Coyotes getting worrisome

[JRobyn]

We've always had some coyotes around here. As years go by and the available food sources for them wax and wane, so does their population. But with several dogs and donkeys around, they have almost never been seen right up by our "populated" area and only heard once in a while. We live in a severe "ridge and hollow" terrain, and in the past, they seemed to stay mostly down in the hollows and den up in little cavelets in the steep hollow banks.

Something in the last couple of weeks has really altered their behavior! Last night was to the point of scary. Starting right at dusk, I heard a number of them moving through the dry leaves just behind (~10 yards) the house. Closely followed by barking/howling/screaming sessions all around our house and the in-laws place about 100 yds away. They would go off every 30 minutes or so. Sounded like somewhere between 3 and maybe 6 individuals. It seemed like they circled all around our little "development" of about 20 acres doing their celebrating. Finally quit at about 0330, at least the last I heard (and our dogs went off), right behind the house again.

I'm good with letting nature take it's course for most things, leaving the predators be, and taking necessary precautions, but these guys are just getting too close and too bold for comfort! Wife's rescue dog really likes to not have to be on leash for pee breaks, but that ain't happening since she also enjoys tearing off into the woods on any and all scent trails. There's been increased scat sightings in the road, but so far, their activity has been exclusively nocturnal, and I don't have a night-vision scope. May have to invest in one.

 

[rekees4300]

Unlikely you need to be worried about human safety but pets are another matter. A tactic they use is to have one coyote lure a dog to chase it then the whole pack will attack/kill the dog. They are very smart, they would understand a few shotgun blasts when they get near your house and steer clear after that.

 

[roadhunter]

Be glad you don't live in an area with lions. They are 1,000x worse than a coyote.

Might be a good plan to trap or hunt them this winter. Calling coyotes is lots of fun, especially at night as they are much more aggressive.

 

[ovrszd]

Unlikely you need to be worried about human safety but pets are another matter. A tactic they use is to have one coyote lure a dog to chase it then the whole pack will attack/kill the dog. They are very smart, they would understand a few shotgun blasts when they get near your house and steer clear after that.

Yep. You need to be the "Crazy" one in the fight. They'll move on.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Coyotes getting worrisome

We have coyotes around here, but I never noticed them getting worried about anything. lol

SR

 

[k0ua]

I have had pretty good luck when they get thick in my valley with a half a mag out of the AR15. it seems to really put a crimp in their style and boldness. They go and stay gone for a long time.

 

[teg]

This is not mine, friend killed this... we have a pack that swings by and gets too close for comfort...

View attachment 487404

 

[Rustyiron]

2 got trapped this past week here in my place. Both an older/larger male & female. The male was missing part of his front paw. My trapper friend said it's likely that he lost that in a trap to frostbite last year, slow learner.

 

[PJSprog]

We have some in the woods across the road to the west, and others in the woods behind us to the east. Yipping usually commences at dusk every evening. They are not typically a problem here, but I do find tracks into the open side of our barn from time to time, especially in the winter snow. I'm OK with that, as they come no closer to the house (it's 75 yards out), and I know they're after the groundhogs. I did have one incident last winter where I went out after dark to retrieve the trash can and heard growling from the woods across the road. Never went out after that without a flashlight and my carry revolver. Even my wife said, "Well, you dummy, you know there are 'yotes over there."

 

[nybirdman]

We have been living with/around coyotes for about 40 years.Pretty wily and harmless to humans.Yes they may follow you out of the woods at night.Small pets,chickens ect.need to have good protection.
The local hound hunters take about 50 a year out of maybe 10sq.miles and doesn't seem to make much difference in their numbers.