[David Jones]

I live in a small bedroom community named Pleasant Grove, Alabama. Population is now around 7000 and we're about 15 miles west of Birmingham. I live fairly close to the center of the city and about 3 blocks from the city park and city hall. I do have a parcel of woods on my western lot line and woods also behind the house, facing north. I'd guess before you got to the "main" road the area of woods is around 30 acres of unbuildable heavily forested property. Across the main road are more areas of unbuildable land surrounded by neighborhoods. Up the street to the east and to the south is house after house on 1/4 to 1/2 acre lots. If you look at the satellite view of my neighborhood you can see that my little parcel of "woods" connects to others and taken together they would make a nice secluded highway for any animal that cared to make the treck into the center of the city.
A few weeks ago I was attempting to eat an apple and discovered it was pretty old so I sat it on top of my firewood pile in the back yard. I figured something would find it. Just before dark I noticed it was gone. I walked over and had a look and it hadn't just rolled off, it was gone. I filed that away under "weird" and forgot about it. Last week I was throwing some limbs over into the woodline and noticed a pile of something dark laying on the ground just a few feet deeper into the woods. Turned out to be a pile of coyote scat! I knew what that looked like from my younger coyote shooting days. In this case it was a loose pile of berry seeds and a good bit of fur. Classic. Yesterday it hit me about the apple disapppearing, so I tried a little experiment. In the evening I took another apple and peeled it just a bit. I took a landscape spike and solidly attached the apple to a large piece of firewood. This morning both the apple and the log were gone. The log was back in the woodline about 5-6 feet and it was early enough in the morning (just at sunrise) that I figured I'd just leave it be until this afternoon at which point I'll just happen to have a pistol with me. I've lived here 26 years and this is a 1st. We do have a small creek that cuts the backyard in half (it disappears into the woodline headed west) and over the years I've seen a pair of gray foxes, endless raccoons, a red fox, possums, snakes, turtles (I'm guarding a box turtle's nest back there now) and all the standard neighborhood animals are also around doing their thing.
But a coyote?
This is new...and I feel a bit threatened, if I'm honest.
Ideas on getting rid of it? Or them..... In the past we staked out some roadkill in a strip pit and shot the coyotes from the highwall....probably not a viable option at home.

[quicksilver97ta]

Wish I could answer your question on how to get rid of them but I can only relate how disturbing it is to have them close to the house. Surprisingly, they are more common than you would think, even in a busy metroplex. When I lived in Dallas proper I remember driving to work in Grand Prairie, a middle city suburb, and one ran smack into the side of my truck! I found imbedded fur between the tire and rim, yuck! Now that we live further out in the burbs I see them all the time, just saw one a few weeks ago in the evening. We have a creek that runs in the backyard of all the neighbors across the street and I think that plays a big role. A few years ago one attacked my inlaws dog while tethered in my front yard during a visit. Another neighbor across the street down the road shoots at them all the time in the creek as they have tried to attack his dogs. That’s one of the first things people told us when we moved into the neighborhood, don’t leave your small pets out.

[David Jones]

There is a leash law in Pleasant Grove, so you seldom see dogs roaming loose. Seldom, but you do see it.....I don't recall the last loose one I saw. Normally there are a few cats (probably feral) roaming around and that suits me because we also have chipmunks etc that cats like. In the past we've had a good number of rabbits grazing in the yard after dark and early in the morning. As this has unfolded I've realized that it's been a good long while since I've seen either a cat or a rabbit.

[salem1912]

Go to the ACME and get one of these;

Sorry I am a smart a$$

[David Jones]

All good Tom. I've already had it suggested to look into Wiley E.'s supplier of Ajax and Acme equipment.
I'm friends with the whole city council and spoke with one of the councilmen about the situation this morning and he thinks the city has some traps. Coyote's are pretty skittish, so I'm not to confident about the trap thing but we'll see where that leads.
My plan "b" would get me arrested but could also be highly effective but we'll see what the city can do 1st.

[nas t eh]

Before you do any control measures and you might want to call a local exterminator/pest control agent as they may give you the best info. Like what laws are in place protecting coyotes if any? And how they would take care of them.

Some ideas
With a game camera and bait you could confirm your suspicion about what is back there.
Once trained to come for your bait, any legal way could be used to get rid of them.
Catch and relocate or euthanize may be options?

[David Jones]

No laws protecting coyotes here. The county would like to OK whatever you're doing but initially I'll keep the city in the loop and not worry about the county. Only whatever laws might govern the way you get rid of them, and I am in the city limits with LOTS of neighbors.
I am looking to borrow a game camera and have feelers out for one of those.
I'd like to kill it or them. I've seen evidence of one but kinda doubt "it's" just one.

[Chris65LeMans]

Coyotes are harmless: I wouldn't worry about it at all. Plus - trying to get rid of them would be like trying to get rid of pigeons.

It'll probably come back since you set food out for him twice. If you stop doing that, he'll stop coming back around.

All the common sense tips apply: don't leave your small dogs out overnight or leave any babies unsupervised outside, etc.

[The Boss]

Where there is one there are some!

We have them here too David, can hear them calling to each other some nights. There's around 30 acres of conservation land behind my house and there are nights where they are down there right below the tree house - can catch the reflections of their eyes with a flashlight when the leaves are down.

They seem to be more opportunists than hunters, however they did run this guy down a few years ago out in front of the house...although I strongly suspect the deer had first had an incident with a car.

[form74]

Mark you territory by peeing on your property line.

They moved in under my snowmobile trailer once , that is what I did and the didn't come back their to hang out.

But occasionally I will see one passing thru the yard.

Or lace that apple with some anti-freeze end of problem.

