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coyotes

9K views 41 replies 35 participants last post by  ad18 
#1 ·
I was out walking my dogs after dark today, I back up to the National Forest here in Virginia, and heard my first pack of coyotes singing away. Watching my old SAR dog chase two bear cubs up a tree and a rattle snake on my porch wasn't enough to make me consider a gun, but I don't feel safe walking the dogs after dark now without a gun. But, I am a city girl that has moved to the country and not handy with a gun.

I know I need to get to a range and take some lessons, but any suggestions on what kind of gun/pistol I should consider? Something in pink maybe? ;-)
 
#2 · (Edited)
Coyotes are scared to death of people and are not a threat in my part of the country....have you heard something to make you think they might attack you? Now....they WILL attack a dog especially if the dog is alone and especially if female coyotes are in heat. Is your concern more because of your dog or just a general fear of coyotes?

some more thoughts on edit:::

We have coyotes EVERYWHERE around here...I hear them in the woods across the road from my house every night....I see and hear them at all of my deer hunting spots and often they are between me and my truck as it gets dark while I'm in my deer stand. I simply climb down and walk to the truck without a care in the world....they get out of my way.

However I don't leave my pup out in the yard at night unattended....wouldn't want to risk him....and a pack of coyotes can take down a BIG domestic dog no problem.
 
#4 ·
wouldn't want to risk him....and a pack of coyotes can take down a BIG domestic dog no problem.

That's just it, I don't want to risk my dogs just to take them on a walk after dark. Hence, my questions about what gun/pistol I should carry.
 
#5 ·
http://www.taurususa.com/video-theJudge.cfm

No one firearm suits all circumstances, check out The Judge, revolver that handles .410 and .45, kicks like a mule with .410 but very effective at close range, just don't shoot your own dogs. Go to the gun range and practice, practice, practice!
 
#6 ·
They are everywhere here in Northern California, too. I walk my two goldens in cow pastures and wild life areas and see them often. They are well fed with rabbits and birds and rats and mice. If you have rabbits and other rodents around, they likely wouldn't be desperate enough to attach your dogs while you are with them.

Still, doesn't hurt to have a gun. I bought a Benelli Ultra Light 20 ga shot gun. It is lighter than most shotguns and has less recoil than a 12 ga. Don't think they come in pink, though :rolleyes:
 
#27 ·
They are everywhere here in Northern California, too. I walk my two goldens in cow pastures and wild life areas and see them often. They are well fed with rabbits and birds and rats and mice. If you have rabbits and other rodents around, they likely wouldn't be desperate enough to attach your dogs while you are with them. Still, doesn't hurt to have a gun. I bought a Benelli Ultra Light 20 ga shot gun. It is lighter than most shotguns and has less recoil than a 12 ga. Don't think they come in pink, though :rolleyes:

Unfortunately Jen, that was not true for me. We have an abundance of wabbits and rodents. A coyote got my wife's rescue dog, and it has forever changed our routine. I used to leave em alone, but I now have quite a disdain for the wild dogs. I like your choice of guns!


Here is a link to my post , and responses from RTF-ers

http://www.retrievertraining.net/fo...0-coyote-vs-labrador&highlight=7pntail+coyote
 
#7 ·
Being a sound sleeper and partially deaf I rarely hear them when I am sleeping during the night. Cleo, on the other hand, is a light sleeper and can hear everything that goes on around the house at night. I am made aware that something has disturbed her sleep when she steps out on the back porch and lets a round go from her 870 12 guage. Then the only sound we may hear is the phone ringing, "Cleo, what the Hell are you shooting at?" from our next door neighbor (1/4 mile away). Thankfully we have strange neighbors who are a whole lot like us. The coyotes shut up or leave, but it gets quiet once again. Bill
 
#9 ·
#17 · (Edited)
We have lots of them around here. I don't like them. They will think nothing of luring a dog off and killing it.

Everyone always says they will leave people alone. Around here they are pretty bold and will stand and look at you.

Oh yeah, and a pack of coyotes killed that folk singer in Canada last year.

http://articles.cnn.com/2009-10-29/...r-mitchell-canadian-folk-singer?_s=PM:SHOWBIZ

WRL

X2 here. Bold is an understatement once they get packed up for the season. Have heard of more than one dog getting into it with coyotes including one of my families labs. The dog was backed up against the door and couldn't get out or let him in, had to run through the house and out the front door. Also have a cousin that has a Pitt/Rott mix that got jumped by a pack of coyotes in his own yard. . I just got done talking a buddy of mine that walks his dogs in town and he came upon a young female pup playing, jumping around and having a grand old time. HE said he shined his light on her and in the background in the shadows were 8 pairs of glowing eyes. That is just a couple of examples of what I have heard and or seen happen around these parts.

