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Moral Dilemma-Killing a Coyote

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Sportlark64

Sportlark64

Dyna Mo Hummmmmm
Don't really know what to do here but I've got a bit of a problem with a Coyote on our land . We live in what we consider the most wild place yet .
We live in the back yard of Bear , Wild Cats (Bob Cat and Cougar ) Coyote as predators go .
He (figure a young male-Loner) is not scared of people and luckily I looked out our front window this past friday after hearing our dog Sadie going berserk out back and the coyote was about 50 yards from her and on the move . I yelled for the missus to get Sadie in quick , that the Coyote was making it's way to her . At the same time I ran for my Pump-gun that has 00-Buck and hit the porch . Even with Shirlene out there it didn't run . I popped off a round about 10 yards in front of it and it shot off back towards our stock pond and came about half way from the dock and my shop and stopped to look back then it moved off back up to the berm around our pond . I haven't seen it since but now we have all our big dogs out and in the evenings we go out .
I don't like like killing an animal , predator or not as long as they don't present a problem , but this one seems to be used to people and that's when they become a problem . We moved into it's area and we accept that .
I just don't like killing , alot if not most folks here would not have a problem and many consider it sport . We have several packs around us and they often are in our lower fields .
I'm not looking forward to it , but it may have to done .
Steve
 
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Coyotes aren't dumb. If you want to deter it without killing it, get a nice pellet gun. A well-placed round in the rump, and he'll think long and hard before he comes back. I speak from experiance...before the area I'm living in now was overgrown with subdivisions and shopping centers, this was truly the boonies. We had occasional problems with coyotes, but armed with my trusty BB-gun, gave them something to think about before they returned.

No, I didn't want to kill them either. I loved to listen to them howling at night, and your posting this thread has me thinking about how much I miss it.
 
Another consideration is the small game "hunting" laws in force in your area. Don't want to fall afoul of them either.

Maybe setting one of those motion detector triggered lamps ultra sensitive and being diligent with the pellet gun when it triggers for a while will condition it to avoid the area.

But even folks in my area - the Chicago metro area - are learning that pets running free are just fast food for some other critters.

There WAS a big fuss about a Cougar that dropped by the North side of Chicago, the Deer that wandered in the automatic doors at O'Hare Airport and the Coyote that wandered into a Quizno's sandwich shop near the loop.
 
Steve: I can understand your reluctance to kill a living creature for no reason (I feel the same way), but I think your post reveals plenty of good reason.

Brought here to train fox hounds, Coyotes are now plentiful in NC; and have begun killing live-stock and family pets. A few weeks back my next door neighbor lost three goats in one night, family pets including some large dogs have been attacked and killed; and I've shooed two braver souls off my back porch in the last year (that'll wake you up better than coffee early in the morning). In short they are dangerous and can cause great harm, not to mention that they're prime candidates for rabies.

I won't pretend to tell you what you should do, I'll only say I know what I plan to do the next time I have an encounter with them.
 
If you've got small children in the area, be aware that a coyote may view them as prey. I agree that killing for no reason is not good, but when it comes to coyotes VS kids, there's plenty of reason.
As plentiful and adaptive as coyotes are, I'd be worried that one lone sole may bring his buddies if the pickin's are good. I know in California, at Ft Irwin, the coyotes are protected and brave. One snatched a pork chop right out of a guy's hand at a barbecue.
Although usually elusive, they can be very dangerous in the right circumstance. Additionally, there might be a bounty on them; check with a local furrier.
Best wishes.
Mike
 
In Illinois they have become such a problem that Coyotes are in season 365 days a year. Do be aware they will kill small animals (pets) and they carry disease, even if they don't kill they can cause you or someone a long and paniful set of shots. They are not to be messed with, keep you or them at a distance.

Jim
 
I live in an area with a Large coyote population
where the urban interface is encroaching in their habitat.
I hear them whooping it up most nights and on occasion
one will come into a clearing in the back acreage
Close to my cabin,Coyotes are very curious critters.
I only have a few neighbors that Ive spoken with about them and the main problem has been with them going
for and killing pet Cats !
Any coyotes going for live stock,chickens or children are shot.
They are known to mate with domestic dogs and might
be after Sadie for alittle lovin and might also explain
why he seemed to ignore you and not be afraid.....?
I see you accept you've moved into its area
and suggest you exaust all other possibilities before
taking it out~
 
Coyotes can be more than just a nuisance. As other posters have stated they will prey upon livestock, small pets and even small children. Here in Va. they have become such a problem that there are bounties on them. I don't like killing animals either but if I had one or more of these coyotes hanging around my place I would not hesitate in eradicating them. Coyotes are like cockroaches, they are hard as hell to get rid of, as they can subsist on almost anything and can breed like rabbits.
 
we shoot them here in Texas and they are aren't that brazen here..in 5 years i have had to shoot 1..they are around, hear them 3-4 times a week but rarely see them unless you go out in the back of my ranch late at night and you may catch some "eyes" but i have cats and dogs that live outside and horses both full size and minis they depend on me and i wont let them down. its a dog eat dog world and while i don't go hunt them and most of my rancher neighbors don't either, if they start coming near the house they wont quit unless you make them..shoot one and they all go to school on it
 
We have lots of them here in AZ and most of them respect people OK. But we have one Large Lobo ie:(loaner) who is not afraid of anything! I have pelted his rump more than once with the pellet pistol and he still persists. I am not worried for myself so much but there are a lot of ladies mine included who walk their dogs in the early morning before work. If this persists more Drastic measures will have to be taken. They can easily attack and mame or kill an adult or child if they are provoked Do Not take them lightly! Rabies is a Big concern as well. Lots of packs around my house at least 3 with 8-10in ea.
 
