BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

like, an actual coyote?

yeah a real coyote ! I was ridng pretty fast inbound and it was still dark, but noticed it in the outbound lane. I was going to turn around to check it out but ended up I just kept riding in. It was in pretty good shape, beautiful tail, it must've have just been hit. I've seen them out west and it seems the body shape sticks in your head once you've seen them. So I'm pretty sure that's what it was.

There are definitely coyotes around here, though I've never heard of one in city limits. I grew up about 10 miles north of town by North Park and remember a few stores of dead ones being found, or them being seen in people's backyards.

there ARE coyotes here, the burbs have them and there's no reason why the city wouldn't also. They're better at living with humans than wolves. Lots of cats, squirrels, rats, other prey for them, and lots of roadkill if they're lazy and fast.

That's a shame. I've been seeing a lot of juvenile raccoons lately, it's that time of year.

I've been leaving work pretty late recently, 8-9pm, and I bike through the park on Overlook Drive. I have been scaring the crap (I guess it is mutual scaring) out of some large creature in the woods on a daily basis. I'll be biking along and all of a sudden it sounds like someone is rolling a Volkswagen down the hill. Branches cracking and crashing like crazy. I imagine it is deer, since I've seen plenty of deer on the road there, but I bet there are other large mammals too, besides the operation hotrod fellas.

The morning of the REI garage sale, I was heading in around 4:30 and I saw an animal in Heth's Run in my neighborhood. At first I thought it was a bobcat, but when it ran away it sounded too heavy and didn't quite run like a cat. There are so many rabbits in my neighborhood, I wasn't surprised to see a bigger predator, but I never imagined a coyote. I had them in my backyard in Atlanta, but they rarely ran from me the way this one did (which, at the time, made me suspect rabies).

I saw a coyote om the Belleview / Westview overpass late one night.

I would think that you'd be hard pressed to hear one crashing away though, they are really stealthy when they run. Anyone ever seen any evidence of porcupine in the city limits? North Park is the closest i have

I've seen two fox(es?) on my nighttime commute to work before, but I sort of though coyote were a desert animal...

!!!

for those who like coyotes:

http://www.dailycoyote.net/

Orion Magazine recently had an essay about coyotes in NYC.

Other incidents in the local news.

Listening to packs of them roll through the Texas desert at night when we were there was kinda freaky.

when I camped in the desert at night we could hear them howling... but they weren't anywhere as scary as the herd of cattle that came to breathe hello outside our tents in the middle of the night. Stomping and snorting and pooping and prone to stampede upon startling.

"I would think that you'd be hard pressed to hear one crashing away though"

I'm from West Virginia. I can hear everything at 4:30 in the morning (only slight sarcasm).

I made porcupine meat balls the other day - but I used ground beef.

Definitely have heard coyotes in the hills above Camp Horne Road in recent years. Never used to, say the neighbors......

It's not the City, but only by virtue of Pennsylvania's crazy municipal structure. It looks and feels urban, with no "undeveloped" gaps between downtown and this area.

"I would think that you'd be hard pressed to hear one crashing away though"

That part of the park is pretty quiet at 9 pm...and I just cleaned my chain, so I'm pretty quiet too. I can hear little rodents scampering away I do believe the BIG crashing sounds are probably the deer, or the hotrod dudes..

Any skunk sightings in the city? They smell bad when distressed, but I think they are beautiful. I admit I miss seeing them frolic in the trash cans out west.

McCandless isn't city, but there are both skunk and coyote sightings within a mile of my house, the skunk only a couple of weeks ago. One of these days, be it on foot or bike, it'll be my turn.

Just a couple days ago, I tweeted this: "Anyone who thinks mankind has dominion over the animals has clearly never run into a skunk."

Funny!

A buddy of mine just got a pet skunk

but I bet there are other large mammals too, besides the operation hotrod fellas.

Probably a bear.

Tuesday morning was our town's recycling pick-up. On my way down my street I passed a neighbor on the sidewalk trying to manage a young (I'm guessing - it was smallish) raccoon that had it's head stuck entirely in a soup can.

We have our share of raccoons, so that was not noteworthy, but seeing one with it's head stuck in a can was pretty entertaining.

I know they're not uncommon, but I feel like I haven't seen a groundhog in 10 years.

Camp out next to my garden. I bet if you leave one of my tomatoes in your sleeping bag, you'll get a one to snuggle up with you.

At the Energy Center in Monroeville (behind Forbes Hospital), there are signs on the trashcans in the parkinglot asking people not to put food waste in the cans. Leaving work after dark, every single can has several pairs of eyes peering out of it, and the occasional squabble rocks them as the 'coons argue over a choice morsel.

