Wyoming Sheep Rancher Says Coyotes Guard His Flock, As Does Eagle-Stomping Ewe

[CowboyRam]

This is an interesting read, what are your thoughts.

Wyoming Sheep Rancher Says Coyotes Guard His Flock, As Does Eagle-Stomping Ewe

A Riverton, Wyoming, sheep rancher said he stopped randomly shooting coyotes after some of them became “guard coyotes” for his sheep herd, which included an eagle-stomping ewe.

cowboystatedaily.com

 

[farmerjan]

I totally believe it. We had a big coyote that showed up at the farm not long after we lost 2 calves. Thought it was him but the cows acted like it was no big deal to see him around. The rabbit population greatly decreased so okay, let him alone. 3 years with no loses and we would see him occasionally in the field with the cows. Then he was shot and we could identify him (had some odd coloring on one shoulder) when the guy was showing him off... he was not on our place when he was shot... and within a couple months, a young pair moved in and we started losing a few chickens and then a day old calf was torn open. A few days later we WATCHED a pair of coyotes harassing a cow with a new calf , didn't have a gun as we were feeding.... and were able to scare them off. Then he found 2 dead lambs that were a month old... and he got friends in with night scopes and they killed a pair one night and then 2 more big males a week later.
I truly believe the lone coyote was a deterrent and once he was gone, the balance changed.

Have had several other farmers around here tell similar stories over the years. We do not randomly shoot them, and since moving the one donkey in with the ewes this year did not lose any lambs. We still hear some coyotes but they are not bothering the sheep at this time. Wish we had that original coyote back though, we never saw or heard other ones close up when it was here.

 

[M.Magis]

I won't argue anything he claims. But I suspect he's an idiot just seeing what he wants to see. Or maybe just wants a little attention.

 

[Dap]

I know some coyotes are calf killers, some aren't...but to call any coyote a "guard coyote" is a stretch. It gives the people who think we should never kill a coyote, a fox, or wolf ammo that they don't need. And he fired his hired hand on the spot for killing a coyote that was next to a dead lamb? Really? If he likes his coyotes, good for him. This article doesn't do the rest of us any favors.

 

[Warren Allison]

I totally believe it. We had a big coyote that showed up at the farm not long after we lost 2 calves. Thought it was him but the cows acted like it was no big deal to see him around. The rabbit population greatly decreased so okay, let him alone. 3 years with no loses and we would see him occasionally in the field with the cows. Then he was shot and we could identify him (had some odd coloring on one shoulder) when the guy was showing him off... he was not on our place when he was shot... and within a couple months, a young pair moved in and we started losing a few chickens and then a day old calf was torn open. A few days later we WATCHED a pair of coyotes harassing a cow with a new calf , didn't have a gun as we were feeding.... and were able to scare them off. Then he found 2 dead lambs that were a month old... and he got friends in with night scopes and they killed a pair one night and then 2 more big males a week later.
I truly believe the lone coyote was a deterrent and once he was gone, the balance changed.

Have had several other farmers around here tell similar stories over the years. We do not randomly shoot them, and since moving the one donkey in with the ewes this year did not lose any lambs. We still hear some coyotes but they are not bothering the sheep at this time. Wish we had that original coyote back though, we never saw or heard other ones close up when it was here.

Why would you want the rabbit population to decrease?

 

[farmerjan]

It's not that we needed the rabbit population to decrease... it's just that it decreased and we had no depredation of the lambs chickens or calves. It just was an observation that he was eating rabbits and leaving the livestock alone. We had gotten to a point where there were so many rabbits that you practically stepped on them going across the field... it is like the deer are here now. There is at least 2 killed a month on the road just below my house and we watch 5-20 a night on the hayfield juat across from my house. So some reduction was okay. I have seen red foxes around and they keep it down some. I would rather see some reduction in the rabbits than a disease or starvation go through them.

 

[50/50Farms]

I wish I had the rabbits to spare. On our place down on the creek we used to could turn the beagles loose at 0730 of a February morning and by dark we'd have hay strings full of rabbits dangling from our belts. I call it a big day now if I can see 3-6 and 6 or more is a real boom. I shot one in February with my sixgun when I was taking a dude hunting just to lay hands on the sumbeech and prove to the old folks who don't go down there anymore that there's still some bumpin' around.

 

[TCRanch]

We had a big, male 'yote that hung with the herd until calving, and then he seemed to disappear. Except he was back after calving and the next year, same routine. Laying low? Knock wood, we've never lost a calf to coyotes. And we don't just randomly pick 'em off because they usually take off before we can pull out the .223, but also because we've seen them go through the herd numerous times and while the mama cows take note, I've never seen them go full-out ballistic/mama mode. They're definitely protective cows, but as of yet, the 'yotes don't seem to be a threat.

