The Rural Arms Race

Dateline: Monday, 25-September-2006, Wild Mountain Farms

Christie burst into the house shouting "Coyote! He's right there ... get your ... he's ... where are the dogs?!?" I was at my computer upstairs and couldn't see what she was talking about, but since married couples need a certain amount of telepathy, I got the gist of it and ran downstairs. While I got my rifle, unlocked the gun lock, loaded the clip with "varmint" rounds, and put on shoes, Christie explained that there was a coyote right across the creek, not 20 yards from a pond full of terrified ducks and geese ... in broad daylight.

Dateline: Saturday, 23-September-2006

Christie and I spent the day in town with Janice, Katy, Paul, Lucia, and Ella. Jarred agreed to feed the animals for us so we could have more time with family. While Jarred was in the main barn feeding, the dogs went crazy. He poked in his head out in time to see Louie and Rajah charging toward the barn. He looked around and saw a coyote in the barnyard ... in broad daylight. When the dogs got close, the coyote turned and loped off back the way he'd come. Jarred went to his truck for a gun in case the dogs needed help, but they chased that coyote back over the mountain.

Jarred finished the feeding and came out of the barn to hear a horrible ruckus from the ducks and geese. He looked over and thought he saw Rajah at the edge of the pond. As he was about to scold Rajah for terrorizing the birds, he saw another Rajah a little ways off in the pasture, and two more behind him. As he got closer, he realized that four coyotes were closing on the pond. By the time he was within pistol range, they decided to retreat.

Dateline: Monday, 25-September-2006

We ran out to the back porch in time to see the coyote right by the footbridge. To reach the pond, all he'd have to do is cross that bridge. He spotted us on the porch and backed off to the base of the hill to consider his options. We took a moment to do the same. Without many words, Christie and I agreed that I should shoot this coyote. I took aim and fired. He twitched, then rolled down the hill. Until that moment, I'd never fired a gun at a living thing.

Dateline: Sunday, 24-September-2006

Upon hearing Jarred recount the tale of the four coyotes stalking the waterfowl I realized the coyotes had raised the stakes. It started when they began taking chickens from us. Then, we got Louie to guard the ranch animals, and he put the coyotes back in their place. In answer to that, the coyotes changed tactics, and sent one member of the pack to lead the dogs away while the others feasted. If Jarred hadn't been there, we would have lost many birds. We'd never seen more than one coyote at a time at the ranch before.

Dateline: Monday, 25-September-2006

The coyote only twitched a little after the first shot, but I fired again to make sure he wasn't suffering. Christie and I didn't say anything for a while, letting the import of the moment sink in. For me, it meant we had raised the stakes of our little rural arms race another notch. I felt bad for having to kill the coyote, but I hoped the rest of the pack would be deterred by my action. Time will tell if the coyotes decide to go back to eating field mice and wild rabbits. They may have developed a taste for fowl, which would be a shame.