Calf wandering

[Craig-TX]

We've never had a problem with a yote taking on a calf. I know there are two schools of thought on this.. one being they won't bother a calf unless it's dead or sick, the other being they are very aggressive and can take down anything.

They generally won't bother a calf unless it's dead or sick, or the momma is. Or she is not nearby (eg calf hidden) and it's almost always a young calf.

I'm surprised that your cows get "stirred up" by the yotes. Mine rarely pay much attention to them, although the calves love to chase them when they're going through the pastures.

That's what made it remarkable. I've never seen a calf chase a coyote. However, the cows are all too accustomed to them and tend to take them in stride. That said, they were really getting agitated last night. Between that and the non-bovine sounds that calf was making I came to the conclusion that things were not going according to SOP.

Craig-TX

 

[TheBullLady]

We occassionally have a bobcat go through, and that will REALLY stir up the cows. In fact they'll all start running from it. I don't know if they are aggressive, but the cows don't like them at all.

 

[Wewild]

That's what made it remarkable. I've never seen a calf chase a coyote. However, the cows are all too accustomed to them and tend to take them in stride. That said, they were really getting agitated last night. Between that and the non-bovine sounds that calf was making I came to the conclusion that things were not going according to SOP.

Craig-TX

How about dogs? Our cows don't like them much either.

 

[Campground Cattle]

Craig I have found that yotes start avoiding the area if you start trapping.
This seems to work for a couple of months and there back.

 

[J Baxter]

my cows will literally stampede to get to anything that isn't one of them and has four feet. It doesn't matter whether it is a dog or an armadillo or a yote or a hog. They are going to do there best to kill it. I think the coyotes have learned their lesson about this. They will come up to the property line, but they will not cross into the pature anymore. Maybe I'm just lucky.

JB

 

[Craig-TX]

Well, the case is cracked. Too wet to get the pickup in the pasture but my curiosity got the best of me when I saw some buzzards. Drove the tractor out to where they were. Couldn't believe my eyes. It was a big goat. We've got a neighbor down the road that keeps a few goats and one of them must have gotten out (imagine that) and strayed my way before he met his demise. Those sounds didn't exactly sound like a goat either but that explains why it was so hard to figure out.

Craig-TX

 

[Craig-TX]

Craig I have found that yotes start avoiding the area if you start trapping.
This seems to work for a couple of months and there back.

I need to do it. Need to get a few set and/or some snares. Don't have the time (or energy) to run a bunch of lines but it wouldn't hurt to mess with it a little. Would also be very gratifying when successful.

Craig-TX

 

[Ryder]

Any suggestions as to how to trap them?
Where to set trap, any particular bait...?

 

[J Baxter]

There are a couple of ways to trap coyotes that are effective: (1) mow a couple of narrow lanes, in a x fashion, into a dense thicket such as honeysuckle, place a carcass in the center of the x and places snares in each of the lanes and (2) get some leg hod traps (dip them in wax and handle them with ruber gloves, transport in a rubbermaid type container) and bury them in the ground, flush with the surface, well hidden. Find a piece of coyote dung and place it on the end of a stick, sticking staight up out of the ground approximately two feet, above the trap.

Both of these methods are tried and true.

JB

 

[J Baxter]

Beaver carcasses are great.

 

[Craig-TX]

Good ideas. Over the years I've had the most success setting snares where they're crossing under fences or bedding foothold sets and baiting holes.

Craig-TX

 

[Campground Cattle]

Good ideas. Over the years I've had the most success setting snares where they're crossing under fences or bedding foothold sets and baiting holes.

Craig-TX

I prefer the snares also, Easier to set and they work extremely well at crossings as Craig said..

 

[Ryder]

Thanks to the three of you for your input on trapping.

 

[jcarkie]

i saw something the other day that i have never seen, my neighbor has miniture hores and donkeys. they had a coon surrounded and it was fighting them. when i came back by they had stomped it to death . i wonder if the little guys would do that to a coyote.