Is it illegal to put a BB into a coyote?
 

Lots of sightings of coyotes in my town. There have been reports of attacks on pets and of stalking kids while hiking in the brush. I don’t know who’s responsible for curtailing the coyote population but they’re not doing a good job. Is it legal to take matters in our own hands or is jail time the penalty for shooting the pests with a BB gun?

Not sure of your state, but many states allow you to shoot them year around with a small game hunting license.

Please don’t use a BB gun.
.223 / Ruger .204 / 6mm / 22-250 and the like are much more appropriate.

It's always open season coyotes as long as you aren't near other people...I would use a rifle, and not mess with a BB gun.

Don't use a BB gun... that's just stooopid imo. Use something that will kill it. A Marlin .357 lever is what I keep handy, yes I'm in the city, technically illegal, and neither I nor the cops give a crap. They'd kill one too (and do), but they are never around when ya need 'em :D.

I always thought one of these would be a fun toy, as well as effective on 'yotes'...On walks, probably would opt for .38 special over .357 mag. Henry Mare's leg...

https://www.henryusa.com/rifles/mares-leg/

I doubt a bb gun would penetrate the skin.

Cool.
Right, but might sting enough to make 'em wander off. Maybe if the hit was just right it might just penetrate, but probably not do any actual damage.

There is the issue of discharging a firearm in a city, and there is the separate issue of killing a coyote.

Technically, firing even a BB gun in most large cities (outside of a designated facility) may violate some firearms ordinance. I looked up the rules in Portland and even a paintball gun is illegal, because the law includes projectiles propelled by compressed air or springs or elastic.

As for killing coyotes, you'd have to check your local ordinances. Around here, people wail about how it is "their natural habitat" and whatnot, like there isn't 98% of the state that is available for coyotes to roam.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/sdut-environment-coyote-nuisance-wildlife-trapping-2015feb06-htmlstory.html

Personally, I'd shoot them with an actual gun if I could get away with it.

No BB guns allowed in the city of LA. Outside, in some of the smaller cities, its ok to fire them off but not at a Coyote. My freaking neighbors will shoot me if I even think about doing something like you mentioned. Yes, I live in a left nut job, save the planet part of LA. I was here first, they all came later. Bastards.

I got an ear full when I stomped my feet to scare the coyote away from us as I got out of my car when my kids were babies. People do not have their siht straight. Why do we suddenly have a huge coyote population? The city hasn't done anything different in the past 10-20 years?

I would not shot a coyote with a BB gun. I have done some vermin control (squirrels) with a .22 pellet gun. Coyotes are one of the few applications where .223 is actually a good choice for hunting.

Sling shot ??

That's why you see more 'yotes than I do. Living in a rural Oregon county, a 'yote is a rare sight for me. There are nearby ryegrass fields that currently have sheep grazing. Perfectly legal to shoot vermin here. 'Yotes aren't stupid...life is easier for them where they know they aren't in danger.

Though I'm in the city limits, I live in what was my rural Boy Scout camp in the 70s. Back then, you'd never see a 'yote, fox, or deer here, or it was a very rare. Deer are so plentiful here now... no one hunts in this county much, and predators have no fear... much. Most 'yotes will scoot at the sight of a man, and they still know what a rifle is... evidently ;). Last time I saw one at my back fence, I only had my .45 ACP handy .... wasn't gonna take an iffy shot. My dawg keeps 'em outta the woods now .... she jumps the fence and chases deer.... so I chase her :D.

Almost have her trained not to do that anymore ... but she's learned not to bark and show her hand ;)

I generally use a compound bow.

I think there are air driven options of larger caliber that won't break the sound barrier that might be effective. Hell a wrist rocket and a marble would probably make a bad day for Coyote. Agree a BB gun is too small, and suggestions of .223 (or similar) would attract your neighbors and law in droves. If illegal in your area then no way am I going to jail w/record for a damn Coyote.

Interesting option, guess a cross bow (Walking Dead style) with a sight would be the same. Good call.

The coyote problem is nation-wide. They are perfectly adapted to over-run metropolitan areas. Lots of food. And by food, I mean your pet food. The kind that barks and meows.

Just have to be careful with a crossbow or even a compound, they have enough power to get a pass through shot. So as always, identify the target and what is beyond it.
Probably illegal to fire any weapon in town be it bow or bb gun though.

Go get a kill dog or two. My friend knows a guy locally that hunts coyotes with only dogs. When his chasers get the yote bayed up, they release two kill dogs.

No weapons discharge in town unless I want to go to jail. Wrist rocket might be the way to go.

Get a Gammo-break action pellet rifle, those things are bad to the bone, cheap to purchase, and they can handle varmints, and as long as its on your property you should be ok, just know whats around your target before you grease it..

Just run them over with your truck..

