coyotes?

[threehorses]

Quote:
If you do this, do NOT buy regular chicken wire. They'll just go right through it. You're going to want to get welded wire (and they can still break it if they want to badly enough). You'll have to bury the wire under the ground going out away from the inside of the pen by about a foot. If you go straight down, they can still dig under. You can alternately use a very heavy board at the bottom and watch for digging, or put electric wire at that board on the outside.

I'm sorry to hear about your coyotes. We're getting them here, too - in the city nonetheless - a pack in our neighborhood because they made a subdivision out of the large pastureland where the coyotes roamed. Thankfully I have barbed wire strands on top of most all of my 6' tall chain link. But I think i need to go back and make good and sure it's all intact.

As good news, if you really do a good job of your pen, you'll not have as many worries about raccoons.

 

[Livinzoo]

I thought I had a fox problem because we have had some free range roos disappear. But now I don't think it a fox because whatever it is dug up my dead goat and dragged it off. Gotta be a coyote. Thankfully we will have some leg hold traps put in and the problem taken care of.

 

[AkTomboy]

I vote .17hmr for your hubbys fathers day gift. They are great coyote guns if you are a good shot. If not go for the shotgun 12 g with 00 buckshot. With the double ott it will kill them in one shot and you wont have much left of them. Up here we sell hides so that is a factor for us. I myself like my .17 one shot, one kill much less noise and you dont have to worry about where the other bb's go like you do with a shot gun. Make sure you know your limits if you have any like I said befor Alaska is much different than the lower 48. Also lone coyotes are rare they are a pack animal just not as tight of a pack as wolves. With it being spring they are going to be having to feed pups as well so that will make them be bolder. I would set up a few nights and clean up your area. Also watch your dogs they will "play" with them to get them out of the yard and then jump them with others and you have now lost your dogs. Just my thoughts hope it helps some. ~

PS ~ or you can get an LGD such as a pyr, akbash and so on. They wont help the problem right this second but once they grow up with your flock you wont have to worry about a stray, coyote again with them around

 

[nnbreeder]

Like the bumper sticker says " Eat More Chicken, 50 million Coyotes can't be wrong"

It's a problem but not so if you do a little work. My main fencing on our run is cattle panels. 16 feet long 52 inches high and stout wire welded at all joints. The 4x4 openings in the panels won't stop smaller critters so you use a secondary wire. preferably a good quality 2x2 sq opening woven wire that is held in place by hog rings or something similar.

Depending on what other type of critters you have in the area you may want to go even smaller on the secondary wire openings.

Welcome to the country.

 

[archerobx]

if your in western Pa, would be more then happy to help with your yotes

 

[hendrix25]

Depending on where you are, you could possibly contact your local animal control. They might be willing to set up some live cages and trap the coyotes and remove them. Also, depending on your area and laws in your area, once you trap a coyote, it may have to be put down. Personally, I'm not sure why anyone would want to "relocate" a coyote, unless its being relocated into the ground. Animal Control should assist you for free, bc it's a government provide resource.

Here's an idea: take some left over bacon/meat grease and a piece of styrofoam, pour the grease into the styrofoam. Set the styrofoam out right at dusk and find you a good hiding place, and make sure you can get a good "shot" when they come in. You could even park you vehicle close enough and sit in it and wait. But make sure the vehicle is turned off. (It's illegal to hunt from a running vehicle. have the vehicle positioned at the styrofoam so that the lights will hit it when turned on. (only turn the lights on when you think there are coyotes at the foam. you will be able to hear them) then SHOOT!!! Anyway you can lure them in will work. But coyotes are very skittish animals and will run if they fear they are being watched. You have to be quite and still or they won't come in. You can also use calls to lure them in.

If you do choose to shoot them, make sure you are abiding by your local DNR hunting regulations, because you don't want to have your local DNR officers (Game Warden) on your back. There are hunting laws and regulations for every state and usually all types of wildlife. Just Google, your state + dnr, (ex: GA DNR.) Coyotes CAN fall into the "predator and pest" field and can be shot at any time, but if you do you need to this you may have to have proof that they have actually caused harm to your livestock. Just make sure you are legal before you start shooting.

Let us know what you end up doing. I'm sure if you were to post an ad on craigslist, offering free hunting for coyotes you would get several ppl who would help you out. Coyotes live in packs, so when you see one, always know there's more near by.

 

[mener6896]

wow, I love all the replies!! Last year I called DNR, they told us we are allowed to shoot them, especially since it is on our own property and we are out in the country. These coyotes are totally not skittish, we have seen them out early morning also at dusk. They have even been up close to the house by our basketball goal...I'm afraid for my boys and our lab, totally NOT a LGD!! She will bark at them, but only runs after them if we come out to see them. She gets skeered!!

We live on 8 acres of woods that used to be filled with deer, until the coyotes moved in. There is also about an 80-90 acre "field" that is now a gravel pit behind our house, so they are running closer to the house/woods with the digging going on.

My hubby has been wanting a good excuse for a new gun

We were planning a welded wire fence to use for the run. It's what we also used for the garden...I'm just hoping they don't try to get my hens!!

 

[hendrix25]

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WOW you do have a problem, if they are getting that comfortable. Have you ever thought about owning a gun yourself? Heck everyone in your house should have one and know how to use it, in case any of you see a coyote. That's good that you are allowed to shoot them whenever. I said that bc I didn't want you to possibly get in trouble.

And they will try to get your hens, depending on how good you have them secure is whether or not they will actually get them or not. GOOD LUCK!!!! Have you ever thought about getting another dog? Possibly Great Pyrenees. They are really good LGDs.

 

[antlers]

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They will get skittish FAST once you start shooting at them. REAL Fast.

 

[archerobx]

17 hmr is to small for yotes, in my opinion. 22-250 or .222 are better. If hubby is going to start hunting I like a combo gun, shotgun and riffle, alittle heavier and only got one shot of each, which is what you usually get anyway.