Coyote and air rifle question

[JackieK318]

So, I come home around 11 from the store and I see Black Hen and Rhody run up all "bawk bawk" and upright. The guineas are in the clearing sounding the alarm. I walk down with bags in hand to see a coyote. I start yelling and running after it while looking 'big'.

It ran off, but I am wanting to get an air gun. This way I may be able to scare the beast away without having to smush the bread next time. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[SisterFlash]

Quote:
Coyotes will actually act puppy like and playful to suck a dog in...then the pack decends. Like you said gang up. Seen this about to start on a friends dog and we were able to interrupt it by running over the coyotes with our horses.

Also I have heard will use a female in heat - have not seen that one. So is it true?

As for climbing fences I was told by a wildlife services (USDA) that a ranch in TX has 9 ft fences around a game hunting ranch and they put coyote traps on the fences and they have caught coyotes climbing the fence to get over other got caught in the traps. That just shocked me but I have seen many a golden retreiver climb a chain link fence so I guess it is possible.

There is a reason the coyote was known as the trickester.

Also on shooting better be sure you ID the animal and it is not an endangered species. Their are people that have been told by game and fish they shot a coyote only to later find out out is was a wolf....now big fines and charges (maybe even jail).

Here in NM and Az the wolves look like coyotes and commonly have not only bred with dogs (documented by FWS) but also with coyotes (all you have to do is look at them to know). In the north wolves have also bred with coyotes (published scientific studies and newspaper) and now FWS wants to protect these hybrids with your tax dollars. So since the law is if it is endangered you better know the rules you are working under so you do not go to jail. Often times it has to be your life threatened or a childs before you can act or you cannot do anything legally in many states to protect your livestock, poultry or pets on private property or on public lands.

Here poultry are a free kill for wolves even on your private land. Dogs are a free kill even on the leash. All other pets are a free kill. Other livestock may or may not be a free kill. You can only protect your livestock when the wolf is in the act of biting or grasping the animal. I asked a FWS official if he could make that shot...he said no. Wolves can kill as many animals as they want in a 24 hour peroid and that is considered 1 strike if you get the strike.

so here if it looks like a wolf/coyote we do not shoot. We pray, lock our pets up and horses and hope these hybrids (what ever us tax payers paid for and the zoos bred and cage raised for release)...leave our yard and go some where else. I have never felt so threatened and helpless in my life.

As this program is expanded all the states in the area will be effected and soon you will also worry when it comes to shooting a coyote/hybrid/wolf something...will you go to jail?

otherwise gila_dog good info as I am just learning about guns. Good safety tips. I do find it hard to be staring at a predator and stay calm though....really gets the blood pumping. During my lion encounters and two bears I still had that ...Oh My thats a .... and it can jump this far or run this fast oh and it will eat me. so a little voice runs through my brain and says stay calm while the rest of me is freaking out.

I am not sure I could hit anything but I want to be sure not to hit anything else not intended.

Thanks BTW gila dog I do live in the Gila

...not in the wilderness but a nice populated community. My neighbours have chickens, pea fowl, and ducks along with other livestock...all are locked up. I keep my horses locked up at night and when there is an animal to worry about during the day. I am hoping the chicken fortress I am building will be good enough.

Just seams like to me so many people are all into predators wolves, jaguars, grizzles...what about the prey species like deer and elk? What about beautiful chickens? I am glad this group knows what a predator is all about.

Barb

BTW in Phoenix coyotes were getting bold and picking dogs off leashes while the owners were walking them. In NJ coyotes this spring/summer attacked children 2 or 3 times in Middletown which is very urban surbia. Coyotes are dispersing an populating places they never were. Yet NM Game and Fish officials tell me wolves are safe.

 

[Ang]

I don't know about Missouri, but it is coyote season in Illinois right now.

 

[Katy]

I don't think an air rifle will have much effect on him. A 22 will help tho.

 

[Smitty's Farm]

Jackie: Hey! Sorry about the Coyote issue. Whew! That is really scarry! I agree w/ Katy about using a 22 or maybe even a BB gun. Be careful, b/c I bet they will be back. I hear them occassionally in the woods behind our house at night, but haven't seen one in the yard during the day yet. So glad that they all all safe.

PS. I sent you a PM


Ang: Where in Illinois do you live?

 

[Ang]

Smitty's Farm :

Jackie: Hey! Sorry about the Coyote issue. Whew! That is really scarry! I agree w/ Katy about using a 22 or maybe even a BB gun. Be careful, b/c I bet they will be back. I hear them occassionally in the woods behind our house at night, but haven't seen one in the yard during the day yet. So glad that they all all safe.

PS. I sent you a PM


Ang: Where in Illinois do you live?

I live in Hancock county about 35 miles north of Quincy.​

 

[HobbyChickener]

you are wasteing your time with an air rifle - BB gun. If it knows your birds are there he will be back. The rule for that on my farm is S - S - S Good Luck

 

[JackieK318]

Hubby has a 22, but I doubt my neighbors would appreciate it. Besides, I would just die if I killed it. I hear the pack behind my house, either that or big cats. We have four wooded acres and one of my huskies has taken off looking for the coyotes recently. She's so bad about them that I can't even let her off the leash (New Year's Eve morning I had to chase her down the valley behind the house and hike back up dragging/carrying a 55 pound dog - we wound up 1/4 a mile down the road from the house and I had an asthma attack I was running so fast. To make it worse, I was wearing my violet pj pants with fairies and penny loafers. Thank goodness it was 6:30 am on a holiday! At least I found their den though.)

We also have a BB gun, but hubby wasn't sure which would be better.

The funny thing - I never ever had any desire to shoot a gun (terrified of them) until I saw that coyote. He could have eaten my last 5 chickens! Geesh!

 

[Ang]

The 22 will be the best deterrent. I didn't want to kill the fox that were around our property this summer and then they ate all but 3 of my chickens.

 

[JackieK318]

I have neighbors nearby though. Six of them are really close. Wouldn't a gunshot be, well, obnoxiously noisy in a suburban setting. I suppose someone has come in my yard with a gun before...I just don't want to be a nut like him!