One of my neighbors :)

[Freedom]

This picture is very poor quality, sorry. I've adjusted it as much as I could in editor. The human eye could see much more clearly.

This has been my neighbor for about 5 years, now. A coyote. At least one year, there were three of them living in the wooded area behind the school (I live next to the school.) This year there are at least two, male and female. Rumors are that they have 4 pups, but no adults have actually seen the pups as yet.

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q57/sfsamm/2008/May%2026%20coyote/IMG_1423BSmall.jpg

I went out this evening specifically to get a photo. This one was calmly sitting in the middle of the soccer field. I was down wind. Unfortunately, at the same time, a man was walking across the field and was up wind; once the dog smelled him, it was up and moving to the bushes.

Saw the male coyote very close up and personal one evening last week, as I was walking my 4 fluffs. We came upon him drinking at the brook, he never heard us until we were about 6 feet from him. Of course, I had no camera on me and not sure I could have managed it with the 4 dogs with me. He startled and looked straight at us for about 25 or 30 seconds (seemed AGES!) and then took off. Lacey was the only one of mine who saw him. :rolleyes: It figures, the young one with NO fear, ready to charge at a leaf.

I plan to keep trying to get a good photo this season.

[Casper]

That is really neat how they are thriving so close to civilization. There are quite a few of them around here, but with all the farmers they learn to stay far far away.

I can't believe you ended up so close to one! :eek: I probably would have wet myself being that close. Hehe.

Thanks for sharing your lovely neighbor with us! I would love to see more of them if they give you a chance at more photos. :)

[Karen]

It is sad that coyotes are moving into civilization areas, but it is only because we have messed up with the natural balance of things. We hunted the grey wolf nearly to extinction, so it is gone from most of its natural range. That means the deer population can literally grow, unchecked, as there are very few large predators to eliminate the weaker or older members of the herds. It also means coyotes, whose natural range was once far to the west of here, have moved gradually East. They are not big enough, though, to take down a full-grown deer, but will easily take down a wandering housecat, small dogs, and other "pet" animals.

We have no one to blame but ourselves.

No, I don't know what the solution is, but do know that if you have coyotes in your neighborhood, keep your cats indoors only, and never leave a small dog or a puppy out unattended.