I've seen an
occasional coyote here, but never while on foot. It's been a while . . .
Funny thing is, about a month or so back while I was out in front picking up the paper, I happened to shine the flashlight at the vacant lot next to me, and saw a pair of yellow eyes approaching . . . with another pair further back in the woods. At first I thought the critter was a cat, but the gait didn't look right . . . and when it reached the lot line - about 50 feet away - I saw why: it was no cat, it was a gray fox. It stopped and looked at me . . . I looked at it . . . and with a little growl, it retreated back about 20 feet into the woods and started
screaming at me.
Not a growl, not a howl, but a
scream. I guess it was being territorial. Kind of cool, to see that much attitude in a little critter that probably doesn't weigh more than 10 or 15 pounds. (Smart critter, though . . . he didn't start screaming until
after he put some brush between me and him!
)
BTW, I live in an ordinary suburban area just west of Austin, TX . . . typical lots are about 1/3 acre.