On another note, I have an old trapper friend that said years ago that pure coyotes are extremely hard to find around here. Most are coydogs anymore which inturn downgrades their pelt prices.


To the OP, my suggestion for someone who isn't familiar with firearms or hasn't had much experience. Get a shotgun.
 
#11 ·
Good friend of mine had a 6 month old GSP killed by 3 coyotes on one of the local city trails in downtown Anchorage. They will kill dogs and they do become use to people. Not all are afraid of humans. I would not be parnoid but I would be aware. Duckdon
 
#12 ·
Go to your local gun shop and try a few different guns out. Feel them out. What fits better in your hand? Glock is getting pretty standard these days and they are one of the more affordable semi autos on the market. The new gen 4 model also come with 3 different backs traps designed for small medium and large hands. If you have smaller hands and are not sold on a full size model look into one of their compact or sub compact models. I carry a glock 22 on duty and love it. I've had very few times when it didn't do what it was suppose to do while shooting it. But most important thing is after you get it is to shoot it and shoot it frequently. A gun is no good if you aren't proficient with it. Don't just stand and shoot at targets either. If you can move side to side while shooting at the target and walk your angles. Odds are if you have to use it you aren't going to be standing still while trying to shoot the yote and neither is the yote. Also practice drawing it out of the holster from where you are going to be carrying it.
 
#13 ·
K,

Your really need to come down and visit. Between us and the neighbor, we can figure out what you need and get you started! My neighbor is the handgun expert and is a patient teacher.

If you're looking for light, easy to use shot gun that doesn't have much kick to carry with you, I've used the Beretta 391 Urika 2 20ga, youth gun. The guys on the forum may laugh, but you're needing an easy to use gun, that makes some noise.....I don't think you're going to turn into the hunting queen. :)

Just don't tell anyone you've got a youth gun! You could shoot some small animals off your porch! We need to go shoot clays...

Sue Puff
 
#22 ·
You guys mist have BIG coyotes!
What thier tusk lenghts?:)

I LOVE to hunt them..

A simple wounded rabbit call,, and squeal it like you is really hurt, and an accurate rifle in .223 caliber, shooting 55 gr. Hornady "Sx" bullets,, and it doest the job well.

The 55 "sx" (super explosive) goes in, then defragments, and doesnt leavean exit hole.. The coyote takes ful energy of the round.
It makes a nice pelt, cause you just have 1 small .22 caliber hole in it.

Shoot em in the ear,,, and Ya have a perfect pelt..

They are FUn to call and shoot.. Very smart and crafty.

Gooser
 
#23 ·
Mike living unfortunately close to Atlanta and All of its associated wildlife, here you dress for Griz' everyday. Never thought I'd be "strappin" while just out on my own place but home invasions are all too common around here even in daylight and we are way off the road, so the coyote gets what's available, and it's big and laser-sighted. The .223 is relegated to planned fun hunting of 'yotes.
 
#26 ·
We hear'em around our place all the time and see them regularly. They do get used to humans and can get pretty bold. Have had them come out of the woods while I've been mowing the front yard and stop and watch from the road. Not sure if they're critiquing my straight lines or what. I certainly don't plan anything special to avoid them but do just like most people do..be aware that they're always out there.
 
#28 ·
You folks who have seen bold behavior in coyotes must live in an area where they don't get hunted. Around here if the see a human they are GONE in a flash. If they happen to be out in daylight hours and see a car or truck they watch cautiously....if the truck or car stops they are GONE as fast as they can. Around here guys REALLY love to drive the backroads looking for them. When they find one the brakes are slammed on and everyone bails out and the rifles start firing.

I've got a buddy who hunts with a group of guys using dogs and rifles....sometimes the dogs kill the coyotes, sometimes the hunters get to shoot them. That group of guys killed 100 coyotes last year. Not sure how many the kill annually but it's a BUNCH. Needless to say the coyotes around here are pretty shy...
 
#32 ·
You folks who have seen bold behavior in coyotes must live in an area where they don't get hunted.
This is exactly why urban and suburban places have more problems with coyotes. It is illegal inside most city limits to shoot them or carry your gun around(Illinois anyway). I'm all for shooting them but we can't. They learn pretty fast that humans are not a threat. In one of our local training spots we see coyotes all of the time. They aren't afraid. They will keep distance between you if you approach them but sometimes are pretty tough to run off. We had a good sized one at one of our training outings a few weeks ago mousing in a field about 300 to 400 yards off behind where we set up our line. It wouldn't run off when I approached it. We kept a close eye on it but it never showed any interest in us or our dogs while we trained.It just kept pouncing on mice. It was there during our entire training session. Unfortunately we can't shoot(city limits) there or it would be dead. I also can't shoot in my own yard anymore. The city has annexed around me and now there are houses close. The Illinois DNR says you need permission from the homeowner to shoot firearms within 100 yards of a dwelling. To get around this I purchased a .25 cal air rifle(for the bold ones). That is legal as long as I have a current hunting liscence in coyote season. The DNR said I don't need my neighbors permission for that. Dogs in our area do get attacked every once in awhile. Mostly small dogs but larger ones are still at risk. At night,the dogs are only taken out on a leash.
 
