Free Write Friday-Kellie Elmore: Coyotes Are Not Dogs

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Coyote scouting around

Coyote scouting around (Photo credit: jibber11)

It’s high noon. Sun blazing. You awake in a field and birds are pecking your skin… GO!

I know that human people were making noise and complaining about us, we know, all of us. But hey, that’s what we do to survive don’t  they understand that? If they left their “fur babies” (what an obnoxious title) outside alone to play, than it’s anybody’s game. Can you believe there were towns that were thinking about hazing us? Actual plans to get rid of our pact. On purpose,  We are a species of animal, just like everyone else. People have dogs and treat them well, why don’t they respect us, the coyotes, the champions of the world? Snatching their little puffy dogs is just in our nature it’s not something we plan to do, it is instinctive. Can’t you human people consider that? It’s our food just like the food you crave.

We know that we have the been in the news, in the papers, that town meetings overflowing with people wanting to destroy us, make us extinct, that’s a little harsh don’t you think? We are just following our nature, is following your nature to kill and destroy us? That’s what it sounds like to us. I’m not going to lie, we do get some enjoyment of seeing the terror in your eyes at first sight but that is like a game for us, we really mean to do no harm. Just go calmly back inside. I know there was some person who said that you should come at us yelling and screaming, making noise and clapping pots and pans together but do you really want to annoy us? It’s your choice. I can’t promise that if you do those things we will back off immediately. Sometimes yes, sometimes,no. Here’s the thing, we are not dogs, we are not reliable, we are not dependable and we don’t like you or love you. We care for only ourselves, that’s right and we would never deny it. That is who we are. Do you get it now? We will never be your pets, your brothers and sisters, we are your enemies and we will eat your little doggies or your diapered babies as fast as we can grab them in our steely mouths and fly away with no remorse whatsoever. That is the nature of our life.

So, I perfectly understand that the crows are now pecking at my skin, it’s not a bad feeling, just a bunch of pinches and I know I will die. I don’t have a problem with that at all. See, coyotes don’t expect to live forever, problem free. We know we are here on earth for a short time but it is a time that we spend in adventure, a fast life, a one only based on our needs and wants. Am I happy a bigger lion caught meand brought down? No, I can’t say I am but it was inevitable and I understandable. It is what we do. The crows pecking at my skin, well, they are just doing their job, to survive, to eat their meals as fast as they can.

I’m dying now, I can’t move anymore.

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Coyotes running

Coyotes running (Photo credit: Nature Pictures by ForestWander)

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8 thoughts on “Free Write Friday-Kellie Elmore: Coyotes Are Not Dogs”

  1. I’ve long felt an affinity for coyotes–the animal as well as the archetype. One of the best dogs I ever had was a coyote/Sheltie mix…she was unbelievably sweet and clever, though not what you’d call attractive. 🙂
    As an archetype, I love the Coyote’s reputation as a trickster (like the Raven), its quick intelligence, its ability to see the ridiculous in everything.
    Thanks for a lovely post, a reminder of life, death, and the wild in all of us.

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  2. LOVE…
    (except… neither coyotes nor wolves have been known to snatch human babies except when rabid.)

    Speaking for the wolves, coyotes, and even the coydogs,
    Ash

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      • Yes, they’ll snatch little dogs, and cats, and trash, etc. But not people. And, many of the so-called “coyotes” doing this are actually coydogs – dogs, wolves, and coyotes are all the same species. That means they can interbreed. Canis Lupus (Wolf) prefers wolf, but in a pinch, a male wolf has few qualms about getting it on with a family dog that’s left tied outside in heat. Coyotes are even less discriminating. So many of the “coyotes” getting into trouble are doing so because they are not pure coyote, which is by nature cautious around humans, but are really coydogs.

        The point was, wolves and coyotes are necessary and integral parts of our ecosystems, who were here long before humans were. There are many deep rooted misconceptions about them, especially wolves, which led to wolves being exterminated across the lower 48. One of those misconceptions is that they are agressive and attack people, and the exact opposite is the truth. They want nothing more than to be left in peace.
        Right now, after years of a “wolf recovery” program and millions being spent, wolves are on the firing line yet again, as there is pressure from ranchers and hunters to exterminate them again. Over a thousand wolves were killed in the lower 48 in the past year.
        This is a very important time for the truth to be known. And while they and coyotes may find your little dog a tasty snack, snatching a baby just feeds people’s paranoia.

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      • Here’s a pretty dang balanced article on the number of attacks and risks, which explores why some happen, in brief format. It was written after a woman in Canada was killed by coyotes – an extremely rare occurance:

        Fatal coyote attack: How dangerous are coyotes?

        “Robert Crabtree, who has studied coyote behavior for decades in the US West, says it’s dangerous to extrapolate widespread conclusions from Ms. Mitchell’s death.”

        “Mythology about predators, Mr. Crabtree says, led in part to annihilation campaigns aimed at grizzly bears, wolves, coyotes, and cougars well into the middle of the 20th century. ”

        “He notes that the number of cases involving coyotes biting people is small – far less than the number of humans killed or badly injured by pet pit bull dogs.”

        And…

        “Coyotes have become the most abundant large predatory animal on the continent,” says Ralph Maughan, who operates a popular wildlife blog that tracks human-wildlife encounters.”

        “Incidents like this are uncommon but bound to happen, when you consider there are millions of coyotes, some of them living in the middle of populated areas,” he adds. “It isn’t, however, reason for alarm.”

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