Wrong Side of the Tracks

When I was growing up there was a place called  “the wrong side of the tracks”.  It was a dicey neighbor even then you didn’t go into it if you didn’t have business.   If you had business there you got in and out before the sun went down.   I don’t think any place was as bad as it sounded but it was always there.  It was unknown, scary and bad things could happen to you there.

Wildlife so often gets on the wrong side of the tracks, well in many cases it is the wrong side of the road for them.    Lately we have been experiencing that with the coyotes.

We live in on a dead-end road that backs up to  ranch land.  The wolves  behind us on the ranches and public lands have been breeding like the canine they are.   (Think about how many dogs end up in shelters each year and you get the picture, of what is going on in the wild.)  We have been having packs split up and moving into to more and more area.  Small game reserves changed and in some cases been depleted.  All of this drives coyotes around as well.   

In the last couple of days we have had coyotes cross our little dirt road settle down in the creek bed on the far side of our property.   They have been partying hearty and singing  for hours nightly.    Our little dog has decided even on a leash with us right there, he can hold it from the time the sun goes down until it comes up again.

This now move puts the coyotes only one parcel of land between them and the interstate.  It also puts them in an urban interface.   Though we live in the country and we all have some land, folks still have critters…dogs, cats, chickens,ducks, horses and cattle.    No one likes to lose an animal.  It is not good. Some of what we have is easy prey, other of it isn’t prey, but a canine pack large enough can get a little bold.   It is likely that some of these coyotes will meet an unfortunate demise, this last move has put them on the wrong side of the tracks.