[Jonsie]

Originally Posted by Cliff R

We have a LOT of them here, and in some areas they are becoming quite a problem.

They are also cross-breeding with other species. A couple of weeks ago a neighbor shot one that was nearly twice the size as the "average" coyote. I'll see if I can get some pics. He said it was watching him every time he went to his tree stand to deer hunt, but on a ridge several hundred yards away.

He took his 7mm mag with him on the last day and shot the coyote instead of deer hunting. He claims it's over 50lbs, but I didn't see it or the pics yet.

We seldom have encounters with them here as I have two large dogs over 100lbs and they LOVE to chase down and kill the young pups if/when they fall behind the rest of the pack and start crying. They sound they make is something you will never forget, and my dogs purk up and take off like lions headed for a fresh kill!

The adults are really smart, and this behavior has educated them enough to stay well clear of my property. I haven't cut a coyote track in the snow now in several years.

There is a den "complex" about 3 miles from here, and one of my friends put a deer camera on it in the Spring last year. He said they brought in over 30 fawns in the course of several weeks. The farmer than owns that property LOVES it, as the deer cost him many thousands of dollars each year in crop damage.

I've seen the "complex", it's spooky, has 4 entrances and huge PILES of bones/fir/hair outside the main entrance. From what I can see they feed on road kill, and a good many raccoons and ground hogs in addition to the fawns they kill in the Spring.......Cliff

Yep.....deer are very destructive, in more ways than one, and the deer take off when the coyotes show up. The coyotes don't bother me at all