Dealing with coyotes on your property

[widgeon13]

What's your solution? Close to dogs and small children.

[Joe Bob]

High powered pellet rifle.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Never seen one before- until last week. Deer was standing in yard practically under my porch when coyote came out of woods and chased deer.
I've never seen a deer run that fast, and it was a BIG deer. Much bigger than our kid and dogs.

Went out and took pic of track afterwards- ground dry. not a good track.

Guessing the answer will contain the numbers .30 06

[recycled sixtie]

Yes coyotes are becoming more aggressive. Yesterday there was a report of a coyote here following a woman and twice the woman had to shout at the coyote to leave.
No firearms allowed here but if they were I would have no hesitation. Pellet gun might be worth a try as mentioned though....

[id10t]

Left or right hand? Do you prefer a bolt gun or a semi? Are semis allowed where you live?

I think you can tell where this is going...

[targa911S]

May be a coy wolf. We have them here. Coyotes are rather shy and will avoid contact. Coy wolves will stalk you and are bigger. 30-06 may be a over kill. .223 will do nicely.

[Seahawk]

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has a lot of information on Coyotes and I have spoken with them at length.

We are allowed to shoot them and I do. There are many reasons why but this section on the impact of Coyotes, from the MDNR website, captures it best:

Ecological Implications

Maryland and Delaware have the distinction of being the last two states in the contiguous United States to be colonized by coyotes. Maryland is quite fortunate to have the unique perspective of witnessing the ecological and social impacts of established coyote populations in other states. It is a biological certainty that Maryland will share many of the same experiences. Regardless of geographic location, eastern coyotes all possess the same basic genetic material and exhibit essentially the same behavioral traits and population characteristics.

Impacts on natural communities are also fairly predictable and can negatively impact various sympatric native species. Establishment in unoccupied regions of the eastern US, coyotes have assumed the role of top-order predator. Consequently, they tend to fundamentally alter existing ecosystem structure and function. Various species experience population declines as a result of their status as coyote prey, or from direct competition for existing resources.

Culturally and ecologically significant species including red fox decline dramatically in response to increasing coyote populations. Eastern coyote and red fox share many common habitat requirements and occupy overlapping niches. Through time, the larger and more resilient coyote is able to out-compete and displace resident red fox populations. As a result, red fox are typically delegated to existence in small areas devoid of individual coyote home ranges. Diminishing red fox populations have currently been noted in portions of central and western Maryland.

Lesser, yet still significant changes are expected in gray fox, bobcat and other associated predator and prey populations. Long-term impacts on white-tailed deer are not completely known in the East. Coyote food habit studies regularly show consistent use of deer as food. However, it does not appear that coyote limit deer populations on a regional scale at this time.

I only shoot coyotes and ground hogs.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

The first impression I had was that it was a fox. I am in va. If coy-wolfs are here, that would make sense.

My concern is that the deer got ambushed, and that my kid and wife's dogs play in the same area. It happened soooo fast, there wasn't even time to grab and point my camera which was right in front of me on the desk (pic included of camera on desk). Even if I had a gun (and I would buy one just for this task- I mention the 30-06 in jest a friend has one available), there was no way for me to get a line on him without blowing out my sun room windows. I could only wish for a field shot like the OP. There was no realist way for me to get him, and that concerns me.

Forensic photo drawn to scale:

[Mark Henry]

We have a coyote den right on our property, my kids set up a blind so they could watch them. They have been doing that since they were like 8 years old by themselves. The whole pack runs up and down the trails in my back forty and the surrounding forest area.
They have never been bothered and all my kids have for protection is their training and a hunting knife or bow.

We've never lost a chicken or turkey, they have an electric fence. Except to a weasel, we fixed the pen.
We've lost a couple cats, But I think that was a fisher and a big hawk, the other was a car. Daughter's cat is not allowed outside.
We're not stupid enough to have a small dog in the country, why would you have coyote treats running around? Or as my kids call them"meals on wheels".

But then no one in my family is a 95lb girly-girl in a training bra.
Same thing goes for the women.

[Alan A]

Bigger dogs can be a comfort here if your property lines are too close to the neighbors to support a ballistic solution.

[Brando]

Coyotes are getting more aggressive and daring this spring here as well. No bag limit. They are outright attacking medium to large dogs now.

[LakeCleElum]

Originally Posted by targa911S

May be a coy wolf. We have them here. Coyotes are rather shy and will avoid contact. Coy wolves will stalk you and are bigger. 30-06 may be a over kill. .223 will do nicely.

