We have had a coyote problem lately. We have not resorted to this solution...yet.They haven't moved into the livestock but it makes you wonder. Calving time would be a great opportunity to come closer.
Our dogs protest to the coyotes' nightly run, which to me seems to be getting closer, but they are smart enough not to leave the yard.
As a child, my dad collected a bounty on each pair of coyote ears he could turn in. We may have to reintroduce that bounty.
14 comments:
tough to comment on this one.. I can definitely see your point but I hate to see bounty being reintroduced! Your father, like mine, knew killing had to be done to help one stay alive with food and protection of that food..today, I worry that some people out there would "run" with this open bounty idea...I live in a residential area and you wouldn't believe the # of nuts running around on other's private property with guns during deer season shooting in all directions!!
Tina sounds like the perfect opportunity to notify the authorities.
We used to live in a rural environment [for 8 years] and our biggest problem was bears.
But if you shot them out of season with your own registered gun they put you in jail - even if they were threatening your home/family.
A conundrum. You have to protect what's yours, and the wee ones.
Sorry about those darn coyotes!!! They seem to have come out of the woodwork lately, haven't they???
AS I was snooping around on your blog to catch up, I couldn't help but notice that you have been getting a lot of work done on the farm lately. Hope you are enjoying your spring! :)
Now this is a way to insulate your barn!! Our county has a bounty on ears, and some people hang the bodies on fence posts to keep others away.
Now that must be a little bit stinky I would guess...S
We also have a coyote problem. I'm not sure what we are going to do long term. Right now we stall the goats at night but once we get sheep, they may not like being stalled.
I'd do a lot to protect my calves. Wouldn't allow a pack of coyotes to rip one apart. Hope you get to protect them in a useful way.
I agree with Tina, this is a tough one to comment on. I don't like to see any type of animal shot in big numbers like that. The photo kind of makes me sick, actually. They have a right to survive as well, however I understand the need to protect people's livestock. Everything in moderation though. It would really worry me giving crazies with guns the freedom to shoot at will...that in my book is far worse. We have coyotes in our area too and they've never been a problem. I actually enjoy listening to them. We have a llama and the coyotes generally avoid properties with the scent of llamas, so do cougars and mountain lions which are a greater threat around here. Llamas are cheap and don't eat much, so I would advise folks with young animals investing in a few for natural coyote control.
Coyotes are always on the prawl around here. We see them often as they wander through the hay fields eating gophers or voles. When they start getting too brave, hubby fires off shots to scare them away. If they don't heed that warning and continue to come close or even into shop yard on the farm, then they are taken care of. If they start to pack-up...then is the time to worry. A pack will kill many newborn calves, lambs, etc....in a night and they do it for fun at that point.
Ooou that pic!
I saw one the other day while driving to the barn. I hear them every evening too, while at the barn...howling away as they do.
They are getting pushed around here byn developement and the natural predators killed off.
Tough, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
Be safe! talk to your neighbors!
Kac
Wow, this is the most comments I have had on one post!!! Am I becoming a famous writer or did I just hit a contraversial subject?
Please keep in mind, there is no spellcheck in comments so bear with me please.
I would never condone the wholesale slaughter of a species of any kind.
I found the photo, was fascinated with it and the post grew from there.
Yes, we have coyotes and the pack is growing. The sounds echo through the valley. They usually take the same path every night but I assume the tree damage has changed that path. They are closer.
Nature is about balance. The white deer are threatened with an over population of coyotes. The wild turkey and cotton tailed rabbits are thinning rapidly. When those are too thin to find, the livestock will be next.
We are lucky to have a large cow that detests anything canine so she should keep the calves safe.
The coyote bounty was eighty years ago in Kansas. Some states still have a bounty because coyotes can be dangerous, rarely, but possible.(Dogs are dangerous when allowed to run in a pack.) They also carry rabies which has been in almost epidemic porportions the last few years.
The first step to take is to notify the Arkansas Game and Fish Commision. They have the equiment to trap and relocate the animals, if they are healhty and will destroy them if they are not.
There are no seasons but if the coyotes are damaging livestock, they can be eliminated lawfully.
If one is killing my stock, yes, I will shoot it and be proud that I have the gun and the gumption to use one.
We used to have coyotes raoming all over our property and several used a den in our back paddock.
Enter the llamas. Since they arrived the coyotes stay away. Catlinite will beat the crap out of any coyotes or stray dogs that come within striking distance. His long claws can literally disembowel a canine.
I hope the coyotes don't cause you any troubles. And if they do....get a couple a llamas my friend. :)
~Lisa
Oh! And ya know what, I have thise strange desire to have a coyote tail, as morbid as that sounds. I think it would make a unique decoration and I'm sure it would be soft.
Maybe I could even use a coyote tail to train my dog to be even more protective against coyotes entering our property?
I agree with you about coyote control, too. Just like deer, too many coyotes can cause serious damage to nature's delicate balance. And in the end it hurts the coyote, too. They starve from lack of food, end up with diseases and too much inbreeding.
Maybe they should bring back limited culling, like they do with other wildlife. Is it Coyote Season yet?
~Lisa
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