THE BLOODTHIRSTY CANID

     Located an hour North of San Francisco’s steep hills and littered streets, Point Reyes Nat’l Seashore is one of the most beautiful places on the California Coast. Holding a healthy Coyote and Tule Elk population, along with many stunning vistas for the city tourist or wildlife photographer. Coyotes are no rare sight on the peninsula, typically prowling the fields and cliffs in the early morning sun among the Elk and pouncing on unsuspecting rodents coming up for air before napping away the day.

     This young Coyote was walking along the western cliffs through the brush and wildflowers one cold winter morning, swishing his snout left to right, testing scents on the breeze. He paid me no mind other than a glance from the side of his eye and a shuffle of his ears as we grew comfortable in each other’s presence. I followed the wild dog as he swallowed down gophers in a single gulp and moved on to the next.