I posted this picture on Facebook and Instagram yesterday, but I didn't have space to tell the whole story. I also didn't think it was enough for a blog post, but the picture itself got a lot of feedback, so here it goes:
We have been having some awesome weather here in Tennessee. I have come out of my semi-hibernation this week to tackle outdoor chores that are long overdue.
I've have been assembling the second greenhouse that I purchased in the fall, and I have been getting things in order for my spring gardening.
Anyway, we were out in the Upper Hog Lot (all of our pasture have names) where were electrified the fence. The goats stay there, unless they are wreaking havoc in the Barn Lot.
I was moving some chicken hoop coops around and I caught a glimpse of something in an adjacent pasture (Pine Pasture).
It was a large coyote, and it had just crossed over the property line to eyeball the goats.
Now, like I said before, we had electrified the Upper Hog Lot fence line back in the summer, but pesky little kids (goats, not humans) don't seem to be affected--they would find all these cracks between and under the gates. They would wander all around in adjacent pastures.
Luckily, they were behaving when the coyote came around.
Even though I was at a distance from the house and I didn't think I could make it back to the Upper Hog Lot before the coyote left, I had to try.
It never occurred to me that a predator would ever have the chance to get that close to my goats.
Both of my children were with me, so I asked my daughter AJ to watch the coyote while I ran to the house... I literally ran. And did I mention that I was way out of shape from semi-hibernating?
My children were at a safe distance from the coyote, so I felt like I could leave them there... with 14 goats, a dog, and a blind pony.
I've have been assembling the second greenhouse that I purchased in the fall, and I have been getting things in order for my spring gardening.
Anyway, we were out in the Upper Hog Lot (all of our pasture have names) where were electrified the fence. The goats stay there, unless they are wreaking havoc in the Barn Lot.
I was moving some chicken hoop coops around and I caught a glimpse of something in an adjacent pasture (Pine Pasture).
It was a large coyote, and it had just crossed over the property line to eyeball the goats.
Now, like I said before, we had electrified the Upper Hog Lot fence line back in the summer, but pesky little kids (goats, not humans) don't seem to be affected--they would find all these cracks between and under the gates. They would wander all around in adjacent pastures.
Luckily, they were behaving when the coyote came around.
Even though I was at a distance from the house and I didn't think I could make it back to the Upper Hog Lot before the coyote left, I had to try.
It never occurred to me that a predator would ever have the chance to get that close to my goats.
Both of my children were with me, so I asked my daughter AJ to watch the coyote while I ran to the house... I literally ran. And did I mention that I was way out of shape from semi-hibernating?
My children were at a safe distance from the coyote, so I felt like I could leave them there... with 14 goats, a dog, and a blind pony.
Picture break:
Running back, I saw that the coyote had moved and was heading in the exact direction where the kids (goats, not humans) normally play.
The beast paused, and I found a good place to sit down. Or, should I say I found a good place to almost pass out.
I couldn't stop panting enough to get a steady shot, so the coyote was able to start walking off.
I tried to whistle, but I didn't have enough air yet.
Guess who stepped in to save the day? My brilliant five year old, AJ!
She and her brother were still up the hill playing, when she decided that "she had to do something". So, she howled.
"Awooo!" She called, stopping the coyote in its tracks.
And I made the best shot of the year! AJ was so excited when she saw it drop.
"Mommy!!" She screamed with glee. "That was the first coyote I ever killed--I mean, helped you kill."
I'm still laughing about that.
She couldn't wait until we could go check it out! And then she talked about it for hours. It makes me excited to get her out into the woods to deer hunt!
The coyote was a pretty good sized dog, probably one of the ones I had shot at but missed during deer season..But this made for a better story!
In other farm news, is this goat ever going to kid or what? She did manage to get up on her own once today. The kids are still moving around inside of her, and she's still eating/drinking...but come on already!
No kids (goat or human) will be injured or die in the result of the predators death.
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