July 5, 2012
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Coyote Sighting
When I went down to let the chickens out of the coop we spotted a coyote about 100 yards away. Libby was staring at something that I couldn’t see because it was just getting light. I finally saw something moving along the tree line in the shadows. It jumped up on a picnic table and I lost it again in the shadows. I assumed it moved into the trees.
I was curious to see what it was so I walked toward the spot where it disappeared. Because the neighbors had spotted a raccoon that was acting strange during the day a couple of days ago, and because we had spotted skunks earlier I had Libby on a leash. Also, I was carrying a 22 pistol in case we had a run in with a rabid animal or the chickens were being attacked.
As I got closer to the table, I saw the coyote lying on it, watching us. Now, he wasn’t crouched or sitting at alert. He was lying there relaxed and not afraid at all. I got to about 100 feet away (gun in hand, but not chambered) and he didn’t move.
I figured if he wasn’t going to start something, neither was I. We made an oblique exit so I could keep an eye on him, but he never moved. I watched him from cover for several minutes until he moved into the trees. The chicken fence is pretty much varmint-proof, but I watched the chickens until I felt certain they were going to be okay.
I’ve seen coyotes around the neighborhood before, but usually from a distance and when they’re on the move. He must have been curious about Libby. Libby is about the same size as a coyote, so maybe he wanted to make a friend.
Comments (2)
Before my side of this town grew (about 20 yrs ago or so), where my back yard ends “the country” began. (As in, there was a soy bean field on the other side of my chain link fence.), you could go out at night and hear the coyotes howl. I actually kinda miss that. Don’t hear them anymore (even though “the country” is only a couple blocks away, even still.) We rarely saw the coyotes, but heard them every night.
Had a wild turkey in my backyard a couple years ago. I was like… WTF? lol. It skedaddled right quickly, though, and never saw it again.
I love seeing wild animals in peaceful moments. To me it’s a reminder that life, even in the wild, is never all strife.