Saw the strangest critter on the way to the range today

[shooting on a shoestring]

On Texas FM112 between Shilo and the Sandow mine, about 10 o'clock in this morning, a big coyote-ish critter crossed the road about 1/4 in front of me. Now I've seen lots of coyotes growing up in Eastern New Mexico, and quite a few living here in Central Texas, but this wan NOT a coyote. It was in a gallup with its head up and ears perked, very short tail angled slightly down, traveling across county, but not too fast. It crossed the road and disappeared from sight due to scattered trees and brush. I stopped my pickup where I saw it cross and to my suprise, about 50 yards out, he was turning around to look at me.

This critter was stocky, heavy shoulders, smaller hind quarters, big head for the body size, ears set wide apart and pointing about 45 degrees off each side of its big head. It was a mottled gray/white with some black, colored sbout like a coyote, but its coat was thinner on the back half of the animal and heavier on the shoulders and neck.

The coyotes I've seen were skittish. Nothing about this critter said skittish. He faced me and watched me for about 1/2 a minute then slowly began turning away. I moved the pickup a couple of feet, and he turned back toward me head lowered a bit and we stared at each other for another 30 seconds or so. He moved off carrying his head high in a jogging speed gallup. His movement was not fluid like a coyote, but he seemed to work alot for the ground he covered.

I'll estimate he was over 75 pounds, and under a 100. His feet seemed large, and his frame was short-coupled with his abdomen seeming short for the amount of leg and shoulder he carried.

I've never seen a coyote traveling at 10 o'clock in the morning, 10 at night yes.

To sum it up, he was simular to a coyote, but to large, to big of head and shoulders, was not skittish, didn't move as well as a coyote, and was traveling in daylight.

My first thought was this must be a wolf, but in Central Texas?

[swheeler]

If I was you I would cast up some silver boolits! Sounds like a weird wolf, weird man.

[wistlepig1]

Chupacabre !!??

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Hmm...
I wonder if a domestic dog could have mixed with a coyote? Or maybe just a weird looking stray mutt?

[Cadillo]

Hmm...
I wonder if a domestic dog could have mixed with a coyote?

I've never seen one, but they are referred to as coydogs.

[GabbyM]

We have wild dogs and coydogs all over Illinois.
Anything out in the field without a collar on gets a slug.

Once the coyotes mix with dog the coydogs loos fear of fire and man. They have been known to attack people in their back yards at night. I highly recommend you shoot on sight.

[cheese1566]

:kidding:
Chupacabre !!??

Chewbaca?!!!????

My sister just got a game camera for her 5 acres in the Black Hills. Anybody have a bigfoot costume I can borrow to play a nasty on her?

[Caveape]

Heyena?

There's lots of African exotics runnin wild down around Austin and San Antonio!

:kidding:

[Shooter6br]

I second the Chupracobre

[Shooter6br]

Maybe this? Just kidding

[wistlepig1]

Cheese1566

I have a hunting buddy that looks like bigfoot, the next time I am in Spearfish S.D. i will bring him along. Your Sister will be a real believer then!! martin

[mold maker]

They have mixed with dogs here in NC also.
I've only seen one briefly, but others have eliminated dens and their inhabitants.

[bruce drake]

Coydog. Probably mixed with some feral Pitbull or some other plug breed.

3S's is the advice.

Bruce

[stubshaft]

Sounds like a perfect candidate for a 45 cal 300gr boolit.

[Uncle R.]

Yep - Coydog sounds right.
They can be danged dangerous - little or no fear of man compared to a coyote.

[Alchemist]

My pet hyena hasn't been home for a coupla days....

[S.R.Custom]

Sounds like someone's husky got loose, lol...

But seriously, it sounds like a wolf, particularly that bit about the ears. Canadian Grey wolves can sometimes look anything but grey... And there's Mexican grey wolves, too, and they can look pretty ratty as well.

[jnovotny]

Cheese1566

"My sister just got a game camera for her 5 acres in the Black Hills. Anybody have a bigfoot costume I can borrow to play a nasty on her? "

Sounds like a good way to catch a slug.

[cajun shooter]

On my annual trips to Colorado and in the area of the panhandle of Texas I would always see strange animals. I mean like giraffe, water buffalo, zebra and so on. I stopped the first time and made sure I was awake. I then saw the very high game fence and figured out that I was by a game reserve. Could this be the same and what you saw was a hyena?

