Callin' all varmint hunters!!

Our cat was attacked by two coyotes this morning. By sheer chance, my wife happened to open the door to our backyard at the moment it was happening and got to our cat before she was a goner. The cat was attacked, got away injured and hid. The coyotes were homing in on her for the kill right as my wife found her. Thankfully, it looks like she is going to survive her injuries. She is a much loved part of our family. The scary part was this took place 15 feet from our back door at 9:00 in the am. According to my wife, they looked like they were ready for the westminster coyote show; big, healthy, shiny coats. They didn't seem too scared of my wife, either. Is this normal coyote behavior? We hear them at night and dawn, but never during the day. I'm not a gun guy, but would a pellet gun be a decent deterrent if they start coming around more often?

Not unusual for cats and smaller dogs to disappear here around Albuquerque, at least close to the hills. Yes, at this point it's not unusual for them to roam in packs very close to humans without being very scared. If you see erratic behavior they might be sick (rabies, etc.) but otherwise they're just hunting for smaller creatures.

Most people here get very tall fencing, not sure about the pellet guns.

PS: Hope the kitty has a speedy recovery!

I will say don't waste your time with a pellet gun. It would be inhumane and would not kill the coyote. A .223 bolt gun would do the trick or if you're at close range a well placed .22 Mag would be ok. That is assuming you're allowed to shoot them in your backyard.

You can't hunt with a firearm within 500 feet of a residence in CT. Your best (only) bet, if they become a nuisance, is to trap them. (Well, you can bowhunt, but, well, no...) And no, an airgun won't help. It'll injure them and would be inhumane. If you do trap them, the pelts of Coyotes must be tagged.

Use a blowgun and a poison dart.

Or throw an M-80 at them.

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Originally Posted by christian

Your best (only) bet, if they become a nuisance, is to trap them.

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An XL Havahart (live) trap might fit a coyote. Once you have the animal in the trap, you can then safely relocate it or move it to a location where it can be safely dispatched. If you go the relocation route, PM me for Steve P's address.

Poison would probably do the trick, but I wouldn't suggest it due to potential unintended damage (to your cat, other wildlife, yourself, etcetera). Unless, of course, you were thinking of blasting "Talk Dirty to Me" on loop at them over a loudspeaker. That might be a great idea.

I agree that the pellet gun is a bad idea.

And, check the regulations before you do anything. You may need to get some sort of nuisance animal removal permit in order to be legal.

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Originally Posted by christian

You can't hunt with a firearm within 500 feet of a residence in CT. Your best (only) bet, if they become a nuisance, is to trap them. (Well, you can bowhunt, but, well, no...) And no, an airgun won't help. It'll injure them and would be inhumane. If you do trap them, the pelts of Coyotes must be tagged.

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Holy crap! Trappin', taggin' I can only handle so many apostrophes at once. You are correct, I cannot bow hunt. I would kill myself or at least put an arrow through my foot. I guess a pellet gun is a bad idea; I don't want to maim the thing, I just want to scare it off.

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Originally Posted by Tom

Or throw an M-80 at them.

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this is something I am capable of

maybe it's time to get a large dog.
or just be ok with the fact that there are the hunters and the hunted.

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Originally Posted by shoney

Our cat was attacked by two coyotes this morning. By sheer chance, my wife happened to open the door to our backyard at the moment it was happening and got to our cat before she was a goner. The cat was attacked, got away injured and hid. The coyotes were homing in on her for the kill right as my wife found her. Thankfully, it looks like she is going to survive her injuries. She is a much loved part of our family. The scary part was this took place 15 feet from our back door at 9:00 in the am. According to my wife, they looked like they were ready for the westminster coyote show; big, healthy, shiny coats. They didn't seem too scared of my wife, either. Is this normal coyote behavior? We hear them at night and dawn, but never during the day. I'm not a gun guy, but would a pellet gun be a decent deterrent if they start coming around more often?

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Coyotes vary in size and temperament based on geography and a few other things. Where do you live? We talking eastern coyotes or western. Also, I know this is unsolicited and a bit preachey...but cats really don't belong outside..be it country or city. Every cat that goes outside is living on dumb luck and borrowed time. Also..no pellet guns. You will only hurt the coyote and it will die some miserable death by infections, etc.. If you're going to kill something, do it cleanly. If you don't like/need/want a gun...DONT get one. And no poison. Probably illegal, definitely inhumane.

blowgun...air rifle...are you guys serious? We're talking about a decent sized dog here. If you're gonna kill, it sure as heck better be a clean kill imho.

