A lot of people don't take coyotes seriously, but they do attack people. They killed a woman in Nova Scotia in 2009. They also fatally attacked a 3 year old girl in California in 1981, and there have been numerous attacks that haven't resulted in death. The ones we have in New England are coy-wolves, not a true coyote, but a hybrid between a coyote and a wolf. They usually go for smaller game, but if they are hungry, or if they are teaching their young to hunt, they will take down a large animal. They travel in packs. If you see one, there are probably more near-by.