Coyote Problem

[3waycross]

It amazes me how many times I've seen people whine about HSUS and PETA and then turn right around and post something that only makes them stronger.

Conagher and highgrit are both right. HSUS and PETA are run by liberal do gooders, but they're becoming more popular with the general public because of morons that get on an internet forum and brag about how much fun it is to kill everything they see. Do you people really think that the average consumer knows where their beef comes from? Do you think they know, or even care, about the struggles you go through to put that beef on their tables, including dealing with "varmints"? Not hardly. All they care about is if it tastes good and can they afford it.

Like TexasBred said, if you have a problem deal with it as best you can. But think about this: Your enemies have had a field day painting you in a bad light because of a few isolated incidents involving cruelty to cattle. Now they have the opportunity to paint beef producers as a bunch of crazy, wild-eyed, trigger happy Neanderthals that get their jollies shooting at everything that moves. Do you think that's going to get people to buy more beef? "BEEF, IT'S WHAT'S FOR DINNER" my ass! Heck, someone on a another thread actually suggested gut shooting a wolf so it would travel far, far away before dying an agonizing death. Yeah, Suzie Homemaker is gonna want to run right out and buy tons of beef from that guy! :roll:

Use your frickin' heads.

Good post Van I agree however here is the flip side.

I got a call yesterday from a friend who lives 45 miles from me. She says "Hey do you still do some Coyote calling and when I reply yes. She tells me that this summer the coyotes killed 29 of her sheep within a 1/2 mile of the house. She finally gave up and asked for help when she shot one out the window(with a 300WSM) and 4 more came out of the willows to see what happened. :shock:

I guess they gave in and sold the sheep hoping the yotes could be thinned out before calving season in Jan.

 

[djinwa]

If you own cows and raise calfs some are going to die, but I can't afford to let varmits kill them. I believe you make your own luck, so if I get lucky and kill a varmit its a great day. I also kill all the rattlesnakes I see, because if someone got bit it would be horrible. People come first.

I also kill all the honeybees, because someone might get stung. I also shoot all cows, because someone might get gored. :roll:

Do you ever consider there might be some good from all these dangerous animals.

Don't coyotes and rattlesnakes eat mice and other rodents? I'm not saying there aren't situations where control is needed, but seems that when we try to eliminate certain species, there are unintended consequences.

Amen to VanC on the marketing end of it. Many producers just cannot foresee the consequences of what they're doing, and then complain about the low price of beef. Like the guy who said he had to shoot his cattle with shotguns to get them out of the brush, leaving lead in the beef.

 

[VanC]

It amazes me how many times I've seen people whine about HSUS and PETA and then turn right around and post something that only makes them stronger.

Conagher and highgrit are both right. HSUS and PETA are run by liberal do gooders, but they're becoming more popular with the general public because of morons that get on an internet forum and brag about how much fun it is to kill everything they see. Do you people really think that the average consumer knows where their beef comes from? Do you think they know, or even care, about the struggles you go through to put that beef on their tables, including dealing with "varmints"? Not hardly. All they care about is if it tastes good and can they afford it.

Like TexasBred said, if you have a problem deal with it as best you can. But think about this: Your enemies have had a field day painting you in a bad light because of a few isolated incidents involving cruelty to cattle. Now they have the opportunity to paint beef producers as a bunch of crazy, wild-eyed, trigger happy Neanderthals that get their jollies shooting at everything that moves. Do you think that's going to get people to buy more beef? "BEEF, IT'S WHAT'S FOR DINNER" my ass! Heck, someone on a another thread actually suggested gut shooting a wolf so it would travel far, far away before dying an agonizing death. Yeah, Suzie Homemaker is gonna want to run right out and buy tons of beef from that guy! :roll:

Use your frickin' heads.

Good post Van I agree however here is the flip side.

