My Mouse/Rodent Controller

[Tororider]

Just another reason to have a pistol on your hip. Only if the fox shows signs of being rabid, but anytime for the coyote.

 

[RichZ]

It's very foolish to shoot coyotes unless you're having problems with them. If you have a pack of coyotes on your property, and they aren't hurting your livestock or pets, the smart thing to do is leave them alone. If you kill or drive away the pack, another pack will move in, and that pack may be much more agressive. Coyotes main diet is rodents, and they can be extremely beneficial, as are foxes.

I have a pack of coyotes that hang out in the upper part of one of my pastures. One night one of my neighbors was taking potshots at them, as they moved onto his property. I explained this to him why he shouldn't do that, and he agreed to stop. I'm a wildlife biologist, and he knows that, so he did pay attention.

 

[jayste]

I don't know about that, in some cases maybe. As another poster stated, Coyotes around here are bad. They will stop and look at you, your truck, tractor ... this summer in one of my hayfields a Coyote was intent on coming out and enjoying the feast ... the cutter, the tractor nothing seemed to change his mind. Lucky for him I was unarmed....

I've had this happen numerous times. I used to work for a fellow that had a lot of bottom land he farmed. It was nothing to be out plowing, cutting, whatever and have a rabbit come busting out of the brush with a coyote right on his tail running right towards me and the tractor. Kind of fun to watch.

Jay

 

[keegs]

On the last trip up to Maine we heard coyotes after dark almost every night. Our dog didn't seem to pay any mind to their howls which we thought was unusual.

It usually doesn't take much to get him howling

 

[NSBound]

On the last trip up to Maine we heard coyotes after dark almost every night. Our dog didn't seem to pay any mind to their howls which we thought was unusual.

It usually doesn't take much to get him howling

He probably thought it best to just mind his own business!

 

[Travelover]

I've had this happen numerous times. I used to work for a fellow that had a lot of bottom land he farmed. It was nothing to be out plowing, cutting, whatever and have a rabbit come busting out of the brush with a coyote right on his tail running right towards me and the tractor. Kind of fun to watch.

Jay

I'm glad to see you post this. When I was a kid it seems like the first instinct of adults (and kids) was to kill anything - snakes, turtles, frogs, hawks, owls, raccoons, 'possums, etc. I know that sometimes it is necessary, but I've learned to give 'em the benefit of the doubt.

 

[woodchuckcanuck]

...Coyotes main diet is rodents, and they can be extremely beneficial,...

ummm...yeah, maybe. Try and tell that to any dairy or cattle farmer in these parts and you'll be in for a rowdy discussion.

 

[RichZ]

WCC, I AM a dairy farmer, a goat dairy farmer, and my goats are smaller, and much easier for coyotes to go after, but they never have. I do have guard llamas, but the llamas are really for neighbor's dogs, which are a much bigger threat. I live in a dairy farming area, mostly cow dairies, and most of my neighbors agree with me, we have a healthy respect for our coyotes. They are great at controlling rodents, especially woodchucks. My one neighbor who was taking potshots at them is not a farmer, but he's learned and now leaves them alone.

 

[woodchuckcanuck]

WCC, I AM a dairy farmer, a goat dairy farmer, and my goats are smaller, and much easier for coyotes to go after, but they never have. I do have guard llamas, but the llamas are really for neighbor's dogs, which are a much bigger threat. I live in a diary farming area, mostly cow dairies, and most of my neighbors agree with me, we have a healthy respect for our coyotes. They are great at controlling rodents, especially woodchucks. My one neighbor who was taking potshots at them is not a farmer, but he's learned and now leaves them alone.

I'm not looking to step on anyone's toes here. I'm just saying that in this rural neck of the woods, coyotes are more of a threat. People don't even go for walks in the woods anymore. FYI, its the farmers who do the culling around here.

 

[RichZ]

WCC, we can agree to disagree, but I live in a VERY rural area as well. Coyotes normally stay clear of people, but there are always exceptions. Around here, most people hear them but rarely see them.