Orchard Coyotes 2021 June 11

{update: total of 8 pups and 2nd litter of 4 kits}
Day 1. Standard Regulation Orchard Sunset Beer. View from over 100' above seemingly infinite flat countryside, and deep into the gravel pit.

I stood on the pit edge as the sun was half obscured by the horizon. I was hoping to see my pit coyote and initially saw nothing...and then it appeared distantly...and came my way! I stood motionless 100' above, blending with a pear tree at the cliff edge. He led me to the den, though I did not realize that at first. A second smaller limping female coyote followed a minute later and made a whimpering "where did you go?" sound. I retreated back from the edge, and then re-emerged at the cliff edge at a lower point above where I thought the action was, and conveniently adjacent to a missing section of fence. I peered over and the giant coyote at the den saw me and ran a kilometer away in seemingly an instant, constantly looking back but 25' away (45 degree angle down) were 3 kits in their den. The location could not have been more inspired for seclusion and safety.

As the light of the cloudless evening gently faded I watched them play right below me and become more bold in exploration. They were the size of 8 month old cats. They have good hearing and heard me rustle grass (despite my efforts at silence) but they never twigged I was a creature. The breeze hid my scent. Then to the left I noticed 3 coyote pups the size of small dogs and two of them snarled, play fought, and rolled down the grassy embankment in combat. I had perfect view since I was near a corner of the pit in an area forgotten by people for years. There is a second den there.

I've met coyotes, coy-dogs, and pups over the past 28 years at the farm but this was a well lit coyote party at close range!!

Day 2.
In the morning I tossed down for the kits a groundhog I killed last evening. It was gone by evening so my hunting prowess was appreciated. I spotted the larger pups where they were before but the kits were gone. The pups may have spotted me. I noticed them single file exploring into a copse and I lost them. Father, followed by limping and lingering mother, appeared as if by perfect clockwork at sunset and launched out across the pit for the hunt. The 3 kits were obviously transferred to an alternate den. Took some long range photos of the mating pair.

Day 3.
Overcast. I spotted the pups and they spotted me so I retreated from my vantage point.

Day 4.
After sunset from my vantage point I spotted below me the mother, because it was smaller. She climbed the grassy cliff embankment on the other side of the corner from me and disappeared into a copse of trees. The breeze hid my scent and I hid for a while assuming she might be looking around. Then I saw there were not 3 pups but 6! I took a video of them play fighting.

Not long after, 21 minutes after sundown, the big male took up position on a mound of screened sand to bark and howl for many minutes. First it was looking directly away but when howling it appeared to be calling to my corner. I took a zoomed video and watched long after with binoculars as the cement plant lit up and a thin cresecent moon appeared.

It is impressive that one mating pair could have a brood of 6 and then launch a second brood of 3 in one spring. There will be howling this fall. No wonder I found an exploded bunny this past winter, near the dens.

Father Coyote owns the pit (centre of image)

Mother Coyote. Reluctant to leave but time to hunt


Coyote Pup Frolic


The Father barks & howls

Had guests over for coyote viewing June 18th and the kits actually never left. There are 4!
...and 8 pups spotted!
Kits video thanks to WendyG

Coyote kits explore