I got a call yesterday from a friend who lives 45 miles from me. She says "Hey do you still do some Coyote calling and when I reply yes. She tells me that this summer the coyotes killed 29 of her sheep within a 1/2 mile of the house. She finally gave up and asked for help when she shot one out the window(with a 300WSM) and 4 more came out of the willows to see what happened. :shock:

I guess they gave in and sold the sheep hoping the yotes could be thinned out before calving season in Jan.

I never said a person shouldn't have the right to protect their property against predators, especially when those predators are taking money out of their pockets. The issue is those that brag about killing everything they see, even if it's not a threat, and those that advocate doing it in an inhumane manner to make it easier to get away with. I think that's wrong to begin with and just plain stupid to post it on a public forum. It makes everyone look bad.

 

[BRYANT]

The more I read on this post the more I think we have some tree hugging, PETA loving, animal right nut cases on here!!!! What we need is somemore people with a backbone about them to treat the PETA people like the biker gang did when they were harrased by PETA ,if you have not read the story look it up it might do some of you all good to see how to deal with PETA, I am not for gut shooting , being mean to , or letting anything die a slow agonizing death like some of you are trying to make it look like we do. but there is some varmits that will kill farm stock if giving the chance well on this mans place if I get the first chance they won't have their chance. As for as PETA its time we deal with them also cause the sitting around being nice aint working. So everone knows I don't shoot everything that moves if a dog comes on my place ,as long as its not a Pit, I don't shoot it as long as it does not mess with my stock. Rat killing snakes I never bother but a rattler he will be a dead snake and I could care less if PETA likes it or not.
I know this will not sit well with some of you so start postin about how bad of a person I am cause I could care less !!!!!! got to go may need to go check the cows to see if a coyote needs killed.

 

[TexasBred]

Don't think you have any tree hugger, PETA loving folks on here. But there are a few that don't see any need to kill an animal that is bothing nothing or noone. IF I saw a coyote trying to kill a calf I'd shoot it too but I've never seen it. I have seen them scavenge off dead animals as well as wait for a cow to calve and get the afterbirth. I have seen pet dogs all get in a pack and chase and kill grown cattle. As for rattlesnakes. They're rat eaters too and I don't think I've ever seen one seek out someone to bite. That rattle does have a purpose. It lets you know they're there and if YOU don't move you a$$ over you just might get bit. Now don't forget to hang your coyote carcasses on the front fence to send your message. Now go get'em Tiger.

 

[Conagher]

For the OP ScottyB,

If you have a real, confirmed coyote problem then there have been several suggestions on here that should help you with this situation. The purpose of my original post was to suggest you may have a separate issue – pay particular attention to TexasBred comment about dog packs. 3 calves in one year out of 30 head is not a normal situation in E. Texas so you do need to try to resolve it. A few months ago I also lost a 7 wk old calf – mistaken identity by a recent retiree with a couple acres of land, 4-wheeler and rifle. He thought he was doing me a favor by shooting the wild hogs.

If I can be of any assistance, let me know.

Have a nice day!

 

[highgrit]

Texas Bred, and Van C made some sense I hoped to let the subject rest. But Texas Bred, doesn't know alot about rattlesnakes, so a few facts are, they only feed about twice a month at best. All rattlesnakes don't rattle before they bite I know this first hand, maybe I should say feet first. Not all rattlesnakes grow rattlers, some fall off, some get pulled off, and if the rattles are wet or damp they don't make any noise. They are also one of the laziest snakes in the USA. My advice is to keep your eyes on your toes, they will BITE YOU.

 

[TexasBred]

Texas Bred, and Van C made some sense I hoped to let the subject rest. But Texas Bred, doesn't know alot about rattlesnakes, so a few facts are, they only feed about twice a month at best. All rattlesnakes don't rattle before they bite I know this first hand, maybe I should say feet first. Not all rattlesnakes grow rattlers, some fall off, some get pulled off, and if the rattles are wet or damp they don't make any noise. They are also one of the laziest snakes in the USA. My advice is to keep your eyes on your toes, they will BITE YOU.

