Yote Problems...

[Inor]

I knew it was going to happen sooner or later and frankly, I am a bit surprised it took this long, but we are starting to have some real coyote problems. I have shot a few just outside our fence line the last few years, but until last Saturday, we never had one inside the fence. Last Saturday night they got inside the pasture and killed a turkey and a guinea. Two nights ago, they got inside the pasture again and killed another turkey. So we moved our last remaining turkey closer to the house (and the dogs and other birds), but I'm thinking that is only a temporary solution.

Since yesterday was my last full day of work for the next few weeks, today I declared war on the bastards!

I found the corner of the pasture where they are getting in under the fence. Unfortunately, where they are getting in is also an area that is frequented by cows and the ground is pretty rocky. So it is not a good area to just take a shot at them as I am afraid a ricochet might hit a cow. So I am going to try my hand at trapping.

I have never trapped before. But a neighbor/friend that has done a lot of it, loaned me a bunch of leg traps and spent a few hours this afternoon walking me through the process of preparing the traps and a quick overview on how to set them up and bait them. So... Off we go on a brand new adventure!

Obviously, in a perfect world I will catch the alpha, whack him and string him up on the fence. But even if I do a shitty job of setting the traps and just scare the yotes away, it does solve my immediate problem. Longer term, I think I am going to start shopping around for an Anatolian dog to live in the pasture and yard and guard against intruders at night. Although that does present its own challenges with getting the Anatolian dog to fit in with the rest of our pack without upsetting our current hierarchy...

[Big Ken]

I had always heard donkeys were a deterrent for coyotes.

[Inor]

I had always heard donkeys were a deterrent for coyotes.

They are/were... Back when we had 2 donkeys, they kept the yotes away no problem. After we lost one, the remaining one is not nearly as good about it by herself.

[Slippy]

Inor,

I wouldn't worry too much about a ricochet when shooting at a coyote near rocks and hard surfaces. I believe that coyotes, being smart, need to be shocked and shocked quickly. Killing a few violently and scaring as many as possible tends to send the message. At least for Southeastern Coyotes.

Arizona Mountain/Desert Coyotes may be different.

Regardless, .223/5.56 should do the job. Night Vision and Thermal Optics might be pretty cool. A new bolt action in .22-250 might also be justified. I'll begin the research.

God Speed to Hell with coyotes!

[Slippy]

Ruger American in .22-250. Bolt action, comes with rail for scope/optic mounting. Synthetic stock so you can beat the snot out of it. Price point should be in the $500-$600 range.

https://ruger.com/products/americanR...eets/6945.html



Expect to pay $4k + for thermal and or night vision...

[hawgrider]

I knew it was going to happen sooner or later and frankly, I am a bit surprised it took this long, but we are starting to have some real coyote problems. I have shot a few just outside our fence line the last few years, but until last Saturday, we never had one inside the fence. Last Saturday night they got inside the pasture and killed a turkey and a guinea. Two nights ago, they got inside the pasture again and killed another turkey. So we moved our last remaining turkey closer to the house (and the dogs and other birds), but I'm thinking that is only a temporary solution.

Since yesterday was my last full day of work for the next few weeks, today I declared war on the bastards!

I found the corner of the pasture where they are getting in under the fence. Unfortunately, where they are getting in is also an area that is frequented by cows and the ground is pretty rocky. So it is not a good area to just take a shot at them as I am afraid a ricochet might hit a cow. So I am going to try my hand at trapping.

I have never trapped before. But a neighbor/friend that has done a lot of it, loaned me a bunch of leg traps and spent a few hours this afternoon walking me through the process of preparing the traps and a quick overview on how to set them up and bait them. So... Off we go on a brand new adventure!

Obviously, in a perfect world I will catch the alpha, whack him and string him up on the fence. But even if I do a shitty job of setting the traps and just scare the yotes away, it does solve my immediate problem. Longer term, I think I am going to start shopping around for an Anatolian dog to live in the pasture and yard and guard against intruders at night. Although that does present its own challenges with getting the Anatolian dog to fit in with the rest of our pack without upsetting our current hierarchy...

Your task of trapping them will be difficult. Boil boil boil the traps to kill scent. Placement and setting of the traps must be perfect. You may have one shot at getting one in a leg hold after that its game over.

You may be better off getting a electronic call over a bait pile and some no doze to stay up several nights with your choice of accurate lead. 17 HMR would do the job nicely as not too loud and flat shooting.

[Slippy]

Your task of trapping them will be difficult. Boil boil boil the traps to kill scent. Placement and setting of the traps must be perfect. You may have one shot at getting one in a leg hold after that its game over.

You may be better off getting a electronic call over a bait pile and some no doze to stay up several nights with your choice of accurate lead. 17 HMR would do the job nicely as not too loud and flat shooting.

I dig the 17hmr round and dream about shooting a coyote in the eyeball with a .17hmr!!!!!

[hawgrider]

I'd set up from a window in the house using the dead and live chickens and turkeys as bait. If you have a rabbit source use some dead bunny furs, entrails and the electronic wounded rabbit call.

[Prepared One]

They shoot Coyotes on sight here along with the wild Hogs. Ranchers and farmers will trap the hogs if they are overrun but they mostly shoot the Yotes and leave them were they fall. They consider them pests along with the coons and possum. Killed my share of coons and possum but have yet to see a yote or a hog. Then again, we have no livestock for them to feed on and there are plenty of other places around here that have all the critters they would want. I am no great white hunter but if it were me I would shoot one or two and leave em were they be as a warning.

As for the Anatolian, they are great dogs, high strung and stubborn as hell. Make sure they are full blooded. Ours, as it turns out, is a mix so I am not sure how protective he is. He is a beautiful dog and he does watch the fence lines and loves to be outside, which is good, because he is huge and sheds. Then again, I haven't seen a coon or a possum since we got him, so there is that.

[Mad Trapper]

Can you use snares in AZ? Where they come under fence is an ideal location.

I had a friend who would tether a chicken to a stake out in pastures at night. He had the chicken connect to another string he ran to the edge of the pasture where he sat with a .223, a little off straight downwind to the sides. He'd do this on full moons (pre good available NV days) and give the chicken a yank every 10-15 minutes to elicit some noises.