My cat escaped while he was on valium (long story) and managed to pick a fight with a groundhog. Took him to the emergency vet, who shaved him & painted him with blue antiseptic, added pain pills and antibiotics to the drug cocktail. The next morning he was up early, howling (Siamese) at the door, wobbling from drugs, naked and still blue, with a collar, wanting to go for round two with the ground hog that was mocking him in the lawn. I opened the door to see what he would do, he tipped drunkenly over and fell on the threshold and just layed there on his side, howling and growling at the ground hog, who brazenly nibbled clover while eyeing the mess.

Most. Hilarious. Thing. Ever. (He made a full recovery and since sobering up has relocated his dignity and ignores groundhogs, pretending they aren't there)

I saw a groundhog just today along the northside trail by Herr's. Cute.

I live near the top of Nadine Road in Penn hills and I see deer, turkey, and other wild life just about every morning in my yard. There is a groundhog den pretty close by but when I got my dog about a year ago they moved somewhere else. I smelled skunk stink one night last year, I think there was one seeking around my house. I have never smelled it since or spotted him.

I would love to see a Coyote! Or even a Fox.

About a mile east from here, a friend saw a black bear in his back yard every day for a few days.

A coyote mauled a racoon in my driveway last spring. But that was when I lived on Farm to Market ... not Hatfield.

Every once in a while I'll see a dead deer along I-279 somewhere between Venture St and the Vets Bridge. I've seen deer on the hill above McDonalds in West View; that's only 2 miles or so from the city limits.

Along Perrymont, which is only a half mile north of the Ross-McC border, I've seen skunk, red fox, raccoons, opossum, plenty of deer, and every rodent smaller than a beaver. If we want to include birds and amphibians, the list would be very long. Having a 3/4-mile hike twice a day does have its finer moments.

Wow, ejwme, what's your cats name, Robert Downey, Jr.?

I've sen a total of about 12 deer on the first part of my morning commute - from Arlington ave to e carson via josephine st - within the past year.

When I lived in Highland Park I walked my dogs every morning (usually around 5:00 am) on the road that goes around the reservoir. We would see at least eight deer every morning. They ran in a pack like wolves. My "hyper" Jack Russell Terriers would actually be pretty lethargic right up to that point. Then it was on.

Two years ago, several deer rolled up Jancey Street. I haven't seen any recently, but, we live a few blocks from any wooded areas.

I've seen deer on Washington Boulevard. IN the city.

I was surprised one day when there were a bunch of turkeys at College & Howe in Shadyside. I know there's a lot of turkeys in the parks, and I used to see them semi-regularly on Joncaire in Oakland, but never before in Shadyside.

Among one of my cat's improbable captures: a tree frog. I didn't even know they lived around here.

Tree frogs are everywhere! Perhaps a Pseudacris crucifer?

edmonds - his name is Nittany (I got him from an alum, I didn't change it). He was 13 at the time (he's 16 now, not slowing down), I'm pretty sure he's mostly immortal.

My grandparents, when they lived in Allison Park across from Hartwood, had a flock of turkeys that regularly made the rounds. There was also a stray chicken that would hang out all summer while she was gardening, then follow the turkeys around all winter. One winter it got too cold, she just sat outside their patio door looking in at them while they watched tv, grandma couldn't take it so grampa made her a little house to block the wind while she stood there. She was much happier. She lived for years, until she wandered off one day (my inner child believes that she is still alive and happy with the turkeys, though that was 15 years ago).

Now they live in a new housing development and don't even have chipmunks.

I saw an albino deer! last friday just as I was rolling into work, it was just outside of Boyce-Mayview Park in Upper St. Clair. I can change my route so I ride thru the park trails for probably 3 miles or so and see if I see her again. I tried it once since then, but didn't see anything.

I saw an albino rabbit on the SS trail last week, which was pretty cool. But an albino deer quite trumps that. That would actually be terrifying at first, "what the fffffff is THAT?!?!"

yeah, my first instinct was that it was a big white dog, but then as it started running, it lifted up its tail like they do and took off, there was one other doe behind it. If I had my camera with me I would have went up in the direction it was headed up into that park which is all covered with trails.

I wouldn't even be thinking dog but apparition...

I ride down Williams St from Mt Washington everyday. I can’t tell you how many times I have ridden around a flock of turkeys on that street. If I see them in time I’ll grab my water bottle and hose them down.

flock of turkeys

November FOC ride?

Late one night, sitting on Flagstaff Hill, Sitting on Flagstff Hill, enjoying the view (as they say), there was a car that parked at the bottom. A door opened.

