Local Man Stands Off Presumably Wily Coyote

A coyote has been haunting Magnolia for a few months, and this morning it was Charles Redell's turn for a sighting. Out walking his dog, he didn't notice the coyote until it was about 40 feet away.

I started yelling and all the coyote did was stand there and stare. My dog was now freaking out so I started to back away and the coyote started following us. Talk about terrifying!

Charles shouted, and chucked a tin can at the animal to no effect. Finally he found a large rock to heave. The coyote bolted, he said, at the sight of a crazy man about to stone it.

The Seattle Times talked with the Department of Fish and Wildlife's "problem wildlife coordinator" Sean Carrell and learned that "It's rare for coyotes to attack pets or people, but it does happen, said Carrell. He advises feeding pets inside, not letting them stray, and if a coyote is seen, making loud, threatening noises to frighten it away."

The Magnolia Voice has been covering the itinerant coyote's wanderings, and has a number of pictures. It's a little troubling that the animal isn't responding to verbal threats, only the threat of actual violence. Says Charles:

I'll tell you that unlike most coyotes I've seen in pictures/documentaries, this one looked pretty good--though it is the first I've seen live. It was thin, to be sure, but not scrawny by any means. Svelte is the word I would use. It was tall, too. Much taller than a dog. There was absolutely no way it could be mistaken for a stray dog or anything even though its coat did not look scraggly in the least. Its eyes were very dark and very keen. It is a beautiful animal and was not scared of me and my antics in the least.