We are having a problem

[jobo]

We have had our puppy for a little while now she 15 weeks old today (Monday). She has been doing very well with her house braking, but we are starting to run into a problem.
We set a side a section of our yard as her “bathroom” and she was doing good but we have to keep moving it.
One day we took her out to do her business and got half surrounded by 4 coyotes. We backed into the house as they advanced on us. The next day we moved her “bathroom” to a different section of the yard by a different door. When we took her out to do her business they would yelp and heckle her. We worked with Brandy getting her used to gunshots so we can keep them at bay with a gun. However, we can’t get them to stay away. They have been defecating around the yard, but for the last couple of days they have been leaving animal parts (like feet & legs) by our doors. I don’t know if their trying to share with Brandy or if we just scared them away from their meal. Never the less it’s disgusting and we don’t want Brandy to find and try to eat them.
Does any one have any type of suggestion of how we can push them away from the house?

[frontierrots]

call your fish & game department or Department of natural resources (whichever you have).

They will come out to check out the problem and will likely send someone out to kill or scare off the coyotes

This is their job

[Judi W]

A 6 foot chain link fence will help keep them from bringing their leftovers in and discourage their trespass. They usually trespass when looking for a meal so this is very strange when you are present. Has someone in the area been feeding them? Likely they are eyeing her for dinner so make darn sure she is never out there on her own.

[MARYDVM]

You definitely need a fence. Four Eastern coyotes together will kill and eat a young dog. That is what they are hanging around for.

[Karyn]

Don't know much about coyotes - I'm a city gal. But leaving gifts (food offerings) at your door doesn't sound like threatening behavior. I would not put it to the test though.

[TrinityRun]

I don't know what your yard looks like but you could certainly rig up an electric fence cheaper than you can putting up a permanent one. Could be temporary as you make arrangements for the chain link or stockade. I'd also do as Dana suggested and get Encon out there ASAP.

It is odd for them to be so close to the house with you just feet away and not run away. They could be diseased, they could be use to humans from someone feeding them - whatever they are - they are very dangerous. I hope you don't have cats. If so, keep em inside!

[moondog]

Hi jobo,

If you are being surrounded by coyotes, I guarantee you they are not stopping by to say "Hi". They are trying to get your puppy and the "gifts" they are leaving by your door may be an attempt to draw her out so they can get ahold of her. The yipping and heckling is an effort to sucker her to a place where they can grab her. Coyotes are VERY cunning. The fact that they are not moving away even when you are there tells me they are particularly dangerous. Call Animal Control or whoever handles this type of problem in your area and don't stop calling until they have taken care of the problem.

Coyotes can learn to climb even a high chain link fence, especially if they think there is "food" on the other side. When you put one up, run a hot wire across the top of it around the entire perimeter.

One of my neighbors has had two dogs killed in their yard by coyotes, both during daylight hours. One had his throat ripped out and something must have scared them off. They put up a high chain link fence and thought the problem was solved, only to come home one afternoon and find just the carcass of the second dog they killed, and the coyotes lounging on the hillside that is part of their yard. Knowing there was "food" in the yard gave them the motivation they needed to return to this yard and figure out how to climb the fence. They made no attempt to leave in the presence of my neighbor, even with her making a racket at them.

The coyotes in my area are protected, so Animal Control will trap them and relocate them back to a more remote area, but once the coyotes have experienced the bountiful food sources in neighborhoods, they become very brave about revisiting.

[Rick Walker]

Being an avid hunter/trapper/fisherman, I will present another option to your coyote problem.

Coyote season is in full swing here in PA-(Oct-Feb)-with no limit, and I know NY seasons are close to ours in time so I suggest checking the Furtaking season and seeing when Coyote is in.

I grew fond of coyote stew as a child due to the coyotes eating my father's chickens and other birds. I would find a nice tree stand or blind, set up with some hot coffee and your rifle-and get some good coyote for stews, fur, etc. You can always trap them as well.

I wouldnt be too fond of wondering coyotes-especially that close to your property. They obviously want your dog, and if you have small children, they may want your kids. And yes, they climb fences etc. They are quite intelligent.

