Coyote in NOVA?

Yesterday my wife and I (and our slightly annoyed corgi) watched what I originally thought was an overly large fox. Now, after doing some google searches, I think it might be a coyote.

http://www.geocities.com/~pack215/coyote.html
http://www.desertusa.com/june96/du_cycot.html

I'm not too terribly worried about the animal, just want to see if I'm insane for thinking we would have coyote around here. Anyone else see it, or have lived here longer than I have?

 

I wouldn't be surprised if it was a coyote. The Fallsgrove Development in Rockville has been having problems with a whole family of them that live on site. Residents complained so The City went so far as to hire a specialist to remove the coyotes. Now the residents oppose how they are being trapped.

I bet if little fluffy turns up missing, you don't care how they get rid of the coyotes...

 

It's been spotted three times by members of my family between Overland park and Carisbrook, specifically, behind the homes on Merion St.

It seems that most of the sightings have been early morning, I will try to get pictures if I can. I know that there are quite a few deer that use the stand of trees back there, so I wonder if this "coyote" is just hunting them.

I'm not worried about the dog, since she only goes out on a leash, but there are a few "outdoor" cats in the neighborhood that would be at risk.

 

Shoot ... its the lack of coyotes and foxes in the area that is the cause of the exploding rabbit population.

Just before we moved, we were chasing rabbits out of our garden almost every hour.

 

Coyotes are in NOVA. Friends in Alexandria say they are in the storm drains and I have articles about them migrating.

My brother may have sighted one last fall, but I have yet to see it. It was near OP.

 

I saw one along side of the W&OD just east of Leesburg a few years ago on an early morning bike ride.

We had them in the far west suburbs of Chicago.

-Jim

 

Sounds like a coyote to me. We've had spottings in Brambleton (primarily where new construction has disturbed habitat). They don't hunt deer but are known to eat downed deer (roadkill) if it's available. They will hunt fox, rabbits, groundhogs. In addition, they will eat trash and dog food if left readily available in yards. Best not to leave pet dishes outside and to ensure your trash is secured properly. Generally, they are easily frightened by humans. It's when they become acclimated to us that there are problems. If you see one in your yard, make yourself as big as possible and make lots of noise; that will scare them off. The Washington Post article had a fascinating article about them in April. The Washington area was one of the last areas in the east coast to be repopulated by coyotes. They are highly adaptive (even live within the Loop in Chicago) and self-regulate their populations (which is why trapping them does not work; it's best to learn to live with them).