The coyotes here aren't afraid of people! *Big rant and questions*

[Mellykins]

Quote:
My DH and I are the same way. If something is in our yard that will hurt us, our children or animals, they will be shot on sight. I don't like to kill any animal but any animal that can harm a person or pets or livestock must be dealt with before it really causes havok.

 

[PhilErvin]

Coyote Population


The Alberta Government and the Alberta Forest Service were
presenting an alternative to Alberta ranchers for controlling the
coyote population. It seems that after years of the ranchers using the
tried and true methods of shooting and/or trapping the predators, the
tree-huggers had a 'more humane' solution.
What they proposed was for the animals to be captured alive, the males
would then be castrated and let loose again. Therefore the population
would be controlled. This was ACTUALLY proposed to the Alberta
Ranching Association and Farming Association by the Alberta
Government and the Alberta Forest Service.
All of the ranchers thought about this amazing idea for a couple of
minutes. Finally, one of the old boys in the back of the conference
room stood up, tipped his hat back and said, 'Son, I don't think you
understand our problem.
Those coyotes aint screwin' our sheep - they're eatin' 'em!'
You should have been there to hear the roar of laughter!

 

[la dee da]

Quote:

 

[Yardbirds286]

 

[dacjohns]

A couple of things.

#1. It probably is legal to shoot or trap coyotes where you live but it is best to check.

#2. Hardware cloth is not magic. I have seen domestic dogs tear apart hardware cloth. A layered defense is best. Welded wire fencing or chain link fencing in combination with hardware cloth is an example.

 

[Dogfish]

Build a strong coop, 2x4 wire backed up with hardware cloth, and an electric fence.

I shoot 60+ coyotes a year in the area around where I live out to a radius of 20 miles. Some years are better than others. This year a few less. The reason the coyotes in your area aren't afraid of you is that you haven't shot any yet. Change that.

This next part is a bit gruesome, but I'll leave the carcass at the edge of the properties where we don't want coyotes, and after finding a few of their buddies there, they will usually stay away. Usually.

 

[Kittymomma]

I'm with Dogfish--The holy trinity of hardware cloth, electric fence (3-strands is great) and fire power should get your 'yote problem under control. I'm sorry for all your recent losses. They'll figure out that they should hide from you pretty quick after you introduce them to the shotgun so don't go thinking that they're all gone just because you don't see them very much anymore. Best of luck.

 

[Dogfish]

Kitty Momma, I'm just a few miles west of you, McCleary.

 

[Kittymomma]

Then maybe I should say thank you! The coyote population went crazy in 07 and 08, but has dropped by quite a lot the last two years

I helped them, but nothing close to 60 in a year. We're about 1/2 way between Oly and McCleary across from Capital Forest.

 

[calista]

Has anyone successfully used this approach? (Yes, I know rain would wash it away and it would have to be re-applied.)

http://predatorpee.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/how-to-keep-coyotes-out-of-your-yard/

Thousands of coyotes now roam suburban and urban yards and neighborhoods across America. News reports about coyote attacks on pets and other small animals are becoming more common. People are struggling to find ways of keeping them away. One completely natural, yet innovative solution is the use of wolf urine to repel coyotes. Wolves are one of the few natural predators of coyotes and can compete for hunting habitat. According to the Wikipedia article Coyote: Interspecific predatory relationships, wolves are one of the few natural predators of coyotes and can compete for hunting habitat.

“The gray wolf is a significant predator of coyotes wherever their ranges overlap. Since the Yellowstone Gray Wolf Reintroduction in 1995 and 1996, the local coyote population went through a dramatic restructuring. Until the wolves returned, Yellowstone National Park had one of the densest and most stable coyote populations in America due to a lack of human impacts. Two years after the wolf reintroductions, the pre-wolf population of coyotes had been reduced 50% through both competitive exclusion and predation. In Grand Teton, coyote densities were 33% lower than normal in the areas where they coexisted with wolves, and 39% lower in the areas of Yellowstone where wolves were reintroduced.”

When coyotes believe wolves are in an area, they will move to a less hazardous habitat. By applying wolf urine around the perimeter of a yard, the homeowner can create the impression that wolves are nearby. The scent of urine is one of the primary ways an animal is warned of the presence of a predator and the smell of the wolf urine tells coyotes that this area could be a dangerous place. The coyote’s instincts kick in and they move to a new territory. In addition an added advantage to using wolf urine is that it is completely natural and safe to use around pets.

Might be a solution (pardon the pun) for those that live in less rainy areas than Dogfish, Kittymomma, and I do (north of Bucoda).