Coyote question

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Of late, I have been seeing a Coyote either in my yard or close by on the neighbors farm.

 

It almost seems domestic in that it will sometimes just stop and stare at me from about 70 yards away.

 

I see it at midnight and even at 0700.

 

It doesn't look frail.

 

I'm curious..... is this Coyote looking for a fast meal on all the squirrels I have in my yard? OR... is it possible that it has a den of pups close by.

 

Those of you who might be more knowledgeable about Coyote might want to tell me what you think.

 

He/She reminds me of that wolf in the Kevin Costner movie.

 

I don't mind ridding an area of varmints and such, but I'm not the type person to step out on my back deck and start blasting away at every 4 legged creature that venture within eye sight either.

 

Your thoughts are welcome.

 

 

..........Widder

[Rye Miles #13621]

If you have small pets or little children beware! I'd keep a gun loaded and keep an eye out for that sneaky devil!

[Charlie Harley, #14153]

Coyotes and feral cats are two animals that my dad will shoot on sight if they get near the house.

 

Coyotes are natural predators who play their role in nature, and he's fine if they stay in the woods. But they habituate quickly to people and can pose a threat to small domestic animals and even children.

 

Feral cats are just a destructive invasive species and have no place in nature. They are toast at any range.

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

It has been my experience in the past, Coyotes will run down and kill other animals for "sport." Have actually seen a pack run down and

kills fawn and just leave. No meal, the "fun" was just over.

Spent several years in Montana, Hunting them for the fur trade in my "off" time.

I would classify them as vermin. Dangerous vermin.

 

Coffinmaker

[Cat Brules]

Shoot it now. It's looking for "targets of opportunity."

You will be sorry later that you didn't take it out.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Shoot it now. It's looking for "targets of opportunity."

You will be sorry later that you didn't take it out.

 

CAT,

 

this thought has crossed my mind.

 

I'm keeping the .22 and the Mossberg 930 loaded up.

 

Thanks everyone for the info.

 

 

..........Widder

[Jim No Horse]

Coyotes kill my goats....coyotes will kill your chickens...cats...dogs...coyotes are an opportunistic predator...you will see them and then something you care about (domestic animal)

will disappear.....my experience tells me...take him out while you can...JMHO...only things I kill anymore...rattlesnakes and coyotes...good luck...if you are seeing one then there are several more back in the brush....Jim

[Blastmaster]

coyotes are part of natures food chain that control other critter population such as rabbits, squirrels, feral cats/dogs and the like? That is good too. Domestic cats and dogs are at risk.

 

So, do you have domestic pets that you leave outside, or other small livestock that needs protection?

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

22-250!!!!!

[Yul Lose]

IMHO, he's up to no good. Shoot him while you can. They are thick as thieves around here.

[Assassin]

Most of our fox and coyotes have died off from the mange. Now we have an abundance of rabbits, ground squirrels, gophers, prarie dogs, etc. There's a balance. Never heard of a coyote attacking children. I'd like to see the documentation on that. Two legged criiters are more apt to assault kids than four legged.

[Cliff Hanger #3720LR]

If there a pups, they tend to be noisy in the evenings about an hour or two after sunset.

They have been sleeping all day and are very restless and hungry when they first wake up.

They don't howl but they yip, yip yip in a short high pitch bark.

When left alone they make no noise or very little and stay hidden.

 

These animals are hunters and will try to take anything they can catch.

As the pups get bigger they are taught to hunt in groups.

 

They have a job to do in the wild but once they become urbanized, they can be very dangerous.

[Captain Bill Burt]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/california-town-high-alert-coyotes-attack-children/story?id=32355667

 

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/may/08/local/me-coyotes8

[Cliff Hanger #3720LR]

Documentation of coyote attacks on humans.

 

Don't get excited.

There are only two recorded attacks that caused death.

In the 1980s and 2009.

Article does not mention number of attacks.

 

Coyotes and people

[Calico Mary]

Of late, I have been seeing a Coyote either in my yard or close by on the neighbors farm.

 

I don't mind ridding an area of varmints and such, but I'm not the type person to step out on my back deck and start blasting away at every 4 legged creature that venture within eye sight either.

 

Your thoughts are welcome.

 

 

..........Widder

 

 

Most of our fox and coyotes have died off from the mange. Now we have an abundance of rabbits, ground squirrels, gophers, prarie dogs, etc. There's a balance. Never heard of a coyote attacking children. I'd like to see the documentation on that. Two legged criiters are more apt to assault kids than four legged.

