Neighborhood coyotes, advice needed!

[PirateGirl]

Shooting guns actually prohibited.......or something you think might be a bad idea?

If legal, and they are brave enough to let you get close enough, your solution is simple. 12 gauge shotgun with #4 buckshot. Effective killing range is 30 to 40 yards, with very limited danger to anything 200 yards or so downrange. If there are only 2 or 3 of them, a competent shooter would get them all the first time.

Actually prohibited within town limits this close to other homes and roads, otherwise, yes, firearms could be an easy fix.

I'm more curious if others have experience in dealing with law enforcement, division of wildlife, animal control, or other such authorities and what these organizations have done, if anything, to help manage interactions between coyotes and people in more populated areas.

 

[happyfrenchman]

Actually prohibited within town limits this close to other homes and roads, otherwise, yes, firearms could be an easy fix.

I'm more curious if others have experience in dealing with law enforcement, division of wildlife, animal control, or other such authorities and what these organizations have done, if anything, to help manage interactions between coyotes and people in more populated areas.

I try to avoid the above mentioned organizations when possible. I am not a criminal, I just have never had an experience with any of them, that actually accomplished anything more than I wound up doing myself. It is not their fault. They have other things to do. But (IME) Law enforcement/Animal control and DNR are generally not going to do much to help you. They will tell you a bunch of things you cannot do though. Which is why I say it is better not to ask.
I suspect since you are in town and the coyotes are wild animals....blah blah blah. Animal Control and LE are not going to be too interested..... DNR... the coyotes are wild and doing their thing...... you would do better to start shooting them or poisoning them yourself. The DNR won't do anything although they might write you a ticket if they see something of yours they don't like. They generally (IME) are not too interested unless something crazy is going on. The good side of this is they generally don't investigate too hard when you take a few of them out yourself and make them disappear.

 

[PirateGirl]

Now I'm wondering if partnering with the local ranchers might be a better approach. They have assets to protect. I have seen the coyotes trying to pick off calves before. Perhaps permission to hunt them on the ranch property that is nearest the houses would get us somewhere. I know often ranchers will pay for a hide...

 

[Howard E]

Depending on how bold these varmints are, there are a few more options. If a person can get close enough to them, or figure out their travel plans, you can set up a blind and wait for them and use a bow and arrow on them. Modern compound bow archery stuff is dead nuts accurate and lethal. Modern crossbows even more so. Probably would have no trouble getting a bow hunter interested. Try the local high school kids. You would have to check if there is an open or closed season on them.

Yet another option is to enlist a trapper.....again, if it legal and there is an open season on them. Downside of that is dogs and pets in urban areas. Most coyote trappers are going to use foothold sets or possibly snares if they have a known travel route through a fence or something. Snares can be set to snare, but not kill, so no danger to dogs, pets and such. They get released. Trapped coyote gets an air rifle pellet to the brain pan.

 

[llombardo]

Actually prohibited within town limits this close to other homes and roads, otherwise, yes, firearms could be an easy fix.

I'm more curious if others have experience in dealing with law enforcement, division of wildlife, animal control, or other such authorities and what these organizations have done, if anything, to help manage interactions between coyotes and people in more populated areas.

Coyotes are everywhere here. They are even in the city of Chicago. They don't trap them, they don't relocate them, they are not to be killed. Many in the city have tracking devices so they can see how far they travel, etc. They educate people how to live with them and that's about it. They warn people to keep cats indoors and not to leave small dogs unattended. There are cases where they Attack bigger dogs or a group of dogs, a female coyote will also bait a dog to follow her to other waiting coyotes.

 

[tigger19687]

Another reason to get your Damn dog fixed !

and or keep it contained

 

[PirateGirl]

Recent update: its probably been 5 days or more since they have been around, so looks as if they have moved on. We did take a walk with the shovel and my dogs and disturbed every potential den site we could find in hopes that it might make them think this is not a safe spot to stay. Whether or not this works I don't know, but the dogs needed exercise and I needed to feel like I was doing something.

 

[Molpet]

By me they have a circuit...5-10 days before they visit again... unless they have a den close

 

[mountain chicken]

run a few snare traps catch one or 2 they will choke on the snare
leave them on the snare a week or so . the coyotes will move on after seeing the carcasses of there fellow pack members ,

electric fence also works nice if the fence has a good jule rating zap those buggers on their buts , they wont be back

 

[cluckaluck]

Coyotes are a fact of life on our Texas ranch. They will kill newborn calves, dogs, chickens. You name it. We have had some success with the red blinking solar lights on the chicken coops. Theoretically the coyote thinks it is seeing the eyes of another predator. It doesn't seem to deter possums or raccoons though.