SageHill Ranch Journal

farmerjan

Herd Master
Joined
Aug 16, 2016
Messages
10,198
Reaction score
38,752
Points
748
Location
Shenandoah Valley Virginia
Sadly for the "human way of thinking" the coyotes are "living with nature"; the kind of nature that is programmed into their DNA.... They have to eat... they just need to eat what was originally provided for them IN nature.... not what us humans have added to the landscape. But they are opportunists to the nth degree... easy is sure better than having to work for the meal...
 

Ridgetop

Herd Master
Joined
Mar 13, 2015
Messages
6,572
Reaction score
22,273
Points
693
Location
Shadow Hills, CA
I hate it when you report a bad attack and the Animal Control people say, "You have to live with them" and send you a pamphlet titled "How to Get Along with Nature".

Open the pamphlet and read that humans are invading the animals' territory through building and spreading into their areas. We need to understand how to live alongside them.
First, humans have lived where I live for 200 years! You would think the animals would have learned to move away by now!
Second, coyotes are so prevalent now in the cities that the parks have signs warning people about the danger they can expect from coyotes..
Third, coyote attacks on humans - small children and their leashed pets walking - have increased exponentially.
Fourth, coyotes and cougar are no longer afraid of humans.
Fifth, animal rights activists have effectively stopped all trapping of coyotes in residential areas.

Here are the pamphlet instructions to protect yourself from coyotes in our area:

1. Pick up fallen fruit from fruit trees.
I don't have any fruit trees.
2. Don't feed wildlife.
No duh!
3. Don't leave pet food outdoors.
Again - no duh!
4. Bring pets inside at night.
50 sheep, a horse and a mule?

SSS is better. Although there are so many coyotes now that when one is eradicated another moves in.
 

SageHill

Herd Master
Joined
Aug 27, 2022
Messages
3,007
Reaction score
11,233
Points
463
Location
Southern CA
Oh yeah - for sure - I don't want them here - but being overrun with rabbits and squirrels is not appealing either. I've got a Squirrelinator (works great -- and it even caught a rabbit) the folks that make that are working on a Hare-inator - I'll get one or more when they have them.
The coyotes "down the hill" in the more populated towns are thriving and bold. The ones here are not bold (so far) and as soon as one is, my game will be upped to a permanent lesson. Thank God we are not close to any housing developments where they learn boldness. Everyone here is not of the "they were here first" mindset. 👍
At the old place I lost enough chickens to fill quite a few pots - the fast food lane so to speak, and did not have a permanent option other than housing. Here is different, thank God.
There have also been documented mountain lion sightings 3 miles as the crow flies. So far all I've seen are occasional bobcats.
 

Ridgetop

Herd Master
Joined
Mar 13, 2015
Messages
6,572
Reaction score
22,273
Points
693
Location
Shadow Hills, CA
You hardly ever see the cats, cougar or bobcats. They are silent, stealth hunters and although we have several here in the area we have iny seen a cou0le is 32 years. We know when a new one comes around because of the dogs, but they soon learn that hunting in our area is useless because the dogs alert all game to their presence.
 
Top