wildlife sighting near Wachusett Reservoir

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jrbren

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Apr 5, 2004
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Location
W.Boylston, MA
I apologize this thread has nothing to do with peaks, but there are allot of very knowledgeable people here about Northeast wildlife that might be able to answer my question.

This was one of my more significant wild life sighting while "hiking". This was a 3 hour, 8+ mile walk around the DCR land to the west of the Wachusett Reservoir in central MA. Not sure whether to call it a hike or long walk.

What: On walk (solo), I saw a small bluish, gray dog that looked like a small coyote or a fox of the wrong color playing near a log in the ferns on the forest floor. Maybe a pygmy wolf, but I have never heard of such a thing. About the size of a fox, then I saw another. I thought small dog and expected the commotion behind them to be the owner, but 2 more similar dogs. The I realized this was not a domestic dog, but either a coy-dog or coyote. I think there were 5 or 6 in all, there were prancing around in the ferns. All about the same size. I did not see all of them clearly, the first noticed me and stood at attention. Then I realized, although I am adult man, and they are rather small dogs, collectively they could do me allot of damage if they wanted to, so I kept walking rather then take pictures. They then ran away in the opposite direction as if something called them away. In retrospect, maybe it was a litter of young coyotes ?

Where: DCR land adjacent to Wachusett Reservoir, Fire Road near Lamson Cove, about 1/4 mile west of the cove.

When : Late afternoon, June 27, 2015

Question : What is you best guess as to what these dogs were ?

I have seen Coyotes around Burlington, VT & South Hero, VT when I lived up there, not sure how common they are down here.

I wish I had gotten a picture.

Thanks.
 
We had one that took up occupancy in our neighborhood a few years back. It roamed the yards for days on end, proclaiming its proprietorship of its territory. (Almost all reports of supposed fisher (cat) (sic) wailing are actually from foxes.) They will exploit any fruit or berry opportunity available to them, and they climb trees surprisingly well for a canid.
 
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