The Missouri countryside is teeming with wild animals. Deer are seen almost daily around here. Over the years you will see a wide range of animals. Unfortunately, mostly as road kill. Over the decades I have had some interesting encounters with wild animals.
Coyote
Canis latrans
Ever since I was a child I recall hearing coyotes yelping in the night. Before we had air conditioning, I would sleep with my head close to the screened window and I would often hear owls and coyotes. There are a lot of farms in Boone County. In my experience, the primary complainers are owners of small livestock. Coyotes are a menace. Sheep farmers often have large dogs with white fur intermingle with their herds and this is usually effective.
As a country “gentlemen,” with no livestock, I find coyotes intriguing. My game camera has captured some beautiful shots of coyotes, but my most memorable encounter was while sitting in my back yard I saw a coyote nonchalantly wander across Prairie #2. About a third of the way across the yard he turned and noticed me. He did not panic, but looked me over for a bit, before proceeding toward the pond.
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
When I was a kid about all I saw around the house were what we called “fox squirrels”, so labeled because of their long, bushy tails. But their true name is Eastern Fox Squirrel. There were a ton of them because they had few predators. Over time, the Eastern Gray Squirrel made its appearance and today are predominant. I rarely see a red squirrel. Their numbers have diminished considerably because of the abundance of raptors in the area.
Raccoons
Procyon lotor
My encounter with raccoons justifies a separate story, but a short description is due for this section. Raccoons are all over the place in our area. They are amazing animals to observe, but they can try your patience. Their ability to sabotage bird feeders, harangue chickens and upend garbage cans is highly recognized. In my experience I have had them raid the dog food, spin around on an old frying pan, inhabit my attic and put the fear of God in me as I maneuvered them in traps.
Yet for all the years I have dealt with raccoons, they have generally been well-behaved in my rural estate and I have not seen one as of late in Rachel’s Prairie. The game camera captured on during the night, but the picture is too fuzzy for this website. So I will make do, for now, with a web-linked photo to Wikipedia.
Red Fox
Vulpes fulva
I have had a long history with foxes. I have frequently seen them. There was a time I knew about every hole they crawled into. I would see them while camping or hiking. Around the house I have frequently seen them during the day (they are typically noctornal). They are intensely curious. I sometimes get this feeling I am being watched and I turn and, lo and behold, see a fox 20-30 yards away looking me over. For a few years there was one or two that stayed close to the pond.
Whitetail Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
Around here deer are seen almost daily. The herd has ranged from three to twelve. They are not domesticated, per se. They often walk into my back yard or the prairie while I sit quietly in a chair. The bucks are usually not pleased by my presence, snorting at me from behind cover. The deer get nervous if I am around, but don’t always take off and run. They have particularly been pleased with the development of the two prairies. The wild grasses and flowers are providing a more diverse, natural forage. There are also a wide range of mushrooms growing in the prairies and probably explains why on wet summer mornings they are seen grazing in broad daylight, sometimes sleeping in the grass (you know how mushrooms can be).
I have to watch my step in the spring. I nearly stepped on a fawn one time. I had a fawn approach me one time, only to discover it was covered with ticks, particularly around its eyes. Before I could get it to the vet, it wandered off. It was later discovered in our front flower bed, startling my wife as she was planting flowers. It ran away. I believe it survived the ordeal.
Resources
Peterson Field Guides: Mammals, William H. Burt, ed. and Richard P. Grossenheider, Illus., Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1980
© Copyright 2026 to Eric Niewoehner
Last updated January 22, 2026