Coyote spotted in Buckhall
http://www.insidenova.com/headlines/coyote-spotted-in-buckhall/article_798a1dfa-1417-11e4-a2a4-0019bb2963f4.html

A Buckhall resident recently reported seeing a coyote in the area, prompting a safety reminder from the the Prince William Health District.

All residents are reminded not to feed or approach wildlife, health officials said.

Coyotes can be found throughout the state, in both urban and suburban areas, including subdivisions. They can also carry rabies, although this is rare.

Although primarily nocturnal, coyotes often venture out during daylight hours for readily available food sources or to make a den in a readily accessible area such as under porches/decks, crawlspaces or out-buildings.

Coyotes typically weigh between 30 and 45 pounds and have long, thick fur that is often blond/reddish-brown or tan/grayish-black with a small white spot on the center of the chest. They have long, bushy, black-tipped tails; pointed ears; and a long slender snout. When running, coyotes carry their tail below the level of their backs.

Coyotes are opportunistic and territorial, and will prey on unattended small dogs and cats. However, because coyotes are known to have an instinctive fear of people, human attacks are very rare. Still, a rabid coyote, or any domestic or wild animal that contracts rabies, may attack humans or pets without warning, according to a news release.

The Prince William Health District recommends the following tips:

•Animals look for places to den and raise their young. To prevent this, close and seal all openings under and into buildings.
•Keep brushy areas in your yard cut back to prevent cover for coyotes.
•Do not feed coyotes or any other wildlife. If anyone in the neighborhood is feeding wildlife, it can cause trouble for everybody. Feeding wildlife will cause coyotes and other wildlife to lose their natural fear of humans.
•Follow these tips to limit unintentional food sources:
•Keep trash inside until the morning of trash pickup or place trash in an animal-proof container, such as a metal or plastic trash can with a tight-fitting lid.
•Do not leave pet food outside; keep pet feeding areas clean.
•Remove bird feeders when nuisance species have been seen around them, such as rats, rodents, squirrels and others.
•Clear fallen fruit around trees, which could attract insects, rodents and other wildlife, which, in turn, can attract predators, such as coyotes.
•Keep small pets inside as much as possible. When they go outside, put them on a leash or install coyote-proof fencing to protect unsupervised pets. Small pets may be viewed by a coyote as prey. Larger dogs are viewed as a threat – particularly from January to June while mating and birthing pups.
If you observe a coyote or any other wildlife or pets in your community exhibiting signs of rabies, such as stumbling, foaming at the mouth or showing aggression, call the Prince William County Animal Control Division at 703-792-6500.

For further assistance call the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’ toll-free wildlife conflict helpline at 1-855-571-9003.
Attachments:

Darn. Right church, wrong pew.

From this article's title, "Encroaching coyotes" I thought at last someone has written an expose on the other kind of coyotes that have invaded Prince William County.

The ones that illegally smuggle Hispanics across the border and stack them 20 or 30 deep in single family homes at $800 to $1,000 cold, tax free cash per person per month.

A small amount of that "rental" fee goes into getting rid of the bogus Arizona and/or Texas paperwork and vehicle license plates in exchange for Virginia stuff. They need this completed so that local contractors and developers can put them to work building more buildings (that sit vacant for years) and housing developments with new sidewalks (that crack in 2 - 3 months) and roofs and siding that start buckling and peeling before the dwelling goes to it's first settlement.

In any event the end result is that the coyotes, along with the bears, deer, minks, possums, rats, skunks and weasels are all driven out of their natural habitats into the cities. They go there because there is food for them to eat and survive.

From this article it appears that the coyotes enjoy munching on pet dogs and cats. Maybe there is some way to get them interested in squirrels?

The bears definitely prefer dumpster diving behind fast food restaurants. Sometimes they just grab hold of the handle and drag the thing away to their hiding place.

So far all the skunks do is travel from one house to another all night long digging holes in people's yards. That is, unless they're unwittingly scared by someone putting their trash out late at night. Then everyone in the housing areas knows that there's a problem.

Occasionally it is like listening to the sound track of an old western movie when a herd of deer comes running down the middle of the streets along about midnight. The sound is much louder if the herds choose to jump the fences by running through the backyards.

But, like the man in the article said, "humans are going to have to learn to live with our wildlife". All of it!

> All residents are reminded not to feed or approach wildlife, health officials said.

