Coyote's in my pasture this morning pics

[Miniequine]

About 8 am.. right beside my barn...

One looks to be a female w/ pups...

Not sure if the other is a male.

I am not liking them at my barn. Will they go after cats? Foals?

 

[Lil' Horse Lover]

I would be really careful with the coyotes and particularily the foals. I work at a Veterinary Hospital and we have dogs coming in all the time that have been attacked by coyotes, even bigger dogs which should be intimidating to the coyotes. If the coyotes are brave enough to try to fight a big dog that is bigger than they are I'd be worried about them attacking a little foal. There's also been reports of coyotes attacking people walking their pets and such, so they seem to be getting braver and are less wary. And yes they will go after cats if they get the chance. I'd definately bring in the mares and foals at night and let them out while your home during the day.

 

[minie812]

Not good...you need to shoot them as they will go after foals-cats anthing small. We have a pack of them and slowly the farmer nx to us has been taking care of business. When foaling season started the BIG male was running the fence line trying to get in and I am talking 12 noon. He was not afraid either. They have a den across the road in a pasture. They also can carry disease

 

[Miniv]

Those look on the lean side........and one of them obviously has recently had pups. I'd be cautious and on the lookout.

We personally, have a den not far from us......on a neighbor's property. The coyotes are very fit and healthy because they have a lot of rodents to feed off of. We also have electric fencing, four large very noisy dogs, several llamas, a large outdoor light off the barn, and a barn radio. So far they have had no interest with crossing onto our property. They prefer to go around us and visit other people's property instead.

 

[Tatonkas Dream]

I'd get rid of them by some means, shooting, traping, extermintor service - whatever but I wouldn't wait til they go after your minis (foals or full size), dogs, cats etc to go after them.

I for one would be really concerned.

would be my motto

Tony from Little Americas is the first person that came to mind at least here in TX - he's lost way too many of his babies to coyotes or stray dog packs...

And it may be spring/sheding out but they don't look all that healthy to me either - another concern in itself.

 

[Sandyboy1]

Especially during the winter, a pack of coyotes frequents my area, migrating through here every week. They do come right next to the dry lot and they hunt regularly in the pasture area at night or in the early morning. My observation is that they hunt rodents such as voles, mice, and gophers, which our arid farmland grows in great quantity. A large number of feral cats exist poorly here, so it's very possible the weakest ones are prey also. I do have a lovely, fat, barn cat that has been safe. The horses don't seem at all worried by the coyotes' proximity, although we did improve the fencing because of stray dogs.

Pam

 

[Kim]

Don't automatically assume that you have to shoot the coyotes. You might want to talk to someone in your area to determine whether the local coyotes tend to be aggressive. I really think that whether or not coyotes are dangerous to pets and livestock varies depending on the area.

For example, we have dozens of coyotes - we see one or more coyotes every day, and hear them every night. Our coyotes are not aggressive at all, in fact they are more timid than anything. We have never lost anything to them - dogs, cats, foals, calves etc. (and we calve out hundred of calves every year.) However, the coyotes around here have tons to eat as there are plenty of gophers, rabbits, etc. for them, which may very well be a factor.

 

[nbark]

Llamas are the best natural defense against coyotes. They filmed a movie here in Mass and had to use an island, not far off shore. The island was covered with poison ivy, so they took out a herd of goats and one llama to protect them from the coyotes that had been seen there. They never lost a goat and the island was wiped clean of poison ivy, gotta luv those goats, I hate poison ivy.

If anyone out there knows of someone who is shooting them, tell them they need to be very cautious with their carcasses. They are a canine and as such might be carrying rabies. One cut on the finger and contact with the body fluids of an infected animal could be lethal. Tell them to carry rubber gloves when handling the carcasses of coyotes.

For mini owners, make sure ALL of your animals are vaccinated against rabies.

 

[HGFarm]

I believe that MOST of Tony's problems were from domestic dogs.........

However, when we lived up on the ranch in eastern Oregon, the coyotes were leary of people, but would come in at night and kill calves as the cow was literally giving birth.

They will grab anything they can get by with quickly- cats, small dogs, chickens, whatever, however there have been attacks in our area by the packs that have taken down ROTTIES and other large and healthy dogs!!!! They have lost their fear of people and dont even run when we go outside, they stand and look and the slowly go about their business!

I would follow as much of Miniv's advice- put up hot wire, shoot at least AT them if you dont want to kill them, at least a shotgun in their general direction and doing something every time you see them to let them know they are not wanted will help keep them leary of your place, but certainly not totally away. They are VERY smart and VERY fast- and yes, can carry diseases including rabies!!!!

I would do whatever you can to discourage them, but if they are 'paired up', they probably already have a den somewhere. The female looks like she is still pg. to me, no pups yet.

We call cats and small dogs, etc.. here 'Coyote Candy'.

 

[tagalong]

Llamas are the best natural defense against coyotes.

That is not necessarily the case. It must depend on the individual llama... because the ones I have been associated with did not care about coyotes - and would lay there and watch them as they trotted across the pasture. But if any of our dogs ran into the field to go after the coyotes, the llamas went after those dogs - not the coyotes.

Coyotes were peachy keen, as far as the llamas were concerned. Ditto for bears.

Coyotes around here can and will pick off small dogs and cats. Nothing bigger seems to interest them - far too many rabbits and easier game around.

 

[Relic]

l hate the ugly things..a few years back l posted about when we lost a dog and colt because of them...when it happens it happens fast l would shoot to kill if thery hang around before feeling sorry for them.

