Why I kill every Coyote

[BK9954]

Got woken up this morning by the kids screaming about a coyote behind the house. I look out and one is chasing 4 calves ranging from 2 weeks to 3 months old. All the cows, alot of brahman blood, standing there watching. Maybe they're desensitize because I have two dogs, or see coyotes all the time. This one was bigger and darker then normal, maybe a dog mix, don't know. I yelled and he left, then came right back and started stalking my guinea fowl. Either way shot him at 50 yards, lots of blood but the trail went cold, I am assuming he won't be back. My buddy saw a coyote trailing the cows while he was bow hunting my place, I didn't think much of it. Now I have more concern. Our place is thick with them, sometimes 300 yards behind the house, packs howling and yipping at night. Anyone here trap them?

 

[Old Hat]

I've never tried trapping them but do put lead in them every chance I get!

 

[backhoeboogie]

They come out on the edge of the fields when I am mowing. Rats, mice, and rabbits run out and they come out and pounce. When I get to their side of the pasture they go back to the fence.

I've never seen one attack calves. They absolutely will take goats and chickens.

There are coydog hibrids. I hear they are terrible. I've never seen them.

 

[Caustic Burno]

They come out on the edge of the fields when I am mowing. Rats, mice, and rabbits run out and they come out and pounce. When I get to their side of the pasture they go back to the fence.

I've never seen one attack calves. They absolutely will take goats and chickens.

There are coydog hibrids. I hear they are terrible. I've never seen them.

I am still not sure about this one.

 

[Ky hills]

Got woken up this morning by the kids screaming about a coyote behind the house. I look out and one is chasing 4 calves ranging from 2 weeks to 3 months old. All the cows, alot of brahman blood, standing there watching. Maybe they're desensitize because I have two dogs, or see coyotes all the time. This one was bigger and darker then normal, maybe a dog mix, don't know. I yelled and he left, then came right back and started stalking my guinea fowl. Either way shot him at 50 yards, lots of blood but the trail went cold, I am assuming he won't be back. My buddy saw a coyote trailing the cows while he was bow hunting my place, I didn't think much of it. Now I have more concern. Our place is thick with them, sometimes 300 yards behind the house, packs howling and yipping at night. Anyone here trap them?

That sounds almost identical to how it is here. Back when I raised dairy calves, had a group of 4-6 month old calves that got spooked over any little thing, one night, they went through 2 fences. Not long after that a farm hand and I were trying to get them up and saw 2 coyotes stalking around them. Another time was penning the sheep up for the night, and one followed them up, and was belligerent, I was afraid if I left to go get my gun it would get a lamb. He literally was so focused on the sheep that he would not fun off, I was hollering and trying to scare him off, 2-3 times he would start to run but then turn and come right back, finally thought to throw rocks at him. He finally left, but I couldn't believe how determined he was. Haven't lost any calves to them for a few years, but last year had a probably 3 month old calf with a gash behind it front leg.
No idea if it could be due to coyotes bothering them or not, but have had several cows come up crippling over the summer, and now a calf. Not uncommon to have 1 cow come up lame a year, with the hills rocks and mud, but this year it's been 5 cows and currently a calf is limping. One morning found 2 cows limping. For a while during the summer there was black bear activity in the pasture where the cows were. Previously the only bear signs had been in a hayfield with no cattle.

 

[slick4591]

I had to lock up all the chicken because of them. I was losing one a day for a while. Never could get out there in time to shoot one.

 

[Brute 23]

I would be selling some cows in the near future.

The fact that you yelled and it stopped then came back makes me believe its more dog than coyote.

 

[Dave]

I had one a couple years ago trying to get a new born calf. The cow would run it off and go back to the calf. And the coyote came right back. It saw me and trotted off a bit. I ran and got a gun. When I came back it was there trying to get to that calf. This time the dog spotted it and took off after it. As soon as the dog came back so did the coyote. This time I got a clear shot. It was definitely pure coyote. I think it was hungrier than it as scared.

I have trapped lots of coyotes back when the fur was worth money. If you want PM and I will answer any coyote trapping questions.

 

[Nesikep]

other than the occasional hen.. I don't have much problem with them.. they have been quite vocal these past few weeks, but they seem to never bother the cows... I shoot the occasional one that gets too bold and comes snooping in the daytime.

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

I trap, used to anyway, quite a bit. Snares are the most effective, but if they'll catch a coyote, they'll catch your dogs. Same goes for any good K9 set. They are smarter than you think, and have a nose better than a deer.

 

[BK9954]

I trap, used to anyway, quite a bit. Snares are the most effective, but if they'll catch a coyote, they'll catch your dogs. Same goes for any good K9 set. They are smarter than you think, and have a nose better than a deer.