A few seconds later, I saw three dogs running incredibly rapidly up the hill.

It was dark, so I couldn't see them very well, but they were huge. They had to be Irish wolfhounds or something. They were loping along at 25 mph our or so.

Scary fast.

They were running right toward me. As the dogs came closer to me, I realized that if the they were aggressive, I was toast. They would be on me before I could mount my bike, for sure. The three of them would have me down and dead in maybe 10 seconds.

It was only a few seconds since they had started out from the bottom of the hill, but they were right there, coming at me.

Hellhounds.

I started to leap to my feet, but they were closing in.

At the last fraction of a second, three white-tailed deer veered off and continued running up the hill, after being spooked by the car.

That was the first time I saw deer on Flagstaff Hill.

A buck can mess you up pretty good, on the extremely rare chance they decided to charge you. This usually happens during the fall mating season (around this time of year). I think you have a better chance of winning the mega millions than getting mauled by deer antlers though.

Still gets my heart going when there are half a dozen deer 5 feet from the sidewalk as I'm biking up Greenfield Ave at 1 am and they just calmly stare at me as I huff past. I'd feel better if they ran away.

When I bought my house I discovered that there was a groundhog who had made a home under my very small rear porch. I tried filling in the hole, I tried sprays, I tried smoking it out, I tried everything. I remember thinking - often - that there was nothing quite so humbling as being outsmarted by a groundhog for the umpteenth time.

Swalfoort, if you want to make yourself feel better, read "The $64 Tomato" by William Alexander. The author tells a tale of war waged against his nemesis, a groundhog he nicknamed Superchuck.

I surprised a ground hog once right next to the road, so he starts running right parallel to the road beside me rather than veer off to the side. We were going along at a fast clip for awhile and he runs right into a sign post head on! Hope he was OK.

uh yeah, my groundhog experiences have been like Boazo's. they do not seem to be good at "running away"

I lived on Mt Washington for a couple of years and regularly saw deer on the side of the hill under the incline during my trips up and down.

Two brief Perrymont Road stories. Both times, I was on foot, eastbound.

First was about two in the afternoon, early autumn. Red fox crosses the road about 75 feet in front of me, about halfway up the grade between Edwood and Fox Ridge. ("hence the name", I'm thinking...)

Second was a chilly November Saturday early morning, maybe 7:15 a.m. Almost in the same spot as the fox, a six-point buck appears out of someone's yard, not 30 feet in front of me, and pauses by the edge of the road, staring directly at me. I came to a halt. A car is headed toward me and the deer, going downhill, probably the typical 40 to 45 mph. Driver cannot possibly see the deer, which is hidden by a large shrub, though does see me. Deer is oblivious to the car, naturally. I'm thinking, deer, either stay put or go back. If the deer charges me, I'm toast. If the deer dashes out in front of the car, I get a flying 300-pound chunk of either carrion or kicking critter, with attached rack, in my face. AND possibly a car running out of control directly at me. For a second, I was terrified.

Deer remained motionless. Car passed. Deer took off, some direction. I breathed a sigh of relief, then continued on to get my bus.

Swalfoort?

@Swalfoort I remember thinking - often - that there was nothing quite so humbling as being outsmarted by a groundhog for the umpteenth time.

[Back to the original topic]

Now you know how Wiley Coyote feels...

Oh no, not Wiley Coyote. Doesn't he get he anvil to the head treatment on a regular basis? Aspirin.....I need aspirin, STAT! (But nice tie in to the coyote in the original post.......)

I've seen deer on Forbes Ave. through Frick Park. Never have seen them down in the park itself, though I bet my dogs have. Also I am tussling with a groundhog right now that has taken up residence in a hole under my back porch. Trying to coax him out before he sinks into his Winter's slumber.

Deer and turkeys on Sycamore St.

Fox on the Panther Hollow Trail near the soccer field.

Deer on Baker St in Morningside, pretty sure they live on the Stanton Heights hillside.

Groundhogs in backyard, also had raccoons around for a week after my neighbors got chickens.

Turkeys on Fair Oaks in Squirrel Hill.

Turkeys on Bigelow.

Rats everywhere.

There was an albino peacock around my parents house when they lived in the country. Seeing that thing for the first time while it was screaming and running through the dark woods made me a temporary believer in ghosts.

@Noah - I may have to make that groundhog sneering photo my avatar!

I often see deer around the wooded areas. I was on the bridle path in Schenley Park yesterday, and one dashed across it when I was about 20 feet away.

I got some photos of them out by East End Brewing last year, too: http://picasaweb.google.com/ian.everhart/AndThisIsWhyPittsburghIsAwesome#5527707439179146018

@Marko2 - that squirrel is why cars don't park for long at frank curto park.