[Down South]

Coydog woul most likely be the correct answer. They have mixed around my neck of the woods too.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

Over here in AZ . . . http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/es/wolf_difference.shtml There is a picture there and says:
Mexican Wolf (Canis lupus baileyi)

- Ears are rounded, relatively short
- Nose is large and blocky
- About 30-inches tall at shoulder; 5- to 5.5-feet long with tail
- Front paw, 4.5-inches long x 3.5-inches wide
- Moves with stiff and unique gait
- Nose is broad; face often has markings
- Sometimes displays curious behavior
- Legs are longer, more lanky; feet are larger
- Weigh 50-80 pounds
- Fur color is very similar to coyotes:
- Grizzled shades of buff, gray, black and rust
- Not all white or all black

But the part of not efficient running seems strange, and makes me wonder about the coydog? We use to have them in VT.

Here in AZ I on occasion see a coyote out in the day, If I have a gun with me it is "boolit analysis" time!

[9.3X62AL]

ANY canid that acts weird out in my desert is a candidate for getting Mini-14'ed or AR-15'ed into compliance, and that's pretty much the prevailing opinion of the populace hereabouts. Coyote hunting is VERY popular locally.

Marie was driving home from Redlands about 2 weeks back and saw a group of at least 2 dozen 'yotes along U.S. 395 about 12 miles south of S.R. 58. It was 7 P.M., but that is a BUNCH of song dogs all in one place. After the holiday seaon dirt-bikers and off-roaders clear out, I think the area needs a clean-out.

[shooting on a shoestring]

This is the first I've heard of a coydog. But, after looking on the web for pics of wolves, coytes, and finding some coydog refs and dogyote refs, I'm thinking it was some crossbred hybridized critter. Just the way it lacked grace in its pace, I don't think natrual selection would favor that trait over successive generations, although, it was not malnourished, so it moved well enough to keep itself feed.

Maybe I should put a neighborhood cat on a 100 foot rope and go trolling.

[canyon-ghost]

There's been some wolves, black bear, and mountain lion wandering the canyons, they are low land super-highways for the big predators. They tell me that the animals are overpopulating in New Mexico and Colorado. There was some kind of fox hit by a car the other day, except this one was black and gray ringed, looked like a coon by color. Something I'd never seen, like a coyote but a whole nother breed. I'm north of Amarillo, but you have to figure that the mountains are only 200 miles away, they could get here from there.

Ron

[Hardcast416taylor]

There are a goodly supply of curr-dogs in D.C. right now, could be one of them home for the break?Robert

[waksupi]

There's been some wolves, black bear, and mountain lion wandering the canyons, they are low land super-highways for the big predators. They tell me that the animals are overpopulating in New Mexico and Colorado. There was some kind of fox hit by a car the other day, except this one was black and gray ringed, looked like a coon by color. Something I'd never seen, like a coyote but a whole nother breed. I'm north of Amarillo, but you have to figure that the mountains are only 200 miles away, they could get here from there.

Ron

Ron, could that have been a coatimundi?

http://www.magnergraphix.com/ScubaPics/landpix/Coatimundi.JPG

[mtnman31]

Coatimundi have a very distinct tail that stands upright when they are walking, really neat looking animals. When I finally settle down and get myself a small spread of land, I plan on getting one as a pet. I need a permanent place, been renting the last few years. Coatimundis make decent pets if they are people raised. They are like racoons and ferrets in that they can be VERY mischievious so, they need patient owners who can be a little disciplined with raising an exotic pet.

[WILCO]

Chupacabre !!??


That's what I was thinking.

[RP]

Well just read this and iam in NC we have animals showing up in the last few years I have never seen coyotes are new here ground hogs are new and since the 500 year flood we have a bunch of feral hogs. Pet stores we selling alot of other critters and Iam sure some have gotten turned loose or excaped lions tiger the small gators I forget what they call them they dont get as big and snakes boas pythons and such. Even the state is in on it with mt lions and wolfs wild turkeys. When the yotes showed up in numbers people started hunting them guy shot what he was thinking was a yote and it was a wolf with a tracking collar 150 miles from where it was turned loose. One day I fellow I know was still hunting and a emu walked out in the feild. No telling what you saw unless you got a pic or the animal you may never know for sure what it was.