Just another option from a die hard hunter in PA-
Rick Walker :D

[jobo]

We live in a nice country setting. We have a little more then 43 acres of wooded land out back, and about 10 acres of open field that our house sits on.
As for feeding them, I know we have never left any thing out there for them, and I know our neighbors don’t either. They do have chickens that the coyotes would snack on from time to time though.
I checked the DEC site again and found that coyotes are now in season so they can be hunted. I also contacted the DEC on phone and told them about the problem. They said on our own property seeing their threatening we can open fire on them any time of the year. We just can’t bait & shoot them. So until we get a fence up I’m going to start shooting for real.

Thanks for the suggestions, it’s just they are making me mad. I don’t want Brandy to find any thing they leave behind, because I don’t want her to get sick.
I’m not going to let them hurt my puppy.

[tilerspop]

Jobo -

If the coyotes in NY are anything like the ones here in CO, the fence isn't going to help much. They learn how to climb quickly. Personally, I would have a shotgun handy during outside forays with the pup, and use a rifle to rid yourself of the problem at your leisure. The nice thing is you're on your own property, you could shoot them from an upstairs window if you wanted. They are a problem, one that could be dangerous.

Good Luck and Good Hunting:D

[Judi W]

Don't forget though - waste not, want not.......... Rick will send you a recipe for coyote stew and tell you how to tan the hides.

[Sansano]

Originally posted by Judi W
Don't forget though - waste not, want not.......... Rick will send you a recipe for coyote stew and tell you how to tan the hides.

Better yet, feed them to the dogs. Nothing better than wild game in a BARF diet.:)

PS. Is it deer season yet? That's my dogs favorite time of year!:D

[angrygenius]

Coyote fence: A HOT fence charger, fenceposts, insulators, and galvanized fence wire. Make the fence 5-6 feet high, with the strands no more than 8" apart. If its any shorter they'll jump it, and if you get the strands very far apart a small one will slip through. If you can afford a charger that will run 20 miles of fence, get it, it will have more power than one of those little $20 petfence things. JG

[jobo]

I really don’t think eating it would be an option, unless everyone here wants it then we can supply the meat and Rick can cook it up for everyone. We will probably use the hide if their not too diseased. We will hang it up out back to serve as an example to the rest of them.

Sansano, Yea Deer season is stared here but right now just for bow & arrow. Nov. 18 it starts for shotgun. I am not a hunter, I don’t have nothing agents them I just don’t like to hunt. My uncles are hunting this year and Brandy will be getting some deer meat

[Rick Walker]

It's really easy but there are a few things to keep in mind:

-Coyotes are sometimes diseased. Be it from rabies or something else-they do eat rotting flesh!

-Coyotes are very lean animals-one of the leanest I have ever killed. This makes the meat very tough as well.

-Coyotes are meat eaters themselves. Some people don't think one should eat an animal that eats meat.

-If you aren't a carnivore, don't even try! Coyote is one of those meats that TASTE like wild game. Myself-I eat anything that walks on four legs, slithers, or flys. Being a weightlifter-meat=protein. Different kinds of meat=variety which=Rick happy

:D !

That all being said, I prepare coyote stew the same I do any other kind of stew. Since the meat is very minimal, I cut off as much as possible, then cut it into smaller chunks. I don't try to get all fancy and make tenerloins etc. like you would with deer. I just chunk it off and dice it up.

I then use a meat tenderizer on it and pound the snot of it:p ! Next it goes into a marinate of Mrs. Dash, worchester sauce, and some hot spices. I also prepare a bag or 2 of 15 Bean Soup and let it soak overnight.

After sitting overnight, I put the meat in a big pan and brown it all througly. Then it goes into a big pot of water and I add what I want. This is usually dumplings-no matter what stew I make, dumplings have to go into it. Then vegtables-carrotts, peas, corn, baby corn, fresh green beans, anything you like. I then add the beans. Add spices to taste.

I turn the fire all the way up and let it boil for a good 10-15 minutes, then I let it simmer all day long.

Ummm-I may have to make some deer stew after typing that out. I am currently fresh out of coyote!

Rick Walker:D