There's a pack of, I'm guessing, about ten coyotes that have a series of dens along a small rill about 500m from my camp, on the opposite side of the river. I often listen to them howling and try to figure out what they are communicating. The variations are truly intriguing, especially at dawn and at dusk.

But, what I anticipate most is the relative silence that occurs when the pups are born. At that time and for several weeks, they seldom howl when they are near the den. If the river is low enough, I cross and scout the rill for the active den. I've been lucky enough to twice watch the pups at play, while mom and dad watched me without blinking an eye. Each time, there were no other yotes around. I assume they were out hunting.

I won't be going again, though. When I made a second trip to the active den last year, the next day, they were gone. I figure they got nervous and moved the pups and I don't want to bring them any hardship. Or have them get used to a friendly human. My neighbours aren't so friendly.

Speaking of communicating, I received a personal message from one of them last fall. I keep a couple of lawn chairs tied to a tree on the bank of the river. One morning, tea in hand, I went down to watch the Canada Geese and ducks, only to find a large coyote turd on one of the chairs. I wiped it off with reed grass. Then, after my tea, I pissed on the turd and as much surrounding ground as possible. S/He hasn't "spoken" to me since.