Discuss: New Dog in Town

“Trickster”, ha that makes me laugh. Coyotes are as stupid as any other animal. Three will come into a wounded rabbit call in one afternoon. They trot up then you blast them like anything else. Animals are such easy prey.

@anon: “Coyotes are as stupid as any other animal.”  ?  Classic pot calling the kettle black lil darlin.

How timely I should find this wonderful article by you Christopher, Thank you! 

You made me laugh (after howling neighbors yelled “STFU!”)  LOL!  (and did you REALLY get poison ivy you-know-where?)

We have packs of coyotes on the 6,000 open acreage adjacent to our back yard, and I howl with them every chance I get.  I have found it to be very therapeutic!

You gave me hope in relating the truth of homo sapiens being a ‘weed species.’

I am about to put the finishing touches on a 2011 wildlife calendar that I am designing and dedicating to the coyote. I want to end the calendar with a fictitious coyote story, (loosely based on facts) with a father coyote talking with his son while stretched out in the tall grass, waiting for the night to fall.

This was a bad year for coyotes in the western suburbs of Chicago. 

The uneducated citizens of (at least) 2 towns demanded that coyotes be trapped and killed due to 1)numerous sightings and 2)a ‘foot warmer’ dog was fatally harmed in someone’s back yard.

I volunteer for a wildlife center that not only educates the public, but rehabilitates orphaned and injured wildlife and releases them back into the wild.  (Willowbrook Wildlife Center is no stranger to Stan Gehrt.) I am also a graphic designer by trade and donate what I can, graphically, to help raise funding, hence the calendar.

But more than that, I want to help educate because THAT seems to be the only chance at reaching out and turning on the light so that others that were cowering in the dark, may see with renewed illumination.

Wish me luck!  AND a GREAT big THANK YOU again for this wonderful piece!

for: restless renegade

They aren’t smart enough to correlate the rabbit call with the gunshots, so yeah they’re pretty stupid by human standards. Then again so is everything.

I suppose if I wanted a change I could hunt “the most dangerous game of all”.

You know, like a hobo or something. Maybe a cape buffalo.

@anon: “the most dangerous game of all” is ignorance… as you have so expertly proven by your posts.

As one recent Orion letter to the editor said, “Nature bats last and bats cleanup.”  Well, it is the bottom of the ninth and Trickster is leading off.  Cheerio mates!

anonymous—Appears yer lost, my friend.  Here, let me show you the door.  Point you to the RANGE Magazine site.  Happy trails!

Trickster is the coyote,stupid until not.Here in Atlanta they thrive both feeding on and breeding with dogs.The dog I’ve had for 11 years now appeared at my door as a youngster and the vet who gave her a check-up and shots commented that she could be part coyote.A friend who had his dogs attacked saw three coming into his yard one evening and shot and killed two-the third and certainly more are around his place still but are not as easy prey as they were.My dog was attacked and nearly killed;she stays closer by me now on evening rambles.She has learned,they and I also learn and I feel a kinship to both her and them.I am certain it’s possible that I may have to deal death to one of them,or my own dog,or even myself but it will not be with pleasure but with respect.Weeds we are;competing,yes,but also learning,sharing,sounding out the night.These creatures are part pet,companion,scavenger,threat,nuisance,and even potential food.They continue to co evolve with us here many thousand years along.Laugh at their silly antics but be aware of the fear within your laughter-and of the love.Thanks for the interesting article.Happy Rambling!

A wonderful and insightful article! It’s not surprising that Anonymous is afraid to sign his name. No intelligent person would admit to such ignorant remarks.  How in the world did he ever stumble onto Orion? I live in coyote territory and remain in awe of them.  Humans could and should learn from these song dogs.