#30 ·
Be very careful of those coyotes, Jen. Do not let your Goldens run out of sight in those pastures and or woods where you see them often.

Also, if you see coyotes, get your Goldens on leash with you, do not let them give chase into cover. They hunt mostly at dusk. So careful if they are yipping, then a group effort of all out noise..and usually howling if they have something down. Do not want your dogs in their way, near a fresh kill or their pups.

Judy
 
#31 ·
I meant for my first post to be puppy related but more on that later. A few coyote stories to share.

One morning I let two full grown labs out of the front door to air out before feeding. As I called the dogs back to the front door I could see them being chased from the dark into the light of the front porch by a pair of coyotes. The coyotes turned off as i stepped into the door way at about 20 yards away. Sobering stuff.

A neighbor shot a coyote within a year of that event as it was coming up to his sliding glass window looking at his young son and his smaller bodied yellow lab that were in the house. He said once he saw the coyotes nose on his glass window that it was time for this one to go.


15 years ago I had a coyote false charge an Alpha female black lab of mine. Twice the coyote made an aggressive move towards my lab before planting its front feet as my dog went in the other direction. This was the only canine that lab ever backed away from. It took a voice command to move the coyote back. This was the only time I ever had a coyote hesitate to run off once I was confident that it had seen me. I realized later that it must have had pups nearby.

Another close call involved walking a black lab pup that was under six months old off leash in a field and a group of coyotes tried to engage it in play. I ran toward the three coyotes as I have heard they lure in young dogs before attack. The coyotes were gone in a flash at the first sight of me. The whole incident lasted less than 30 seconds.

The last close call involved a walk in the woods with a three month old puppy. When we made it back to my friends cabin a neighbor called to report that a coyote followed behind us for about 100 yards on our path. I never noticed the coyote myself in this incident.

It would seem puppies and smaller bodied dogs are most at risk.

As for weapon choice I would say hunt them like deer from a blind and get a .243 rifle with a fine scope. I would not bring the dog along for this hunt. As noted by others the chance of an accurate shot at a moving coyote or injury to your dog dictates great care if using your gun on the coyote during a typical day afield with your dog.
 
#33 ·
They've tore up my one 85 lb Lab and he luckily got away. Couple of hundred bucks at the vet to stitch him up. I wouldn't fiddle with a hand gun, I'd be looking at a .223 or .22-250 for longer ranges or a 12 gauge with 00 buckshot for up close and personal.
 
#34 ·
We have plenty of coyotes around right now. They are very bold so we are carefuk with letting the dogs out at night. 3 years ago they got my old guy. It was in the atfernoon so we are cautious even in day light. We have had a pair sit up on the hill side and watch us train the dogs. My husband does hunt them. He has even opened the patio doors and shot one from the dining room. That sure excited the dogs.
 
#35 ·
To the original poster: What do you plan to do when your dogs disappear into the darkness chasing the coyotes? A gun won't help. You can't shoot in the dark toward the coyotes and your dogs.

For many years, I've walked my dogs in the dark in the morning through farm fields. When the coyotes sing it's so hard to tell how far away they are. Very unnerving, and the dogs always want to give chase. I had lights on their collars and would call them back and leash them up at the first hint of a coyote.

I decided to end my walks in the dark this year, partly because I have always worried about a dog going over the hill and into a coyote pack, but mostly because of MOOSE. The moose population has been steadily increasing in northern Idaho and eastern Washington. My husband encountered one a couple of years ago in mid-day on the road through the wheat fields coming back from a walk with the poodle (luckily on leash). The moose did not move off the road when it saw George and the dog. Moose have a reputation for not moving. George made a very big circle through the muddy fields to go around the moose. Earlier this fall, driving to work, I saw really big hoof prints in the gravel a couple hundred yards away from the house. I stopped the van to look at the tracks going across the road from the creek and into the ditch. They were so big, they could have only been a moose. The dogs had been barking like crazy at something outside the fence the night before.

The coyotes make me a little nervous, but the idea of meeting a moose in the dark, well, that's really scary.
 
#38 ·
Here is the type of firearm to get. First are you in open spaces, flat prairie country. If so go with a 223 if you live in a area that is more populated and has woods and heavy cover go with a semi auto shotgun loaded with buck shot. It comes down to what range you will see the yotes at and you do not want to be shooting at one and a stray round go into the neighbors house.
 
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