**cough**cough**wink**wink**

http://www.theammosource.com/images/Hornady8325.jpg

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Originally Posted by musgravecycles

blowgun...air rifle...are you guys serious? We're talking about a decent sized dog here, clean kill only imho.

**cough**cough**wink**wink**

http://www.theammosource.com/images/Hornady8325.jpg

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I'm gleaning that he lives in a populated area and doesn't want a firearm or know how to use one. A .223 is great, albeit loud and could kill some kid 3/4 of a mile away. The tried and true of game poachers everywhere; .22 long rifle fired out of a weapon with a baby bottle nipple fitted over the muzzle. Makes a little spitting sound, and if you use a locked breach non-auto rifle...or a revolver..you don't get any slide-slap. Gotta get head shots, tho, except for deer..where you have to nick the spine at the base of the neck and then take the ballpeen hammer to 'em. And no, I've never personally poached/bludgeoned a deer..but I did grow up in Pennsylvania, if you know what I mean. Used the baby nipple method on plenty of illicit coon hunts, though.

**NOTE: I do not endorse this method for shoney's problem. I do endorse just keeping the cat inside. If the coyotes don't get it, a fox, fisher cat, car, nasty kids, trap, etc.. will.

Are you advising Shoney to lure the animals at least 500 feet away from all houses, to a site where he has hunting privileges, and _then_ shoot them with a .223? If he had those type of mad coyote-hunting skills, do you think he'd be posting on a bicycle message board for advice?

Recently I heard a biologist talk about how coyotes-- unlike bears, wolves, mountain lions, etc-- thrive in urban/near-urban environments.

I see them all the time riding in/around Los Angeles/Hollywood and unlike other wild animals, they're totally not afraid of humans -- loud noises and throwing objects doesn't phase them and I've had one even trot alongside me in Griffith Park.



Also, poison often leads to household animals dying. Growing up, two kids lost their dogs cuz they ate some type of poison.

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Originally Posted by Cookietruck

maybe it's time to get a large dog.
or just be ok with the fact that there are the hunters and the hunted.

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I'm ok with it, I live in the country. I grew up in Nowheresville, New Hampshire. A pet peeve of mine is when people move to the country and erect 10 foot deer fencing and light up their yards like a prison escape, then complain about wildlife all the time. But I'm not a fatalistic person. If there is a reasonable way to deter them/scare them off, I'm all ears.

And the inside cat thing...we get it, we know she's at risk. She's inside 90% of the time and when outside usually very close to the house.

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Originally Posted by shoney

I'm ok with it, I live in the country. I grew up in Nowheresville, New Hampshire. A pet peeve of mine is when people move to the country and erect 10 foot deer fencing and light up their yards like a prison escape, then complain about wildlife all the time. But I'm not a fatalistic person. If there is a reasonable way to deter them/scare them off, I'm all ears.

And the inside cat thing...we get it, we know she's at risk. She's inside 90% of the time and when outside usually very close to the house.

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I honestly can't think of any reasonable way to scare/deter them. Since it can't hurt, (unless your neighbors can see you) take a nightly piss at various locations around the perimeter of the backyard near the house. It may deter them, but if they have kitty in their sights, I suspect it won't.

I keep a huge can of bear spray by the front and back door of the Soulrun World HQ. I think that'd be a safe thing to get the coyotes off the cat. It might hurt the cat in the short term, but it would be much safer than shooting in your backyard.

-Joe

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Originally Posted by chancerider

... take a nightly piss at various locations around the perimeter of the backyard near the house. It may deter them...

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That's how I plan to keep the goddamn squirrels off my tomatoes.

It also gives them, how you say, that certain je ne sais quoi.

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Originally Posted by false_aesthetic

I see them all the time riding in/around Los Angeles/Hollywood

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Clearly not what you meant, but this made me think about coyotes riding bicycles, which would definitely help them fit into urban environments.

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/021...4x1024.jpg?282

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Originally Posted by chancerider

Since it can't hurt, (unless your neighbors can see you) take a nightly piss at various locations around the perimeter of the backyard near the house.

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This I can do. My neighbors won't mind, they're awesome. They routinely walk around their yard naked anyway (two dudes in their fifties, not that exciting for me at least). Hey, maybe that's how they keep coyotes out of their yard.

