Coyote Problems!!!

[03Lightningrocks]

This just came in my email:

Dear Residents,



We have just had another unfortunate incident involving a beloved pet and a coyote that has again wandered into our neighborhood.



Please, please put your animals inside so that another animal mutilation, quite frankly, doesn't have to happen to you or in your neighbors yard. It is a quite traumatic event to deal with for all involved.



The city was notified of this latest situation and our resident was informed there isn't anything they can do but we can do something by keeping our animals inside when unattended. Perhaps walk your dog and carry a blow horn or pepper spray or something that might detour a coyote as many recent sightings have been reported.



Thanks for your attention to this matter.



Sincerely,



Your HOA Board
Two things about this bother me. First... BLOWHORNS???? PEPPER SPRAY??? Are they kidding me? If a coyote darts out from the tree line and grabs Spot, you think a blow horn is going to help you???

The second thing that surprised/bothered me was the City of Plano saying they couldn't do anything about it! They can't kill them??? I am no Coyote expert but I don't see them being scared off by a blowhorn or pepper spray... unless your family pet is already in their mouth as they run off.

Can I blast one them if I am out with my CHL and spot one? They are varmits!

Plano is not out in the country... BTW. We are surrounded by other cities. These coyotes are coming out of a "greenbelt area" along the creek near my house. Please share if anyone knows if I can blast them in self defense.

The email speaks of "another attack" but doesn't tell the half of it. There have been missing pet signs popping up all over the neighborhood the past month or so. Folks better start keeping the pets indoors. Two streets over a dog turned up missing from a back yard and they thought someone stole the dog. There was a locked gate and it was not opened. Now the neighbors are starting to think a Coyote got into the yard and grabbed the dog at night! Crazy stuff for the big city!

[speedsix]

...on this one we agree!!! it's happening all over Texas and being kept quiet...

Tx Health and Safety Code Title 10

§ 822.013. Dogs or Coyotes That Attack Animals


(a) A dog or coyote that is attacking, is about to attack, or has recently attacked livestock, domestic animals, or fowls may be killed by:

(1) any person witnessing the attack; or

(2) the attacked animal's owner or a person acting on behalf of the owner if the owner or person has knowledge of the attack.

(b) A person who kills a dog or coyote as provided by this section is not liable for damages to the owner, keeper, or person in control of the dog or coyote.

(c) A person who discovers on the person's property a dog or coyote known or suspected of having killed livestock, domestic animals, or fowls may detain or impound the dog or coyote and return it to its owner or deliver the dog or coyote to the local animal control authority. The owner of the dog or coyote is liable for all costs incurred in the capture and care of the dog or coyote and all damage done by the dog or coyote.

(d) The owner, keeper, or person in control of a dog or coyote that is known to have attacked livestock, domestic animals, or fowls shall control the dog or coyote in a manner approved by the local animal control authority.

(e) A person is not required to acquire a hunting license under Section 42.002, Parks and Wildlife Code, to kill a dog or coyote under this section.

CREDIT(S)

Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Renumbered from V.T.C.A., Health & Safety Code § 822.033 and amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1002, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

[RoyGBiv]

My house backs up to a small wooded area of about 20 acres... On the other side of the property and maybe a quarter mile down the road is a fire station... In the winter evenings, when the fire trucks roll out, the coyotes (a bunch of em) start howling back at the sirens. Drives my dog CRAZY.

When I pick up the yard, I'll occasionally toss the dog poop over the fence, to "mark" the territory. So far no coyote's in the yard, just possum and armadillo. The possum likes to sit on top of the 10' fence (my neighbor likes his privacy) and taunt my dog . I did see a coyote cross the road a few houses down from me one night... He darted across in front of my car.. Almost hit the scared little guy..

[speedsix]

...and does it cover your pet dog? see (3) below

§ 822.041. Definitions


In this subchapter:

(1) "Animal control authority" means a municipal or county animal control office with authority over the area where the dog is kept or a county sheriff in an area with no animal control office.

(2) "Dangerous dog" means a dog that:

(A) makes an unprovoked attack on a person that causes bodily injury and occurs in a place other than an enclosure in which the dog was being kept and that was reasonably certain to prevent the dog from leaving the enclosure on its own; or

(B) commits unprovoked acts in a place other than an enclosure in which the dog was being kept and that was reasonably certain to prevent the dog from leaving the enclosure on its own and those acts cause a person to reasonably believe that the dog will attack and cause bodily injury to that person.

