Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Coyotes in Anchorage

New here and wouldn't ordinarily start a thread but something unusual to me happened today in South Anchorage. I took the dog for a walk out near beer can lake as I will. Always walk my dogs and try for an hour a day if I can. Been doing it in this area for over 20 years. So there I am in an area that is not too well frequented admiring all the nice little pine trees. I hear a dog doing an unusual howl/cry repeatedly nearby and it strikes me as odd as there were no cars parked about but I don't pay it much mind. My dog Gus is running around as usual. He is a long legged Drhat of about 68# and ranges far. Not a fighter like my Labs and Chessie were, but sharp non the less.

Thing is that I am just meandering about a bit as I try not to do the forced march on my walks and have been in the same field for a while. Look up and there is a coyote. seen lots of red foxes in Anchorage but never a coyote. It starts doing the bark/cry and coming towards me. I go towards it and it is unfazed. This goes on for a minute and I make it run. Walk to where it ran and it presents itself a minute later and starts crying/calling. Luckily my dog has 100% recall so I keep it close. Coyote goes in the trees and keeps howling. I know it wants to call my dog to it's buddies and he wants to go. Went on for at least another 5 minutes. That is a long time.

Head back to the truck and 20 minutes into that I hear my dog do his chase bark. Usually a hare or fox. Called him in and then the howling/calling started just 80 yards away in the trees. Coyote had followed us. Gus seemed to have figured it out at this point and we went to the truck.

I would not be surprised if there is an ADN article about dogs getting munched by coyotes soon.

There are mor ewolves around than most realize, especially up off the flats, but about 20 years ago I saw several wolves just east of Minnesota and just south of the trailer court at Dimond. Have seen lone wolves real close to there two other times. Not saying you saw a wolf, just saying there are lots of wild things in South Anchorage!

What no protection?

lots of yotes in the Anchorage bowl. see them frequently off of Dowling and elmore.

You won't find ADN telling stories about the coyotes and wolves eating peoples dogs. Doesn't track with their agenda. But it happens frequently.

I hadn't seen more than some coyote tracks around there before. The thing that caught my attention is that that coyote was definitely hunting my dog.

The Lynx in town love little dogs for supper.!

We live near the Palmer Hay Flats, and the wife has seen about 3 wolves on 3 different occasions. I have yet to see one, but I have seen a coyote on base before. When we first arrived to Alaska, JBER had just killed off several wolves, as they surrounded a person walking their dog, and the wolves had the dog for a snack.

Why not? I have had wolves and coyotes both in and around my yard here in Sterling. As Art says- lots of wild things around.

I heard or read somewhere that coyotes came north with and along the Alcan. Dunno if that is factual.

Well maybe not. A quick google:

Coyotes are newcomers to Alaska, arriving about 100 years ago. Populations were first reported in southeast Alaska. Over time they expanded north into the upper Tanana Valley, and then spread throughout most of the state south of the Yukon River.

PS. - come to think of it, the road system expansion theory would still work.

The original story had them following the Gold Rush. Probably about 100 years from when you heard about it.

200 years ago?

Yes, THEY were. It likely wasn't a lone one. I have a neighbor who can attest to that. Expensive vet bill!

Same thing happened to me and Tripper Lab, now deceased, and wolves on Resurrection Trail some years ago. Nice pelt on wall....

Um - not the dog's pelt - him I have ashes for... some scattered at remote cabin (he loved it) , some yet to be in the home yard.

I’ve seen more live coyotes,wolverines,and lynx while living on the hillside than I have while living in Cordova,Ketchikan,and Homer,I’ve shot more in Homer,and caught more in Cordova..