Coyotes in South Carolina

Nov 1, 2012

 An excerpt from Chase Hamrick’s writing project

Chase and Brandon got up at about Seven o’clock as they do every day which was followed by a bowl of cereal beside the wood stove with a small fire mom had made. Let the chickens out, feed them, clean their water and get the eggs, ok? Chase and Brandon replied with an effortless moan. After they both finished there bowls of cereal they got their jackets on and went out the door toward the two biggest out of four chicken houses. The chickens were free range which means they need to be let out of their chicken houses every morning and put away every night at sun down. Chase and Brandon were walking to the chicken house and were approaching when they started seeing feathers EVERYWHERE. Now it was normal for one or maybe two chickens to be left out by accident and if they were left out then they do one of two things, sit at the door of the chicken house or fly to the nearest tree and roost in it. Seeing these feathers Brandon and Chase looked at each other and looked around the big open field when Chase saw a coyote as black as a shadow, running away over the top of the hill. They both realized that there had to be more than ten chickens left out the previous night because of how many feathers there were but the question is, how did they get out? Chase and Brandon thought about it and started to realize that there had to be a hole somewhere in the chicken house so they looked around and found that there was a hole in the wire around the bottom of the house.

Run back and get some wire to patch this hole he said. Brandon was twenty and Chase was thirteen so Brandon stayed at the chicken house in case the coyote decided to come back for more. Coyotes are scared of humans and almost never attack at all. Chase got to the house and told mom about what had happened, mom got the phone and called the neighbors and asked them to come over and hunt down the coyote. Chase got back with some more wire and wire cutters and started patching the hole while Brandon kept watch. Chase was almost done patching the hole when Brandon saw a truck pulling down the drive way. Did mom call the neighbors Brandon asked. Yep Chase replied. Should we stay here and wait for them to walk here Chase asked while taking dead chickens and putting them into a near ditch to be buried.  Brandon replied yes and got out his phone and called mom to tell her to send the neighbors to the chicken house with two more guns for him and Chase. The two neighbors walked up with three guns while chase was just finishing getting rid of the dead chickens. They handed Chase and Brandon their guns and the four of them started to walk up the hill near where Chase last saw the coyote. They got to the top and looked around but didn’t see anything. They decided to split up, Mike and Tracy went down the driveway and Chase and Brandon went into the woods.  Meet back at the middle of the drive way in thirty minutes Brandon said. They all nodded and split into two groups and went off. The driveway was three quarters of a mile long, in the middle of the driveway there was a four way dirt and gravel intersection that connected to their neighbors driveways/houses. About fifteen minutes later Chase and Brandon saw something running through the woods. They both saw it and both pulled their guns up to aim, but it was just a doe and a fawn.  Fifteen minutes passed and Mike Tracy Chase and Brandon all were walking back to the intersection. Chase and Brandon were almost there when they saw Mike looking into the woods with his rifle held to his shoulder aiming down the sights, he shot. Chase and Brandon’s ears rang for a few seconds but could still here the shot echoing through the mountain like hills. Mike walked up to see that the coyote was still breathing, Mike shot again to put it out of its misery. Tracy took the coyote over his shoulders to go burry it. Thanks Chase and Brandon said simultaneously. No problem Mike replied, If this ever happens again call us, were glad to help. Brandon and Chase walked back to the house with Mike to get his truck from the house and tell mom what had happened. When they got back Mike took his truck and left, Chase and Brandon walked inside. Mom said we will leave all of the chickens in for the day just to be safe and tonight you two can sit on the porch and keep watch. Mom had made hot chocolate for them so they sat and listened to the fire crackle and watched as the sun set over the large hill of pine trees.

Coyotes have only been in SC for 34 years according to this post: http://lancaster-chester.wbtv.com/news/news/68183-coyotes-rise-south-carolina

2 comments

  1. Comment by Ron

    Ron Nov 5, 2012 at 10:39 am

    I enjoyed your story, Chase…and I watched you try to avoid the rising water in a lawn chair via photos yesterday :-)

  2. Comment by Marcie

    Marcie Nov 5, 2012 at 1:29 pm

    Hi Chase. Good story! I had no idea you guys had experienced coyote chases with guns! Marcie Rollins

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