Canadian Woman Killed by Coyotes

[CowHead]

Another good reason to carry a weapon.

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — A Canadian woman has died from injuries sustained when she was attacked by two coyotes while hiking in eastern Canada.
Police say she was airlifted to a Halifax hospital in critical condition and died Wednesday morning. The victim was identified as Taylor Mitchell, 19, a singer-songwriter from Toronto. She was hiking alone on a trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, in Nova Scotia, on Tuesday when the attack occurred. Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokeswoman Brigdit Leger says other hikers heard her screams for help and called emergency police dispatchers. Police who were in the area shot one of the animals, apparently wounding it. But the wounded animal and a companion coyote managed to get away. Coyotes, which are also known as prairie wolves, are found from Central American to the United States and Canada. Wildlife biologist Bob Bancroft says coyote attacks are extremely rare.

[sheepdog]

other hikers heard her screams for help and called emergency police dispatchers

No one would come to her aid? That is truely sad.

[DaveJohns]

Another good reason for people to at least carry pepper spray, especially if hiking alone. If nothing else it will "discourage" the attacker (4 legged or 2) long enough to figure out a plan B.

[MintakaCat]

Not sure but I think this is her MySpace page:

http://www.myspace.com/taylormitchellband

[skinewmexico]

I would have expected wolves before coyotes.

[CowHead]

Not sure but I think this is her MySpace page:

http://www.myspace.com/taylormitchellband

That would be sadder still we lost a singing hiker

[Snowleopard]

That's really sad. When I was backpacking in the Cape Breton Highlands (1996), I don't remember hearing coyotes, just moose. Perhaps the coyotes are fairly recent.

I would have expected wolves before coyotes.

No wolves in Nova Scotia; they are in Quebec, but generally avoid people.

[datadog314]

Man, all these stories about hikers being killed. I fully relize the percentage is small compared to the number of hikers but, it's almost gotten to the point, if you hike alone, such as I do, a weapon or at least a major deterent is quickly becoming a must. I don't want to shoot anyone or anything for that matter but, you only get one chance at life, and when it's gone..........it's gone for good. Personally, if I hear screaming like that in the woods, I'm quickly in a dead run to offer assistance......I very well may be completely bummed out when I get there but, I'll never have to hear those screams, in my head, years later, and know I did nothing to help. Hiking must be looked at as a type of brotherhood, when we're in the woods, we're all family. If you start hollering......I'm on my way. If I start hollering.....I expect you to be there soon.

[Deb]

other hikers heard her screams for help and called emergency police dispatchers

No one would come to her aid? That is truely sad.

According to this report, other hikers did try to help her.


Police said Mitchell was hiking alone Tuesday when a pair of coyotes attacked her on the popular Skyline Trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

Officers said other hikers heard her screams for help and rushed to her aid, calling 911 at around 3 p.m. and trying to scare off the animals that are often spotted in the park.

She was taken to a hospital nearby and airlifted to a Halifax hospital in critical condition, but succumbed to her injuries Wednesday.
Paul Maynard of Emergency Health Services said she was already in critical condition when paramedics arrived on the scene and was bleeding heavily from multiple bite wounds over her entire body.
"She was losing a considerable amount of blood from the wounds," he said.
RCMP spokeswoman Brigdit Leger said officers shot one of the two animals, apparently wounding it, but both managed to get away.
An official with Parks Canada said they have barricaded the entrance to the trail where Mitchell was attacked and were trying to find the animals to determine what prompted such an unusual attack.
Helene Robichaud, the park's superintendent, said there have been a handful of reports of aggressive coyotes over the last 15 years, but they have not seen any attacks on people.
"There's been some reports of aggressive animals, so it's not unknown," she said. "But we certainly never have had anything so dramatic and tragic."
Mitchell's MySpace site shows the singer standing in the woods with her guitar and a suitcase at her side, along with the cover photo of her album, "For Your Consideration."

[take-a-knee]

There have been several coyote/coydog attacks and near attacks in GA in the last decade. The ones against armed hunters obviously didn't succeed. That fact that we live in a world of wild critters and even wilder folks, some of whom have near-wild uncontrollable canines, it just makes sense to carry a little "stand-off protection".

[middle to middle]

I bicycled around the Cape many years ago. A lot of very agressive local dogs who loved to chase the bike. Wow that is a scary story. Whatever works for you; but you need something for sure. I used amonia in a water pistol and it worked for me. let them get close then spray in face. Remember the zip guns of the 60's, salt in a shotgun shell.

[beakerman]

Not to get preachy but this is why I carry a real first aid kit. There's only so much you can do with improvised light weight gear and crap like this does happen.

[datadog314]

If she had a pistol or at least some type of spray, she wouldn't have needed a big, bulky, first-aid kit. There needs to be some serious rethinking about protecting oneself when hiking alone. It's getting to the point where you almost need to be combat ready if you want to hike some trails.

[take-a-knee]

Not to get preachy but this is why I carry a real first aid kit. There's only so much you can do with improvised light weight gear and crap like this does happen.

Yeah, sure. After a vicious animal rips your carotid arteries open in your neck I'm sure your little pocket first-aid kit should be just the ticket. Maybe you could put a tourniquet around your neck?

[Manwich]

Coyotes I've met run when butterflies fart.

[Wise Old Owl]

hmm tough thread - we don't have all the details, someone might have come to her aid, she might have ran making herself prey. She might have beat them off with a stick ... just sad really. The Coyotes I run into several times just take off really quickly, so I am stumped as to how this can happen..

[beakerman]

Yeah, sure. After a vicious animal rips your carotid arteries open in your neck I'm sure your little pocket first-aid kit should be just the ticket. Maybe you could put a tourniquet around your neck?

Have you ever tried to actually do first aid on yourself? It ain't easy. My point was, perhaps not 100% clear, that someone with a real first aid kit and the skills to go with it (such as myself) are infinitely more useful than what ever 99.99% of the hikers out there bother to carry.

Oh and just for clarification I did say real first aid kit...those cheap-arse things you buy at wally world for $4.99 ain't gonna do much but take care of a splinter. So no I don't carry one of those "pocket" first aid kits.

[beakerman]

Coyotes I've met run when butterflies fart.

same here..I'm in the "mildly perplexed by this case" category. I've seen lare groups of coyotes take large dogs and such but anytime I've seen less than 4 they tend to run off.

[SassyWindsor]

I haven't had time to research this and have a question to those that have. Have coyotes been positively identified and not confused with wild dogs?

[beakerman]

If she had a pistol or at least some type of spray, she wouldn't have needed a big, bulky, first-aid kit. There needs to be some serious rethinking about protecting oneself when hiking alone. It's getting to the point where you almost need to be combat ready if you want to hike some trails.

agreed an M1911 would have made short work of them but in many places side arms are illegal. Pepper spray may have helped too.

However if you are the one without the pepper spray won't you be glad when I come trotting along with my "big bulky first aid kit" to stop your bleeding rather than a can of pepper spray?