[softpoint]

You were describing Hyena right down to the color. I've had a hunting lease in the hills out near Leakey Tex. and I've seen lots of exotics loose. Our lease wasn't high fence, and we killed Auodad, Sika, Mouflon, and several species of non-native deer, saw some things we weren't sure what they were. I wasn't aware that people were bringing in hyena, but maybe so.

[geargnasher]

My vote is for "Werewolf", the genuine article now believed to have been a trained Hyena based upon the original tales from France.

I've seen some strange creatures in Texas, and heard of even stranger ones from very fleet red apes to ocelots and, more recently around Victoria, Chupacabres. Hard to separate the lore from the truth sometimes, but we have so many feral breeds and inbreeds and crossbreeds of dogs, cats, wolves, coyotes etc. there's no telling what you'll come across in the wild.

Gear

[kodiak1]

Gargoole!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We don't have them in Canada yet.

Ken.

[lead Foot]

G'Day from Australia. You don't think it was a Dingo. Might take ya baby you know.:kidding:
Big problem with dingo's crossbreding with domestic dogs here. I have seen Dingos x ed with Rottweilers. They were only pups though. Dingos are born killers but only kill to feed not for fun so crossbreds are not wecome.
Lead foot;

[Slow Elk 45/70]

There are still some "red wolves" around, used to see them quite a bit in Arizona, New Mex and West by God Texas.....this may be what you saw, still quite a few in Mexico, they are or were listed as wolves, seperate from the timber wolf and smaller, the size fits..who knows
it is interesting to see the once in a while animal...JMHO

[Finster101]

I'm not from out west, and maybe that is why I tend to go along with the hyena theory. It was described to a tee. Especially the labored gate. They are not a graceful animal. Here in Fla. you might find anything in the everglades. Between hurricanes destroying zoo's and people releasing exotics. I would imagine that with some of the hunting outfits you guys have there could be anything roaming around.

[MtGun44]

Good description of a hyena.

Now, figure out how in heck he got loose in Texas.

Bill

[DLCTEX]

The Red Wolf is easily mistaken for a large coyote, so I don't think it was the critter seen. The red wolf has been bred to extinction in Texas due to cross breeding with coyotes, but I did see one that still looked wolf in size and coloration in 1972 near Abilene, Tx. It was killing calves to 400 lb. and was finally trapped by a friend of mine.

[dragonfire]

Hell ,Sounds like you found my ex-wife ,Don't send her home;)

[KYCaster]

Hell ,Sounds like you found my ex-wife ,Don't send her home;)


I had the same thought, but he didn't say anything about it trying to bite his head off, so I know it wasn't my ex.

Jerry

[Recluse]

Good description of a hyena.

Now, figure out how in heck he got loose in Texas.

Bill

Not hard to figure that one out. We still have a number of city-sissy alpha-hotels who pay huge dollars to go on canned hunts. So conversely, we have a fair number of alpha-hotels who import/buy/sell exotics to stick inside the cages or small fenced in land areas so these city-sissy alpha-hotels can "get themselves a trophy, by God" and then spin bravo-sierra tales about their safari to Africa and shooting some creature "at 900 meters, on the run while a pride of crazed, starved lions were breathing down their necks."

No, I'm not a fan of canned hunts. I think they're for cowards, sissies and testicular-challenged people who take their leaks sitting down with their little panties bunched around their ankles.

For some reason, such "hunts" are popular around the Austin area, but then again, Austin is the rectum of Texas, so it's not surprising. :rolleyes:

As far as wild animals getting more intrusive into urban areas, you can read about it all the time--especially coyotes.

:coffee:

[Ricochet]

I saw this thread title and thought it was somebody I'd passed on the road.

[shooting on a shoestring]

Well I thought you guys were making a little fun of me with the hyena suggestion...until I just googled up some pics. Some pics of the spotted hyena and the brown hyena look very close to what I saw! Definetly the same type of head, legs look right, colors kinda close, abdomen pretty much the same. Right now I'm thinking I saw my first heyna.

