[Jacob-list] Coyote problems

[Mary McCracken]

To say 'they' about coyotes is like using 'they' for people.  Incredible
variety.  Some coyotes kill sheep.  Coyotes are blamed for killing far more
things than they actually do.  They do eat carrion and many lambs are dead
when delivered.  Leaving dead lambs could well encourage coyotes to stay
near birthing ewes and could lead to trouble.

Around here coyotes are heard often, seen occasionally and rarely kill
livestock.  Those that do kill stock are soon wiped out.  Many that are
killing rodents are also killed.  That leaves us to trap and, too often,
poison rodents.

As I was looking out my window at my sheep one morning I noticed unusual
bird activity along a fenceline and out popped a coyote right by the house
and really close to the sheep.  I believe it was working the fenceline for
rodents.  When it saw the sheep it crouched, the sheep spotted it and lifted
to run for the barn.  The coyotes made a very short pursuit before
continuing on its way.  That behavior was pushing my limits.  Very likely if
I had had a sheep down or one who wasn't traveling well for whatever reason
it would have been in trouble.

Only once have I had a coyote kill a healthy sheep.  And the local trapper
was called, a snare set and a coyote killed at the fence spot the killer had
used to get out.  I support coyotes but try to make my sheep something they
don't predate.  Llamas, lights and radio are used at night around the corral
and a gun in the barn.

mary
-----Original Message-----
From: SharHill at aol.com <SharHill at aol.com>
To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com <jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>
Date: Monday, October 16, 2000 5:55 AM
Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] Coyote problems


>
>Mary's posts about coyotes getting her lambs has gotten me worried.
>Our neighbor said he shot 7 coyotes last year and almost that many each
year
>for the last 3 years.  He raises cows and loses a couple of calves a year
to
>them.  We are trying to expand our pasture area, and are soon going go be
>putting up some new fencing.  I need to put in fencing that is as coyote
>proof as possible.  I was planning to put woven wire fence with barbed wire
>at the top.  Should that be sufficient?  We have not had problems with
>coyotes in with our sheep so far as they are up near the house, mostly
behind
>chain link, and our dogs bark at anything that moves at night.  (Our
>neighbors love us). But the new pasture will be farther away from the
house.
>I was wondering how the coyotes get in to the sheep.  Can they climb over
>fences or under or what?  I assume the coyotes do most of their dirty work
at
>night.  Is that right?  Would it be advisable to put the sheep in the
>barnyard every night?  Do they ever go after adult sheep, or are they more
>fond of lamb?  Any advice would be appreciated.
>
>Thanks.
>Sharon
>
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