Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Officials: String of coyote attacks reported in north Peoria

I think there's a little more to the story than is being reported, but it does make me wonder. The neighborhood in the article is not that far from us. 3 coyote attacks on humans within a space of a few days sounds suspiscious. Makes me wonder if they or their neighbors have been feeding them.

That said, seeing coyotes here in our neighborhood is fairly common. I do carry while I'm out walking the dogs in the desert or on the trails in our neighborhood. My experience has been they're skittish and will either turn tail and haul ass in the other direction or keep their distance. I did have one a couple of weeks ago stand its ground and keep watch on us. First time I'd seen one do that.

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Officials: String of coyote attacks reported in north Peoria

19 comments by Brennan Smith - Mar. 14, 2012 06:05 PM
The Arizona Republic-12 News Breaking News Team

Police and Arizona Game and Fish Department officials are working to remove several coyotes in north Peoria that have bitten three people in the Vistanica neighborhood since Monday.

A community meeting is planned for 7 p.m. Thursday at the Kiva Club, near Vistancia Boulevard and El Mirage Road.

The incidents began when a woman was bitten on the ankle Monday evening while sitting on her back porch. When police officers responded to the bite call, they shot and killed one of three coyotes they found nearby, according to a Game and Fish release.

The following day, a woman was bitten on the chest while reclining on a chair and a man was bitten on the calf, both while sitting on their porches around 3 p.m.

Game and Fish officials said the bites are unsual, with only 18 documented bites to humans by coyotes in the past 15 years in Maricopa County.

Officials said the majority of these bites were caused by illegal feedings of coyotes by residents or territorial defense instincts by adult coyotes.

"We believe territorial or breeding behavior is what precipitated these animals' aggressive behavior in these incidents," said Darren Julian, urban wildlife specialist for Game and Fish. "Bites from any type of wildlife are uncommon, especially this many bites to humans in such a short span of time."

But officials added that in the Vistancia incidents, none of the actions of the bite victims could be construed as provoking an attack, nor was there any food or other attractants directly associated with the bite incidents.

Game and Fish officials said feeding wild animals like coyotes is illegal in Maricopa and Pima counties and cautioned people to stay away from animals accompanied by their young.

Police and Game and Fish officials will meet with residents 7 p.m. Thursday at the Kiva Club at Trilogy at Vistancia. The Kiva Club is near Vistancia Boulevard and El Mirage Road.

Reporter Lisa Halverstadt contributed to this article.

Someone is feeding them.

NO normal, wild coyote will ever bite anyone. They'll turn tail and run at the sight of a person close by.

rabies

Need wolves. They will fix the coyote problem

Got coyotes, kill the deer ,huh

i would suspect game and fish is entirely right on this, breeding behavior or invasion of our territory by humans. This development is on the northwest edge of the valley, basically regular desert a couple of years ago. Yotes just adapt to the humans in the area and the new food source meaning fluffy the cat.
It's a pretty regular thing to see yotes in sun city, not to far away on the golf course etc. A couple of years ago i was on my way to pick up a relative in sun city right at day light. Turned into his subdivision and ran into a pack of yotes working both sides of the street looking for rabbits. They found some and were putting the stalk on them when i honked the horn. If looks could kill, i wouldn't be writing this. They just walked off and resumed the hunt. Actually i like the critters for their intelligence and survivalbility.

Of course, they are idiots and they are feeding them.

We have been residing for the winter in Sun City West, and that has been my exact observation. My wife and I have seen pairs at various times, including walking down the street and sidewalk not 50' from our patio door, and driving our Springer nuts. Have seen them leap the walls that separate houses from each other, and the streets. We exercise due caution when we take our dog outside. Certainly a cafeteria for the 'yotes, with abundant quail and rabbits on the menu.

Paul