New to us Coyote problem

[NancyM]

Actually, I was just gonna add that the use of a gun to rid an area of coyotes does not (in the long term) work. Because more coyotes simply move into the area. Someone who wants to shoot coyotes has to ask themselves why they think they have the right to end the life of a member of the local wildlife, when, in fact, it is the human who has moved into the area, and provided a food source for the local inhabitants. Then shoots them when they partake of this gift.

We have lost cats to coyotes, it isn’t uncommon for this to happen. If you look after your cats, it happens less often. If you have guardian dogs who will protect your cats, it happens less often. “Eat and be eaten”. Coyotes also do a great job of controlling the population of rodents, marmots, etc, who will dig “leg breaker” holes in your pasture, which will kill your horses. Coyotes are OK. Don’t kill them, accept them, enjoy them, respect them, and live with them. They are part of the web of life, and everyone has their role to play.

[clanter]

@NancyM

who will dig “leg breaker” holes in your pasture, which will kill your horses.

well the pack of coyotes here dig in the manure pile, I guess for recreation so that is one plus for them as they rotate the compost

The problem we are seeing is the coyotes are intently watching the children walking on the sidewalk to school

but since we are going back to animals that were here in old times I guess I need to in bring some Buffalo

[OzarksRider]

I checked out the Humane Society’s guidelines when I was having my coyote problem. Clearly the person who wrote that had never actually tried to deter a coyote with that advice. I once chased the coyote on foot across our entire 50 acre property in the sweltering summer heat through knee high grass. I also went after her in the truck, blasting the horn the entire time. I sent the dog after her. I screamed at her (although I didn’t use the magic phrase “Go away coyote!”). I went after her every time I saw her over about two months. I finally couldn’t see any solution other than to shoot her, because absolutely nothing would deter her.

After I bought the rifle it was still three or four weeks before I could take a shot where I was sure I wouldn’t hit a cow. Then one morning I saw her sneaking up to the yard from a safe direction so I grabbed the gun, loaded the clip, and ran outside. She saw me and trotted off across the field. She was about 75 yards out when I shot her, dead right there.

I did not feel good about shooting that coyote. I don’t hunt because I don’t like to kill animals, and I haven’t fired that gun since that day. In general, I agree with those who advocate living alongside wildlife. I also agree that decimating the coyote population will not work in the long run. I know people who routinely shoot any coyote they see, and they continue to have more coyote problems than I do. But the coyote that was stalking my house was rogue, and the only solution was to take her out.

[Sandysmom]

Coyotes are very curious. They will watch you but the odds of them attacking a child are slim to none. Maybe, a very young child, left alone, and an extremely hungry coyote, but very unlikely.

I’ve seen coyotes, whistled at them like I would a dog and had them stop and take a few steps toward me.

[Sandysmom]

Rogue? Maybe she had pups to feed and discovered an easy food supply or was older or injured and couldn’t hunt properly.

[endlessclimb]

Agreed, same with Turkey. I think I had a cardiac arrest and lost 10 years of my life when that gigantic anatolian came over the hill. I can’t remember a time I was more scared.

[BUSY]

I would think given the area, the authorities would trap and relocate these ‘bad boys’ … sounds dangerous !

[S1969]

@clanter

well the pack of coyotes here dig in the manure pile, I guess for recreation

I am sure it is not for recreation. It’s most likely to eat something - moles/mice that live around the edges, grubs/insects, and/or hoof trimmings.

[clanter]

@BUSY

I would think given the area, the authorities would trap and relocate these ‘bad boys’ … sounds dangerous !

response from animal control

I am doing my best to track their paths to help give warning to residents for their animals that live outside. Most of the residents that have sent the report of sightings did NOT enter their address, so I have no way of knowing where those coyotes were seen.

Well for two years I have been sending them photos, with locations and where they are staying without any response, that is until the police got involved who have asked me to send the photos to them first and they would forward to animal control

[S1969]

@clanter

Well for two years I have been sending them photos, with locations and where they are staying without any response, that is until the police got involved who have asked me to send the photos to them first and they would forward to animal control

What exactly do you think they are going to do? Eradicate a species?

From the sounds of it - urban sprawl has moved into the coyotes’ territory. And, predictably, the coyote population has adapted rather than find new territory. They apparently have ample food, shelter, etc., to survive/flourish; most likely with little detriment to the human population in the neighborhood.

So what exactly is the issue? What have they actually done to you/your animals? Maybe they are just peacefully coexisting with your horses? The fact that your horse watches them doesn’t signify they are any particular danger. My horses watch the deer.

Here’s a good resources about coyotes in urban areas. There is a hazing guide that suggests more than just yelling “go away, coyote”.

http://www.projectcoyote.org/

[OzarksRider]

@Sandysmom

Maybe she had pups to feed and discovered an easy food supply or was older or injured and couldn’t hunt properly.

When I saw that the coyote was a female I checked to see if she was nursing (not that I could have done anything about it at that point). There were no signs that she had a litter of pups, and I was glad of that. She appeared to be a young adult, and there were no injuries other than my gunshot. She did not behave like the other coyotes in our area. It was such odd behavior that I even wondered if she might be sick, but she always seemed pretty lively.