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Originally Posted by shoney

This I can do. My neighbors won't mind, they're awesome. They routinely walk around their yard naked anyway (two dudes in their fifties, not that exciting for me at least). Hey, maybe that's how they keep coyotes out of their yard.

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Or at least I'm sure the cougars stay away

All the cougars will go the Greenwich.

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Originally Posted by chancerider

The tried and true of game poachers everywhere; .22 long rifle fired out of a weapon with a baby bottle nipple fitted over the muzzle. Makes a little spitting sound, and if you use a locked breach non-auto rifle...or a revolver..you don't get any slide-slap.

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Ha ha, I've got a CZ455 Varmint in .22lr incoming. Like you say with a bolt gun any noise is coming out the front end, throw some CCI Quiets (or any other subsonic) in there and you've got an almost silent killer.

coyotes attack and kill dogs and sheep and goats and cats in this area (more rural). they eat a lot of deer fawns too. facts is facts and i've seen enough deer hair in their droppings for confirmation.

17HMR absolute minimum i'd go for shooting a song dog and that's for sub-100 yards and for experienced marksmen.

problem remains that if you shoot two, then so long as conditions are favorable, more will take their place. Pets (food), wooded areas devoid of hunters will allow them to thrive.

and if you've never trapped a wild animal...don't even think about it. caged critters are wickedly angry and dangerous.

Best bet is to contact your state wildlife agency and let them advise you. They may come and trap some out or institute other "control" measures given enough complaints. Ask your neighbors if they have had pets go "missing". Have them report that to wildlife folks.

hope kitty gets all better.

three options: 1. get a donkey, they make great pets. Coyote problem solved.
2. get a big, live trap. Put on a cat costume. Lure the coyote into the trap, have a stern conversation with the coyote. Kind of lik ALF, he loved to eat cats
until they explained how in humane it was.
3. I will pick Wade up, we will come to CT and help out with some real redneck problem solving.


Seriously, we used to have a terrible coyote problem. Killed lots of baby calves and goats. We also raised work mules, hence the donkeys. Never had another problem, although this is no solution for you..

I realize the discussion of outdoor cats being inhumane, but with as many barns as i have, if we didnt keep barn cats we would have more mice than i care to feed.

Also, have any of ya'll actually trapped a live coyote? I have seen it once, Holy Shit!! That thing was madder than a boiled owl.

I rarely say hire a professional. But, man that seems like a good time to spend the cash.

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Originally Posted by rowdyhillrambler

... trapped a live coyote? I have seen it once, Holy Shit!! That thing was madder than a boiled owl...

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or a trapped coon, possum, feral cat... they all pitch a bitch when you hem 'em up. also they can inflict damage to those who get near the cage. ask rowdy if he knows.

and coyotes are notoriously difficult to trap, being extremely scent wary and skeptical of free goodies.

anything that we didn't exterminate in the 1800's is wary (also known as Wile E), or simply had no market value.

When I ride Chester/Killingworth (probably not far from the OP), I often see signs posted looking for missing pets. I assumed that aliens were taking them for experiments, but maybe it's the coyotes. Either way, I think I'd call the government for help.

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Originally Posted by rowdyhillrambler

Also, have any of ya'll actually trapped a live coyote? I have seen it once, Holy Shit!! That thing was madder than a boiled owl.

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Can't be worse than a skunk in a leghold.

I think you have no sense of adventure. :-)

No time to respond, got my catstume on sitting in the trap. Will report...

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Originally Posted by caleb

Can't be worse than a skunk in a leghold.

I think you have no sense of adventure. :-)

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Call game and parks, or whatever they're called in your state, they can give you some assistance. If they're coming after your "livestock" I believe you may legally shoot them. Not to sound crass, but that is the most effective option, and even that will be difficult, they're elusive little turds.

Get on cabelas.com and buy an electronic caller, sit on the porch with a firearm similar to what Wade described and wait.

Thank gawd Rowdy and Wade are here to lend expert advice. First off, how y'all expect to hunt any varmint when your ice tea ain't sweet, you're donuts have been boiled instead of fried, and you have no intention of eating said varmint?

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Originally Posted by WadePatton

or a trapped coon, possum, feral cat... they all pitch a bitch when you hem 'em up. also they can inflict damage to those who get near the cage. ask rowdy if he knows.

and coyotes are notoriously difficult to trap, being extremely scent wary and skeptical of free goodies.

anything that we didn't exterminate in the 1800's is wary (also known as Wile E), or simply had no market value.

