An unexpected meeting.

After a full day, and some highs lows, I had to go plow out the rental house as the drive way was a mess from the snow the other day. So that meant Tanners walk was late, and the park was completely dark as we did not get there until around 8. Tired and hungry we trudged through the deep snow. Tanner was excited as ever, bounding through like a kid on a sugar high.

Walking around the far side of the park I rounded the fence of the baseball diamond with Tanner, and about 25 yards ahead was very nervous and very large coyote. It was dark but I could clearly see the pointy head and tail tucked between its legs. It kept glancing over its shoulder and across the road and the normally shy animal was skittish but was nervously standing its ground.

I asked Tanner to stop and sit/wait so I could creep slightly closer to get a photo. I could not get a good shot it was to dark and my phone would just not cut it.(stock internet photo but amazingly accurate) I could not help but think that this large animal (as tall as but just thinner than Tanner. I would estimate 50 lbs) was waiting for its mate. As soon as I thought it I turned to seen Tanner, standing, with her nose in the air trying to catch the sent of the second one that was behind us. It was nervously trying to figure out how to get around us, and re-unite with the other and stay off the road that we were adjacent to. The second seemed to be the male and was larger than the first, if you can believe it.

The second one went around the far side and the first nervous one went of to meet it the long way around. I never felt threatened; of course if I was a child or a small dog then their intentions might have been more nefarious. I was amazed, however, at the whole episode. It was kind of cool to be that close to some wild animals.