Marie Simon looks at her property where a coyote emerged on Wednesday and attacked her. A wildlife biologist said more coyotes are being spotted near communities. (CBC)

Close encounters between coyotes and people in New Brunswick are not uncommon at this time of year, a provincial wildlife biologist says.

Earlier this week, Marie Simon fought off a coyote outside her Richibucto-area home and her story has prompted others to come forward with their own coyote tales.

Louise Bohan lives in a rural area south of Miramichi where she raises dogs and miniature horses. She said three coyotes have been hanging around her home for the past two weeks, even edging up to her back steps.

"Actually one night I could actually hear them — this is not an exaggeration or a lie — sniffing around the house," Bohan said.

'Just like on Yogi Bear, don't feed the bears. Well, don't feed the wildlife.'— Rod Cumberland, wildlife biologist

"I could smell it outside and it just frightened me to death."

Bohan said she believes that some of her neighbours might be feeding the coyotes.

And in Quispamsis last month, another woman said a coyote followed her and her three dogs through a residential neighourhood.

Rod Cumberland, a wildlife biologist with the provincial Department of Natural Resources, said people should never feed coyotes.

"Just like on Yogi Bear, don't feed the bears. Well, don't feed the wildlife," Cumberland said.

"When that stuff happens it just create a whole lot more problems."

The problem of coyotes intruding on inhabited areas is not limited to just New Brunswick.

In January, a Cape Breton man called for a bounty to be put on the animals after three approached him and appeared ready to attack.

Blair Boone, 20, scared off the animals.

However, Taylor Josephine Stephanie Luciow, 19, a folk singer from Toronto, died after being attacked by two coyotes in Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

And last week, Ottawa-area residents were warned not to leave their pets unattended after a coyote attacked and killed a small deer near people's homes.

Breeding season

The breeding season for coyotes in New Brunswick is February and March so it's not unusual for young animals to be pushed out of established territories and into fringe areas.

And when that happens the juveniles are looking for any quick meal.

He said that is what appears to have happened in Simon's case.

"Coyotes are very territorial. This young animal is not able to find a territory out in the woods, so it's looking for whatever it can find," Cumberland said.

"So it's scrounging and obviously it's not doing a very good job right now."

But Cumberland said if coyotes become a nuisance or frightening, a wildlife control operator can fix the problem.

"Professionals [can] come in and actually trap and snare or remove, relocate those animals," he said.

Coyotes targeted in contest

The problem of coyotes roaming too close to communities has promoted a Sussex outfitter to host a coyote contest.

So far, 72 coyotes have been killed during the contest that ends on March 1, but Keighan Toomey, the owner of Sussex Outfitters, said there appear to be more coyotes in the southern New Brunswick town than before.

"From what I'm seeing and hearing, the numbers are definitely up. They've been seen close to town, on the lawn of the hospital, and stuff like that," Toomey said.

A similar contest was being held by the Ottawa-area Osgoode Township Fish, Game and Conservation Club. The "Great Coyote Cull Contest" started in January.

Organizers said it wasn't intended to encourage people who don't hunt coyotes to start killing them. It was to attract more interest in the conservation club.