Coyotes in the Back Yard

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  • two70

    Master
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    19   0   0
    Feb 5, 2016
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    Johnson
    No, coyotes are not native East of the Mississippi, they only expanded eastward in the last century. https://urbancoyoteresearch.com/coyote-info/north-american-distribution

    It is not just small pets that are in danger from urban coyotes. It takes a pretty damn big and/or aggressive dog to stand much of a chance against even a single coyote if the coyote is desperate enough.

    It seems a lot of people are confusing rural coyotes behavior with that of suburban yotes. Suburban coyotes tend have much less fear of humans which can cause them to behave much more aggressively. That said, people tend to way overreact to the potential threat they pose. Still, I wouldn't allow them to hang around my backyard.
     

    KLB

    Grandmaster
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    Sep 12, 2011
    23,011
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    Porter County
    No, coyotes are not native East of the Mississippi, they only expanded eastward in the last century. https://urbancoyoteresearch.com/coyote-info/north-american-distribution

    It is not just small pets that are in danger from urban coyotes. It takes a pretty damn big and/or aggressive dog to stand much of a chance against even a single coyote if the coyote is desperate enough.

    It seems a lot of people are confusing rural coyotes behavior with that of suburban yotes. Suburban coyotes tend have much less fear of humans which can cause them to behave much more aggressively. That said, people tend to way overreact to the potential threat they pose. Still, I wouldn't allow them to hang around my backyard.
    That page contradicts itself. Chicago is in the 1900+ range, yet it says the following
    Coyotes were initially present at the founding of the Chicago site in the 18th century but disappeared during most of the 19th and 20th centuries.
     

    eldirector

    Grandmaster
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    Apr 29, 2009
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    Brownsburg, IN
    Interesting that the fossil record shows modern coyote in what is now West Virginia and Pennsylvania 350,000 to 750,000 years ago.

    I am guessing their populations expand and contract as habitat and resources also expand and contract. You know, like nature.

    Also guessing various sources differ on their opinion of "native".
     
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jul 7, 2021
    2,626
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    central indiana
    I saw more coyotes while living in Avon than I have seen since moving to the sticks. In Avon they would follow along the green areas adjacent to the creeks and the railroads. When they start digging through trash while the trash truck is two houses away, making loud trash truck noises, they cease to be part of a healthy ecosystem. Native or not. In the sticks I hear them, rarely see them. If population density prohibits traditional tool choice, even a cheap pumpmaster 770 loaded with .177 pellets to coyote's face is effective.
     
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jul 7, 2021
    2,626
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    central indiana
    Any suggestions other than a six foot fence and shooting them?
    They ignore the motion activated light.
    I'm not an expert at wildlife control, but it seems apex predators that lack any natural threat are hard to control short of mechanical means. Coyotes don't really have any threat. If for example we had lions. And the lions ate the coy's, then lion scent might deter them. Alas, no Indiana lions. Have you thought of contacting pests management service? The kind that deal with rogue squirrels, possums and such? They might trap and relocate. Or exterminate. I have no idea on costs though.
    *edit. The costs for coy's might be ongoing considering they roam and reproduce well.
     

    HoosierHunter07

    Marksman
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    9   0   0
    Jul 22, 2020
    166
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    Borden
    Any suggestions other than a six foot fence and shooting them?
    They ignore the motion activated light.
    The problem is, if you remove the current coyotes, more will replace them next fall and winter when the dispersal starts. Coyotes have their pups in the spring, and then they get kicked out in the fall and winter as they mature, and will start dispersing to find their own territory. There's something about your area that works for them and they've called it home. If they're not causing problems you might consider leaving them...the next group might already have a taste for dog or cats.

