Coyotes getting worrisome

[DieselBound]

Also forgot to mention that deer hunting season also tends to push around animals (coyotes shifting around due to deer being displaced). I've never really found any signs of fresh deer kill, though I have found feathers from some of my fowl

 

[roadhunter]

roadhunter - I know for sure there are at least four packs within a half-mile to mile of my house. I can hear them talking back & forth to each other. No idea how many may be in a pack. Some times it sounds like dozens but I would guess, probably, four - maybe as many as 6 or 7.

In the next few years following the loss of my Lab, Tok ( Toklat Charlies Inkspot) I would shoot at them as they traveled along the high rock bluffs around my little lake. I make sure to do this at least once a year. They stay away during the day now - but as I indicated, there is no question, coyotes rule the night.

In all the years I've shot at them, 34 now, I think I may have winged one. One must remember a coyote is like a hot dog wearing a big fur coat.

Besides - from my porch - across my little lake - to the rock bluffs - is a 200 to 300 yard shot and I'm only using a 22 rifle.

My avatar is a shot off my front porch - across the little lake.

How many were in the pack that you watched kill your dog?

Sounds like you need to invest in a new rifle and start removing a few of them each year.

It always sounds like there are packs of coyotes when they start yapping at night but coyotes are not like wolves in that sense. Like I said I've often heard what sounded like large groups but never seen more than a couple traveling together.

I get the feeling that the fear many on this site have for coyotes comes from thinking they are like wolves. Wolves are much more dangerous than coyotes and wolves actually do travel and hunt in large packs. I've had a few encounters and it makes the hair on my arms stand on end each time. When I see coyotes I just want to shot them, but I do not fear them in any way.

 

[dmccarty]

...
It always sounds like there are packs of coyotes when they start yapping at night but coyotes are not like wolves in that sense. Like I said I've often heard what sounded like large groups but never seen more than a couple traveling together...

In my definition, a pack is more than one critter. We have heard on multiple occasions more than two coyotes yelping in the backyard within feet of the house. There was so much yelping that there had to be more than two. We hear them singing as a group farther off in the distance. You can hear one group start, say to the east, and then another group to the west will start up. Multiple "voices" in each group and I have heard as many as four groups.

One night, I heard a pack, at least two to three coyotes, running a deer near the house. The deer was circling and trying to throw them off it's scent. I grabbed a pistol and a mag light and went out to a trail intersection that was part of the "race track" to see if I could see the deer and coyotes. The deer somehow knew I was there and went on another trail and the coyotes followed as bambi headed west. Not sure exactly how many coyotes were running that deer but it was two or more, which to me, is a pack.

Later,
Dan

 

[DaveNJ]

Believe it or not we even have coyotes here in new jersey. I live near a large tract of preserved forest and farmland and we hear them all the time but never see them although one was recently killed by a car. There is speculation that many of the east coast coyotes may actually be "coywolves or coydogs" These breeding hybrids tend to be larger and be more likely to engage in pack behavior than the usual more solitary coyote behavior.

 

[ovrszd]

Interesting to hear different people's perception of the Coyotes around their areas. A person needs to use patient logic before speaking about this. Several comments that have been made absolutely don't hold up under scrutiny.

Coyotes, like all wild carnivorous animals must kill to survive. They very cleverly weigh the cost versus reward. They must be successful at this calculation or they die.

If we had to live like that the human population would be thinned dramatically.

 

[DieselBound]

Interesting to hear different people's perception of the Coyotes around their areas. A person needs to use patient logic before speaking about this. Several comments that have been made absolutely don't hold up under scrutiny.

Coyotes, like all wild carnivorous animals must kill to survive. They very cleverly weigh the cost versus reward. They must be successful at this calculation or they die.

If we had to live like that the human population would be thinned dramatically.

Absolutely!

This is why my dog has an advantage: she's well-fed and in excellent shape- she can afford to spend lots of energy just on a chase, whereas coyotes (and other wild animals) really need a jackpot at the end of that energy expenditure.

I don't go looking to track down and kill any wild animals (other than freaking rats and mice!). My losses to coyotes are pretty low: until I put up netting over my Run for my ducks and geese I was getting more losses from aerial predation (duck kills).

 

[oosik]

The pack that took my lab had three, maybe four. It was hard to tell - except for the one carrying the carcass - they split up like a star burst and ran in all directions. Your experiences are much like mine road hunter - I think the biggest "grouping" I've ever seen in the daytime is three, maybe four. Nighttime - who knows.

 

[SandburRanch]

I have fun playing games with my coyotes. To my knowledge none are boy or girl scouts and know how to un-tie a Clove Hitch knot, but at least one sure knew where to chew the rope so he/she could drag the front of a deer carcass to a safer place to dine.

 

[roadhunter]

My neighbor told me that one day he saw a coyote chasing an antelope and started watching. Apparently the antelope was trying to get the coyote away from a fawn so it would run up to the coyote within a few feet and then let the coyote chase it. He said this went on for about 45 minutes before the coyote moved on after being completely worn out by the antelope. Coyotes might be fast but they ain't catching an adult antelope (2nd fastest land mammal).

 

[Jaiberd]

I live midstate il. I raise chickens and let them free range during the day. Ordinarily I do lose about 5 per year to various predators, but this year we've lost close to 30. Coyote pack is very brave and will come any hour of the day or night. I have been able to shoot 4 so far this year. They are very quick when I come flying out of the house. We have skunks, coons, minks, and large birds that love our house. It's a constant struggle to keep my girls alive.