You are absolutely right Gnu, there were not suppose to be any cougars left around either, all killed off more than 100 years ago. That is until a guy hit a juvenile one with his truck about 8 years ago near the swamp about 12 miles away. I can see them thriving in that place, you never saw such thick brush, thorns, bushes. impossible to even walk in that place. The coyotes here are all huge and I suspect they are wolves or wolf mix but I am no expert on the various calls, you can hear them howl about every night. But there is an endless supply of food in the grape vines, miles and miles filled with rabbits and every other thing they need. Back in PA the coyotes I grew up around were much smaller and much more skiddish critters. The fur also was much more ratty looking. Certainly never attack a dog the size of a lab.