Of course before I tell this story again, I'll need to add on about 100 lbs more, make it cruising at 60 mph and carrying a bison calf...Texas you know.

[lwknight]

The only 2 suposed to be real pictures of chupacabra that I saw looked like a hairless hyena except for the longer bigger head.

[geargnasher]

Well I thought you guys were making a little fun of me with the hyena suggestion...until I just googled up some pics. Some pics of the spotted hyena and the brown hyena look very close to what I saw! Definetly the same type of head, legs look right, colors kinda close, abdomen pretty much the same. Right now I'm thinking I saw my first heyna.

Of course before I tell this story again, I'll need to add on about 100 lbs more, make it cruising at 60 mph and carrying a bison calf...Texas you know.

Just going by your description. Sounds like every hyena I've ever seen.

As for Texan embellishment, good stories take years or even generations to "improve", so don't jump the gun just yet [smilie=l:

Did I ever tell you how the original George Washington tomahawk has been in my family's possession for almost 200 years? My Dad has it now, and it's in fine shape considering the handle's been replaced eight times and the head replaced at least three times. :kidding:

Gear

[Boz330]

Just going by your description. Sounds like every hyena I've ever seen.

As for Texan embellishment, good stories take years or even generations to "improve", so don't jump the gun just yet [smilie=l:

Did I ever tell you how the original George Washington tomahawk has been in my family's possession for almost 200 years? My Dad has it now, and it's in fine shape considering the handle's been replaced eight times and the head replaced at least three times. :kidding:

Gear

NAW, I've got a buddy that can do it in 2 or 3 days. He tells some really good stories about our youth and the way he tells them is one he!! of lot better than what really happened and usually a lot funnier. I know because I was there, I don't even try to correct them, unless it makes me look real bad.
I was going to mention the Mexican grey wolf since these were west of I-25 when I was guiding in units 13 and 17. The first time I saw them from the air I thought that those were the biggest coyotes I've ever seen and they were running through a herd of elk in broad daylight. Surprisingly the elk never even gave them any notice. Not long after that F&G was passing out flyers to the outfitters and ranchers not to shoot them or go straight to jail. Government gone amuck again.

Bob

[DLCTEX]

May have been a coyote with red mange. I've seen some awful looking critters in our area with no hair to partial no hair. Their skin is gray and has white scabby spots where the mange has erupted. It impedes their running ability and gives them a really awkward gait. I'll bet you saw a coyote or dog with mange. In the advanced stages I've had some coyotes seem to say"just shoot me", which I obligingly do. The canine habit of rolling on dead carcases helps spread it. Our coyote numbers are really down because of it, allowing our deer numbers to accelerate to too large of a population.

[.45Cole]

You saw my missing brother?!
google "sheriff chasing chupacabre" I might have misspelled goatsucker. There was a big bruhaha about a dash mounted camera on a sheriff cruiser chasing something that moved just like you describe. I think that it was even in texas, but it made national news. If you try I'll bet you can find the video. Legit b/c it's a gov camera. They attributed most of it to scooby doo w/ mange.

[eaglesnester]

Up here in North Central B.C. Canada I have seen black cougars. Thought I was seeing things until I spoke with a fellow who had hunted them professionally for fish and game. He said that they were breeding with imported great cats from other parts of the world and that folks had got tired of them and turned loose in the wild. Could be that you spotted such a critter, not a cat of course but some kind of wolf,dog, yote, jackal, or some such cross breed. Stranger things have happened. It sounds from your description that it is a critter to be avoided and not met up with unless you are armed. He clearly was not afraid of you and returned your stare which is a challenge.

[Sonoma2k2]

sounds like a Chup!!

[KCSO]

Contrary to what some game commissions will tell you there is such a thing as Coy Dogs. They do interbreed and you end up with strange coyote cross animals that are not afraid of man and will eat anything. We have shot several here including a pure white coyote / husky cross.

[DLCTEX]

Black cougars do occur naturally. When I was a kid, late 1940-'s through early 1960's, there was at least one seen regularly in our area. My uncle surprised him and it went up a tree in 1947 or 8, neighbor peppered one with bird shot that was stealing his turkeys about 1958 and I saw one on two occasions in 61. There were numerous other sightings by other people. We saw one in our current area, 225 miles away, in an open pasture in 92 and watched as it traveled half a mile. On another note, my son and I saw a very black deer several years ago that he missed a shot at. I thought at first it couldn't be a deer but had to be a skinny angus calf.