I have snares and the clam shell foot traps, just never got around to using them, what kind of bait?

 

[Dave]

Pretty much any kind of meat can work for bait. Slightly tainted but not rotten. Rotten they want to roll on it springing the trap but not stepping in it. With just bait alone you will need to be real close to their travel path. There are scants made to attract them to the area of the set. Bait is just for the final step or three. I had good luck with 1/3 blue cheese, 1/3 sardines. and 1/3 lard blended together. But I have used all kinds of things. Ones that would seem somewhat normal like beaver, muskrat, deer, beef, horse, and chunks of other coyotes. Cat works pretty good. And some off the wall things which worked in the right places like small rock crabs. The primary thing is location, location, location.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Pretty much any kind of meat can work for bait. Slightly tainted but not rotten. Rotten they want to roll on it springing the trap but not stepping in it. With just bait alone you will need to be real close to their travel path. There are scants made to attract them to the area of the set. Bait is just for the final step or three. I had good luck with 1/3 blue cheese, 1/3 sardines. and 1/3 lard blended together. But I have used all kinds of things. Ones that would seem somewhat normal like beaver, muskrat, deer, beef, horse, and chunks of other coyotes. Cat works pretty good. And some off the wall things which worked in the right places like small rock crabs. The primary thing is location, location, location.

By accident I have caught several in hog traps.
Came in to watermelon flavored corn.

 

[jkwilson]

As soon as the dog came back so did the coyote. This time I got a clear shot. It was definitely pure coyote. I think it was hungrier than it as scared.

That's the thing that makes them so dangerous. Day in, day out they'll get a rabbit, or some road kill or whatever comes along, but an old or injured animal or one dealing with hard times will become desperate and try to kill whatever it finds.

I like to make sure the coyotes in my neighborhood know there is a magic stick that means business if they show up in my pasture. May not kill them all, but I put fear into all I see. A 22-250 will reach out and put a touch on them.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I shoot coyotes every chance I get and have a neighbor that traps and hunts them so I never have any real problems with them.

But the real problem is the wolves UP here and you can't legally shoot them unless you want to end up in the slammer. A pack will hunt down even the biggest and meanest of cows without batting an eye. Come calving season when the cows lay down to deliver and can't really get away the wolves will come eat the hind end right off the cow without killing her first, and when they get scared or full they will leave a 1/2 dead cow to suffer.

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

I trap, used to anyway, quite a bit. Snares are the most effective, but if they'll catch a coyote, they'll catch your dogs. Same goes for any good K9 set. They are smarter than you think, and have a nose better than a deer.

I have snares and the clam shell foot traps, just never got around to using them, what kind of bait?

Depends on the time of year, conditions, type of set, etc. You won't use any bait with snares, but if you set one, you need to set 50. Cat is the best bait for pocket sets and dirt holes. Combined with a good lure and good presentation, it can be deadly. Hard frozen ground is the easy pickins around here. I like what's called a hay set.....Mound of hay out in the wide open with three well bedded footholds around the outside. One ear of corn in the hay. A little lure in front of each trap, but the mice do the rest for you. You will want your pan to be 3" offset and 8" back from the sweet spot. That'll be what a yote measures from his nose to his front foot. If your traps aren't clean and waxed, they will dig them up and steal your bait.

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

Desired results.

 

[bird dog]

I had a young coyote sitting amongst the cows and calves early one morning last week. Neither seemed to mind the other. I was unarmed but was curious why there was no fear. It appears the coyote was there for the same reason the dog runs around through the herd, to eat some manure. For some reason they prefer young calf manure.
Coyotes have never been a problem for me but I don't have any chickens or goats. I know they can be a a problem for some. For bait, catch alive a smallish bird. Drive a stake in the ground in a good location and tie the birds leg to it. Put you a couple leg clamp traps around that buried just under the soil. There is nothing like live bait.

 

[Dave]

One of the snare sets I like is to find a half acre or so opening in a brushy area. Place a dead elephant in the middle of the opening. Preferably one with lots of exposed flesh. Set snares on every little trail leading into the opening. The birds will find the bait and make a lot of noise. That will draw in the coyotes. You will rarely catch one on the way in, but once they get their belly full they aren't nearly so sneak about leaving. Think of yourself. you would be hard to catch in your own house. But on Thanksgiving if someone set a set between the dinner table and the recliner ......

Oh, this set doesn't really require a dead elephant because they are hard to find. But something big enough to prevent them from dragging it off. Smaller bait should be wired down to prevent it from being hauled off. I have used 3 or 4 beavers, a road kill deer, quarters of someones dead cow. Big enough to attract the birds and enough to draw in coyotes again and again.

Make your snare loops 10 inches across and 10 inches off the ground.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Thanks, I've been looking for a use for my dead elephants.