Terrence Taylor
Jul 18, 2026, 3:00 PM
Walked Bella (our little cattle dog mix) up the Ridgeline trail behind Talega around 6:15 this morning and a coyote crossed the fire road maybe forty feet ahead, stopped, looked at us for a second, then trotted off into the brush toward the golf course. Bella didn't even react. Honestly neither did I — it just went about its business. I've lived off Avenida Vista Hermosa for four years and this is the third or fourth time this spring. My question for folks who've been at this longer: is that kind of casual daytime crossing just normal coyote behavior this time of year, or is forty feet closer than I should be letting it get? Trying to calibrate what "normal" actually looks like before I decide whether it's worth mentioning to the Talega HOA.
Maria Hernandez
Jul 18, 2026, 3:00 PM
That's pretty textbook, honestly — early morning movement along a fire road with pups in the den this time of year, they're just covering ground between the open space and water. Forty feet with it choosing to leave is the coyote reading you correctly. The lever you actually control is the routine: if you want more buffer, a few sharp claps or a shake of a can with coins turns a curious pause into a faster exit, and it teaches the local ones that people aren't worth lingering near.
Danielle Hernandez
Jul 18, 2026, 3:00 PM
I appreciate you asking instead of just assuming — the daytime part is what would get me too, since I always heard that meant something was wrong. Would you keep Bella leashed close on that stretch, or is she off-leash when you go up there? That's the piece I get anxious about with my two, and I'd love to know what actually feels safe to you on Ridgeline.
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