I just shot my first Coyote! 10pm

[katiek]

This morning, I came out to see my chickens and found nothing but feathers and my missing rooster. Our one and only prized rooster....gone.

I was determined that I was going to get revenge.

Tonight, boyfriend and I staked out in the chicken coop, and we had a little party sounder thing from a bday party. I made little distress calls, and sure enough after some patience three to five coyotes came prowling.

Boyfriend was being patient, but I waited only until one got close enough, and with my 410 shotgun, I shot one of the coyotes.

Sure enough, I got it. We found blood, and I saw is wriggling for a while.

But it got up and ran away.

I've never shot, much less killed anything before. I'm starting to feel guilty that A) I shot and maybe killed it B) maybe I injured it bad enough and it's somewhere suffering instead of a humane death.

I know they will be back. There were tons of them, and they knew exactly where to come.

Please console me BYC friends.

 

[speckledhen]

Ga is overrun with coyotes. Good job! Sorry about your rooster, though.

 

[CityClucks]

So sorry about your rooster, and I'm sorry if the coyote suffers, but kudos to you for taking the steps you deem necessary to protect your flock. You are right - they'll be back. Glad to know you're ready with your trusty shotgun.

 

[EllyMae]

They are coming out in broad daylight around here...twice I've seen them and thank goodness my dog Diesel heads them off. He HATES them with a passion.
I understand the guilt feeling...it just shows that you have a conscience and a good heart. Just remember that you sometimes gotta do what ya gotta do to protect the homestead.

 

[briana1975]

Wow. Start target practicing during the day if you can. Get better, but I wouldn't think twice about shooting one again. If there is that many and they know where to come for dinner they will be back. Look into tree stand maybe. Or contact someone who likes to hunt them and let them sit out and wait. But I would be ready.

 

[Omran]

Thank you for killing him, I wait all the time to find tem, but they never show up.

Omran

 

[EngieKisses]

Congrats that you could shoot it. Sorry about the guilt though, its only natural for someone with a good heart to feel guilty.

 

[Judy]

Quote:

 

[redhen]

...ooh gosh, this is hard for me because..I want to say SO badly, good job! (because i also want to get rid of my coys here..and i wish i knew a hunter to come kill them for me..) BUT.. i still am SO sensitive to shooting an animal and not getting a clean/clear kill shot!...know what i mean? thats the only thing that bothers me..i just cant stand to think of an animal suffering and lingering in pain...even if it is a coyote...i think if we kill a predator it still deserves the respect of a quick kill..not a lingering painful death....but..thats just my opinion....thanks for doing so much to protect your flock! they are lucky to have you!

 

[wanda047]

This morning while sitting under a cedar tree with my 11 year old daughter, (we were turkey hunting) I made a few hen calls and what do you know.... a coyote came a runnin'. I didn't get a shot at him, but would have if he'd gotten closer.

Coyotes are natural predators and don't have a conscious when it comes to killing your pets or young farm animals. Alone- they are cowards, but when in a pack, as you described, they can be real trouble and have been known to even attack children.

Several years ago while camping with my family, our campsite was surrounded by yelping coyotes sometime after midnight. We couldn't figure out what had lured them into our camp area until we remembered that we had brought our minature pomeranian with us. She was sleeping in our daughter's tent and apparently they smelled her. Luckily we always carry a gun and my husband scared them away. It was a sleepless night.

Don't beat yourself up over shooting a coyote. You should be commended!

They have their place in the food chain... but not in our chicken coops!!