Scout disappeared from my radar about six weeks ago, after a short return to her old territory at the end of June from where she left abruptly after seeing that her vanquisher was still there. It appears that this little coyote will never give up hope of returning. . . . some day, some day.
For those who do not know her story, she was viciously driven out of the territory she had owned for three years by another coyote, Wired, in February. Sadly, humans probably had a hand in the outcome of the territorial battle.
July 20th. Photo credit: WMontgrain
A couple of weeks ago she resurfaced in a park across the city. Some of the photos showed her looking well and healthy, but others showed her looking very thin, even factoring in that all coyotes look scrawny at this time of year because it’s the end of their shedding season: there is nothing left of their 3″ thick and fluffy winter coats.
She is an interloper without a territory, and interlopers are not allowed to stay long on claimed territories. The new park has long belonged to another entrenched coyote family. Scout was there for only about ten days, when a neighbor saw the territorial fight on Sunday, July 21st at dusk that seems to have ended her stay there. She has not been seen there since this happened: she is again on the run, leading the life of a fugitive.
So Scout is continuing to experience hard times. I try to console myself be remembering that coyotes are resilient and are made to deal with adversity. We all hope she is okay.
I continue to see Wired very sporadically in the territory she took over from Scout, but few other people have ever seen her there — she is a much more elusive critter. She makes regular long exploratory trips to all corners of the city: her latest excursion took her to 19th Avenue, close to Stern Grove. After these wanderings, Wired always returns to the territory she won from Scout where she continues to be irregularly, but often enough to keep Scout away and homeless. UPDATE 8/8: According to her radio-collar emissions (as per the ecologist at the Presidio) she has spent her recent time at the Presidio and Lands End, and been all the way down to Brisbane.
Coyote Yipps 
Jul 27, 2019 @ 03:32:59
I resonate with Scout; I feel her wandering . As long as she’s alive, we can all hope she finds a home, and be grateful that you’ve been able to chronicle her life. But her hill feels empty.
Jul 27, 2019 @ 03:39:32
Hi Toni — It baffles me that a coyote can even live this hard life of a fugitive and I wonder how common it is. :((
Jul 27, 2019 @ 04:34:13
Aw. Scout. Thank you for the story Janet.
Jul 27, 2019 @ 10:57:39
Can’t we do anything to help scout come home
Like remove her vanquisher?
Jul 27, 2019 @ 12:14:45
Hi Karen —
You know, nature is what it is and there is no “right” and “wrong” about it: that judgement is imposed only by us humans. Nature is brutal: just go watch some of the nature documentaries on YouTube. Scout was very special to the people who observed her. But one of the reasons she was even there and had worked her way into many people’s hearts is because of the unnaturalness of the situation: a little coyote who had actually been robbed of her wariness and wildness by being hand-fed and befriended to the point where she approached people and even chased cars down the middle of the street. For all we know, possibly it is this new coyote who might be saving Scout’s life. Remember that the last coyote here was killed by a car. Maybe this is a better way of looking at the situation?? I hope? Janet
Jul 27, 2019 @ 13:13:34
So glad to have a Scout update. The story may seem sad at first, but I am always happy to hear she is still around, in and out of our lives, and doing her coyote thing. Thanks for the share.
Jul 27, 2019 @ 15:35:23
Thank YOU for your interest, Melinda! They are survivalists. Hopefully we’ll be able to continue following this story as it unfolds. And hopefully it will be a long story. :))