A Week Of 'yote Hunting.

[DoubleC]

I live in VT and haven't heard a thing about this. I don't know why coyotes are considered a scourge but if you shot a wolf you'd have a pack of conservationists on your back. I think I'm the only person in the world that happens to recognize these are mammals with families they're trying to feed and they aren't the problem, we are. And they never take down anything bigger than a calf. With the state farming is in I know even that is too much but to bait them and use assault rifles seems cruel and unnatural, just sport. I, like Art have never seen more than one at a time. I'd be more willing to think it's feral dogs doing all the damage and what you did was bait in several at the same time, not a pack. I'd take my chances against a coyote anytime instead of a feral dog, especially a disowned feral dog. They've been taught too much by humans. I'm sorry but I don't think shooting an animal for sport is a good thing. Deer, elk, whatever you intend to eat makes sense, but not simply an animal trying to survive. Cheryl

[Ken Nelson]

There's a reason you've never heard of anyone buying a coyote fur coat.

Actually back in the early 1990's I worked on a large rach in eastern Colorado, the elders wife had a beautiful coyote fur jacket. The coyotes were harvested on her son-in-laws ranch at Wray, CO. The fur market dried up and as far as I know, which I really don't, there hasn't been a viable market for a number of years. Back in the 80's I seen them top out at $175 to 185 in Northern Nebraska and South Dakota. It wasn't until people started harvesting a lot of them we had a problem with them killing stock. They have gotten a lot bigger than they were 30 years ago in that part of the country. WHY, I have no idea but a lot of people think there has been an infusion of domestic dog in them. Interesting subject.

[DoubleC]

Kill them, which makes the remaining coyotes stronger, top of the food chain. No natural selection. More food to go around. Bigger litters. Makes sense to me. Humans 1 Coyotes 1 :-)

[Ken Nelson]

Kill them, which makes the remaining coyotes stronger, top of the food chain. No natural selection. More food to go around. Bigger litters. Makes sense to me. Humans 1 Coyotes 1 :-)

Actually, according to the game biologist in Colorado and the State Trapper in Nebraska (cherry County) ; Coyotes mate for life, if a male loses his mate, he will take a virgin bitch and mate for life again. If a female loses her mate, no dog coyote will mate with her. When these prime age females come into season, they will mate with domestic dogs, IF the domestic dog will breed her. I have seen them come into a ranchyard and all but assault a male cow dog. Also, a qualified game biologist can tell by their teeth if they are part dog. We killed several that showed German Shepard traits.When I first started hunting coyotes hard in the mid 70's, 37 or 38 #'s was a big dog. By the late 80's we were killing 60+ pound coyotes. Biggest we ever got went 72 pounds and the fur buyer wouldn't buy him. We were still killing a lot of 35 # coyotes but as a whole, they had gotten a lot bigger. We were harvesting over 200 a year. Season was from November to mid February.

[DoubleC]

Well wolves have breed with dogs forever so I don't get your point? Why are wolves cool and coyotes scum? And evolution could account for some of the fact they are getting bigger. Are you telling me there are numerous, I mean a lot, I mean a statistically significant number of coyote litters that are now actually feral dogs instead because of the bitches breeding with dogs. That many mates killed? Because I think it's the poor bitches that killed more often trying tol feed her pups.

You harvest corn, green beans, roses. You slaughter coyotes, they are thinking, feeling animals tied to families. And ken even then did you kill a 'pack' of coyotes?

[Ken Nelson]

Well wolves have breed with dogs forever so I don't get your point? Why are wolves cool and coyotes scum? And evolution could account for some of the fact they are getting bigger. Are you telling me there are numerous, I mean a lot, I mean a statistically significant number of coyote litters that are now actually feral dogs instead because of the bitches breeding with dogs. That many mates killed? Because I think it's the poor bitches that killed more often trying tol feed her pups.

You harvest corn, green beans, roses. You slaughter coyotes, they are thinking, feeling animals tied to families. And ken even then did you kill a 'pack' of coyotes?

We broke up two packs of dog cross coyotes, and they were doing a lot of damage to livestock. We were harvesting fur, not killing coyotes for sport, although there are species of wildlife a lot easier to bag than coyotes. While I was in the cattle ranching industry,for over 35 years, for every dollar's worth of damage I knew of coyotes doing, there were hundreds of dollars worth of dog damage. You are right, Ferel dogs are a bigger problem and the fact that dogs are crossing with coyotes changes the coyote population into a completely differnt animal. Animals are animals, not humans and is it a mistake to humanize them?

Edited August 21, 2012 by Ken Nelson

[DoubleC]

I'm not humanizing them Ken. Just using the correct term. If you want steaks on the table you slaughter a cow. Raise a pig and want pork? You don't harvest your pig you harvest your garden. I never said you did it for sport, I said you slaughtered them. I'm a misplaced leather worker I guess. I love working with leather but I wouldn't slaughter a cow simply for its hide. An animal advocate that works with dead animals, sigh. Cheryl

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

I believe this is what was ment by humanizing them , when you said "You slaughter coyotes, they are thinking, feeling animals tied to families."

Historically coyotes were not back East, now they roam all over the USA. In some areas they have become a nusiance by attacking livestock, killing house pets, and affecting deer herds. I have seen some out where I live, and they are always alone.

[DoubleC]

I know Gun, I guess I am humanizing them to a point. But they mate for life, few animals do that. And just like deer hunting where people are always proudest of getting a buck, the does are still teaching their young how to survive. Yes coyotes affect the deer population, but where I'm from because of this 'open season' on coyotes they keep upping the amount of deer you are allowed to kill because THEY are now the nuisance. I've sat many a night and watched a herd of does and young walk through downtown going from where they've been grazing to the river for a drink. The natural order has been upset. I saw one coyote my entire life there and probably 1000s of deer. I think deer are beautiful graceful animals and to this day seeing one still tickles me, but since my sister was personally involved in a wreck with one, which is just one of dozens that happen in our county in Ohio during mating season, and because the people depend on the meat, I have no qualms about people killing them. But I do about spotlighters that do it for sport and the racks. I do believe if humans were removed from the earth it would heal itself, but I'm not advocating open season on people either.

[DoubleC]

I'm not trying to argue with anyone. I just have a different opinion and I respect the views of all, well, dag all the OP on this thread which are the same. My opinion is just different but I'm not saying it's right or left or wrong. It's just an opinion.