Coyote leaves without breakfast

Last Friday, while photographing the sunrise and Canada geese flying into a stubble field near my backyard, I watched as a flock of wild turkeys made their way out from the Teton River bottoms. The two flocks intermingled while they gleaned the field without causing the other species any heartburn. A small flock of two adult turkeys and 14 poults separated from the geese and began feeding toward me.

When they were about 100 yards away, the turkeys began running toward me, with the young turkeys taking flight and landing in my large trees behind me. Then out behind a thicket of willows came a coyote running toward the two adult turkeys which had run past me. The coyote saw me and put on the skids, stopped, gave me a dirty look, and headed back to the river bottoms.

Two days before that happened, a coyote tried to catch some turkeys farther out in the field, to no avail, and then went after some geese with the same result. On Friday, the ‘yote did not attempt the 200 geese, but they sure put up a racket as it skedaddled back to the river.

After the wild dog was gone for about 15 minutes, the turkeys started leaving the trees, and the two adults gathered the juvenile poults together on my lawn. Then they headed back to the field to continue getting breakfast.

Some weeks we have had several packs of coyotes howling on the Teton River Bottoms half a mile from our home. We also have new neighbors who have three dogs, which appear to attract them. Last spring we had about 100 wild turkeys feeding in the field before they split up to nest. This summer we have seen several hens with six to nine poults trailing behind them. I am sure many of them became delicious meals for the coyotes.

The young turkeys are quick to develop wing flight feathers, and at two weeks old, they can fly into the trees to roost with their moms. But for their first two weeks, they and their moms have to sleep on the ground, leaving both vulnerable to coyotes and foxes that raid. I noticed that the two hens with the poults this week did not fly into the trees. Both would fly a short distance, land, and get the coyote to chase them as they led it away from the roosting poults.

Two days before my encounter with the coyote, a coyote attempts to catch a turkey in a stubble field. | Bill Schiess, EastIdahoNews.com

I always find it very interesting to watch wild animals interact and how they develop ways to protect their young and each other. As long as I give them space or remain hidden, many times in the cab of my truck, they will act naturally and safely. I can hardly wait for snow to come because that changes everything for a short while, and the cold will start many of the large animals and birds to begin their migrations.

We will need a lot of snow and cold this winter to make up for last winter. I am praying and hoping for a lot of both, as the lakes need them to become healthy again so we can do some ice fishing!!!!

Have a great week.