Other coyotes have come by over the years, but not one of them was ever as bold or persistent as this one. They tend to keep their distance. The area around me is rural, with thousands of acres of pastures and woods. National forest is less than a half mile from my house. Coyotes have lots of room to roam and lots of wildlife prey, and they have learned to avoid humans. I often hear them at night, and I occasionally see them early in the morning or evening, but almost never during the day. The coyote I shot was not like the others, and that’s why I think she was rogue.

[candyappy]

@Sandysmom

Coyotes are very curious. They will watch you but the odds of them attacking a child are slim to none. Maybe, a very young child, left alone, and an extremely hungry coyote, but very unlikely.

Well in a highly populated area where @clanter lives a small child wandering away from home is a good possibility. I would rather wipe them out then have a small child attacked by that one hungry coyote.

[Scribbler]

General comment.

I live in the suburbs of a city that backs onto wild mountains on the North, and exurban farmland leading to mountains on the East and South, and prides itself on its parks and greenbelts. Also on rejuvenating all the creeks into salmon spawning areas (bear buffet in season).

We have a full population of black bears, coyotes, racoons, skunks, and bobcat around my townhouse complex, and in the park where I ride that’s a couple of miles from my house. Cougars still alarm folks enough that conservation will come out and shoot them, but all the rest just do their own thing. Fewer deer than you’d expect, though.

We did recently have an issue with coyotes starting to nip people in our biggest urban park, apparently because some people had started hand feeding them, and conservation has gone in and shot them.

I feel like the populations of animals fluctuate, this year I have been seeing more wild rabbits and more coyotes in the park. We did end up putting eletctric wire around one of the barns to stop the young bear from climbing up the paddock fence to watch the horses. I just assume all the animals are around all the time, but mostly we don’t see them.

I think that if a wild animal is starting to cause an issue, you have to moderate your property management in some way so they can’t cause the problem. You might have to try several things to find the fix.

[LazyA1]

Those that advise killing them – what a bunch of baby sissies! I’ve lived on my farm for over 25 years, co-existing with coyotes. I don’t do things to attract them, as others above have suggested.

You know what you get when you kill off high level predators? Feral hogs, try dealing with those!

[clanter]

@S1969

What exactly do you think they are going to do?

trap and relocate that is animal control’s stated policy

[Sandysmom]

@candyappy, you’re not going to “wipe them out”, just replace them with more coyotes. Possibly more aggressive coyotes. Any parent who allows a very small child to wander off has more to fear from DCFS than coyotes.

Be smart. Don’t leave trash out overnight, remove other food sources such as bird feeders and pet food at night, keep brush and grass trimmed so as not to attract rodents which attract coyotes, keep small pets indoors or under direct supervision, keep small livestock like chickens and rabbits in predator proof enclosures. If allowed, maybe use fireworks to scare them away.

[clanter]

@Sandysmom

Be smart. Don’t leave trash out overnight, remove other food sources such as bird feeders and pet food at night, keep brush and grass trimmed so as not to attract rodents which attract coyotes, keep small pets indoors or under direct supervision, keep small livestock like chickens and rabbits in predator proof enclosures. If allowed, maybe use fireworks to scare them away.

all of these suggestions are the way we operate, however fireworks are banned by the city

As for brush we have have complained for several years regarding the neighbor’s property that is being used as a base for the coyotes. The goats next door (opposite side of the brush place) that we are watching for the owner so far have not been attacked or at least successfully attacked as the old billy goat that is there is sort of protective (and pretty big)

I really did not care about them until they got into the barn which is closed by livestock gates at night to allow airflow then they took my wife’s horse’s halter off the stall door.

And for those who said oh that halter was run over by a mower, the area in which it was found is the area that I have been trying to make the city enforce its ordinances regarding grass height…that area had not been cut for three years

[S1969]

@clanter

As for brush we have have complained for several years regarding the neighbor’s property that is being used as a base for the coyotes.

I really did not care about them until they got into the barn which is closed by livestock gates at night to allow airflow then they took my wife’s horse’s halter off the stall door.

I have been trying to make the city enforce its ordinances regarding grass height…that area had not been cut for three years

Honestly, maybe you should move. You seem to be pretty miserable there.

But if you really want to deter wild animals from entering your barn, it would certainly be possible to modify the gates; at least consider a different type of panel that would be more solid at the bottom.

I’m not really concerned with wild animals in my barn but would definitely not want it to be easy to enter by anything - which in my case would most likely be something like a skunk, opossum or raccoon. But I think finding a skunk in my barn at feeding time might be pretty unpleasant. If it kept out the coyotes, all the better.

[clanter]

@S1969

Honestly, maybe you should move. You seem to be pretty miserable there.

well I was here first and the problem is not Wild animals but animal that should be wild that are becoming to comfortable with their surroundings

[S1969]

@clanter

well I was here first and the problem is not Wild animals but animal that should be wild that are becoming to comfortable with their surroundings

LOL I think the coyotes were there first.