    Coyotes are just part of the indiana landscape at this point. Theyre not going anywhere. They are way too good at surviving. The last thing on earth after an atomic bomb will be cockroaches, and coyotes.
     

    canebreaker

    Marksman
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    0   0   0
    Jan 2, 2020
    261
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    Horn Lake
    I use to watch 2 programs on local tv. One was on PBS, Jerry Baker your lawn and garden friend. They would show you how to make tonics for weed and insect control mostly. At the end of the programs they would answer letters. One started out about controlling cats in the scrubs, they added controlling squirrels and then moles. All mammals taste and smell. Sprinkle ground Cayenne pepper where you don't what them. Don't waste your time buying the little jars, look for the 5 gallon buckets cause you'll need that much over time. The Old Dirt Robber added, collect male pee in a large jar/jug. Add the lid and leave it in the sun a couple of days before pouring it where needed. Female pee will burn your lawn. The program ended at that moment, still had 5 minutes to go. On the Jerry Baker show he was talking about mole control. In a gallon jug add so much Cayenne pepper, Tabasco sauce and male pee. Pour it in the mole tunnels. The program ended with 12 minutes left.
    When I lived out where I could have chickens I kept a jug under my desk. Filled it instead of the toilet. Add a cup of Cayenne pepper to it and sit in the sun. Pour it around the coop. In 12 years of having chickens nothing ever tried to get them.
     

    HoosierHunter07

    Marksman
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    9   0   0
    Jul 22, 2020
    166
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    Borden
    I use to watch 2 programs on local tv. One was on PBS, Jerry Baker your lawn and garden friend. They would show you how to make tonics for weed and insect control mostly. At the end of the programs they would answer letters. One started out about controlling cats in the scrubs, they added controlling squirrels and then moles. All mammals taste and smell. Sprinkle ground Cayenne pepper where you don't what them. Don't waste your time buying the little jars, look for the 5 gallon buckets cause you'll need that much over time. The Old Dirt Robber added, collect male pee in a large jar/jug. Add the lid and leave it in the sun a couple of days before pouring it where needed. Female pee will burn your lawn. The program ended at that moment, still had 5 minutes to go. On the Jerry Baker show he was talking about mole control. In a gallon jug add so much Cayenne pepper, Tabasco sauce and male pee. Pour it in the mole tunnels. The program ended with 12 minutes left.
    When I lived out where I could have chickens I kept a jug under my desk. Filled it instead of the toilet. Add a cup of Cayenne pepper to it and sit in the sun. Pour it around the coop. In 12 years of having chickens nothing ever tried to get them.
    Honestly, I doubt the urine has anything to do with it. I've read and heard plenty of guys urinating on sets to make a point, and still catching Fox and coyotes.
     
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 14, 2015
    49
    8
    boone county
    They are an invasive species in this locale and damnably hard on the foxes and groundhogs who actually ARE part of a healthy local ecosystem. Kill 'em all.
    coyotes have been recorded in indiana for a few hundred years and probably been here much longer than that. almost all the studies done on coyote hunting have shown that it often has the opposite affect on small game and deer populations than the shooter thinks and that killing certain coyotes can break down pack structure and and changes the behavior of the coyotes in the area. killing random coyotes instead of nusiance ones specifically can lead to more coyotes in the coming years because of how pack structure works and killing one of the breeding pair will lead to other pack members breeding and more litters now being had.
     
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 14, 2015
    49
    8
    boone county
    The problem is, if you remove the current coyotes, more will replace them next fall and winter when the dispersal starts. Coyotes have their pups in the spring, and then they get kicked out in the fall and winter as they mature, and will start dispersing to find their own territory. There's something about your area that works for them and they've called it home. If they're not causing problems you might consider leaving them...the next group might already have a taste for dog or cats.

    Coyotes are just part of the indiana landscape at this point. Theyre not going anywhere. They are way too good at surviving. The last thing on earth after an atomic bomb will be cockroaches, and coyotes.
    its crazy how many people dont understand this. people think that if you shoot a few coyotes a season, they are decreasing the population for the next year when in reality its most likely the opposite. im all for shooting a coyote if it is a problem animal that is bothering livestock or pets but your first move should be to build a better fence and try to deter them. all the research on why shooting random coyotes wont ever control their numbers is out there but most people live by the thought they should kill every coyote they see and that its doing the ecosystem a favor when it just isnt the case
     

    patience0830

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    28   1   0
    Nov 3, 2008
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    Not far from the tree
    its crazy how many people dont understand this. people think that if you shoot a few coyotes a season, they are decreasing the population for the next year when in reality its most likely the opposite. im all for shooting a coyote if it is a problem animal that is bothering livestock or pets but your first move should be to build a better fence and try to deter them. all the research on why shooting random coyotes wont ever control their numbers is out there but most people live by the thought they should kill every coyote they see and that its doing the ecosystem a favor when it just isnt the case
    Just consider us coyote hunters natural predation.
     

