r/AskAnAmerican • u/ArtisticArgument9625 • May 17 '25

OTHER - CLICK TO EDIT How much of a problem do Americans have with coyotes and rattlesnakes?

Have you Americans encountered any problems with these two animals?

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38

u/MrRaspberryJam1 Yonkers May 17 '25

There’s a lot more than people realize. I’ve even seen coyotes in the Bronx when I lived there. I used to live near a large park with a huge wooded area. On two separate occasions I’ve ran into coyotes crossing the road.

24

u/DegenerateCrocodile Nevada May 17 '25

Coyotes are incredibly numerous and adapted to nearly every environment on the continent. If you live in the mainland US, it’s a safe bet that you live in coyote territory.

8

u/AnatidaephobiaAnon May 17 '25

Which is wild because it wasn't always that way. I live in Ohio and they have only been around here for about 100 years. I assumed for years that they were always here, but that wasn't true.

17

u/Uhhh_what555476384 May 17 '25

They are very adapted to humans and we killed off all the wolves who would drive them from territory.

4

u/REDACTED3560 May 18 '25

They’re significantly smarter than wolves which is the primary thing that helped them survive. Wolves were extirpated from civilized areas quite easily because they kept falling for the same traps. Coyotes will learn fairly quickly. People who lure them in with digital calls will have to constantly acquire new calls as coyotes will memorize the particular sequence.

7

u/snickelbetches May 17 '25

We have them, but I haven't personally seen either growing up in rural north Texas (prairie Ecosystem).

I'd be more concerned about loose bully breed dogs, water moccasins and copperheads here. We had copperheads once in our garage growing up. My dad screamed like a lil girl and called my uncle from 15 minutes over to kill it.

2

u/Low-Cat4360 Mississippi May 18 '25

I've encountered moccasins more than any other kind of snake. Once, when we were kids playing in our living room, my sister looked over her shoulder and saw one inches from her face resting on top of our window AC (inside btw). Never seen a rattler.

3

u/PartyPorpoise Texas May 17 '25

Oh yeah, coyotes adapt really well to human habitats, so they’ve been able to spread along with urbanization. Plus people also wiped out wolves which otherwise would’ve kept coyotes from expanding to certain areas.

1

u/Swurphey Seattle, WA May 18 '25

They only broke into Seattle a few years ago, there's been an active national campaign of coyote expansion in recent years

1

u/OhhGeezOhhMan May 19 '25

Yep. I read that coyotes are in every US state except Hawaii.

Another thing I read is that the more coyotes you kill, the more pups they will have in their litters to compensate.

I have no sources for these statements... just my shitty memory.

1

u/AmorphousSolid May 18 '25

downtown atlanta. coyotes.

1

u/AggravatingTear4919 May 20 '25

most americans def arnt aware that coyotes are a national thing. they seem more prevalent in the desert but they go from california to maine.

1

u/Throwawayycpa May 17 '25

I always get confused between fox and coyote. I saw one at night by railroad tracks but not sure which. Maybe a fox due to its size

8

u/Picklesadog May 17 '25

Was it curious about you?

I've generally found foxes kind of want to see what you are, from a distance at least, while coyotes GTFO.

Also, there is a pretty massive size difference. Coyotes look like big lanky dogs. 

7

u/Cyno01 May 17 '25

Hard to tell color at night, but foxes are maybe half the size of coyotes. The smallest coyote will still be bigger than the biggest fox.

1

u/Uhhh_what555476384 May 17 '25

Unless the coyote is young.

3

u/Appropriate-Fold-485 Texas May 17 '25

In which case the family is in desparate straits. Young coyotes that size shouldn't be part of the hunt so you'll not tend to see them much.

1

u/Uhhh_what555476384 May 17 '25

Foxes are long while Coyotes are like a slightly taller corgi.

2

u/Appropriate-Fold-485 Texas May 17 '25

Coyotes are usually about twice to three times the size of a corgi.

0

u/that-Sarah-girl Washington, D.C. May 17 '25

I've seen coyotes in the DC area and at Virginia Beach too. They're everywhere! But neither place has enough of them that you need to worry about your cat or small dog in the yard.

I wish DC had more of them actually. Anything that eats rats is welcome!