usually not a problem, as they all pretty much avoid human contact. Rabid animals, of course, are a different story all together. Fortunately, we get no larger lions or bears in this area

Like most rural areas with nearby towns, we also get a lot of dumped domestic dogs (and cats). They can be dangerous, because they're not afraid of people, and are almost always hungry.

 

[Ryanxia]

I don't disarm till I go to bed. And then it's on the night stand next to me.

All there is to it right here.

Glad your lesson wasn't a costly one.

 

[dh1633pm]

I have seen and an uncle also extra large Coyote's at least they look like large Coyote's. As big as a German Shepard. A coyote like a Wolf that is used to people looses their fear of people. Lots of stories around here (Central New York, just south of the Adirondacks) of being challenged by Coyote's. My dad's cat got ate by one and he declared open season. And Wild Turkeys are becoming less prevalent.

My brother when he wants to take a coyote, puts out his call. Sets up in his blind, shoots, gathers up the dead coyote, and calls it a night. It happens that fast.

People who don't think New York as rural, need to come visit. I will show you lots of places to get lost.

 

[316SS]

I read an article recently (forgot the title so can't source it) regarding the interbreeding of wolves and coyotes in the northeast. Seems the eastern Canadian grey wolves migrated south into the New England states and have been breeding with the coyotes to birth a super hybrid predator, "Coywolves."

Was it this one?

 

[Leanwolf]

316 SS, yes it was. Thanks for posting the link.

L.W.

 

[old lady new shooter]

I'm "disarmed" when in the shower ... that's pretty much it. But even then, comfort is just outside the shower door. We've learned the hard way, twice in fact, always "expect company" (as my wife puts it) because when it comes, it won't be when you thought it would happen.

Just curious, when you say "comfort is just outside the shower door", do you mean in the bathroom outside the shower, or outside the bathroom near the door? (I'm wondering whether it would be bad for a gun to be in a steamy environment. Related, if the answer is yes, would it solve the problem for it to be in a closed ziplock bag?)