I got kittehs chasing turkehs in the southside slopes. I've also seen deer and a fox.

eric--when I lived in Squirrel Hill (on an alley behind the bowling lanes), we had rats that were about the size of that cat.

in Fineview, i've seen numerous deer (esp. near old WPXI studio and on Henderson, where I almost hit one once biking to work) and groundhogs; my wife has seen coyotes and both red and grey foxes. This is within 2 miles of downtown.

Turkeys in Schenley and Panther Hollow,

Deer in Schenley and cemetery off Dallas,

Groundhog corner at end of dead end of Marlborough

and on jail trail,

Black and garter snakes in Frick,

Little brown snakes Panther Hollow,

Box and snapping turtle near Panther Hollow lake,

Corn snake slag piles,

Bear at corner of Forbes and Wightman 1996? (did not see it),

Foxes in above cememtery and slag piles

Those little brown snakes almost have to be juvenile garter snakes. How long ago did you see the box turtle?

(total herpetology nerd here)

In Lincoln-Lemington, growing up (i.e. the 70s), we had peasants and raccoons a-plenty. No deer at that point, despite the plethora of woods around our house.

Ah, yes, the peasants. Delightful folk.

Ooops...pHeasants.

I had a deer in my hedges in Point Breeze, and turkeys in the back yard. My house was quite a trek from Frick Park, which is probably where the deer came from.

Most unusual animal sighting while cycling was a peahen and four little brown peababies crossing the road behind her.

One of my favorite suburban living experiences was the day I was vaccuuming the living room carpet and caught a motion on the street in front of the house through the window. There was a family of four or five turkeys strutting down the middle of the street, heading (presumably) for the ravine at the end of the street. Just walking past all the parked cars, etc. It was really cute.

Another brief Perrymont story: 10, count 'em, TEN turkeys jostling for space in a set of trees as I walked along. They can get noisy!

Stu - that sounds like the nugget of a good children's story (maybe i'm reading to my kids TOO much!?).

groundhog tastes best when harvested in october and september. very tough but delicious meat, best eaten in well cooked stew.

i didn't see the roadkill coyote when i went by last night. someone must have gotten it for the fur. i once almost hit a coyote with a car this summer. he was sprinting across a four lane highway in hot pursuit of something. i had to slam on the brakes to avoid him.

groundhog tastes best when harvested in october and september. very tough but delicious meat, best eaten in well cooked stew.

Now that is specialized knowledge.

I saw a non-cyclist talking to a groundhog on the Jail Trail the other afternoon between Hot Metal and the Parking lot ( near the disused city stairs overpass). Perhaps he was trying humane harest techniques.

I live across the street from Grandview Park. Last fall late one night I was running out to meet some friends. While I was walking to my car I hear something rustling in my neighbor’s hedges behind me. My fist thought was someone is trying to mug me? Ok, it’s go time! I turn around quickly ready to defend myself…and the biggest doe I’ve ever seen is eating my neighbor’s hedges and flower bed. It looked up at me and could care less that I was a few feet away and kept chomping away.

Perhaps he was trying humane harest techniques.

What, boring it to death?

Perhaps he was trying humane harest techniques.

What, boring it to death?

No, trying to talk it into coming home with him for a nice pot of stew.

No, trying to talk it into coming home with him for a nice pot of stew.

"I've got this great hot tub, just your size...you'll love it. Lots of veggies to snack on, too."

"I've got this great hot tub, just your size...you'll love it. Lots of veggies to snack on, too."

Sounds Spicy...

Beats "wanna come up and see my scratchings?"

Little brown snakes, formerly known as Dekay's Snake. I frequently see flat ones on the Panther Hollow trail, and we have caught them at work (one in a soda machine inside!) the past few years.

Have not seen a box turtle for a year or two in Schenley, but one was laying eggs on the side of the trail near the lake. Interestingly I have seen 3 toads in my yard this fall/ late summer- maybe 200 yards form Forbes and Murray.

Nice, I always heard them as Northern Brown Snake and was clearly underestimating your reptilian knowledge.

I would love to see a box turtle in the wild these days. Granted, I used to be outside much more often, but I used to see a LOT more of them.

I used to have a Western ornate box turtle who really loved to climb under my shirt onto my stomach and take naps. One day I felt something wet so I lifted my shirt and she had laid four eggs right on my stomach! Clearly they never hatched because they become infertile if you rotate them more than a few degrees but it was really unusual.

We have a fairly good population of garter snakes behind the pizza shop as well.

Spak, it musta been love.