An abundance of coyotes seen and heard around Johnson Lane

It seems this past week or so I have heard and seen an awful lot of coyotes especially in the morning and evening hours when it cools down.

There was one very large coyote in a hay field that caught my eye because it was so large. At first I thought it was a German shepherd but, it was grayish brown and had very pointed ears. He or she seemed to stare right at me as I gazed at it in awe.

They are fun to watch in the cattle field as they stalk prey with their stiff-legged stance. I kind of feel sorry for the little rodent he's about to catch and eat.

Then there was one killed in the middle of the road - rare I believe because I've never seen one killed on a road here, especially on such a quiet and low traveled road as East Valley Road. That's another story.

Then came Sunday evening. They sounded like they were right out my sliding glass door. They were yipping and howling so loudly. I quietly walked over and quickly turned on the light. I couldn't see anything.

There was no ruckus going on in the hen house. Maybe they were at my neighbor's house after his cat - that is why we don't have cats anymore.

I always think, could coyotes be a pet and be trained? They are, after all, cousins to the domestic dogs. They are very beautiful when they run and their bushy tail is down. My poodles run with their tails up, like they are prancing, especially if they've just been groomed. It's like poodles know they are show dogs even though I don't show them.

Our experience since moving here to Northern Nevada 10 years ago, before the Valley's growth expanded so abundantly, was with a year-old mixed large dog that the coyotes attacked. They sent the female in heat over to lure him out and then, well, you know the rest.

We have lost several cats, a few ducks and a dozen or so chickens. I thought when we bought this house and put up a 5-foot No-Climb horse fence, it would keep them out.

But, one evening I was out watering the flowers and a coyote jumped over my side fence, grabbed a chicken, jumped over the next fence, then over my neighbor's fence and I listened to that chicken cackle all the way down the road.

In the past few years, with all the new houses, I haven't seen one in or near my yard but some nights it sure sounds like they are right at my door.

-- Lisa Welch is a Johnson Lane resident and can be reached at 267-9350.