[klcarroll]

Contrary to what some game commissions will tell you there is such a thing as Coy Dogs. They do interbreed and you end up with strange coyote cross animals that are not afraid of man and will eat anything. We have shot several here including a pure white coyote / husky cross.


Well, ......All I can tell you is that some of the "Coyotes" that are showing up here in Northern Illinois can rival a German Sheppard for body mass; ....and that they have no problem with being out and about in the morning and mid day hours!

I think the suggestion that we are seeing the results of cross-breeding between coyotes and feral dogs is very valid: .....It is the only hypothesis that explains some of the animals I have been seeing. I would love to produce a body, ...but here in Illinois, there aren't many areas where you can shoot at these things without becoming “the game” yourself!


Kent

[SPRINGFIELDM141972]

I think they're for cowards, sissies and testicular-challenged people who take their leaks sitting down with their little panties bunched around their ankles.



Recluse - I love it. I can see we are kindred souls.:lol:

I just wish you would stop holding back and let us know how you really feel.

Regards,
Everett

[bonza]

I once saw a Wolverine that was roadkill on I-15 in southern Idaho, only one I've ever seen outside of a cage. They would somewhat fit your description, however I think the suggestion of a fugitive Hyena (or possibly an African Hunting Dog) from an exotic game ranch is a good possibility.

[Story]

Chupacabre !!??

My first thought.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2LIu44n-qc


Good description of a hyena.

My second thought.

Cops not laughing: Hyena found caged in man’s backyard
March, 12 2009 4:37 PM
Discuss This: Comments(0) | Add to del.icio.us | Digg it

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — A South Carolina man has been cited for having a hyena in his backyard. The Sun News reported Wednesday that the 1-year-old hyena named Bubbles has been moved to Alligator Adventure in North Myrtle Beach. Nicolas Petock, 26, was cited for owning and displaying a wild or exotic animal after police went to his home last Friday and saw the beast. It had been housed in a chain-link pen that had a dog house in the center. Petock told police he brought the hyena from Texas.

[Changeling]

A hyena in Texas would be totally OK, the climate is definitely OK for them and a food supply would be anything!
The thing that got me was your shape description, that said, hyena, or my X, but some farmers in Georgia put her down at least a year ago, at least I hope so!

[MtGun44]

I wasn't kidding when I said your description sounded like a hyena, actually a good
description, esp if you had never really seen one. Once you have seen them in real
life, you never forget their unusual shape and shambling gait.

Back to 'how in the heck did it get to be running around in Texas??" considering
that we know that at least one guy has a live one that he at least says he got
from Texas.

Bill

[buck1]

A few years ago the re introduced the
Mexican Wolf here in eastern NM. I think it was a bad idea but they didnt ask me. If it is a wolf they are highly protected. My great grandfather helped kill them out in the late1800s-1900s.....Buck



Over here in AZ . . . http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/es/wolf_difference.shtml There is a picture there and says:
Mexican Wolf (Canis lupus baileyi)

- Ears are rounded, relatively short
- Nose is large and blocky
- About 30-inches tall at shoulder; 5- to 5.5-feet long with tail
- Front paw, 4.5-inches long x 3.5-inches wide
- Moves with stiff and unique gait
- Nose is broad; face often has markings
- Sometimes displays curious behavior
- Legs are longer, more lanky; feet are larger
- Weigh 50-80 pounds
- Fur color is very similar to coyotes:
- Grizzled shades of buff, gray, black and rust
- Not all white or all black

But the part of not efficient running seems strange, and makes me wonder about the coydog? We use to have them in VT.

Here in AZ I on occasion see a coyote out in the day, If I have a gun with me it is "boolit analysis" time!

[MtGun44]

Sure hope none of your coyote hunters accidentally shoot any of those wonderful
wolves. That would be awful. :bigsmyl2:

They have 'helped' so much up in Wyoming that there are now only about 1/3 to
1/2 as many elk in the Yellowstone/Teton Park area. Isn't that a wonderful thing?

So now all your 'excess elk' will be taken care of. How thoughtful of the wolf people.

Bill