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Hank vs coyote

hickslawns

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Ohio
Took Hank (my German shorthair pointer) out shed hunting today. Little turd crossed the creek and took off. Didn't respond to his shock collar. Found out why later. My buddy was shed hunting the other side of the farm. Calls me and said I just pushed a coyote past him at 30yds. I said "Nope, I am still over here looking for Hank." Probably 1/2 mile or more apart. Calls me later and says he has Hank. Guess I was not looking in the right spot. lol Said Hank was running this coyote all over the place. Ran it by him a second time at 10 feet. I asked if he was running the yote, if he looked like he was running for his life, or if it looked like he was playing. He said he didn't know but Hank was doing the chasing.

I am baffled. Hank is a big wuss. Great nose and goes all day/all out. He is a pansy around other dogs though. Gets his butt handed to him all the time. Never would have thought he would be running a yote today. What are your thoughts here guys?

My dog, so I will give my speculations since I know him.

1. He thought it was another dog and was playing. The yote was not playing but Hank was.
2. Breeding season and it was a bitch possibly in heat? Long shot on this one in my opinion, but I just don't know enough about them to rule it out.
3. Another long shot given what a wuss Hank is, but maybe the yote started after him, the roles reversed, and Hank became the aggressor?

Curious as to what answers I get because I really don't know what to make of it.

For what it is worth, the rest of the day Hank stayed put. I called him and he came running. Never ventured much out of eyesight and never out of earshot. He was a faithful companion that was enjoying being in his element. The nose was on the ground and the paws were moving all afternoon. Too bad he didn't drum up some more sheds for us.
 

Beentown

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Sunbury, OH
Coyotes are hiders/runners. They rarely are the aggresor on there own (no pack and not starving). I am guessing you guys kicked him up and when Hank saw something bolt...instincts kicked in. Your buddy needs to carry in the woods...

Beentown
 

Tree Monkey

Member
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NW ohio
Im going with a combo of all three......um sure he was playing or thought he was and if it was in heat he thought well its just another dog. Or you got ur self a decoy dog and that is badass......decoy dogs will bring a coyote in range and keep their interest while you take em out. But a decoy dog just can't run away because th coyote will not follow they have to play cat and mouse with the yote. If a coyote is annoyed by a dog they will chase it off if they aren't intimated too bad........so option three sounds the best and that's badass if he could do that.
 

Tree Monkey

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NW ohio
They other reason I think it was a option three from what u said it sounds like they stayed in one area for a while.....if the yotevwas running for his life he would of took off and got the heck out of there and wouldn't get chased around a general area like was observed
 

RedCloud

Super Moderator
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North Central Ohio
Sounds like some fun in the woods for ol Hank lol.

I'm not sure how many other yote you have in that area that might group up but be careful. I have heard and read that yotes play the decoy sometimes and can lead a dog right into an ambush and gang up and kill the dog. Just something to keep in mind.
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
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North Carolina
Regardless I think Been hit on the head...n never go out into the woods empty handed..... if you and your buddy were carrying there'd be one less yote running around....
 

hickslawns

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Ohio
Interesting.

J/Been- I was but my buddy wasn't. We already had that conversation. He and I both agree with you.

TreeMOnkey- I dunno. Maybe. GSP's are bird dogs. They were supposed to be versatile and a mix of pointer/retriever. Since I haven't worked him, maybe he thought he was flushing the yote to my buddy? Possible. They are kinda a utility player of bird dogs.

We will never really know. I still think he saw the yote jump/run and thought it was a game. I dunno.
 

Buckrun

Junior Member
Another thing coyotes are good at baiting. This one might have been trying to get Hank to follow it to the pack. Could be Hank was turning back and the coyote would circle around and try to draw him a bit farther. If he would have followed far enough you would have never seen him again.