Coyotes come to visit

Tuesday, September 08 2009 - Vermont

Warning – pictures of poop! :)

About 5 nights ago I heard a pack of coyotes singing late at night when I took Sampson out to pee.

Sampson has gotten very excited about smells in our yard in the morning.

My neighbor saw one in her yard.

And this morning, I found some serious looking scat on the path behind our  house going into the woods.

I took pictures so that I could compare them to what I could find on scat i.d. sites. and it certainly seems to be from a coy dog.

I’ve left the images small so that you don’t get too grossed out if you weren’t expecting this. Just click on them to see them full size.

This is with the flash which alters the color a lot.

coyotescat

This is without the flash which shows the true color, black and very shiny, but is blurred.

coyotescat2

Like my little scientific touch with the tape measure?

#1 Avonelle Lovhaug on 9.08.2009 at 9:25 AM

It is stuff like this that convinced me to turn around when I was riding all by my lonesome self last week in rural Minnesota. I am a city girl, and even in the city unattended dogs walking down the road make me nervous. But in the country, I can't even be sure it is a domesticated dog that crossed the path 1/2 a mile down the road. To me, "coyote" sounds like a scary animal and not something I want to run into by myself!

#2 Julie on 9.08.2009 at 9:42 AM

From what I've heard and read, they are not aggressive at all, fear humans and would rather not be seen by anyone. Now if you were a house cat outdoors, you have plenty of reason to be afraid.

I'd be much more nervous about a domesticated dog wandering around. Those are the ones that chase me on my bike.

#3 Deirdre on 9.08.2009 at 9:44 AM

We found some interesting scat in the backyard in the catskills this spring. Closer inspection and comparisons directedus to believe that it was a bear.

#4 PilotBob on 9.08.2009 at 9:55 AM

Gee.. if that programming gig doesn't work out you might try your hand at being a CSI.. since you got the ruler in the photo thing down so well.

#5 Ian on 9.08.2009 at 9:59 AM

We have Coyotes too and this looks exactly like the spoor we find. In the spring we can hear them howl and the kits yelp.

#6 Andrew Robinson on 9.08.2009 at 10:03 AM

+1 for poop!

#7 Janet on 9.16.2009 at 12:29 PM

Hi Julie,

I saw a dead coyote (or maybe a coy dog - what's the difference?) along Hollow Rd. the other day while out on my bike.....but no sign of you!

#8 Julie on 9.16.2009 at 9:44 PM

"Coy dog" is coyote. What the locals call it so I'm just trying to blend in. Nah I haven't been on my bike lately. Hey, this is Janet who I met on my ride to burlington a few weeks ago. I'll send you an email. :)

#9 Frank on 9.21.2009 at 9:49 AM

You cannot beat some pictures of "poop" on your blog lol. Great work with the tape measure!