Awesome story I wanted to share

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

I just remembered this the other day and wanted to share my story. I love wildlife and i get to see alot where I work. I live in an area nick named the three rivers area. We have lots of rivers and big lakes here. The Illinois, Du Page, Des Plains and Kankakee rivers all right here. Also a few canals and the Fox river just west of me. Lots of parks and forest preserves. I have a river and a forest preserve just across the street from me and a pack of coyotes that lives somewhere in my subdivision. Fox, mink, least weasle, raccoons, squirells, skunks, egrets and herons and numerous raptors (birds of prey) right in my neighborhood. By my work we have wild turkey, pheasant, sandhill cranes, hawks, eagles, falcons, owls, you name it!

Well this one night in particular about 5 years ago a group of friends and I went for a late night walk in a small preserve. It was me, my boyfriend, my friend alan and his sister amy. We should not have been there after dark but I came armed with a couple field guides in case a cop showed up. To prove we were not partying.

It was a long and narrow area of woods. Only a few hundred yards wide but went on forever. Bordered by a farmers field with a barbed wire fence. We had 2 flashlights and walked for about an hour until we heard a coyote calling way over in the field. We checked the time and then thought we heard footsteps in the same direction. We thought it must be a cop so we started walking back. Then we hear a rustling not far behind us so we pick up the pace. The only person who was afraid was amy. She is only 4 1/2 feet tall and afraid of her own shadow. It wasnt long before we heard the rustling again and I swept my light that way and saw a coyote run into some tall grass off to one side. Then we hear a rustling on the other side behind us. It wasnt hard to figure out we were being flanked by 2 coyotes. I wasnt nervous since there was 4 of us and I heard no pups so they were probably just curious. We were getting close to where the woods end and it opens up to a grassy field before the parking lot. The entire way we could hear the coyotes following us. One on each flank keeping a safe distance. Then I hear something in front of us. I saw some eye-shine in the distance off to one side. Eyes well above the long grass on that side. Another coyote! Before we reached the end of the treeline we figured out we had 4 coyotes with us. 2 in the front and 2 in the back. I saw the 4th one near the tree line. That one kind of freaked me out. It was crouched low in front of a fallen tree not 100 ft in front of us. I caught it with the light of my flashlight and it jumped up and ran off. I had wondered earlier why there was only one calling way off in the distance in the field. Well, the others didnt answer because they were stalking us and didnt want to give away their position. Once we realised there were so many we quickly and carefully got back to the car, constantly shining behind us. I love them but I dont trust coyotes. They are not like wolves and are more likely to attack if they are hungry or protecting young if they think they have the advantage. I was glad there was 4 of us!

Ive seen alot things but I have say, to be hunted by 4 coyotes (that we actually saw and heard, there may have been more) was the single most exciting thing to ever happpen to me!

[joepythons]

I bet there were others that you did not see .Now you can say you have been stalked

[Sariel]

Scary, we get comfortable in our suburban life styles and forget that wild animals can still present a danger to us. Its a good thing there were for of you, definitely standing proof people have more to fear walking around at night than other people.
I know while I was in CO not even a year ago we were hearing about a 20ish year old girl that was killed by coyotes in Canada. I forget where exactly. I lived off the beaten path and we knew better then to meander around alot at night and alone.

[BPelizabeth]

wow that is a crazy story. Usually coyotes are more scared and timid ....at least out here they are. We see them all the time here.