 

 

Widder, send said coyote to SE Wyoming....problems both solved....

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

There have been a couple of documented cases of coyotes attacking children in Los Alamos. A Canadian folk singer was killed by a pack of coyotes in 2009 in Canada. They are not benign critters but do control populations of plague-infested prairie dogs.

[Noz]

I have been in and around the cattle business for 65 of my 77 years. I have never seen any evidence of a coyote attacking a healthy cow or calf. I'd let her walk.

[Ace_of_Hearts]

If noise is a concern when pulling the trigger.

http://beckammunition.com/ammunition/subsonic-ammo

 

With a suppressor they are a quiet as an air rifle.

[Lt John Dunbar]

Ok to shoot coyotes, but not wolves.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

Ok to shoot coyotes, but not wolves.

In New Hampshire, thus far, there are no real wolves. They will be here soon. But there is a thing about shooting them that is quite technical. You can't shoot a pure wolf. But you can shoot a hybrid. Hybird wolves are not protected. Almost any wolf you do find is a hybrid, or a wolf that was raised domestically and then turned loose in the wild, those you can shoot. Forensic evidence is needed to determine what kind of wolf it was, DNA for Hybrids and bone structure for if it was raised as a dog and then released.

 

Bottom line? Most likely you can't be prosecuted.

[Blastmaster]

I have a bigger concern with domestic dogs that leave their yard to run in packs at night for the purpose of killing whatever, attacking people walking along public roads&streets, then returning home to be a sweet protective pet. No way will I walk in town anymore because of them.

 

The only domestic pet (cat) I have ever lost was to a distant neighbors two-bit half breed pit bull that came over into my yard and caught the cat by surprise.

[Trigger Mike]

the other thing to consider is if it is rabid. rabid ones are more aggressive toward everything.

[Blastmaster]

I have been in and around the cattle business for 65 of my 77 years. I have never seen any evidence of a coyote attacking a healthy cow or calf. I'd let her walk.

Key words are 'healthy cow or calf'.

 

Just talked to my rancher neighbor on just this topic. He confirmed what Noz said, coyotes may/will go after a sickly cow/calf that would probably have died of natural causes.. He also mention he has lost cow/calf by them eating plastic (shopping bags, wrapping, whatever they can get in their mouth) that had blown into his field from road trash. The plastic plugs them up and they eventually die. I didn't know that until today.

[Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life]

Most of our fox and coyotes have died off from the mange. Now we have an abundance of rabbits, ground squirrels, gophers, prarie dogs, etc.

Not around here! Now that it's fawning season for the local deer, there are more coyotes than ever. I shoot every one I can!

[Blastmaster]

Not around here! Now that it's fawning season for the local deer, there are more coyotes than ever. I shoot every one I can!

A strangers pet dog on the loose going across a ranchers fields is skating on thin ice around here. The ranchers cattle dog is well mannered and stays close to the riders horse, four-wheeler or PU truck.

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

They learn that the areas they work are no threat t them. So neighborhoods near open areas become their food source. We will not let our cats or one small dog out unattended. They will also use females to attract male domestic dogs out. And then the pack is on them. We see them all the time walking the streets in the neighborhood early evening or morning. They are not afraid.

Ike

[Cat Brules]

Most of our fox and coyotes have died off from the mange. Now we have an abundance of rabbits, ground squirrels, gophers, prarie dogs, etc. There's a balance. Never heard of a coyote attacking children. I'd like to see the documentation on that. Two legged criiters are more apt to assault kids than four legged.

They will kill children. This is a known, proven fact with examples that can be cited. Kill the coyote now! The example I cite is the one that occurred in California in the Magic Mountain area near Valencia (N LA Basin area) many years back (1980's?). The area was being developed. All new neighborhoods. Young families moved in. Coyotes were thick, stalking mothers walking the neighborhoods, children in hand or pushing strollers. Coyotes were bold, looking for opportunities to snatch a child. Department of Fish and Game would do nothing excepted to caution the people to leave the coyotes alone. One neighbor climbed on his roof and shot one of the coyotes. He was quickly arrested. Fish and Game threatened other neighbors with arrest if they killed any coyotes. Two days later a five-year-old girl was attacked, dragged up the hill by her neck to be consumed. The child died of a broken neck. Fish and Game was up $@#% Creek at that point. Many jobs lost; many lawsuits were filed. If you care to do the research you can find the entire story, which will vary very little from my condensed account (from memory) here.