I haven't been able to leave my house for months. The squirrels have me surrounded. Send help please!

Yotes used to roam the metro west area right beside vienna metro until 5 years ago when the cleared the land for development.

kdoubledmf Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yotes used to roam the metro west area right
> beside vienna metro until 5 years ago when the
> cleared the land for development.

No, they didn't, and if you'd been there at all at the time, you'd have known what to call it (Fairlee) rather than "the Metro West area right beside Vienna metro". But hey, five years ago, you were eight.

They must be low on food and are heading closer and closer into populated areas to feed themselves.

Grown Up, I moved to the Cresent apartments right beside what is now Metro West in Nov. 2009 before construction began but after no one lived there. That winter (early 2010) I saw a coyote there in the woods and my beagle tracked it for a while. That spring, days into construction I saw another coyote while walking my dog. That same spring I saw a dead coyote on RT29 right between what is now Metro West and the woods on the other side of RT29. Why would I have ever known that is was called Fairlee if I moved there in Nov. 09? It was just a wooded area with abandoned houses when I first got there. Although I wish I was 13 years old I am 35.

This is the coyote you are more likely to see.
Attachments:

Spotted this one leaving coldstone

Spotted this pack leaving Chipotle, Mosaic District

Wanted : robbed eagle bank

Thee seats so comfy holmes

Call of the Wild Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Coyote spotted in Buckhall
> http://www.insidenova.com/headlines/coyote-spotted
> -in-buckhall/article_798a1dfa-1417-11e4-a2a4-0019b
> b2963f4.html
>
> A Buckhall resident recently reported seeing a
> coyote in the area, prompting a safety reminder
> from the the Prince William Health District.
>
> All residents are reminded not to feed or approach
> wildlife, health officials said.
>
> Coyotes can be found throughout the state, in both
> urban and suburban areas, including subdivisions.
> They can also carry rabies, although this is
> rare.
>
> Although primarily nocturnal, coyotes often
> venture out during daylight hours for readily
> available food sources or to make a den in a
> readily accessible area such as under
> porches/decks, crawlspaces or out-buildings.
>
> Coyotes typically weigh between 30 and 45 pounds
> and have long, thick fur that is often
> blond/reddish-brown or tan/grayish-black with a
> small white spot on the center of the chest. They
> have long, bushy, black-tipped tails; pointed
> ears; and a long slender snout. When running,
> coyotes carry their tail below the level of their
> backs.
>
> Coyotes are opportunistic and territorial, and
> will prey on unattended small dogs and cats.
> However, because coyotes are known to have an
> instinctive fear of people, human attacks are very
> rare. Still, a rabid coyote, or any domestic or
> wild animal that contracts rabies, may attack
> humans or pets without warning, according to a
> news release.
>
> The Prince William Health District recommends the
> following tips:
>
> •Animals look for places to den and raise their
> young. To prevent this, close and seal all
> openings under and into buildings.
> •Keep brushy areas in your yard cut back to
> prevent cover for coyotes.
> •Do not feed coyotes or any other wildlife. If
> anyone in the neighborhood is feeding wildlife, it
> can cause trouble for everybody. Feeding wildlife
> will cause coyotes and other wildlife to lose
> their natural fear of humans.
> •Follow these tips to limit unintentional food
> sources:
> •Keep trash inside until the morning of trash
> pickup or place trash in an animal-proof
> container, such as a metal or plastic trash can
> with a tight-fitting lid.
> •Do not leave pet food outside; keep pet feeding
> areas clean.
> •Remove bird feeders when nuisance species have
> been seen around them, such as rats, rodents,
> squirrels and others.
> •Clear fallen fruit around trees, which could
> attract insects, rodents and other wildlife,
> which, in turn, can attract predators, such as
> coyotes.
> •Keep small pets inside as much as possible.
> When they go outside, put them on a leash or
> install coyote-proof fencing to protect
> unsupervised pets. Small pets may be viewed by a
> coyote as prey. Larger dogs are viewed as a threat
> – particularly from January to June while mating
> and birthing pups.
> If you observe a coyote or any other wildlife or
> pets in your community exhibiting signs of rabies,
> such as stumbling, foaming at the mouth or showing
> aggression, call the Prince William County Animal
> Control Division at 703-792-6500.
>
> For further assistance call the Virginia
> Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’
> toll-free wildlife conflict helpline at
> 1-855-571-9003.


Nice doggies. Would pet.