Coyote scat
When out in the forest, the dogs and I come upon all sorts of wildlife scat: deer, elk, bear, coyote, fox. And at one time - before hunters and Fish & Game removed them - wolf.
Maia and Meadow always stop to inhale whatever information scat provides. Finn, however, usually goes right past scat, too busy scanning with his eyes for movement.
Different dogs, different ways of gathering information about the world around them and the creatures that inhabit it. Personally, I prefer Finn's method.
Running trails on Brundage Ski Mountain with Finn recently, I stopped to marvel at this example of how coyotes deposit their scat in very obvious places:
All I can say is: their aim is good.
Coyotes use their scat to alert other animals to their territory. They make it obvious, and place it where it will have long-lasting effect.
Years ago, on a trip through Jasper National Park in Canada, a friend and I did some road cycling and running along a remote highway. We were amazed at the amount of coyote scat along the shoulder, often right on the white paint stripe! Never in the middle of the road; always on the shoulder, where the cars won't run over it, diminishing its impact.
Closer to home here in Idaho, I see scat frequently along the trails I run with the dogs. I've seen it placed adopt a cairn-like pile of rocks alongside a trail, wondering how the coyote was able to balance in the pooping position while making the deposit.
During this particular stay, I've hardly heard a single coyote yip at night. In years past, there was often a constant chorus. I'm not sure why it's so quiet, or where they've gone. I miss their singing.
The scat in the photo above had me literally stopping in my tracks, laughing out loud, digging for my camera, knowing that the maker of the scat fully intended to place it exactly where it landed.
Maia and Meadow always stop to inhale whatever information scat provides. Finn, however, usually goes right past scat, too busy scanning with his eyes for movement.
Different dogs, different ways of gathering information about the world around them and the creatures that inhabit it. Personally, I prefer Finn's method.
Running trails on Brundage Ski Mountain with Finn recently, I stopped to marvel at this example of how coyotes deposit their scat in very obvious places:
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| Coyote scat, neatly deposited on dead tree limb, in the middle of the trail. |
Coyotes use their scat to alert other animals to their territory. They make it obvious, and place it where it will have long-lasting effect.
Years ago, on a trip through Jasper National Park in Canada, a friend and I did some road cycling and running along a remote highway. We were amazed at the amount of coyote scat along the shoulder, often right on the white paint stripe! Never in the middle of the road; always on the shoulder, where the cars won't run over it, diminishing its impact.
Closer to home here in Idaho, I see scat frequently along the trails I run with the dogs. I've seen it placed adopt a cairn-like pile of rocks alongside a trail, wondering how the coyote was able to balance in the pooping position while making the deposit.
During this particular stay, I've hardly heard a single coyote yip at night. In years past, there was often a constant chorus. I'm not sure why it's so quiet, or where they've gone. I miss their singing.
The scat in the photo above had me literally stopping in my tracks, laughing out loud, digging for my camera, knowing that the maker of the scat fully intended to place it exactly where it landed.