Coyote Ugly

[Devils Horse]

I was in the back yard with my daughter's little Jack Russell/Poodle puppy last night about dark. She was just running around having a good time when 2 German Shepard sized coyotes came loping across the yard headed for the woods.

One turned, lowered it's head and made a beeline for the little dog. I ran straight at it hollering at the top of my lungs, and it turned away about 20 feet from snapping up a quick meal.

My first inclination is to do some backyard still hunting with a long gun. Haven't hunted since I was a teenager, and don't relish the idea of shooting anything, but I just can't have coyotes coming up in the yard.

The way I got it figured 2 or more of them together is fatal to anything small, and dangerous to anything medium sized that happens to be in the yard.

Last couple of years I've heard a pack of them at night in the woods behind, and out the fields in front of the house. Godawful racket that makes my hackles rise.

Prolly wouldn't have to nail but one or 2, and they'd stay away (I hope).

Is it legal to shoot coyotes? Am I over reacting? Anybody else dealt with something like this?

[Tim_T]

Kill every one of the things you see. They will attack your dog big or small if there are enough of them and they have even attacked infants before.

It is perfectly legal to kill them year 'round in Kentucky. There was a couple of years where you could actually hunt them at night, which is more effective, but KDFWR stopped that.

Btw there is one down at Taylorsville Lake WMA that owes me a Pretty Boy turkey decoy, so I hope you shoot that one too!

[Chubminnow]

Funny you should mention coyote's...I visited a lodge down in E'town last night and on the drive back home on 31W north a coyote was running a hundred yard dash across dixie hwy...man he was hauling tail too!!! Big ol' ears sticking straight up, etc...As far as hunting them is concerned I have heard they're pretty smart when it comes to their human predator...they tend to keep their distance out in the woods, this is what I've heard anyway.

[bassin_bug]

I was in the back yard with my daughter's little Jack Russell/Poodle puppy last night about dark. She was just running around having a good time when 2 German Shepard sized coyotes came loping across the yard headed for the woods.

One turned, lowered it's head and made a beeline for the little dog. I ran straight at it hollering at the top of my lungs, and it turned away about 20 feet from snapping up a quick meal.

My first inclination is to do some backyard still hunting with a long gun. Haven't hunted since I was a teenager, and don't relish the idea of shooting anything, but I just can't have coyotes coming up in the yard.

The way I got it figured 2 or more of them together is fatal to anything small, and dangerous to anything medium sized that happens to be in the yard.

Last couple of years I've heard a pack of them at night in the woods behind, and out the fields in front of the house. Godawful racket that makes my hackles rise.

Prolly wouldn't have to nail but one or 2, and they'd stay away (I hope).

Is it legal to shoot coyotes? Am I over reacting? Anybody else dealt with something like this?

I don't think you are over reacting. I'm dealing with the same thing only there is a pack of about 10 or 12 coyotes. They look like big gray German Shepherds and sometimes bark and howl all night long. I have 2 Shianese Pups that like to run around in the yard when I walk them and the coyotes scare the crap out of me. The deer are coming into the yard to hide in the bushes at night near a spotlight and I assume they're trying to get away from the coyotes.

Some states have a bounty on coyotes but in mine, it's just kill them. I have to be careful going outside with my pups at night because I'm afraid. My cousin has a fenced in pasture and has bought 3 donkeys/burros to keep the coyotes away from the cows. I am seriously considering having a chain link fence installed around about 4-5 acres of my yard.

[DJD]

My cousin has a fenced in pasture and has bought 3 donkeys/burros to keep the coyotes away from the cows. I am seriously considering having a chain link fence installed around about 4-5 acres of my yard.

Exactly what my moms neighbors did in Florida. Those little miniture Donkeys are bad news and the one big Donkey/Burro is scary looking! Between the fences around the property and those dang alarming animals the Coyotes are scarce now.

Jim if I had that happen to me I would shoot a few. I'm not into killing something without eating it but that situation is dangerous and can be a heartbreaking loss if they take your pet. My buddy had his family dog on a leash (some toy sized dog) attached to the front porch like he always did every morning while he made coffee and stuff. He would let it do it's business and come get him after 10 minutes or so. Well he comes out in time to see it limp in the jaws of a coyote with a section of the leash still attached to the dog. Dang animal chewed the leash to take the dog away....smart critters!

[Devils Horse]

12 gauge pump, 00 Magnum, 30.06 rounds travel way too far.

Maybe that was just a one time thing, if not I'll let the shotgun do the hollering next time.

Tim, how close to dark can I legally shoot? Yesterday it was pretty dark when they showed up.

Going to do some KDFWR research to make sure I don't get into trouble.

[kygorski]

I didn't hunt them after dark! But I did take a few celebration shots now and then, but I wasn't hunting!!!

[Tim_T]

12 gauge pump, 00 Magnum, 30.06 rounds travel way too far.

Maybe that was just a one time thing, if not I'll let the shotgun do the hollering next time.

Tim, how close to dark can I legally shoot? Yesterday it was pretty dark when they showed up.

Going to do some KDFWR research to make sure I don't get into trouble.

DH, check for sure with KDFWR but I believe it is just like deer, 1/2 hour before official sunrise until sunset.

[coombro]

I didn't hunt them after dark! But I did take a few celebration shots now and then, but I wasn't hunting!!!

If its lite enough to see em it's light enough to pop em.

[stripernut]

its late winter...they wont pass up many opportunities for a meal, youre not overreacting.

[TrackerMike]

As long as you do not use a light (spotlight) it is legal to shoot a coyote in KY.

[riverrat12]

If your in an area you don't have to worry about other domestic dogs, you can take a big ole treble hook and a piece a meat and hang it in a tree just high enough off the ground that when they jump to get it they hang themselves....kinda like trot lining for coyote....