 

[Horse Feathers]

Most of the rancher use donkeys to protect their cows, goats, sheep, ect. Around here the coyotes can and will kill calves, last year a neighbor down the road lost a Quarter horse foal to a pack. Donkeys hate dogs and coyotes.

 

[chandab]

We typically go by the three "S"s around here; shoot, shovel, shut-up. I can't remember the numbers for certain, but I was told a couple guys shot around 90 coyotes in the area this past winter (this was about 5 miles south or so of us, where a large number of deer were camped out for the winter). We only saw a few around our property over the winter, but I guess with someone shooting so many, they just weren't hanging around. My husband definitely lets them know they aren't wanted; he usually shoots to kill, but even misses get the point across. We did lose one calf to coyotes this year, but not til after the cows were out to summer pasture, and it was a puny calf with an older mother; we found the calf already dead, so not absolutely sure if it died then got chewed on or if the coyote took it down. The coyotes around here don't seem as brazen as those others seem to deal with, and they mostly seem to travel as singles or pairs, not as many in packs.

 

[Riverdance]

They actually look pretty healthy to me, just their winter coats shedding which will give them the mangy look. The female defiantly looks like she is going to have puppies soon.

I hate the thought of killing anything, and coyotes will mostly go after ground gophers and rats and mice. They will keep the population down. I would rather have them around then the rodents!!

Just keep the mares and foals close by during the night. My pastures have a hotwire on the very bottom and evey other wire all the way up, six strands worth.

My paddocks are all 3 board white PVC fencing with wire fencing on the outside all the way around. Makes it impossible for a dog or coyote to go through or under the fences.

 

[wildoak]

Cats are definitely at risk, foals quite possibly. Where we live previously was rural, but very much on the developing edge of town - which meant coyotes, etc were being run out of their habitat. Our small neighborhood lost countless cats and a few small dogs to coyotes over the years. We probably lost close to a dozen cats ourselves..

Since we moved, our cats seem to hang around the barn in a pretty protected area, but I hear the coyotes every night, they aren't far away. A neighbor had goats who kept wandering onto our property (as does everything stray lol), and the coyotes made short work of them. We found 2 dead goats in our dry creek bed, just below the barn and yet they never bothered the horses.

I would do whatever it takes to at least strongly discourage them from taking up residence.

Jan

 

[georgiegirl]

About 8 am.. right beside my barn... One looks to be a female w/ pups...

Not sure if the other is a male.

I am not liking them at my barn. Will they go after cats? Foals?

We live in the heart of cougar, bear, and coyote country. I have been in this area for many years and I have never lost anything to any of the aforementioned animals except a cat or two. IMHO there many tales that go around about what they will do, and not do.

I am much more careful with my minis than I was with big horses, however. My minis are all in the barn at night as we had big cat tracks around the house this winter in the snow.

My neighbors have goats and another neighbor had a baby colt, both of which would be easy pickens for the wild ones if they were after them.

Personally I think people have a greater fear factor than they need to have. For the most part, these animals are very shy and just pass through and go their way.

 

[barnbum]

We can hear them now and then on a still night; thankfully there's plenty of fields between us and the woods. But when I do, I'm always so glad my minis are tucked in for the night--and there are cement blocks placed in front of the sliding door and an electirc fence must be dealt with before a critter can even get to that sliding door. I'd love to leave my horses out on cool bugless nights, but I live by "better safe than sorry."

I loved seeing the photos of them, Sandy.

 

[Riverdance]

A neighbor had goats who kept wandering onto our property (as does everything stray lol), and the coyotes made short work of them. We found 2 dead goats in our dry creek bed, just below the barn and yet they never bothered the horses.

How do you know it was coyotes? Especially if you found them just dead.

It is a shame that everything that goes on is blamed on the coyotes. Packs of dogs are more likely (or even a singleton dog) is more likely to take a goat, sheep, foal or cat down and then not eat it. Wild animals will eat what they kill.

This fear mentality is what almost brought the distinction of wolves. If one gets rid of every predator (because of the fear factor) then the echo system will be disturbed and we will be overrun with rodants and dear (look at Connecticut. Their deer population has gotten to be so bad, that they are no longer considered Bambi, but rats with antlers).

Nature is nature and we have NO right to disturbe it. Just take the proper precautions to protect your herd without killing something!

 

[wildoak]

We found 2 dead goats in our dry creek bed, just below the barn and yet they never bothered the horses.

How do you know it was coyotes? Especially if you found them just dead.

We have NEVER had any predator problem on this property, only rumors of one big cat anywhere in the vicinity and this was not a cat attack. My husband heard one of the goats screaming in the night and went down with a flashlight, to see coyotes scatter at his appearance. This happened on two separate nights. The first night, one goat was down and dead and another had obviously been attacked around his hindquarters. Coyotes may get falsely blamed sometimes, but there was no question in this instance.

Interesting too that once the goats were gone (I called my neighbor and said please get rid of the goats!!), we haven't seen another coyote. I hear them at night of course, and they may still come down the creek bed but they apparently don't bother the horses. My across the creek neighbor runs his mares & foals out in the field 24/7, if they were going after foals he would have had a problem. He does generally run a stallion with the mares though, might be a deterrent.

Jan

 

[Just Us N Texas]

We have a lot of coyotes here, and I hate seeing them. So far, we haven't lost anything. Neighbors have sheep, and they lose plenty even with the Great Pyrs they have. They have been known to mate with dogs, and that produces the coydog. They don't (with dog added in) have the natural fear of humans that a true coyote does. This makes them very dangerous to both human and animal. I'm sorry, but if the occasion persents itself, I will shoot them. They do carry a lot of diseases as well as being dangerous.