I use a 12 gauge shot gun with the first load of rock salt, next is buck shot then a slug. I never got to the buck shot yet. The rock salt will make them think real hard about comeing to your area again. I try to get a but shot on them seems to be closes to there brain lol.
 
A cyote that isn't afriad of humans is a BIG problem. I wouldn't need any second thoughts to take it out... A good high power rifle is your best bet. If it's close enough to take it out with a shotgun, you got big worries...

When I was in Illinois, any that came onto the farm I was living on was to be shot.. My landlord raised cattle, and had a few tasty calves. I never got a clean shot at one, but I sure did scare quite a few off. ( I had to worry about what direction I was shooting because of other houses in the area.. ) They would get at least one or two every time they were out harvesting the fields..
 
dokblues said:
We have lots of them here in AZ and most of them respect people OK. But we have one Large Lobo ie:(loaner) who is not afraid of anything! I have pelted his rump more than once with the pellet pistol and he still persists. I am not worried for myself so much but there are a lot of ladies mine included who walk their dogs in the early morning before work. If this persists more Drastic measures will have to be taken. They can easily attack and mame or kill an adult or child if they are provoked Do Not take them lightly! Rabies is a Big concern as well. Lots of packs around my house at least 3 with 8-10in ea.
Click to expand...

Heard some howling last night for the first time since I moved here....I live out on the edge of Surprise, almost in the White Tanks so there's plenty of wildlife here..I for one, would have a hard time killing one.
 
I'm in the same boat. As animal people, my wife Kay and I hate to see anything hurt/killed. We have lots of coyotes here in Southern California, and with so many fires in the last few years, the coyotes have come closer into the populated areas. We have 8 dogs, 2 horses & 3 cats, and are scared that one day a coyote will get his way. I hate the idea of having to do this, but I will, in order to save our animals. I don't hunt, or even fish. I don't even kill rats & mice; I catch & relocate if the cats don't take care of it first. We also have been afraid to use sheep and goats for weed abatement, as it's a death sentence for the animals.

For the coyotes (and any other threats to lives of pets & people), keep loaded rifles behind the front and back doors of the house, and we carry long-barrel pistols at all times when out with the dogs beyond the house fence. I also carry a pistol when I'm out riding my dirt bike in the hills, as there was a case of a fallen motorcyclist who was chewed up by a coyote since he was lying with a broken leg. Luckily, we haven't had to take action yet, but it's a matter of when, not if. These coyotes are so brave, and they DON'T CARE if a large human approaches. They just look at you and stand there. Several neighbors' animals have been killed by coyotes in the past year, including a labrador belonging to one of our employees.

I've watched the coyotes at work trying to get the dogs. What they do is they'll send one coyote in, and it will act like it wants to play with the dog. They actually play for awhile, and the coyote slowly lures the dog away, where the rest of the coyote pack is ready to attack.

Charles
 
I no longer hunt, although I did a fair amount of it when I was younger. Coyotes are one animal that really needs to be kept in check and I wouldn't think twice about controlling their population. Especially near populated areas where they are not afraid of people. I am not saying eradicate the whole population, but if coyotes are a problem like described above, a couple of years with people shooting them on site would sure go a long ways to teaching the survivors that they don't want to go anywhere near where people live.

Otherwise, they will not only continue to be a problem and threat to peoples pets and livestock, but people themselves will be at risk, especially children.

Load up boys, sounds like you have an infestation.

I live in the middle of a city of 50,000 and about 6 months ago saw a lone coyote (had mange bad) trotting across a city park (in the middle of town) that has a wooded area nearby. I called animal control and told them about it and they said they would do their best to take care of it. I don't know the results, but I haven't seen it anymore.
 
I agree with killing it in self defence of people/loved pets....But its kinda sad that our never ending encroachment, makes us rationalize that its normal and accepted to do so...the way we expand and eliminate habitat, we will end up with maybe 5 of each animal species and they will eventually live in a city...and be shot.
 
I would try the pellet gun, but keep vigilant. Learn as much as you can about what attracts them, and what tacticts are successful in driving them away. Chances are they are either territorial and/or there is a food source nearby. I love animals and believe its our responsibility to protect them and our environment, but if your life or the life of family member is threatened then you need to do what you have to to protect yourselves. The less scared of people wild animals get, the more dangerous they are to us and as such themselves. Don't leave your dog outside unattended and have whatever you need to keep that coyote away with you and handy at all times.
 
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