Heck I have 2 American bulldogs and I would still worry if they took one on. They have given a *(&^ of a time to skunks (that always not worthy), possums, feral cats and big @@@ raccoons. They have won every time.....so far.
I agree with Ray in that it wasn't plain coyote. However, Illinois is well-known for coywolves. I can't see a couple coyote getting the best of 2 pits without at least one song-dog dying. Glad to hear the Frenchie made it though- I'd probably turn Hulk-mode and smash a lot if something hurt my Frenchie (or our Boston or Pom). BTW: That's a pitbull for you- protect their pack. Incidentally, you should see the documentary on Netflix about coywolves- quite sobering.I also know that regardless of what the law states, if a coyote or similar comes into my backyard after my dogs, it will die. We had coyote come through this area several winters ago. Prior to that, there were somewhere around 100+ feral cats around in the woods near my subdivision. We have no feral cats anymore- none at all. I don't see obvious coyote scat or tracks around the 'hood anymore, but that doesn't mean their gone for good, either.
Steve, the first coyote I ever saw was in American Canyon just outside Vallejo. That was in 1990. Shortly after that, I moved to Ignacio and I started seeing occasional roadkill-yotes out the back side of Skaggs Island (I was dating a crypto-tech at the time). Highway 37 at that time was a 3-lane road (no jersey barricades)- 1 lane in each direction with passing lane in the middle alternating. Around Skaggs late at night the sides of the road were chock-full of jack rabbits that would stare at you as you flew by. The girl I dated said the coyote went after pets before they'd chase the jacks.Seeing a kitty-chunk being carted off in the heart of the North-East Bay just drives home how successful a suburban predator they are.
I have all kinds of predators around my place and I also live in a Gray Wolf zone. Years ago I owned a Pressa Canario dog. He was 148 lbs, extremely Fast & very Athletic. He could out run and out fight anything in the woods except a large Black Bear or a Wolf Pack. He was as big as a Great Dane and looked like a "Pit Bull on Steroids". He kept the area predator free while he was alive. He looked a lot like the one in the picture below.. except he was striped & colored like a Tiger. His name was Somba One on one....a single lone Coyote... would not have stood a chance against Somba.Best Wishes - Tom