Coyote Unaware

 

A few weeks ago while in the woods chopping down a raggedy old tree with my Gransfors Bruks large felling axe (you cain't go no better) I took a short break just down the hill from the chopping location.  I'd been sitting for maybe two minutes when I caught movement off to my right. It turned out to be a extra-large coyote not more than 40 or 50 feet away from where I was sitting. He was eating a critter he'd no doubt just caught and seemed completely unaware of my presence. When he'd finished breakfast he turned and sauntered directly away from me over the crest of the hill down toward the creek. 

As he wondered out of site I conjured up the best and loudest squirrel call I could muster using only my mouth.  He immediately turned and ran straight at me through the thick brush and stopped suddenly about 10 yards from where I sat. He stared right at me for no more than a second as he quickly realized I wasn't a squirrel. He spun and tore off as fast as he could go directly away from me.

This was probably as fine a coyote as I've seen in my life. He was about the size of a full grown Collie and looked like he'd recently been to the groomer at Petsmart. I chose not to whack this healthy rabbit/squirrel killing machine which was timely considering I didn't have a gun; a rare woods-occurrence for me. The Dog Soldier, Steve Criner, would not be pleased to hear I let this "dog" run off without at least throwing my axe at him. I'll try to do better next time, Steve.

In any event I'll do my best to keep you posted on coyote sightings, axe throwing and general goings-on in Southwest Barry County (SWBC).