[nas t eh]

Originally Posted by Chris65LeMans

Coyotes are harmless: I wouldn't worry about it at all. Plus - trying to get rid of them would be like trying to get rid of pigeons.

It'll probably come back since you set food out for him twice. If you stop doing that, he'll stop coming back around.

All the common sense tips apply: don't leave your small dogs out overnight or leave any babies unsupervised outside, etc.

I agree that it's a bit like pigeons but not as difficult as the numbers are quite a bit less, I've seen it work with stray cats in a neibourhood overrun with them. Start catching them and if not tagged as someone's pet, bring them to animal control or 25+miles out of the city. Takes a little persistence but it does work, my father in law did it in his neibourhood years ago, in a few months no more issue. In the beginning he was catching one or sometimes two a day, by the end of three months only one a week and it was the same neibours cat each time so he stopped.
He did tell me that on a few occasions there was a surprise catch that was difficult to handle and once the rather sturdy cage was blown open so he built it stronger and caught the king of all strays, one bad azz cat. I don't remember what he said he did with that one.

[David Jones]

I don't like the idea of something that eats the local animals etc being my neighbor........since I live in town and all. It (they) might be a long term resident but I just found out and hope to run them off or, kill them. No matter, I'll be feeling like something's watching me from here on out.

[Region Warrior]

A pack comes around about every 3-4 weeks for about 4-5 days.
On a stretch 5 miles long with farm fields on either side.
They work west to east in the evening, then back before in the morning. Get'n so brave they start before dark, and quit after sunrise.
Next door neighbor has 2 fenced in full size puddles that attracts them.
Had 2 run full blast right in front of me just 10'-15' away 2 weeks ago(50" from back of house just before dark). Didn't notice them till 20'-30' from me! Time before that 1 jogged through front yard just 20' from house when I was in the driveway.
And not afraid to come within 30'(on other side of creek where we campfire) Theres several 100 acres of thick wooded wetland.
Needless to say have a 12g and side arm when out there.
I wont go into the woods cause cant see 30' for clear shots unless there's no leaves and enough moonlight and/or snow on ground.
Be surprised how many dogs they get. And haven't seen a deer in my yard since the 3rd year they started coming around. Been what...10 yrs now. Deer used to eat clover behind my garden every morning.
Not legal to shoot firearms since got annexed by the city, but all the nieb's have a standing agreement on coyotes and woodchucks.
Like any hunter, we all want to get the most

BTY, just noticed the Beavers are building a dam right behind my property for the 20th year in a row.
Expect the county to come get'm soon as the back yards south of me get flooded lol.

[Cerberus]

Coyotes are not harmless. They will kill and eat whatever they can take down. They are very smart, to trap one you really need to know what you are doing. My dad has trapped all of his life, and he states they are not easy to fool. You can try predator calling, but need to have a good blind and camo up. You could try contacting a local sportsman club, they may have a member that could help you out.

[pontibeast]

Electronic predator calls work well for drawing them in. Silencer equipped .22 caliber rifle with all safety precautions being used since you have neighbors. They are known to carry rabies and canine distemper as well as eating house hold pets, not an animal I would say is harmless. As others have said if you are seeing one there are definitely plenty more. We kill 10-20 a year near my house and they are still getting more bold and bigger in numbers. They are no doubt smart critters and have attacked several small children across the country. Hope it works out for you.

[Greg Reid]

Did you see this story David? This occurred in the metro Atlanta area recently. It chased the family cat right into the house and perched on the kitchen counter-
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/weird...2014_partners1


I hear them regularly around my property and sometimes very close to where I'm standing smoking my nightly cigar. I saw one pulling a deer carcass right off the side of the interstate one morning. I've found plenty of scat near one of the transit stations where I work right in the city of Atlanta.

[Goatracer1]

I live about 10 miles outside of Boston. Not a rural area. I work 2nd shift and get home about 2:30am and see coyotes every few weeks when I take the dog out for a walk. Not all are shy. Most move slowly away when they see my dog (a St. Bernard) but not all. One actually came right up and sniffed him. Another walked within 3 feet of me as I was getting out of the car in front of my house. So far they have not been a threat. As best I can figure they live in the area between 2 major highways where the off ramp is. It is wooded and has a small pond.

[pontibeast]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Did you see this story David? This occurred in the metro Atlanta area recently. It chased the family cat right into the house and perched on the kitchen counter-
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/weird...2014_partners1


I hear them regularly around my property and sometimes very close to where I'm standing smoking my nightly cigar. I saw one pulling a deer carcass right off the side of the interstate one morning. I've found plenty of scat near one of the transit stations where I work right in the city of Atlanta.

That's creepy! They have learned to stay away from my house but will sometimes cross my property. My neighbor who has a cattle property loses calves every year and lets me hunt them on his property as he is getting on in years and has his hands full with farm work. They were much worse when we lived in Texas. When I was stationed at Ft. Hood we would see packs of 10-20 of them on our airfield at night and they would sometimes sneak into the hangar where we worked on aircraft to plunder the trashcans for left over food. I know they serve a purpose in the food chain and can respect that but they are grossly overpopulated in many areas and need to be hunted to control the population.

[Region Warrior]

One on one a coyote usually wont attack a larger dog. When theres a pack no dog stands a chance.
They draw them out into the woods or field and take turns run'n round tiring them out. At some point one will bite a rear lower leg severing muscle and nerve so it cant run.
One of the worst sounds you'll ever hear is a dog being eat'n alive. Makes you want to kill them all...

[Goatracer1]

The reason there are so many coyotes is because we put a bounty on wolves. Years ago the wolves kept the number of coyotes down but farmers and ranchers wanted the wolves dead. Where wolves are re-introduced the coyote population drops.