Ode to Mystic, the Coyote               We came to know you back in March 2006 when we first collared you. You were a young, 38 lb, healthy adult male. We ended up locating you 797 times since then and found you had an average-sized (~8 square miles) territory for a coyote, which abutted 3 of our other collared coyote groups – making you an important study subject.    Your range included such diverse locations as the Marstons Mills Fire Station on Rt 149, the Sheriff’s Youth Ranch by Ost. W. Barn. Rd, Cedar St and Church St. in W. Barnstable N of Rt. 6, Great Hill Road in Sandwich, all of the West Barnstable Conservation Area, the Turtleback and Whistleberry Rd neighborhoods, and all of the areas around Mystic, Middle, and Hamblin Ponds.   You frequently patrolled these borders and communicated with other resident coyote packs. You successfully raised a litter of pups in summer 2006 with your mate – we managed to capture one, a beautiful 32.1 lb female “Mup” (Mystic’s pup) in mid-November.  Most impressive was how you survived an injury in mid-October to your hind left leg. You literally used 3 legs to cruise through your range since then and took care of your family.   On Saturday, December 16, you made a fatal mistake because you bedded in the West Barnstable Conservation Area near Race Lane.  Later in the afternoon you were shot to death by a group of deer hunters. You were the second (of our 9) collared coyote to die by gun-shot this fall. Your body will be mounted as a trophy. One of your companions, a large gray male, was also shot. His body was left in the conservation area to rot.               Mup has been looking for you, even bedding right around where you were killed. We pray she also doesn’t end up on someone’s wall before February 28 passes. Your life was needlessly cut off too short but thanks for teaching us a little about your species. Maybe one day our species will better learn to coexist with your species.   Jonathan Way   and Science Classes at Barnstable High School