Todays hike.

Took the dog and camera out for a hike this morning after a fresh snow. The stretch of woods I usually walk has its own beauty every season but there is just something about the quiet and purity of a forest blanked in new snow. I enjoy a certain amount of satisfaction when I notice that I am the first vehicle our footprint in the snow for that day. In the 3 mile block that I walked the only fresh tracks this morning was squirrel. I did come across some coyote tracks but those had been made just before dawn, judging by how much snow had fallen. This was either a young coyote or a female who was using the well established snowmobile trail (as I was) to cover some distance this morning. After a hundred yards the tracks merge with what looks to be a mid to small size domesticated dog track made at about the same time give or take ten minutes. There is a distinct difference between coyote and most domestic dog tracks. I realize now that I should have photographed them to illustrate the difference. Hopefully I can go again tomorrow and find some more.

Back to the hike… after only a few more yards it became clear that our small coyote had taken an interest in this set of dog tracks following its every step and turn. Given the way the dog marked the small trees with regularity and actually on the tree its self with one leg in the air, size of print and height on the tree my educated guess is that it was a male dog between 15 and 25lbs Although I have seen my female lab/ chow mix lift her leg she still does not make a mark like a male dog. This scenario played out for another 60 yards before the dog left the trail and went into the thick scrub pine, where the coyote followed. There was no sign of hurry in the dogs pace so I would assume that the coyote was not with it at the time. Had I been by myself I might have followed it further to see if an encounter had occurred between them at some point. Hopefully he did not become breakfast.