As for killing them. I kill them regularly when i see them on my property.

Back in the day before they changed the laws in Australia I had what you guys would call a "Garden Gun". I was living in a semi rural area at the time and I had a small garden. It was a .22-Caliber Smoothbore similar to this one. The idea is that the "shot" will not travel a long way if you happen to miss.

I don't know if it would be appropriate for a coyote but I shot lots of rabbits/hares and one big arse snake with mine (Mostly at ranges of less than 3 meters 10 - feet) Eventually this gun was handed in and destroyed along with the other rifles and shot guns I owned.

https://www.outdoorlife.com/story/guns/henry-garden-gun-handy-22-caliber-smoothbore/

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1610506515.jpg

In California they're protected! Neighbor hired a trapper for the ones killing his chickens. One neighbor saw a dead yote that was snared. The Good neighbor with the chickens was dragged to court. I don't now if he served time but he has now sold his house and has left California. I had a 25# dog that got attacked in my back yard by a big Coyote. My Cattle dog saved his little buddy.

Cole my cattle dog has been gone 18 months now and we lock the little dog in most hours.

I would take care of coyotes if I could but we have chain-link fences and two squat to pee™ neighbors that would tattle on me.

I would like to load 45acp down to 5-600 fps and have a rifle that was chambered in it I think that a slow BIG and heavy round would be great on short range coyotes BUT I don't live in a safe area to test my theory

"squat to pee neighbors" ... lol ;)

You need a fuel filter.

You need a fuel filter. not on my credit csrd!

What kind of whackadoodle makes yotes a protected species?

Pee squaters :D

I can't help it .... LOL still!

Thats too bad man, we mericans still have our guns. I got a nice collection of all sizes. But for plinking nothing beats a .22. CCI just introduced the cci-.22 tactical ammo and im off to purchase a couple of "bricks" for plinking...;)

I would think shooting a yote with a BB gun would be animal cruelty.
You will take an eye out with that thing!

Just when I can't think less of CA.....coyotes....protected species. Are pigeons also on the list? Ants?

Correct, A bow is not a ton different than a gun, you have to know your ammo and what your target is and adjust accordingly.

If you don't want to make a ton of noise...and are adverse to actually killing the little murderous ba$tards, don't overlook paintball guns.

Turn the pressure up and use frozen paintballs. A nice solid wall of frozen paintballs will adjust an attitude pretty quickly. At least for that coyote.

I've been hit by 180ish meter/second (and I suspect possibly higher) speed paintballs from some of the longer range guns - probably 250 or so feet and was really impressed with how much sting that had even over that distance. I did get hit in the tatas with what appeared to be a very very cold or nearly frozen paintball and even through my fabric tata paint ball guard it left a significant bruise.

By the way - frozen paintballs shot out hard WILL break glass, etc.

Oh - edit by the way - some paintball guns will shoot reusable rubber ammo and pepper ammo.

angela

Squats to pee™ not pee squaters.

My apologies ... I didn't wanna be sued for the trademark royalties!

You funny....

When I was a child a neighbors dog bit my Mom. Couple of months later I shot his eye out with a BB pistol. True story!

Neighbor or dog?

If the neighbor's dog bit his mom in the eye, that would be some Biblical sh!+ and a truly cool story.

Dog. This dog was evil. A Spitz named Snowball. He was known for sneaking up behind people and trying to bite. Never made a sound. All the neighborhood kids knew to watch out for him. As long as you were facing him, you were safe. Turn your back....

So, evidently, I neglected to warn my Mom about Snowball. She went walking by his house one day on the way to the market and he sneaked up behind her and bit her on the back of her leg, just below the calf. Never made a sound, she said. A pretty serious bite.

When my Dad got home from work that day and found out what happened, he went to pay Snowball's owners a visit. I don't know what all went on there, but they ended up agreeing to keep the dog confined for a period of two months.

Sooo, a couple of months passed and I was out in my yard target shooting with my pistol when I saw him. He was way out of range so I hid behind some shrubbery and whistled. Got his attention, so I whistled some more. He finally came within range and I stood up and fired a shot and he ran away. Never made a sound. I just assumed I had missed as I rarely hit anything I was shooting at.

A few days later I was playing with some friends, see the dog, and say 'watch out there's Snowball. My buddy, Frankie, says 'Somebody shot Snowball's eye out'. His mom had talked to the owners and got the news. Of course, I did not confess as I wasn't sure if I would get in trouble and, also, who would believe me. Snowball was much less aggressive after that.

I don't think I have ever told anyone until now.

I bet I know!

You are surrounded by idiot "urban farmers" WITH CHICKENS

^ look further into the genetic emergence of the "coy wolf". And the urban infiltration of the coyote is a real thing, driven in part by decades long extermination of coyotes in the midwest.