The craziest thing I've done is run out in my underwear in the middle of the night in a blowing/thunder/lightening/rain storm to close the windows on my coops. The rain was blowing in and soaking my babies while they were perched on their roost! DH was yelling at me the entire time. When I came back in the house he just shook his head and told me to get dried off before I got sick!
Fortunately we haven't personally had any problems with coyotes, but I have 2 friends who lost a cat and a Jack Russell Terrier to one. The cat was sitting on the back porch, my friend heard a loud "yow" and she ran out to see the coyote run into the woods with the cat in it's mouth. This was in a very populated community near down town Nashville, TN.
The Jack Russell was out on his usual morning run, didn't come back as usual. My friend went out looking for him and found parts of him by the fence. He was heart broken. For most of the next couple of months I wouldn't let my Jack Russell out without me being right there and I live miles away from where my friend lives.
My Mother was watching my son's children play in the back yard one afternoon when she decided to go in and get them something to drink. When they came back out there was a coyote lurking around the out bldg. just past where the children had been playing. She grabbed the children (3 & 6) and took them back in the house.
They will sit in waiting until the situation is in their favor. Don't ever underestimate ANY predator. As my husband is fond of saying, "if it has teeth it'll bite!" They are inbreeding with dogs and the coydogs are more dangerous than a pure coyote!
We sleep with a holstered pistol draped over the head of the bed, but I don't know if I could hit anything if I shot at it. But I'd darn sure try!
