Coyotes

[jason]

Lots of great advice.  I think I am going to stick with a 22, because we do still have a few cats around and don't want to poison them.  I talked to a friend tonight that has a cassette tape that has sounds that attract coyotes?  We are going to give it a try it next week and find a sniper point to hopefully pick it off.

 

[cattlejunky]

An alternative to using a rabbit, is a coyote call.  You should be able to find one at Wal-mart fairly cheap.

 

[knabe]

coyote calls work great, but doing it yourself you can add variety to the rabbit panic call.  in our high school science camp we had a coyote calling contest.  this one kid was really good.  his secret was to wait for activity, then call, rather than just an endless call and get in a place where you can maximize open space vs shelter as they will traverse near there.  the more open space, the easier it is to spot them.  predator and prey like to stick to the union between two environments as this is where the most visibility, food and shelter is.

 

[chambero]

Coyote calls are usually "dying rabbit" calls.  They do work.

If coyotes in your area are hunted much, they can be really hard to get in close enough for a shot while its still light enough to see.  You've got to get them in real close to be able to shoot them at night with a spotlight.

Suggested Plan B if you can't get them shot -

They can be caught in a live trap which is a little safer when other domesticated animals are running around.  My mom lives right on the edge of town.  She had some goats that started getting picked off.  There are too many houses around to be shooting now.  Since the City frowns upon shooting, she raised enough cain that the local animal control people brought out a live trap.  I just laughed at her and told her she was crazy if she thought a coyote was dumb enough to get caught in that.

Mom goes and buys a rooster somewhere and puts him in the front "bait" compartment along with some food and water.  About 2 or 3 days later I get a call from mom just as I'm getting headed to work to "get over here". 

Sure enough, there is coyote caught in there with the rooster.  I'm not sure which one was more upset.  Coyote was pissing on the rooster and rooster was trying to get to the coyote to spur him.  Coyote was quickly dispatched with a .22 pistol. 

 

[knabe]

chambero, that is a great tip about roosters.  the coyotes even like dead one's.  they will drag it to a covered area and consume and will outcompete vultures for the carcass.  amazing.  i watched them do this with my culls last week.  we are feeding some kit foxes, as they are a protected federal species, while neighboring property owners are trying to exterminate them as the governement is trying to locate a new college on an active tiger salamander and kit fox habitat, that is even mapped by the state.  i don't understand the government.

 

[aj]

Coyotes will be the last species on earth when the end comes. They are tough, cunning and they are survivors. I saw one yesterday at about 40 yards. I respect them as a species unless they are killing my cats and calves. I think I have only lost one new calf in 25 years due to coyotes. I have heard of them running in packs north of saint francis ks and getting the newborn calf just as it enters the new world(before the cow can even get up). They are like prarie dogs. You can controll them but they will never be extinct.

 

[Show Heifer]

OK, my opinion is so very different from all of previously posted so I'll throw it out to ya'll:
My Dads uncle hunted coyotes his whole life (he lived to 92). He was the local expert and could tell ya WAY more than you ever wanted to know about coyotes and their habits. He also raised sheep. Lambed in the pasture. Not a lot, but a pasture, with trees and ditches.

His theory...never shoot a coyote UNLESS that specific coyote is giving you problems (shoot the cat killing coyote, but not an innocent one just walking by).  Why? Because coyotes are VERY territorial. They will defend their area against all other coyotes. So, if "your" pack of coyotes don't kill sheep, cattle, cats, whatever, then they probably won't start to kill that animal. But, if you shoot and remove the "nice' pack, a new pack WILL move in and they might be the livestock killing kind. So, be selective in which one you shoot.

And don't worry about stray bullets....as the city folks that come to the country to hunt deer and turkey never seem to worry about which direction they are shooting, so  I am sure they won't mind a hole in THEIR house, vehicle, pet, etc... (please note sarcasm in the past paragraph...although it is not said with a smile.) ???

 

[red]

It's very creepy at night hearing the howling. Our blue heeler will chime in & sounds like a wolf sometimes.
We've been lucky with them not bothering our stock here but Poolie is very protective.
An amish was just fined because he had a pet Coyote. The game warden was alerted & he was told to get rid of it. They said it was the kid's pet. Guess there was a bit of a stand-off between them.

Red

 

[farmboy]

i once had a pet squirrel... ;D

 

[jason]

We tried a call using a cassette player blasted through my trucks speakers and staked out a spot last night, but no luck.  We are going to try one of these mornings and maybe go buy a call. 

We are down to 2 cats out of probably 12 to begin with and the last 2 have been hanging closer to the house.

 

[DL]

Jason - from what I know about wild canine behavior I think Show Heifers uncle was right on the money - I hear them but until the youngster showed up after the fawn I had never seen a coyote or coyote tracks or coyote scat or any other coyote evidence on my land - I was speaking to another coyote hunter yesterday and they use mouse nests in/near traps - I personally am not fond of leg traps as I think they are cruel and it is a welfare issue, but they also use live traps in some areas. He has been requested to go after coyotes in areas just because they exist, not because they are a problem - not sure what I think about that either!

 

[JbarL]

i once had a pet squirrel... ;D

i once had a pet crow.....  ;D

 

[ROAD WARRIOR]

We never used to pay much attention to the coyotes around here until a few years ago when we lost 5 calves in 3 different pastures that are 7 miles apart. That got my attention for sure and I declared war on them. I never gave them a trial to see if they were innocent or not and none of them confessed to the crimes. The first year I snared over 125 coyotes out of the three pastures, the next year was closer to 75 and the last few years we probably average 20 or less. It's simple supply and demand - too many coyotes not enough mice or rabbits to feed the growing population and they moved to the next readily available food supply. Hang em all and let God sort them out!

 

[jason]

We never used to pay much attention to the coyotes around here until a few years ago when we lost 5 calves in 3 different pastures that are 7 miles apart. That got my attention for sure and I declared war on them. I never gave them a trial to see if they were innocent or not and none of them confessed to the crimes. The first year I snared over 125 coyotes out of the three pastures, the next year was closer to 75 and the last few years we probably average 20 or less. It's simple supply and demand - too many coyotes not enough mice or rabbits to feed the growing population and they moved to the next readily available food supply. Hang em all and let God sort them out!

Where you trapping them, calling them in, or just had your rifle handy with you when you were out in the pasture?

I am afraid they are going to lose their little dog, as the cats have been thinned out. 

 

[ROAD WARRIOR]

I find places where they crawl through or under the fences and hang a snare in the hole - pretty simple method. Everybody worried about me catching all of the neighbors dogs but most dogs that are broke to tie will be sitting there waiting for you when you get there.

 

[farmboy]

animals with the wild instinct will chew their limbs off to escape as like a good dog would sit there and wait. I imagine a coyote would go nuts