 

[Ky hills]

I wont say it isn't a true story but it sure does not resemble in any way my experience with coyotes and sheep.
Either there's more to the story, the fellow is an example of ignorance is bliss, either way I say it's just a matter of time until the inevitable happens if it hadn't already. Coyotes are opportunistic predators and lambs are easy targets
As long as I had sheep and goats there were coyote predations and it only got worse over the years. I lost lambs and a couple mature ewes. A neighbor even lost a ram as well.
I eventually got to the point that I had to keep the sheep up in barns to protect them and soon decided to sell them because of coyotes.
I have lost a few calves to coyotes several years ago. Have a completely different herd of cows now and they seem to have become much more protective of their calves in recent years. Buzzards are our biggest concern, but the constant abundant presence of coyotes is still a concern and would definitely be a problem if we still had sheep.

 

[Farm Family]

We had "resident" coyotes that moved through and never bothered the herd or the farmyard (chickens, kids, cats, lab etc) for years. We had an LGD at this time so he may have helped to deter bad behaviour. Then some "hunters" took out that "resident" group at about the same time as we lost our LGD (same season). New neighbour from the city.

Shortly after a new group of coyotes moved it. Bad group…taking chickens, cats, taunting the lab…one even snarled at my daughter when she stumbled on him charging the chicken coop. She threw her pitch fork at him and slammed the coop door. Broad daylight…brazen buggers.

So took aim and knocked out the one that charged our daughter…we think he was the alpha, likely without a mate and with a young pack. After that we had to take the odd one for stalking…if the bear bangers and other intimidation doesn't ward them off or teach them to mind their borders sometimes the end of the barrel is the only solution. No calves lost but cows certainly more edgy. So we got a new LGD. She is almost two now and so far coyotes walking a larger berth around the property. No more coyotes in the farmyard and the cattle more settled.

Moral IMO…if you don't have a problem don't create one by removing good "residents". I cringe when I hear of our neighbour allowing coyote hunters back on his piece cause don't fix what isn't ecologically broken. He is a weekender and so his idea of broken is not mine…seeing coyotes is not broken, them attacking, threatening kids, chickens, pet dogs, cattle…that is broken.

Interesting article.

 

[M.Magis]

Its a common misconception that coyotes live in packs like wolves. They don't. A pair will raise pups through the spring and summer, in late summer the family group breaks up and the pups head out on their own. Its common for two and occasionally even 3 or 4 to hang out together for a few days. But they don't live as a pack, and most spend fall and early winter alone.

 

[Son of Butch]

Its a common misconception that coyotes live in packs like wolves. They don't... most spend fall and early winter alone.

Also known to have seemingly endless credit at Acme Corporation manufacturing and supply.

 

[Nesikep]

We have a few families of yotes around, every 5 years or so they get a bit brazen and will come steal a chicken in daylight which is when we get mad, but otherwise they haven't been a problem at all, I see their tracks wandering through the cow pen.. I know I have some mommas that would stomp them, but there never seems to be a problem in 30 years.. I ain't gonna make it a problem.
I know some people have problems with ravens, some seem to be in flocks, and those tend to be the problems it seems.. we have a resident pair, they eat the mice we trap, go after some afterbirth, but again, no problem at all.. Calves love chasing them, which gets the mommas pretty riled up.

 

[Ky hills]

Its a common misconception that coyotes live in packs like wolves. They don't. A pair will raise pups through the spring and summer, in late summer the family group breaks up and the pups head out on their own. Its common for two and occasionally even 3 or 4 to hang out together for a few days. But they don't live as a pack, and most spend fall and early winter alone.

I'm not sure about that either, They are thick here, there is no new un-coyoted territory for them to go to. I know of several farms that have killed 7 or 8 within a few days just on their farms. Talked with a hunter a while back that said last winter they got over 30 within just 2-3 square miles.
We do see a single coyote every once in a while, but largely regardless of time of year there are 2 or 3.

 

[Dusty Britches]

I've never had coyotes bother my calves, but they are born in the 70-80 pound range and my cows gang up on them if a calf lets out s frightened bawl or the momma bawls aggressively. My neighbors has calves born in the 30-40 pound range and his Angus are not quite as protective. While he has not lost any calves the coyotes have come danger close to newborns.

Honestly, we worry more about the black buzzards.

 

[Son of Butch]

We do see a single coyote every once in a while, but largely regardless of time of year there are 2 or 3.

Mom and not yet full grown pups?

 

[Ky hills]

Mom and not yet full grown pups?

Sometimes yes, other times (most often) 2-3 full grown, occasionally more.

 

[CowboyRam]

In the last couple years I have only seen one coyote at the ranch. That was the year my uncle had a few head of sheep to train his dog. I don't know if it was interested in the sheep or not. He did have some killed, but it turned out to be his own dog. He got out and was chasing them. I remember right there was no blood, the dog just ran them to death. So far I have not had any problems with them, but I don't calve out there, I calve her on the farm. I like to get them branded before I go out there, I plan on branding the 3rd of June, and move them all to the ranch on the 6th. Once I get the cows out on pasture I need to put my carpenters hat on and get some windows installed, along with some siding.

 

[runner]

I got two male garden dogs running the front of farm . I bring the cows up front to calf. Dogs will run the buzzards off and other varmits.

 

[farmerjan]

@jltrent ... was it you that had that guardian dog.... Anatolian Shepherd.... that was with the neighbor's cows, he got sick or something, and then the cows got sold and it came to your cows and stayed???? Do you still have it with the cattle????