All very possible highgrit but I bet you went to them...they didn't come to you.

 

[BRYANT]

. but there is some varmits that will kill farm stock if giving the chance well on this mans place if I get the first chance they won't have their chance.

Hey TEX how about reading the post before you spout off at the mouth. a cow/calf is not the only thing that is a farm animal. I can't count the number of chickens, ducks,turkeys ect. that I have had killed by predators not just coyotes but bobcats, fox, raodrunners,hawks, skunks, possums, coons and the list goes on even had a small wennie dog killed picked up by an owl did'nt kill the dog but messed her up so bad we had to have her put down. what about sheep and young goats will a coyote kill them I think so.
as for as calves dont think I ever saw a coyote kill one and dont think I said that i had made sure I said "farm stock"

. Now don't forget to hang your coyote carcasses on the front fence to send your message.

as for as this statement just another smart remark from someone that thinks he knows everything would be more than happy to tell you where I live and there aint no dead coyotes hanging from my fence if you would like to come take a look.I have killed so many that sometimes I wont even take the time to walk over to where they lay thats there final resting place.

 

[sys]

Texas Bred, and Van C made some sense I hoped to let the subject rest. But Texas Bred, doesn't know alot about rattlesnakes, so a few facts are, they only feed about twice a month at best. All rattlesnakes don't rattle before they bite I know this first hand, maybe I should say feet first. Not all rattlesnakes grow rattlers, some fall off, some get pulled off, and if the rattles are wet or damp they don't make any noise. They are also one of the laziest snakes in the USA. My advice is to keep your eyes on your toes, they will BITE YOU.

as it happens, i do know a lot about rattlesnakes. a lot more than i know about cattle!

you're correct that they feed infrequently. on the other hand, you can have 100s living in the same space that a single fox might hunt. if you compare them in that way... they account for as many rodents as a lot of mammalian predators do.

as a general rule, if they think you've seen them, they rattle. if they think you haven't, they keep quiet. so, it's certainly possible to have one strike without rattling. especially if you step on it. the good news is, not even the biggest eastern or western diamondback can bite through a good leather boot. and even just a pair of jean offers a lot of protection since the venom begins to be released on contact (personally, i've never seen one strike above boot level). if the first contact is with jeans rather than skin, a lot of the venom will be released before the fang even hits skin.

the public greatly overestimates the danger of snakebite. more people in the US die of beestings than snakebites. and something like 80-90% (don't have the exact number offhand) of bites occur when people are either trying to kill the snake, or are playing with it. almost everyone bitten is a male between 15-30; normally under the influence of alcohol. most bites are to people's hands. the chances of getting bitten while walking around minding your own business are almost nil.

are rattlesnakes grow rattles, but you are very correct that they can lose them. though not many do naturally. at least not many that live in florida or georgia (the little pygmy rattlers will, but they're so small and their venom is so weak, that they can't really hurt you much anyways). on the other hand, i once met an old guy in the west desert of utah that said he caught and cut the rattle off every rattlesnake he found. he told me he'd then piss on them and let them go. called them "stealth rattlers". he might of had a little too much time on his hands.

i've seen a few that have had their tails cut off by machinery too. especially ones that live in hayfields.

 

[ScottyB]

I didn't realize what an argument this would turn into. Appreciate all of the advice from all of you, good or bad. For now I think we have solved some of the issue. I ran into a guy who gave me two Jennies for free and they are working fine for now. We haven't had any more run ins so far. The coyotes are worse here when the weather starts to stress them. They attacked in the winter this past year and then in the drought of summer. We will be opportunistic if we see any more roaming our property and I hope these Jennies do their job.

As for everyone else, lets close this subject and go have a beer and relax. :tiphat:

 

[VanC]

As for everyone else, lets close this subject and go have a beer and relax. :tiphat:

That's good advice right there. Good luck to you.