Coyote in Wyoming
Monday, December 3rd, 2007 
“Feathergrass” by Shreve Stockton. © Shreve Stockton 2007.
A friend who knows I’m crazy about animals introduced me to a site: The Daily Coyote.
Shreve Stockton, the site creator, writes:
“Charlie is a wild-born coyote who was unexpectedly delivered to my doorstep this past April after both his parents were shot for killing sheep. Whatever reservations I had about raising a wild animal simply didn’t matter - couldn’t matter - when I realized his survival, at least in the short term, depended on me.
At the time I write this, Charlie is nearly six months old. I don’t think of him as “my pet,” even though he sleeps curled against me every night … I don’t wish to own him, just to live together in harmony. And that we do.”
The blog is the unfolding story of Charlie, his life, and what is going to happen to him living in Wyoming, where most people hate coyotes and consider them vermin, and shoot them on site. I’m somewhat conflicted about the Charlie situation, because it really is the best thing for wild animals to remain wild. On the other hand, he was going to be drowned in a water tank if Stockton hadn’t taken him in. On the other other hand, that is nature—it’s what happens to orphaned animals; he’d probably have been eaten if he weren’t drowned–and there have probably been a thousand coyotes eaten or drowned in water tanks since then.
It appears that Stockton hasn’t yet completely decided what’s going to happen with him, but in my opinion I have a feeling that he would not last long “on the outside.” Besides getting shot, which is the most likely thing that’s going to happen, I wonder if he would have the necessary skills to catch his own prey. I tend to think that as much as instinct is a great teacher, all prey animals are taught by their parents the mechanics of capture. Charlie so far doesn’t seem to have that skill down, unless we are just not being told about it. He’s clearly very comfortable with and even submissive to Eli the cat. I can tell you from experience, coyotes usually love cats, and not in the cuddly let’s-be-friends way. More like in the “heeeeeeere’s dinner!” way. That he does not consider the cat his next snack makes me think he might not ever, which is a problem. Not for the cat, but for the coyote.
It’s a beautiful site. I think one day I’m going to be very upset at that day’s entry. If it were me–although I don’t think this is the ideal solution either—but I think I’d neuter him and make him a pet. I’d usually never recommend someone to do that but sometimes things get dropped into your lap and the ideal is not the optimal.
You must check out Stockton’s absolutely stunning photography. I’m especially bowled over by the one at the top, “Feathergrass.”
Video of Charlie and Eli is here: