Wolves in Indiana, Marion county Indianapolis?

[Trevlan]

Getting a photograph will be difficult. My 200mm lense broke last summer and I haven't had the coin to replace it, nor the need. My cellphone camera has a digital zoom, I'll keep it with me when I walk the dog. I wish they came out durring the day so I can get a nice detailed photograph of them. Night photography calls for slow shutter speeds and high ISO's, and that rarely looks good.

I'll see what I can do, now that I have my gun, I'm a little more brave if they attack. Like it was said before, I can't expect to put a coydog in an arm bar and make him tap out. lol.

 

[nate1865]

I have seen some big coyotes in Marion County. I have also seen some big, wild dogs.

I'd be more concerned with a loose pit bull or rottweiler than a wolf. Much more probable in Marion County.

 

[Regionnus Rattis]

So I was walking my pup this morning before my morning rounds. When I came to my back yard, I saw some tracks leading up to my kitchen window. At first I though it could have been some peeping tom, but I realized they were animal tracks. Like when an animal is in a full sprint. So I disregarded them because my neighbor said that Coyote and deer come thru in my back yard. Then as Sammy was finishing up her morning pee pee and kaki, I saw it. OMFG, this couldnt have been a Coyote. I've lived in NYC my entire life, and the only Coyote I've seen have been on TV and they look scrony. This was a strong tall beast that was looking right at me. No more than 200 feet separated us. A distance he/she would have traversed in seconds. I slowly pulled my dog towards me, and started to walk backwards towards the house. The animal dissapeared into the woods.

I have a few questions, Are there wolves here in Indianapolis? How dangerous are they? Why didn't my dog bark when the animal was there in plain sight? And if it wasn't a Wolf, how dangerous are Coyote?

There aren't many things I'm affraid of. But for that time until it dissapeared, my legs were shaking a little. It was an experience.

Funny how many people always start a thread with "So I was..., So this...,
So there was...". Just write the post, because..."So what?"

Anyway...no reported wolves in Indiana...sometimes German shepherds or border collie mix dogs get mistaken when seen from a distance. They run through the woods because it happens to be a shortcut to/from their house. See it all the time.

 

[joe138]

In 2003 I believe, there was a wolf killed on the interstate near Richmond In. It was wearing a collar and had been tracked from Wis. It had made its way through Chicago. This story can be found on line. This story is referenced in prairiestateoutdoors.com

 

[xring62]

Rest assured there is no 'coy-dog' Id love anyone to show me one,Id say that'll never happen. A wolf near Richmond? they can, as with other things like black bear,cougars always in search of new ground.

 

[T_V]

Had a friend who had to get rid of a den of coyotes on his property just outside of town. His 3 year old son was in the backyard and he heard him saying doggie, doggie.
My friend looked towards the fence to see a coyote trying to get inside the yard.

 

[Hotdoger]

your pup probably didn't even realize it was there. and being 200 yards away your size guess was probably a bit off. he was probably 60-70 lbs and was watching you hoping you were going to let his dinner off the leash. his partner was probably lying in wait. i have almost never seen a coyote by themselves, usually always 2 around.

my brother lives around 79th/michigan rd in indy and the coyote population is huge there. the coyotes in broad day light have eat 3 cats and 2 dogs. one literally right in front of the owner while she ran. if there is nothing to keep them in check and scared they get very brazen. definitely be careful letting your pup run to far. you don't have anything to worry about personally minus the pup

I have seen several along 465 in broad daylight.

 

[scosgrove]

Is it legal to shoot a coyote in Marion county?

 

[ATOMonkey]

Rest assured there is no 'coy-dog' Id love anyone to show me one,Id say that'll never happen. A wolf near Richmond? they can, as with other things like black bear,cougars always in search of new ground.

Google-fu

coydog pictures - Google Search

 

[Trevlan]

Had a friend who had to get rid of a den of coyotes on his property just outside of town. His 3 year old son was in the backyard and he heard him saying doggie, doggie.
My friend looked towards the fence to see a coyote trying to get inside the yard.

That must have been a scary sight for the dad/mom. Can you imagine what would happen if it got in?

When on my way to Don's guns to shoot my gun for the first time. The GPS made me turn on a street that was still covered in snow, I think it was Bana. Anyway, when I made the right to turn to the street that leads me to washington, in my rear view, in broad day light, I saw a farily large Coyote. This was practically in a densly populated area. It could have been a stray dog, but it had that long Coyote face.

I haven't seen the pair I saw for about a week now. Maybe they migrated? I'm seeing alot more deer tracks as of late. Right up to the middle of my yard. But I have yet to see my first deer here.

Sammy is growing so fast now, she's probalby weighs 12-17 pounds and loves to run, eat snow, and munch on twigs. I doubt she can hold her own against a Coyote, let alone two, but at least she can run fast while I get my sidearm out.

**EDIT**
I just browsed through the link Monkey provided, thanks for that, and it seems as if Coydogs can be domesticated. Lot's of items for sale that promote the ownership of Coyote and Dog mixes. Some people claim it's genetically impossible, but it's looking like it is. Either that, or they are feeding often and very well. The average man is 5'9" and weights 172 pounds, but I've seen 5'9" men that weight 400. And I've also see 6'9" men, that weight proportionate to their stature.