 

I have had coyotes coyotes boldly go after my horses, who band together and fight back. A single horse can be taken down. They've come after my chickens they going after my dogs they leave and surround newborn cows and take out the mother if they have a chance. It's not pretty to see the work they do. They are not friends of Man. They will come after you if they think they are strong enough in numbers. They are not some eco-friendly scavengers. Kill them all! Let PETA sort them out!. I shoot them and hang their parasite-infected carcasses on t-posts as warning to other coyotes.

 

I relocate rattlesnakes. I kill coyotes

You'll be sorry you didn't shoot this rat coyote.

[Assassin]

Domestic dogs kill many more children than coyotes, that's common. We do have a fox familiy that lives in our area, they can't keep up with the rodent population. The rancher south of my property killed coyotes for years, poison, traps, guns, etc. he has a pit with thousands of skeletons, it's pretty creepy there are so many. They do like afterbirth after a calf is born. I've never seen coyotes go after anything large. I have seen antelope team up and chase them and give them a sharp hoof. They are a necessary evil, part of the circle of life/death. Coyotes are relatively new to the eastern part of the country and are becoming troublesome to chickens and small pets. I've heard of the crossbreeding of wolves and coyotes, they have been spotted in eastern Canada and some New England states. There are a lot worse things in this world than coyotes. I take my hairy kids out for a walk every day, I live in a very rural area. I do carry a gun when I go out. If you want to hear about coyote stories perhaps Hamley will chime in. His ranch is very desolate and he's been around cattle all his life. They are probably more of a problem around urban areas, they steer clear of men around rural parts of Wyoming.

[Yellowhouse Sam # 25171]

The primary factor to remember about Mr. Coyote is that he is first and foremost an opportunist so take it from there. I'm of the opinion that they should always maintain a healthy wariness of humans but these urban coyotes that I see around the DFW area are way too bold. In contrast, I seldom see coyotes in the country here in S. Central Oklahoma as most ranchers will bust em in short order. I know they are here by the tracks, howls, and the sudden disappearance of 3/4 grown house cats.

[Cat Brules]

I've witnessed a pack of 5 coyotes go after my 5 horses. The girls grouped up and kicked one coyote about 10 feet and crippled another. They ran off, the one holding up a rear leg and screaming as they retreated.

 

Another time, I had pregant cows on my place. One was delivering and bawling loudly. It was a dark night and after a time, the coyotes were yipping in a frenzy. I went out in the cart with a shotgun and a 12volt spotlight and the cart headlights. The cow had staggered off to the trough and the calf was lying on the ground with coyotes beginning to tear at him. I shot two and the others ran off. The afterbirth was untouched. The cow came back and took over. I dabbed either some Corona ointment or a black tar ointment on the calf and penned them up for a few days.

 

Don't believe tha benign scavenger/predator fairy tale.....they'll kill'ya and eat'ya.

Cat Brules

[Utah Bob #35998]

Attacks on livestock are common around here. And not just weak and small ones. A friend's horse was severly injured by a pack last month. Depends on the competition and available prey.

[Blastmaster]

I worry more about deer that jump out in front of cars and cause injury and death to many motorist than coyotes.

 

Ranchers don't mind loosing a few head of beef each year by having cows graze road row and cows get hit by cars on public roads.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Most of our fox and coyotes have died off from the mange. Now we have an abundance of rabbits, ground squirrels, gophers, prarie dogs, etc. There's a balance. Never heard of a coyote attacking children. I'd like to see the documentation on that. Two legged criiters are more apt to assault kids than four legged.

Are you willing to bet the life of your child on that?

 

I wouldn't.

[Blastmaster]

More likely for the child to be mauled in their yard by neighbors dog that wondered off owners property.

 

 

Shoot, shovel and shut up works for urban coyotes or problematic domestic dogs.

[Assassin]

I don't have any children. Therefore, I cannot have an opinion. My philosophy is studying facts, there are very few documented coyote attacks on children, there are many documented attacks from domestic dogs and two legged creeps. I'm not one to just kill every coyote I encounter, they do have a role in nature. God put them here for a reason not just for our hunting pleasure.