Gang War

Here come the Jets like a bat outta hell
Someone gets in our way, someone don't feel so well!*

Bird hunting season ended yesterday so this morning my husband went south of town to run the dogs. Since the ditches on either side of the road where he took them were filled with goatheads and burrs he decided to run them in a large pasture near where he had parked the truck. He was surprised when Duke stayed close to him instead of taking off to roam the pasture like he normally did whenever they walked this field. Then he noticed coyote poop lying about and watched Little Sally Pumpkinhead sniff at some she had found and then back away from it as if it was dangerous. My husband didn't shorten his walk but he did keep an eye out for coyotes and Duke and Little Sally Pumpkinhead did not leave his side once.

When they got back to the truck, Duke was the one who spotted it first, the left front tire had been sprayed with coyote urine. Someone was sending a message.

Here come the Jets!
Little world, step aside!
Better go underground!
Better run, Better hide!*

My husband has decided not to run the dogs in that part of the county for the rest of the year. He doesn't fear the coyotes and knows that if he walked the pasture by himself they would avoid him but the dogs were a different story. The dogs were the intruders and the message had been left for them.

We're drawing the line,
So keep your nose's hidden
We're hangin' a sign
Says visitors forbidden
And we ain't kiddin'*

The dogs knew it too and could not wait to get back in the truck and into their kennels.

*The Jets Song, West Side Story