Fearless coyotes

[nautical_bouy]

I've seen animals do many strange things,, yesterday evening about 6PM totally amazed me..

I'm sitting on the porch watching the kids and chickens play,,I look down the drive way, there is a coyote 50 yards away,, in the wide open atleast 40 yards from the woods or any cover, if thats not bold enough,,,,

This thing was hopping side to side like a puppy waiting for someone to toss him a ball.

It paid no attention to me when I got up, walked 15' towards him to the door and grabbed my 10 Ga.

Or when I yelled at the kids to hold their ears.

He was in good shape, nice pelt, about 30 lbs. the only thing I could see wrong with him was the seven OO holes in him.

Then I got the backhoe and burried it with the rest of the unwanteds.

Is it my imagination or did I watch my kids and birds being stalked????

 

[s6bee]

Being 30 lbs I would say it was not a pup but still possibly young.
We are having Coyote problems where we board our horses and they are getting too close for comfort. There is a small farm next door raising goats, sheep, chickens and cows. I'm sure they are heading for that but we have barn cats too and those are on the dinner menu I'm sure.
The owner is now shooting them, but has seen a Mom with 3 pups playing like any other dog, he hated to do it but he did get some of them the other day. He's never done anything like it, but there is evidence that they are up at the barn so if they just kept thier distance it wouldn't come to this.

I can't say they would hunt your kids, but they may watch. I guess it depends on the size/age of your children. They are typically scared of you first. The chickens are another story. That's an easy hunt for them.

We did this for deer around our garden growing up but I thought I read you can do it for Coyotes too. Urinate around the perimter of the coop or area you want them out of. It marks your territory. It's worth a shot.

 

[Miltonchix]

That is bizarre behavior. Almost sounds like he wanted to join the play rather that stalking. Some FOOLS have tried to domesticate coyotes. Maybe this was one that escaped (like any dog) and was out exploring. How was the smell? Did it smell shampooed or have evidence of flea powders or such?

One shot = one kill

s6bee--- A coyote will without a doubt attack a human. Especially when there are more than one coyote present. I personnaly know 2 people who were lucky to have had some protection when it happened to them. I know of another incident where a young sailor was walking home from McDonalds with a bunch of food for his buddies. He was surrounded by a pack and only escaped by surrendering his burgers.

 

[greyhorsewoman]

I don't think you can 'domesticate' a wild species, coyotes included. The coyote population has grown exponentially in the last 30 years in the northeast. There are now annually sponsored coyote hunts by the PA Game Commission. They have quickly become a nuisance, because of their ability to adapt to the more populated areas, as well as rural.

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=458&q=150783

http://www.whitetails.com/articles_news/articles_article.cfm?contentid=101

 

[Guitartists]

Well, you can't... but it doesn't stop people from trying

My Uncle had a coyote mix pup once... was a biter and REAL skittish.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I would have have got the gun too! I was wishing I could get to ours one morning this last winter when they were playing in the yard within 2 feet of our door. Unfortunately the guns were in the house and I was doing chores out to the barn. We did scare them off though and didn't see them back in that close again. The only good thing about it was the fact that if the coyotes were around then the wolves were not likely to be!

 

[bustnova]

There is a coyote problem at the ranch where I board my horses and my chickens. There were about 25 free range hens and 3 roosters until about a week ago. They were eaten by the coyotes. There were prints all over back there where they roosted. My chickens are enclosed in a chicken coop to prevent them from becoming dinner. My horses keep them out of my pasture, which helps.

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
What you watched is common coyote behaviour when they have gotten used to people throwing food to them. We have had that problem around here.

 

[Finn]

If a wild PREDATOR is that far out of cover in daylight and the kids playing (noisy I assume) and your motions didn't startle it or scare it away,I'd have shot the thing myself...it reminds me of signs at a Barstow California truckstop I was at years ago that stated "Do not turn your back on coyotes/foxs they will attack"... apparently they're getting braver and losing their fear of us.

 

[mmajw]

What good quick thinking. Good Job.