Dane County man urges vigilance after coyote attack

[milestogo]

Cross posted in DU Lounge

MONONA, Wis. — A Dane County man is speaking out after being attacked by coyotes while walking his dog. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is warning that the coyotes’ den could be near an elementary school.

Jeff Marks still has bruises left behind from his encounter with the coyotes last week. “My right hand was totally bloody... it was all really swollen up, and it was black and blue already,” Marks said. Marks said it happened just a few doors down from his home. He was walking his dog, Bruce, just past Nuestro Mundo Community School around 9 p.m. last Wednesday. That’s when three coyotes came after Bruce, who reacted and spun around, causing Marks to lose his balance. “The other two came in to go after the dog and got me in the back. Knocked me down,” Marks said. “Pretty quick. Pretty scary.”

Marks said the whole encounter only lasted a few minutes. Bruce, a 4-year-old Tibetan mastiff, scared the coyotes off. “I was like, okay, assessing what had just happened... I called him, and he stopped and he looked... he almost sat on me and just scanned the area,” Marks said.The DNR said it’s working to find a coyote den in the area and notified the school about what happened.

The Madison Metropolitan School District sent a statement saying Nuestro Mundo was monitoring the situation closely, and that the DNR has not recommended any changes to school operations. Leaders with the DNR are asking residents to keep an eye on their properties for evidence of a den or burrow being used by animals.

https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2026/05/29/man-urging-vigilance-after-coyote-attack -Video at link

[2naSalit]

1. So...

Last edited Sat May 30, 2026, 05:53 PM - Edit history (1)

A thing to know about wild canids, they see all other dogs of any kind as canid intruders, especially if near a den. They are territorial and will attack any kind of dog that enters the boundary they have established. It's one of the many reasons you can't walk your dog on the trails in Yellowstone and other wilderness parks. You invite attacks from wolves, coyotes and bears... and that's aside from the diseases and parasites that can be transferred in either direction.

Since their habitats are being taken over by humans they are having to adapt to closer proximity to humans in their ever shrinking environments.

[milestogo]

2. I've seen video of wild dog packs attacking much larger prey in Africa.

The worst I've ever heard of around here of is a single coyote picking off a yorkshire terrier that was left unattended in the back yard. Someone else told me a coyote followed her when she was walking her two smaller dogs in a state park. Since my dog is over 50 lbs, I thought we were safe.

But a TIBETAN MASTIFF? The one in the photo looks to be over 100 lbs. I've never thought about them (coyotes) attacking in packs. I'm guessing they might have unknowingly walked right past the coyote den. I hope the DNR gets on this right away since it happened near an elementary school.

No more evening walks.

[2naSalit]

3. When they decide...

They need to neutralize a threat, size doesn't matter if they have a pack but I have heard of single coyotes attacking humans. They will attack a teacup poodle as quickly as a 100lbs mastiff... it's a dog species and they don't care much beyond that designation.

And the more coyotes you kill or remove from a place, there will be even more soon afterward. Studies done back in the mid 1990s showed this was the case.

[milestogo]

4. How can you make urban areas safe from coyotes?

[2naSalit]

5. You can't...

Really. You just have to adapt as with so many other harsh realities that come crashing into our worlds.

Mother Nature isn't going to sanitize the natural world for our convenience.

[slightlv]

6. You're right, 2na... we need to learn to adapt

to the changing environment. But always remember what caused this... WE moved into THEIR spaces. We're making them adapt to us... or, most likely, they'll be killed because their instincts are the same in the environment, regardless. I know there are areas of the country that have set aside wildlife only refuges, and I support these. But we're still trying to just "cage in" animals in the wilderness that use to be theirs. I see it as something to be grieved over... while still understanding the grief and fear that comes from being attacked by dog(s). My attack was by a cocker spaniel when I was in my early years, and I still bear the scar from the ordeal. So, I'm not downplaying the concern... just wish we'd stop trying to make Mother Nature adapt to US, rather than us adapt to Her.

[milestogo]

7. I did read that coyotes are most likely to be aggressive during their mating season

which is Jan-Mar. They are raising their pups from Apr-June. So this incident happened at a time when the pups are still young.