Coyote versus Pig
With the cooler weather my husband and I thought it would be nice to finish out the evening sitting on our front porch watching the cows graze and the sun set. Our front porch faces due south and no matter how hot it gets there is always a cool breeze on the porch, which is about 60 feet long. The view from the front porch is pure Texas – wide open space but lots of trees and gently rolling terrain to give it character. To the east and south is our neighbor’s 125 acre hay pasture. Past that, the land rolls gently down for 4.5 miles to the Little River and at the river’s bank is Sugarloaf Mountain. The mountain is visible from our front porch.
To the west is our front pasture where the cows were grazing. Somewhere halfway between due south and due west lies a small stock tank that is surrounded by willows, persimmons, and mesquite trees. A small grove of young mesquite trees dots the space to the left of the tank and leads up to an oak tree grove. This is about 250+ yards from the front porch.
While my husband and I sat quietly I thought I heard some wild hogs squeal by the tank. I looked over to the tank thinking if I could see I might be able to hear better. Just then a large black hog darted from the backside of the tank through the mesquites and into the oak grove. I said, “Hogs! Look!” pointing in the direction. My husband acknowledged the sighting and we both continued to stare in the direction. A few seconds later a dozen little piglets raced after the black hog, which I assumed to be a sow at this point. Then rounding up the last of the piglets was another sow. Knowing they would only be there for a few minutes we didn’t bother to get the rifle and go after them.
We returned our gaze to the south and talked sporadically for several minutes. We watched Ace, our Lacy dog, chase wasps and then come to us for some loving attention. Then I heard it – a faint squeal that was getting louder.
I looked towards the stock tank and saw something move. I announced, “those pigs are back!” The words barely left my mouth when we saw a large coyote running from the west to the south east on the right side of the tank carrying a baby pig!
That little pig squealed and squealed! I darted inside to get the binos. The coyote stopped about 175 yards from us and looked back. Then he dropped the piglet and killed it. He picked it up by the throat, looked around then ran under our fence and into our neighbor’s hay pasture to eat it. I wish I had been closer because it would have made for an awesome photo!
I have never heard of a pack of coyotes killing a pig much less a lone coyote taking one! It was so cool to see that!
To the west is our front pasture where the cows were grazing. Somewhere halfway between due south and due west lies a small stock tank that is surrounded by willows, persimmons, and mesquite trees. A small grove of young mesquite trees dots the space to the left of the tank and leads up to an oak tree grove. This is about 250+ yards from the front porch.
While my husband and I sat quietly I thought I heard some wild hogs squeal by the tank. I looked over to the tank thinking if I could see I might be able to hear better. Just then a large black hog darted from the backside of the tank through the mesquites and into the oak grove. I said, “Hogs! Look!” pointing in the direction. My husband acknowledged the sighting and we both continued to stare in the direction. A few seconds later a dozen little piglets raced after the black hog, which I assumed to be a sow at this point. Then rounding up the last of the piglets was another sow. Knowing they would only be there for a few minutes we didn’t bother to get the rifle and go after them.
We returned our gaze to the south and talked sporadically for several minutes. We watched Ace, our Lacy dog, chase wasps and then come to us for some loving attention. Then I heard it – a faint squeal that was getting louder.
I looked towards the stock tank and saw something move. I announced, “those pigs are back!” The words barely left my mouth when we saw a large coyote running from the west to the south east on the right side of the tank carrying a baby pig!
That little pig squealed and squealed! I darted inside to get the binos. The coyote stopped about 175 yards from us and looked back. Then he dropped the piglet and killed it. He picked it up by the throat, looked around then ran under our fence and into our neighbor’s hay pasture to eat it. I wish I had been closer because it would have made for an awesome photo!
I have never heard of a pack of coyotes killing a pig much less a lone coyote taking one! It was so cool to see that!
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