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yeah, there are lots of coyotes out at my grandma's farm
always hear them when there aren't alot of people out there
i have never actually seen one out there...

also, they have a jillass out there with the cows now

usually when we have the dogs out there we'll be chillin and the dogs will catch a scent and give a good growl. i'm always thinkin "yo doggies, pretty sure you don't want to meet them coyotes...even if you are some mean ol' pitbulls"

I feel bad for your cat and hope it recovers.

The simple solution is keep the cat indoors (you should do this anyway). Domestic cats are notorious bird hunters and little killing machines. Your neighborhood birds will thank you and you will help keep the coyotes away. The free ranging domestic cats released by people have become popular prey for the coyotes. Coyotes being smart and adaptive omnivores, have developed a nice appetite for cats. Nothing is going to change that.

You can also add a bell and cat collar for when kitty goes outside. The bell makes it impossible for the cat to sneak up on birds, and hopefully, the bell being a human noise, may keep coyote away. (but it sounds like the coyotes hunting during daylight in a human area means they are already quite bold.) They are probably a mated pair and may have to feed pups which accounts for the aggressive daylight hunt.

The only other actionable advice is to call town pest control like another poster suggested. You pay real estate taxes and think of it as a nice way to claw some of that back to your own benefit.

waiting to see "Coyote," in the Toque-ista thread. I do not have any recipes for that, but am interested..

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Originally Posted by rowdyhillrambler

waiting to see "Coyote," in the Toque-ista thread. I do not have any recipes for that, but am interested..

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Take your Crock Pot Raccoon recipe and substitute coyote. I'm sure it'll work.

Thanks for the tips guys. I think I like the M 80 idea along with peeing around my property line. Neither will do anything, I'm sure, and I'm ok with it. I like wildlife and we seem to have a pretty healthy ecosystem around here. I like seeing foxes, turkey, bobcats etc. Not thrilled that coyotes feel brave enough to approach out house, but we'll just have to chase them off if they show up again. It is surprising given the smorgasbord of turkey and young deer around here that they would bother hunting down a cat. We understand having pets that go outdoors carries risk. Both cats and dogs go missing all the time around here. I'll be surprised if my cat ever wants to go outside again. Anyway, here's our cat convalescing in a sea of blankets provided by the kids. She is a tough little cookie. She was a stray kitten from the (mean) streets of Bridgeport. She can now add coyote fighter to her resume. The vet was astounded she survived. She's got stitches in her mouth and all over her body, but she should be ok.

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Originally Posted by WadePatton

17HMR absolute minimum i'd go for shooting a song dog and that's for sub-100 yards and for experienced marksmen.

problem remains that if you shoot two, then so long as conditions are favorable, more will take their place. Pets (food), wooded areas devoid of hunters will allow them to thrive.

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It's illegal to hunt with firearms within 500 ft of an occupied building in CT, so I think preferred calibres for coyote are probably far from Shoney's mind, but I don't think I'd hunt coyote with 17HMR. I'd use .223 (minimum), .243, or 6.5x55. That said, as you say, eliminate two and another pair/family group will take their place. Waging a local war on coyotes is unlikely to be successful.

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Originally Posted by Chad

Call game and parks, or whatever they're called in your state, they can give you some assistance. If they're coming after your "livestock" I believe you may legally shoot them.

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I think that CT DEEP is likely to say, "Yup, coyotes, learn to live with them and keep Garfield inside." Connecticut uses contracted Nuisance Wildlife Control Officers, who can be contracted to solve nuisance pests. However, coyotes are not on the list of usual nuisance pests that can be trapped or shot, so the Control Officer has to request a special permit for coyotes. All in, this sounds expensive and time-consuming...

DEEP: Nuisance Wildlife Control and Rabies
http://www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/regu...26/26-47-1.pdf

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Originally Posted by vertical_doug

The free ranging domestic cats released by people have become popular prey for the coyotes. Coyotes being smart and adaptive omnivores, have developed a nice appetite for cats. Nothing is going to change that.

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This is probably the heart of the matter.

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Originally Posted by shoney

Anyway, here's our cat convalescing in a sea of blankets provided by the kids. She is a tough little cookie. She was a stray kitten from the (mean) streets of Bridgeport. She can now add coyote fighter to her resume. The vet was astounded she survived. She's got stitches in her mouth and all over her body, but she should be ok.

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In my experience cats are super tough (way tougher than humans) and they heal incredibly quickly. Looks like kitty is well on her way to recovery. :)