Old trail… old dog…

October 20, 2014

Old trail… old dog…

Filed under: Animals, Coeur d'Alene Mountains, Coyote — Tags: Canis latrans, Coeur d'Alene Mountains, Coyote, Sacajawea Peak, USFS trail 385, western Montana — montucky @ 10:34 pm

High in the Coeur d’Alene Mountains across the river, autumn has just painted the ridge tops with long brush strokes as the western larch have changed out of their green summer jackets and donned bright coats of gold, and an old trail up toward Sacajawea Peak has been calling my name, telling me it’s time for another visit. The section of trail where this photo was taken in June of 2007 has been discontinued, but I think of it often and still know where it is. I would like to think that the wild hunter in the photo is still around; if he is, he’s a very old dog!

Comments (22)

22 Comments »

Our larches haven’t started to change yet. A discontinued trail sounds perfect to me!

LikeLike

Comment by New Hampshire Garden Solutions — October 21, 2014 @ 6:06 am

Reply
- I will try to check out that old trail before the snow blocks the access roads to the trail head. After so long though, I will bet that it is not usable because of downed timber over it. Nature reclaims those old trails very quickly up here. There is a replacement section that is maintained though.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Comment by montucky — October 21, 2014 @ 9:55 am
  
  Reply
Thanks for sharing this photo. Looks like you both had respect for the other and agreed to share his world. I wonder if his dispensation still stands now? hugs

LikeLike

Comment by Beth — October 21, 2014 @ 7:22 am

Reply
- I didn’t bother him and he continued on his hunt. I was wearing full camo and I don’t think he really saw me but he sensed that something was there.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Comment by montucky — October 21, 2014 @ 9:56 am
  
  Reply
Beautiful photo. It would make a perfect book cover for Little Red Riding Hood, except it’s not a wolf.

LikeLike

Comment by wordsfromanneli — October 21, 2014 @ 8:25 am

Reply
- It will be interesting to see if there are wolves up there now. It’s a fairly remote area with plenty of game, including a lot of grouse and snowshoe hares. Also a good black bear population.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Comment by montucky — October 21, 2014 @ 10:02 am
  
  Reply
My kind of place.

LikeLike

Comment by Malcolm R. Campbell — October 21, 2014 @ 11:00 am

Reply
- Plenty of room in the old Jeep, Malcolm!
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Comment by montucky — October 21, 2014 @ 4:18 pm
  
  Reply
What a fantastic photo. Just so I’m sure — that is a coyote, right? I just read the most interesting article about wolves, coyotes and dogs, and the interrelationships among them. How special that you get to see them living a halfway normal life. Ours are losing their territory pretty quickly, but they are helping with feral cat control…

LikeLike

Comment by shoreacres — October 21, 2014 @ 6:17 pm

Reply
- Yes, this is a coyote, probably the nicest specimen that I’ve ever seen. He was about a 20 mile drive and a three mile hike from the nearest houses and living a great life up there, so much different from the coyotes that live on the outskirts of the towns and ranches. I wish I could get up into that area in winter when tracks would tell me just who all lives there!
  
  LikeLike
  
  Comment by montucky — October 21, 2014 @ 7:07 pm
  
  Reply
  - You might be surprised. I hear rumors on middle-of-the-night AM radio shows about who’s living up there. They tend to be furry, reclusive, and have really, really big feet. Unmistakable, they are!
    
    LikeLike
    
    Comment by shoreacres — October 21, 2014 @ 7:10 pm
    
    Reply
    - I wouldn’t be at all surprised. Actually, I have several neighbors who fit that description too.
      
      LikeLike
      
      Comment by montucky — October 21, 2014 @ 7:14 pm
      
      Reply
Wow! A magical encounter. Those trails would probably be calling my name, too. Have fun!

LikeLike

Comment by Jo Woolf — October 22, 2014 @ 1:01 am

Reply
- You would love this area, Jo. I didn’t go to that trail today because the brush was so wet, but I was in the area and the colors are starting to come out.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Comment by montucky — October 22, 2014 @ 6:32 pm
  
  Reply
Beautiful woods. Beautiful coyote. You “caught” an exceptional moment!

LikeLike

Comment by Christine Hendler — October 22, 2014 @ 6:46 am

Reply
- That was a very nice moment, an encounter that I’ll not forget.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Comment by montucky — October 22, 2014 @ 6:33 pm
  
  Reply
Seems not so easy to walk. Very interesting photo.

LikeLike

Comment by Sartenada — October 23, 2014 @ 2:40 am

Reply
- Actually the trail winds around through the trees in this part and it isn’t too bad. Well worth it!
  
  LikeLike
  
  Comment by montucky — October 23, 2014 @ 8:44 am
  
  Reply
Ooooh, I hope he’s still there, too … what a nice sighting, and photo.

LikeLike

Comment by Teresa Evangeline — October 23, 2014 @ 6:24 am

Reply
- I enjoyed sharing his home with him, however briefly.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Comment by montucky — October 23, 2014 @ 8:45 am
  
  Reply
Can’t you still go on a discontinued trail? I hope he’s still living the good life up there.

LikeLike

Comment by Candace — October 23, 2014 @ 8:38 pm

Reply
- I hope he is too. I was near there yesterday and there was an abundance of grouse around so he would have an easy life!
  
  Yes, discontinued trails can be used, but it doesn’t take long for nature to completely reclaim them. Usually within two years there are enough trees fallen over the trail in country like that so it becomes practically unusable.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Comment by montucky — October 23, 2014 @ 8:52 pm
  
  Reply