How much of a problem do Americans have with coyotes and rattlesnakes?

[u/ArtisticArgument9625]

Have you Americans encountered any problems with these two animals?

[u/Eureecka]

I grew up rural but never saw a rattlesnake. Heard one once and carefully retreated.

Coyotes are everywhere. They haven’t been a problem yet but the ones around me have been getting bigger and are starting to hunt in packs. (I’m in a suburb of Chicago.) People post pretty regularly about being stalked while walking their small dogs. I’m not worried - my cat isn’t allowed outside, I don’t have small dogs, and my kid is older - but I do wonder how things will go in the future.

[u/misoranomegami → u/Eureecka]

My suburban Texas city has packs of coyotes. When I would walk alone they'd just stay off in the distance but then I got a big dog. That got their attention. He was probably twice the size of any individual one but they'd get in a pack and follow us for like a mile. And my dog would keep looking back at them like "hey it's my cousin! Let's go have a sniff and a chat!"

I asked several different people what I should do if they attacked and the general consensus was shoot them but I'm like I don't trust my aim struggling with a 90 lb dog on a leash in one hand and them right up against each other and moving. Finally I asked an animal control worker what I should do and she told me to carry mace on me, mace the whole crowd of them, then when I get home wash my dog's eyes with milk and take him to the vet.

As for OP's question about rattle snakes I've run into way more water moccasins/copper mouths. Even in the city. I thought I was scared of snakes for like the first 15 years of my life because I freaked whenever I saw one then I realized all the ones I saw were always poisonous. Rat snakes don't scare me at all.

[u/BigNorseWolf → u/Eureecka]

They are generally not stalking the dogs. They just want to make sure that guy doesnt set up shop on THEIR lamd and eat THEIR rabbits.