    tmschuller

    Master
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    41   0   0
    Feb 25, 2013
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    Grant county
    The problem is, if you remove the current coyotes, more will replace them next fall and winter when the dispersal starts. Coyotes have their pups in the spring, and then they get kicked out in the fall and winter as they mature, and will start dispersing to find their own territory. There's something about your area that works for them and they've called it home. If they're not causing problems you might consider leaving them...the next group might already have a taste for dog or cats.

    Coyotes are just part of the indiana landscape at this point. Theyre not going anywhere. They are way too good at surviving. The last thing on earth after an atomic bomb will be cockroaches, and coyotes.
    Theory’s flawed and not always going play by the rules you state.. especially in town.
    In our part of the Country we’ve taken care of the problem and in check. They know to stay away
    Interesting concept and I can appreciate your point of view.
    its crazy how many people dont understand this. people think that if you shoot a few coyotes a season, they are decreasing the population for the next year when in reality its most likely the opposite. im all for shooting a coyote if it is a problem animal that is bothering livestock or pets but your first move should be to build a better fence and try to deter them. all the research on why shooting random coyotes wont ever control their numbers is out there but most people live by the thought they should kill every coyote they see and that its doing the ecosystem a favor when it just isnt the case
    call me crazy/er. No worries just makes for more targets... not sure of the mindset here but a fence does nothing in the logic you have in the country. Not logical or practical. What is practical is targets they provide. And it works fine where I live. Thanks for posting.
     

    HoosierHunter07

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    Jul 22, 2020
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    Borden
    Theory’s flawed and not always going play by the rules you state.. especially in town.
    In our part of the Country we’ve taken care of the problem and in check. They know to stay away
    Interesting concept and I can appreciate your point of view.

    call me crazy/er. No worries just makes for more targets... not sure of the mindset here but a fence does nothing in the logic you have in the country. Not logical or practical. What is practical is targets they provide. And it works fine where I live. Thanks for posting.
    Its not really a theory, but I get your point. Mother nature doesn't always play by the rules. But keep in mind that a mom Coyote teaches her pups. And some trappers and biologists believe over time these things that are taught are actually ingrained into their DNA. Maybe you're dealing with a specific line of coyotes that really do "know to stay away" as you say. But if that is broken and others move in, things could change.
     

    patience0830

    .22 magician
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    Not far from the tree
    Its not really a theory, but I get your point. Mother nature doesn't always play by the rules. But keep in mind that a mom Coyote teaches her pups. And some trappers and biologists believe over time these things that are taught are actually ingrained into their DNA. Maybe you're dealing with a specific line of coyotes that really do "know to stay away" as you say. But if that is broken and others move in, things could change.
    At which point, they teach some more of 'em. Modifying the DNA of the entire species will take us a while.
     

    canebreaker

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    Jan 2, 2020
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    Horn Lake
    I didn't work at a desk. Started that after retirement.
    Our ancestors removed a lot of animals for food and those that would be a threat to their families and livestock at the time.
    I grew up, up to the age of 10 some 120 miles south of Memphis, TN. We would roam the woods and fields never seeing a foot print or other signs of what is around here now. White tail deer were brought into the area in the late '50's for study. Flooding allowed them to escape from their pens. I never heard of a deer hunting season until the late '60's. Coyote's were brought in during the early '70's to help reduce their herds.
    As a kid if we came home late after a night in town there would be hundreds of rabbits along the gravel roads. Now we might see 1 during a night drive.
     
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