(3) "Dog" means a domesticated animal that is a member of the canine family.

[speedsix]

...I've caught 'em in the neighbor's garbage in the alley...my wife's seen one while walking at dusk...and we're within the city limits in a subdivision....my question...will the hungry coyote make a difference between my toddler granddaughter in the yard and another meal??? Don't think so...vigilance and preparedness are the order of the day...

...here's just a few attacks on children to convince you... http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=coyote ... n&fr=yie7c" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[03Lightningrocks]

Thanks speedsix. Good info. I wonder if I could get nailed for discharging afirearm in city limits? If I was to blast a person who is attacking me it would be no question. Self defense and I would walk. We have just enough tree huggers in our area i wonder if they would twist it out of shape? I am a pretty good hunter...LOL. This makes me want to take a "walk" through the trees where these critters are coming from. I bet a little tracking would enlighten a person as to the sleeping and hanging out areas in the woods.

[speedsix]

...probably would get at least fussed at if you're in the city...but I love my dog better'n some people...so he's worth it...I don't think you'd get convicted...the Governor didn't...

[Carry-a-Kimber]

.22 Revolver with Aguila Super Colibri, problem solved.

[fulano]

I was fishing with a good friend of mine and Montana native last summer. We were 60 miles up a gravel road in the middle of a very natural almost wilderness mountain environment at the headwaters of a river; a place where you pay attention to what's around you. While we were eating lunch, he was complaining about the wolves that had migrated from Yellowstone and were getting more and more emboldened and were now threatening people in the back country and how that it was highly against the law to just shoot one and if you do, you have to prove you were threatened.

Being a natural "problem solver", I listened thoughtfully and innocently suggested "why don't the wildlife officials just put another animal into the area that is a natural enemy of the wolf in order to control the population". He turned to me slowly and said "That 'animal' would be us."

nuff said

[GeekwithaGun]

We are also surrounded by wooded land and have all sorts of wild animals roaming, including a bobcat recently spotted
by my neighbor across the street in his backyard. We have not had an incident yet, but several neighbors have
had their pets snatched and all that was found was a collar or bits of fur and "other" stuff.

I would probably attempt to scare the animals away first, but I won't hesitate to protect my pet or the neighbors children if given the opportunity and clear shot.

I rarely go outside with our pet or to do yard work without being armed - my kids and wife just roll their eyes sometimes...but you never know...

[speedsix]

.22 Revolver with Aguila Super Colibri, problem solved.

...squirrels, yep...but something big as a coyote??? I wouldn't be comfortable with it...I've seen a .22 short HP wound a squirrel and had them drag off...I'd want a bigger punch than a .22...I'd like to hear all the calibers that our members have actually taken a coyote with...might learn a new thing!!! ...a slug half the weight of a .22 LR...proof's in the puddin'...let's hear some experiences with it...I regularly kill squirrels at 20-30 feet with a CB cap...haven't used the above round...

[fulano]

I rarely go outside with our pet or to do yard work without being armed - my kids and wife just roll their eyes sometimes...but you never know...

A bigger threat to popular tiny 'lap dogs' alone in the backyard is the Red Tailed Hawk or perhaps an owl of the night. The dog just disappears....bigger the bird; bigger the dog.

[Jasonw560]

I used to target shoot coyotes with my old SKS that my BIL now owns. I plan on getting it back from him.

Coyotes don't like being shot. Espeially in the chest or head.

[speedsix]

...geekwagon, mine used to sneer and laugh, too...till we had a 4-man assault on a house a block away with hicap 9mms and they escaped past our house...and a guy shot at a cop and ran through our neighborhood...now she has her CHL and knows where what is in our house...and did quite well on the range...new information+intelligent thought=new decisions...sometimes...

...we had an owl "adopt" a cat one night here...just barely cleared the housetop...bet he gave him a warm home!!! we've got hawks here that big, too...but they must not be hungry...too many stray cats still around....

[Carry-a-Kimber]

Earhole 'em, or get a supressor for your carry gun The 22 was my budget solution, CB's would be better but aren't as quiet from a pistol as the Aguilas.