Watertown sighting

This was a comment on the last post, but here it is again: A pretty colorful recent sighting in Watertown:

"My girlfriend and I were driving home to Newton tonight -- when we saw a Coyote running wild through the streets of Watertown (right off of Galen Street behind Vows Bridal Outlet). It looked just like the "Eastern Coyote" -- and was very energetic and wild -- running down the street and then darting into people's front lawns and then jumping back out into the street. Quite a sight to see!"

Watch out in Newton, Mitt---Perry shoots coyotes

Rick Perry may have a new secret weapon in his arsenal for next year's Massachusetts Republican Primary: his skill at shooting coyotes.

In an interview this week in Parade Magazine, Perry confirms his 2010 claim that he shot a coyote that was menacing his puppy during a run near Austin. Perry reportedly used his .380 Ruger, loaded with hollow-point bullets, which he carries on runs for protection from snakes.

If the recent local uproar over coyote-pet incidents continues much longer, Perry may have coyotes (and his success at... intervening) to thank for an unexpectedly strong Primary showing in Newton and nearby coyote-ridden towns.

Good coyote, bad coyote

Newton's apparently seen a recent uptick in coyote and fox encounters---so much so that the sign at right (via Newton Patch, photo by Charlie Breitrose) was posted at a Newton intersection earlier this week.

According to the accompanying Patch article, local reaction's been... SOP for cases of coyote/human/pet contact. Pets have been killed, residents are concerned.

The story does however offer some useful canine profiling:

Good (normal) Coyote: attacks and kills smaller animals, aka cats & little dogs.

Bad (potentially rabid) Coyote: follows humans home.

Here, again, is the full Newton Patch story.

Coyotes causing deer draught?

Today in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, outdoor-writer and author David Willette talks about his new book "Coyote Wars: A Deer Hunter's Guide to Hunting Coyotes." Willette's thrust? The need for a coyote cull in northwestern Mass. to get the local deer population back to where hunters want it.

From T&G writer Mark Blazis:

"Willette knows coyotes have a role in our ecosystem, but he feels their "saturated" populations are largely responsible for a drastic reduction in our deer herd and less than satisfactory deer hunting. He goes far to convince us that coyote hunting is a great and challenging sport that not enough of us dedicate ourselves to."

In fact, says Willette, you can even eat the wily guys: "Coyotes meat is pale, fine, and has the texture of veal," he [Willette] says. "It does need some help to taste good, though.'"

Got that?

Willette's assumptions about the coyote's role in reduced deer numbers is later (fairly persuasively) debunked---from a local-biology-perspective, that is---but the author, Blazis does go on to describe Willette's recent book so:

"Willette's book is undeniably very instructive and a notable accomplishment... With a little help, we can all be coyote hunters."

So, what say you? Coyote parmesan, my place, 7?

Here's the whole article.