Discussion: Another Animal at the Pig

I was just wondering if anyone else encountered a four-legged, furry animal during Sunday's race at the Flying Pig. I was just outside the Red #9 control circle when I sighted a wolf-like creature on an opposing spur that was (fortunately) running the opposite direction from where I was standing. My first thought was that the animal was a wolf, but I didn't think that they existed anymore in Ohio. Since the animal was running away from me I did not get a good look, but it was definietly too large to be a fox, maybe even too large to be a coyote (I'm 5'6" and it looked like whatever it was would have been taller than me if it jumped up on its hind legs). I know there were other people in the viscinity when I sighted whatever it was, but if anyone saw anything I'd like to know what you thought.

"Flying Pig, Flying Pig, let me in!"
"Not by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin!"

No furry things, but:

Turkey: "I've never seen so many people out here. I'll hide under a log in a steep, ugly gully where no human would ever tred."

Rick: "Climbing UP the spur near Green #2 was so hard, on the way back towards #10, I will climb down the gully parallel to #2 gully."

As I stepped on that log, the turkey was nearly as surprised as I was as she noisily scooted away.

most likely the Ohio version of Yeti!

Hm, I saw two funny looking dudes walking their big dogs, but not really that close to Red 9. I bet one of them escaped and went tramping off into the distance to spook orienteers!

I wonder if it could have been a piutepro? He would certainly be taller than cporter if he stood up on his hind legs.

I believe that cporter was being serious about this sighting. I hope all of you are just having fun BUT NOT making fun of her

Isn't this where someone uploads an altered photo of Balter? Oh Eddie, where art thou?

Seriously, though, as an Ohio native -- if it wasn't a large domestic dog, it was a coyote. They can be found all over the state, and certainly in nice wilder areas like state parks. Harmless to humans, although they do seem to like to snack on cats and small dogs.

I've seen coyotes (in NY state) that are definitely German shepherd sized, so it's possible that's what it was. Was it kinda tan colored? I doubt it was a wolf.

just funnin, probably a coyote, since they seem to be about everywhere

eastern coyotes are quite a bit larger than their western kin, probably not 5' standing up, but estimating size of an animal in the woods can be tricky. Far as I know wolves haven't been seen in them parts in a very, very long time - so if it wasn't a roaming domestic dog, coyote is the most likely critter...

From what everyone has said it sounds like what I saw was just a large coyote. Like I said, I saw the animal from a far distance as it was moving in a direction away from me. Thanks to all for your input!

For most practical purposes, there's not too much difference between a large coyote and a small wolf.

Oh, boy--try coming out to rancherland and saying something like that!

Why, which one isn't interested in eating the livestock?

Western coyotes are smaller and mostly scavengers - unlikely they'd take down any significantly sized healthy livestock. Wolves will hunt in packs and while they will usually avoid healthy prey in preference for easier pickin's, they're more than capable of taking down larger prey.

The difference between an average western coyote and a wolf is more substantial than between a large eastern and small wolf where admittedly the gap would be pretty close - though their hunting patterns would still vary.

But the coyote will still go after live chickens.

And cats -- don't forget about those cats. Perfectly snack size, and no feathers!

I'd guess a coyote or perhaps a feral dog. I heard barking and a bit of howling after dark as I was finishing carrying water with my headlamp on. I did see a lot of deer throughout the park and on that peninsula, so predators would be expected.

Do you remember the fur color?

Coyote is very likely, there are lots of them around. Coyote can be found in every one of the 48 contiguous states. Black bear aren't really in the area yet, but there have been one or two young males seen in Clermont County in the last decade (probably from WV or PA looking to establish territories). The closest established wolf packs are in northern Michigan and Wisconsin.

I want to say grey, but at this point my memory is fading, so possibly brown...

Good thing it wasn't a heffalump.

Joedy Cook of the Ohio Center for Bigfoot Studies claims several reports of possible Bigfoot sightings and activity in Clermont County where East Fork is located. Our course setters haven't seen any, though.

and you thought I was just funnin!

If your first thought was wolf, don't forget that your average domestic pup is pretty much genetically indistinguishable from the grey wolf. And in a number of the breeds in the possible size range discussed, it shows! I'm completely ignorant of how "inhabited" the competition area was, but would I be right in thinking that in Ohio you're never that far from people? So I'm thinking dog with a fair bit of alsatian or something like that in it's parentage. Can't discount coyotes though, never been to NAmerica so the sum total of my coyote experience comes from watching roadrunner cartoons... Aha, there's a diagnostic feature - was it wearing an ACME rocket pack and rollerskates?

Most likely a coyote. They are quite averse to human interaction, particularly if it was a female with a burrow in the area. She would be going away from the burrow, hoping to entice you into chasing it and thus away from the burrow.

We had a coyote den discovered in the week before our Ansonia Nature Center A meet a couple of years ago by the Ranger. We checked out the location with her to discover that it was in the middle of several controls with desirable route choices going quite close to the burrow. Fortunately it was on the side of a hill with some brush and downed trees in the way so that runners would not go too near. We agreed with the Ranger that the best course of action was to leave it undisturbed and not bring specific attention to the location. On the day, she was seen hunkering away on the far side of the area avoiding the distrubance of the runners.

The neat part during our survey with the Ranger was that while we stood on an adjacent spur about 40m away discussing a course of action, she popped out of the burrow and scooted away.

The goshawk nesting on another part of the map is a totally different story however! Don't go near!