[Jacob-list] Coyote problems

[Mary McCracken]

Ranchers tend to attribute every chewed upon calf or lamb as a coyote KILL.
That is often not the case.  Birth is a tough process and unless there is
pretty close attention to the birthing some will be little carcasses that
need to be gotten rid of.  Of course a few feasts on dead calves or lambs
could encourage predators to stay pretty close and perhaps get aggressive.
The shooting is probably keeping a steady population.  Not a bad idea.  Once
there is a population habituated to killing stock it would be a REAL
PROBLEM.

My coyote loss was a BIG nearly full grown lamb.  It was run up against a
fence and pulled down by the throat.  I arrives just seconds too late.  The
coyote ran off and the lamb still had the expression on its face.  Not a
bite taken, just a torn throat.  Dog kills have not been so clean.  Lots of
rump chunks torn out.  Wounded animals.  Drowned animals.  UGLY.  And all in
the name of having a good time!!



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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