News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
A Sisters man had the horrific experience earlier this month of seeing his Chihuahua taken by coyotes while they were out on a walk in the forest behind their Tollgate home. He and his wife later found the remains of "Gizmo" after he had been torn apart.
The six coyotes who surrounded and took the dog evinced no fear of the man, who tried to chase them off.
Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife biologist Corey Heath says that such encounters, while not frequent, are not unheard of. And they can happen with a large dog as well as a tiny one.
"I would say it's not common, but it certainly doesn't surprise me, either, when there's a dog involved," Heath said.
The biologist noted that his own dog was stalked by coyotes while he and his wife were out horseback riding. The coyotes were completely unconcerned about the riders.
"They're focused on that domestic dog," Heath said.
Coyotes are not the only threat to your dog in the forest, especially at this time of year.
"We've got some ornery deer, too, because this is fawn season," Heath noted.
Walkers in the forest are advised to keep dogs close and under control, preferably on a leash.
If your dog does get tangled up with wildlife, don't get in the middle of the mix.
"You're not going to end up with a coyote in hand," Heath said. "And if you do get bit, you're going to go through a series of rabies shots. Yell, throw rocks and sticks, do what you need to do, but don't get between them."
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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