Kind of a serious question - but how do I make sure a coyote keeps its distance?

[hedgehog]

I was walking my dogs yesterday down to the back of our property (old dairy farm gone to woods). I spotted a good sized Eastern coyote - about the size of a German Shepherd. I realized then that this beast and his buddies are responsible for all the cuts into the underbrush on either side of my walking path. (the path is a right of way for a power line.)

Here are my thoughts - if i keep wearing my orange vest ( the one I wear so no one mistakes me for a deer/turkey/rabbit/grouse/etc) and start carrying by shillelagh, I may be able to con the coyotes into thinking I'm a hunter.

Worth a shot?

[HopeHoops]

1. Doubtful. They only see in the blue-yellow spectrum like dogs. Orange doesn't fit well.

That's more in the red-green spectrum and they don't have cones for that. The shillelagh might be a good idea!

[Lochloosa]

2. Firecrackers or a staters pistol will get it's attention

[hedgehog]

3. I have neighbors who hunt back there. I'm hoping the coyotes will

see that long black stick as a rifle and make themselves scarce.

[loli phabay]

4. chances are its sizing up your dogs for dinner

Probiably wont attack you though. Does your county offer a bounty on coyotes mayby your neighbours who hunt will see them off for you if you tell them youve seen them.

[HereSince1628]

5. My understanding is green, yellow and orange are all percieved the same for canids.

Around my 17 acre woodlot I'd worry more about hunters than the coyotes, because hunters that don't check-in aren't following the rules.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

6. Depending on your area...

...and if you okay with a firearm that's one answer. But my general advice is to assure that trash and garbage in the area is unsmellable. Without a food source they will probably leave the area. As a rule anything with a good sense of smell (bears, coyotes...) is repulsed effectively by pepper-spray. But wilderness grade pepper-spray is illegal in New York. Don't leave your pets outside unattended.

Using a variety of different hazing tools is critical so that coyotes don’t get used to redundant or single stimulus devices, sounds, and actions.

Yelling and waving your arms while approaching the coyote.
Noisemakers: Voice, whistles, air horns, bells, “shaker” cans full of marbles or pennies, pots, lids, or pie pans banged together.
Projectiles: sticks, small rocks, cans, tennis balls, rubber balls.
Other: hoses, water guns with vinegar water, spray bottles with vinegar water, pepper spray, bear repellent.

The simplest method of hazing a coyote involves being loud and large:

Stand tall, wave your arms, and yell at the coyote, approaching him if necessary, until he runs away as demonstrated in this coyote hazing video.
If a coyote has not been hazed before, he may not immediately run away when you yell at him. If this happens, you may need to walk towards the coyote and increase the intensity of your hazing.
The coyote may run away, but then stop after a distance and look at you. It is important to continue to go after the coyote until he completely leaves the area. You may need to use different tactics, such as noisemakers, stomping your feet, or spraying the coyote with a hose, to get him to leave.

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/coyotes/tips/hazing_guidelines.html

[byeya]

7. I've lived around coyotes most of my life and if you're bigger than the coyote

then you should have no problem.

They will eat small dogs along with squirrels, rats, chipmunks, etc

I would not be concerned about coyotes unless your animal control officer tells you that there are cases of canine rabies in your area. Of course, rabies is a problems with raccoons, skunks, and bats too.

[hedgehog]

8. Thanks for the comments - those woods are full of deer, turkeys, squirrels, etc,

so I think the coyotes are permanent occupants. I'm always with my dogs, so as long as the coyote avoids me, no problems.

[OriginalGeek]

9. I'm jealous of your woods.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

by Robert Frost



Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of the easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.


This poem presented on the theory that it's always a good time for some Robert Frost.

[bamacrat]

10. Jealous of their woods, heh heh

Sorry Im being juvenile today.

[OriginalGeek]

12. Hah! you are unlikely to ever hurt my feelings by being juvenile

and if you don;t believe me, just ask my wife.


She keeps a list.





after 26 years, it's a pretty long one.









heh heh - "long one" - heh heh

[bamacrat]

13. Nice.

Long one reminded me of Jill Biden saying she has seen Joe up close while holding her hands about a foot apart. Talk about Joe the Plumber eh.. he's got lot's of pipe. hahah

[pipi_k]

11. I love

Robert Frost.

That poem is one of my favorites, along with "Mending Wall" and "Away!"

[OriginalGeek]

14. Ain't he great?

I have often said my favorite poem is Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley..but the more I read Robert Frost, the more I love him. I think there's room for both (and a million more)...I need to study him further...

[ellisonz]

15. Air horn.

Are your dogs big or small?

I don't think bright clothing matters, but it's never a bad idea if there are hunters in your area.

[hedgehog]

16. One dog is about 60 pounds, and the other about 25.

I'm thinking dogs are rather near sighted, and no coyote is going to mess with someone with a hunting rifle.

[ellisonz]

17. I'm not sure a coyote is going to understand what a blunt object is...

...plus your goal here is not to fight the coyote, but to simply scare it away.

[hedgehog]

18. I'm figuring that he'll see the stick as a rifle, and beat feet!

Although having an air horn in my pocket starts to sound like a good idea!

[Redlo Nosrep]

19. How About the Bark-Off?

I wonder if coyotes are susceptible to the ultrasonic bark deterrent called the "Bark-Off," a cheapo POS my hubby picked up for me at the thrift store as a joke.

We took a walk down an alley and tried it out on a hysterically barking collie behind a fence yesterday -- and son of a gun, the mutt did stop barking and slunk back to the porch.

[petronius]

20. I suspect the coyote will keep his distance from you, I'm thinking the most important

thing is to keep the dogs close - are they leashed? I sort of doubt the coyotes would be scared away by a rifle-looking object, if they've learned to be scared of guns they've probably learned to be wary of people in general, but I think a stout walking stick would serve a lot of purposes, including fending off other dogs that might get too aggressive...

Enjoy the walks!

[RebelOne]

21. I saw a show on coyotes. I do not remember the channel.

But it said that if you come up on a coyote that you should shout and wave your arms. It is sure to scare the coyote and make it run the other way.

[Throd]

22. Buy a "wrist rocket" and a bag of marbles.

[mysuzuki2]

23. Throw rocks at them.

You don't really have to hit them but landing close should freak them out.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

24. Are you thinking they will attack you?

Highly unlikely I believe............ but the DU Lounge Jury awards 20 points for use of the word 'shillelagh' and spelling it correctly!