A Dead Coyote

When i left the property before dawn there was no dead coyote beside my neighbor’s fence. When i returned home around 2:30 pm there was a dead coyote and about 16 buzzards tipping the carcass apart. one of the birds had a bit of it in its beak and was pulling it east while another one was pulling it west and a third bird was dragging the carcass and jumping in the direction of northwest. Then a fourth bird came and began dragging it northeast. The body rose and fell as they picked at it and dragged it about. It was still pretty fresh when i first saw it. It hadnt been gutted yet and it still had its eyes. The birds had just started in on it. I didnt want to disturb them as they were actually doing us a service. Sometimes the buzzards take a while to find a carcass and then you have coyotes or a mountain lion instead responding to the smell. Also, if the buzzards pick the carcass clean theres less habitat for maggots which ultimately means less adult flies trying to come in my house and car. I wanted them to do their thing. So i made a decision to let them have at it and i’d come back and check on it once they were finished at nightfall.

While doing the evening chores i took a break to walk the 300 ft from my front door to where the carcass lay. I had seen the buzzards circling and landing from the porch and now i would go check out what they were working on.

By the time i went to get a close look at it there were probably thirty buzzards between the air, the tree they were perched in, and the ground. They just kind of move out of your way as you come through and reconvene once you leave.

The birds had pecked the coyotes eyes out. In looking at it i realized that the signature feature i relied upon to tell me i was looking at a coyote and not a dog were those yellow gold eyes. Dogs didnt have those. Coyotes did and it made them look otherworldly. Now, robbed of his eyes, he looked like a rather benign carcass to me. It was strange.

The thing i couldnt ignore about the carcass was the sheer size of it. It was bigger than Cashew. She would have lost in a fight.

The birds had torn off and eaten most of the bottom lip. I could see pearly white shiny canines. It was either a young coyote or thats just the color and quality of teeth an animal eating a diet of raw meat and bone has.

The birds had ripped out tufts of fur and left them strewn about the ground surrounding the carcass. When i originally drove in i noted that it had mottled fur of black, tan, and gray. They had pulled out most of the organs and torn the skin of the torso. They were working on cleaning all the ribs. Some of the paws were intact. It was uncanny how much it resembled a dog without those yellow eyes in its head.

It looked almost like a huge german shepherd except for short rounded ears pressed to its head. Missing its bottom lip and a portion of its nose it sort of resembled a hyena about the snout and ears. It was strange to see what was left of its nose up close and know my dogs had a very similar nose.

Sili had fur very similar to the type of fur this coyote had, though it was a different color and more fluffy. She was currently shedding her winter coat and i was pulling on tufts of hair all the time and now i was surrounded by similar looking tufts of hair but for a completely different reason than seasonal shedding. It had a neck that resembled a larger version of sili’s neck.

Its paws looked like a dog’s paws with regular dog sized black claws like sili has. It looked like it was running in its eternal slumber. It also had a fluffy german shepherd like tail. It was still pretty fresh and the smell of it was blood, flesh, and organs, not stinky bones and leathery skin. I took my look and gave it back to the birds. I didnt have a desire to stick around or get closer. I’d had enough of the smell. It was as if death, putrid wound, metal, and wet dog had a baby. As i walked back up the hill the birds reconvened behind me. I learned what i needed to know. Large healthy teeth…bigger than Cashew. Noted.

The internet suggests that rounded ears are a trait of wolves, not coyotes, but according to the authorities there are no more wolves outside of captivity in texas. i will say these coyotes are rather much larger than the ones ive encountered in austin. They’re also much more filled out and stockier. Ive seen them alive. This is the first one ive seen dead. According to the authorities, there is something in the area called a coywolf. It might explain the rounded ears and larger size than their city cousins in austin. They are very good at taking down deer, sheep, and baby cows. The little things in austin mostly hunt cats and yorkies. I mean, thats what’s there, to be fair. Not a lot of cows hanging around austin. However, i am not afraid of the smaller dog like creatures in austin and i am terrified of these well fed bushy things with mesmerizing yellow eyes. None of their body language is timid. They walk around as if they own the place and they stalk rather than dart and look.