Yes - All the farmers around here have a .223 with a scope in their gun rack.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

It was said but college fed people that wolves and coyotes would not ever cross breed.
Now it is a proven fact that they have.
Like Seahawk said, They are much more aggressive!
It would be hard to find a documented case of a wolf or coyote attacking / eating anyone .
However, the cross breed has been up to the task for awhile now.
They ate a woman in the high peaks of the Adirondacks a few years ago.
A snowmobiler got attacked two winters ago.
They are a force to reckon with.
Here they can be spotted by the coat collars.

You haven't looked very hard to find stories of wolf attacks. They are not common because wolfs are not real common. Wolfs did indeed stalk and hunt humans in the past.

Coyotes not so much. But the new hybrids are an unknown. Like the dog-wolf hybrids. Not enough info yet.

[upsscott]

I just listened to the Joe Rogan podcast where he interviewed a biologist who specialized in coyote behavior. One thing I took away from it is that it really does no good to kill them unless you are threatened immediately. Apparently when you hear them bark and yip in the evening they are doing a roll call. When one comes up missing it prompts the females to produce more pups. How this is? I have no clue. This is just what the guy said

[fintstone]

No question that I would kill them if they came that close to my home....or hire someone else to either trap/hunt them. If they are coming in that close, they do not have much fear of humans and are dangerous.

If I was unable to do so (kill them) morally, I would put up an 8 foot fence where the kids or small pets play and get a large dog to put in there with them (will alert you).

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by upsscott

I just listened to the Joe Rogan podcast where he interviewed a biologist who specialized in coyote behavior. One thing I took away from it is that it really does no good to kill them unless you are threatened immediately. Apparently when you hear them bark and yip in the evening they are doing a roll call. When one comes up missing it prompts the females to produce more pups. How this is? I have no clue. This is just what the guy said

It depends on the size of the population. They are still relatively rare in some places on the east coast and you can practically eliminate them from your area if vigilant.

[widgeon13]

Of course he said that. He's some PETA scientist most likely.

In NYS it is legal to shoot them if you have a license. With dogs and kids playing in the yard I don't want them prowling or stalking or whatever the scientist says they will do.

If you have to get shots for rabies, the tune will turn quickly.

The picture was taken this morning quite close to the house. They come right up to the doors at night, have killed their chickens and rundown deer in the winter. They serve no useful purpose in a populated neighborhood.

[upsscott]

Originally Posted by fintstone

No question that I would kill them if they came that close to my home....or hire someone else to either trap/hunt them. If they are coming in that close, they do not have much fear of humans and are dangerous.



If I was unable to do so (kill them) morally, I would put up an 8 foot fence where the kids or small pets play and get a large dog to put in there with them (will alert you).

I've seen coyotes jump a 6' fence with ease. A good dog is a deterrent unless the coyotes hunt in a pack which often times they do.

[upsscott]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

Of course he said that. He's some PETA scientist most likely.



In NYS it is legal to shoot them if you have a license. With dogs and kids playing in the yard I don't want them prowling or stalking or whatever the scientist says they will do.



If you have to get shots for rabies, the tune will turn quickly.



The picture was taken this morning quite close to the house. They come right up to the doors at night, have killed their chickens and rundown deer in the winter. They serve no useful purpose in a populated neighborhood.

This biologist had no problem killing them and was a hunter himself. He just studies them. You should listen to the podcast. It's really interesting. I've killed plenty of coyotes in my day. We used to get a bounty on them from local ranchers. Strangely enough the problem never went away.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Brando

Coyotes are getting more aggressive and daring this spring here as well. No bag limit. They are outright attacking medium to large dogs now.

No bag limit? They let you discharge firearms in the OC?

And yes this is taking the usual direction... country folk suggest garbing the closest boom stick and taking after the critter (not a bad idea if you live in the sticks) but for a lot here (I'll guess at least half) we are city folks and use of firearms is illegal and downright dangerous to neighbors.
Same with the "get a dog" scenario, dogs are a huge responsibility and if you don't have the time/space/ability to take care of a dog that is a very bad idea.
Getting off soapbox...

First, let me say I don't have a problem with y'all who hunt, it is a historical American tradition and I admire the skills it takes to hunt efficiently and humanly.

Second, I was born in Los Angeles and have spent 55 of my 60 years on the Palos Verdes Peninsula... in those 55 years I have hiked, biked, and motorcycled most of the trails here... and NEVER saw a coyote.
Now they have been spotted in my alley and walking down my front street.
There is even a video of a medium size dog drinking from a leaky fire hydrant and a coyote sneaks up behind it and nips at the dogs hind legs (fortunately the dog was larger and spun around to chase the yote off)
And now people are lamenting "they were here first... we are encroaching on their environment!"

Oh give me a break, maybe there were coyotes in PV 200 years ago (plus mountain lions and bears etc.) but this is Los Angeles for heavens sake! No place for large predators.

Fortunately due to many complaints the coyotes seem to be disappearing, I guessing animal control has been quietly removing them (quietly to avoid any public controversy).