Maybe they might not be coydogs, but just over developed Coyote. We'll never know until we capture one.

Can I legally set a trap to capture the animal to photograph it, then release it after I'm done?

 

[Trevlan]

Is it legal to shoot a coyote in Marion county?

From what I gather, Marion County is a no fire zone. You cannot discharge a firearm within the city limits, unless it's at a range. But, if you have a hungry rabid Coyote trying to take your ass down, I'd rather defend myself/dog/family and worry about the consequences later.

 

[tom1025]

From what I gather, Marion County is a no fire zone. You cannot discharge a firearm within the city limits, unless it's at a range. But, if you have a hungry rabid Coyote trying to take your ass down, I'd rather defend myself/dog/family and worry about the consequences later.

Its not against the law to discharge a gun in marion county. We use to rabit hunt out here all the time before all the vinyl villages went up. I know guys that goose hunt in the field at southport and franklin rd. There's foxes and coyotes all over out here. For the heck of it we will break out the electronic call in the middle of the night just to hear them get all fired up. Coyotes love to eat rabits, dogs, cats and livestock. Make sure you keep your pup on a short leash when you let her out at night.

 

[Trevlan]

Its not against the law to discharge a gun in marion county. We use to rabit hunt out here all the time before all the vinyl villages went up. I know guys that goose hunt in the field at southport and franklin rd. There's foxes and coyotes all over out here. For the heck of it we will break out the electronic call in the middle of the night just to hear them get all fired up. Coyotes love to eat rabits, dogs, cats and livestock. Make sure you keep your pup on a short leash when you let her out at night.

That's what I was told. I can walk to Franklin and Southport from my house and it would only take me 10 minutes. I'm on Routiers avenue, parallel to Frankllin. So, basically, I can shoot in my back yard? If I get a suppressor, I would feel more comfortable doing that. But for now, I'll get to a range. I'll ask the Sheriff when I go to his office for my LTCH permit next month. He'll know, then I'll report back to you guys.

 

[45pro]

That's what I was told. I can walk to Franklin and Southport from my house and it would only take me 10 minutes. I'm on Routiers avenue, parallel to Frankllin. So, basically, I can shoot in my back yard? If I get a suppressor, I would feel more comfortable doing that. But for now, I'll get to a range. I'll ask the Sheriff when I go to his office for my LTCH permit next month. He'll know, then I'll report back to you guys.

You know "technically" thats illegal dont you? You can only have your handgun in your vehicle without a LTCH if you are taking it home from buying it or taking it to a gunsmith to have it fixed.

 

[moischmoe]

You know "technically" thats illegal dont you? You can only have your [STRIKE]gun[/STRIKE] handgun in your vehicle without a LTCH if you are taking it home from buying it or taking it to a gunsmith to have it fixed.

Maybe he's taking a long gun to the range. Don't need a license for that.

 

[Trevlan]

You know "technically" thats illegal dont you? You can only have your gun in your vehicle without a LTCH if you are taking it home from buying it or taking it to a gunsmith to have it fixed.

I was just informed of that. I got lucky once, it won't happen again. Like I said to him, I was under the impression that you can carry it in a case, unloaded, from your home to the range and back, or to the shop for service and back. Looks like it's only to the shop for service. I'll get my LTCH soon enough. Already started the paperwork. Thanks for verifying the information.

 

[Inabcentia]

so, was it really wolves or was it coyotes?

 

[Trevlan]

so, was it really wolves or was it coyotes?

According to the experts, it was a Coyote Dog hybrid. Coydog, or it could have just been an overgrown Coyote. Maybe the Alpha. But surely, not a regular Coyote you would see on National Geographic.

 

[DRob]

Huskies

We're on our 2nd husky. The first one was at the extreme top end of the size range and reached 100 lbs before he passed on. The neighbors all thought he was a wolf. He would have been the friendliest wolf ever, I think. The one we have now is at the bottom end of the scale, about 40 lbs, but still larger than most coyotes. Coydogs, as previously mentioned, are usually what are seen around Marion County and are generally larger.

Huskies make great pets but, given the chance, they are roamers. We have electric wire inside the chain link fence to keep him from going over or under.

 

[45pro]

We're on our 2nd husky. The first one was at the extreme top end of the size range and reached 100 lbs before he passed on. The neighbors all thought he was a wolf. He would have been the friendliest wolf ever, I think. The one we have now is at the bottom end of the scale, about 40 lbs, but still larger than most coyotes. Coydogs, as previously mentioned, are usually what are seen around Marion County and are generally larger.

Huskies make great pets but, given the chance, they are roamers. We have electric wire inside the chain link fence to keep him from going over or under.

Maybe i got lucky. I can have mine off the leash anytime i'm outside and he will stay in the yard. I once left him outside overnight and he pulled apart the links in his chain in the middle of the night. We didn't know until morning when i looked out the window and he was jumping around in the snow in the front yard. We have a 2 acre yard thats not fenced. I estimate he was probably loose for around 6 hours. He never left the yard that i know of. Hes a great dog, i would say in the 60lbs ish mark. The only problem we have with him is that when he's in the house he wont leave you alone. He wont just lay there and chew on a bone or anything, he has to be up in your face while your watching tv or something. I just play catch with him to help keep him out of my way while i'm doing something.

does yours do that also?