Here’s something to make the hair stand up on the back of your neck the next time you’re hiking: according to the Ottawa Citizen newspaper’s website, a 19-year-old budding singer was attacked and killed by two coyotes while hiking in a national park on October 26.

Toronto singer Taylor Mitchell was hiking in Cape Breton National Park when she was attacked by two young coyotes.  Other hikers heard her screams and called the Mounties.  Unfortunatly, by the time they arrived the woman was seriously injured.  She was airlifted to a hospital in Halifax where she died the next day.  The coyotes acted aggressive towards responding officers and were shot, though only one was recovered.

Having run into coyotes countless times while hiking or hunting, they have always fled at the first sight or sound of man.  In fact, the wild canines are very challenging to hunt.  However, having found a fresh deer killing in the snow last year makes you look over your shoulder just a little bit more while hiking.

Though I can’t vouch from practical experience, I would guess that pressing an aggressive action toward the animals would tend to make them run off unless they were rabid or otherwise injured.  The Mounties surmise that the singer ran from the animals which tends to kick their prey-drive into gear.

That’s just another reason why I always carry a big stick while hiking…..and a gun.

Read the article online here

Photo credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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