The Prowler

Coyotes have a lot more enemies than friends. I’ve never taken a poll of coyote haters, but I’d bet that the vast majority of them are, ironically, animal lovers who detest coyotes because they prey upon so many helpless lambs, chickens, goats, calves, dogs, cats, and many wild animals.

I don’t hate coyotes personally. I understand that everyone has to make a living, even if it is at the expense of cute cottontails and flashy pheasants. But when the bold, wily killers trespass into our barnyard, endangering the lives of our livestock and pets, they’re signing their own death warrant.

Yesterday, around 3 a.m., a coyote loudly announced her presence in our barnyard with a series of yips and yaps (probably in conversation with another coyote). Coyotes usually run away from our dog Bodie, but this one fought him and then chased him back to us. Clearly frenzied, she dashed back and forth on a slope beside the house, even though we were standing on our front step with a flashlight and a .243. She disappeared behind some sagebrush but made the fatal mistake of returning for another look. Hubby’s not a big hunter but has had too many sheep slaughtered by stray dogs and coyotes not to be a good shot.

I’m thinking of printing and laminating some copies of this photo and caption, then nailing them at coyote-eye-level to fence posts and trees around our place. Maybe that will deter coyotes and prevent further bloodshed!

WARNING: Prowlers NOT Welcome on Premises

“Wait patiently for God, don’t leave the path. He’ll give you your place in the sun while you watch the wicked lose it.” –PSALM 37:34