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Scribbler
Mon Oct 6th, 2008, 07:03 PM
Here's the skinny of a coyote problem I ran into today...

About 9:45am I heard dogs barking out back.. normally I don't attribute too much to it because all my neighbors have dogs and they all bark, however this time I heard a lot of growling and yelping, and honestly thought my dog was in a fight. So I run downstairs and out the back door onto the patio and see my dog pissed off growling and barking ferociously against a coyote on the other side of the fence. As well every other dog in the neighborhood is pissed off and barking up a storm.

The coyote is actually rather large, compared to past experiences I've seen with coyotes and could easily leap my chain link fence with no problem if he/she so chose. So I run back inside and grab my .270 from the bedroom closet and run back out in time to see the coyote running off in the distance (towards a park where I know a lot of kids and their moms play during the day) and never took a shot on it. So I write it off as a missed opportunity (so to speak).

About 20 mins later, Aurora Animal Control comes knocking at my door asking me about it. I'd never called in the incident, however oddly enough a neighbor across the beltway/easement behind me had seen the whole thing and had actually videotaped it and they were the people who called in animal control. They were concerned about the coyote problem as well.

Here's the kicker though... Animal Control had informed me that if I had shot the coyote, I would have been fined for it. WTF!!!! So basically my job should have been..."Let the coyote potentially kill my dog then file a claim?" WTF is that?

I really can't bring myself to accept that. Does anybody here know differently? Just curious. I'm a pit pissed off at the moment and have to vent.

What pissed me off the most was when animal control was at my house I told them I would like to file a report about a wildlife creature causing problems in the neighborhood. And they told me they would require proof of the problem before they could act on it...wtf do they think the video was? ILM magic?

Rhino
Mon Oct 6th, 2008, 07:33 PM
3 S's

Shoot
Shovel
Shut-up

Where is this in Aurora? If nothing else, I'll help ya dig

dapper
Mon Oct 6th, 2008, 07:49 PM
Contact the DOW http://wildlife.state.co.us/

A shotgun or pistol is more appropriate.
Small games license comes to mind. (License to shoot coyotes)
City limits have their own laws against discharging a firearm. You could follow suit with Ralph and get a crossbow.
"Ready, Fire, Aim" is only justified within your house. If your dog is being attacked...it must occur within your fenced area.

Edit: "In Colorado, coyotes are classified as a game species and may be taken year-round with either a small game or a furbearer license. Landowners may kill coyotes, without a license, on their land if the coyotes threaten their property or livestock." Link (http://wildlife.state.co.us/WildlifeSpecies/LivingWithWildlife/Mammals/CoyoteCountry.htm)

Vance
Mon Oct 6th, 2008, 08:35 PM
I have a pack of 5 of them living in the greenbelt area right off my place too. They howl every time a police / fire / ambulance siren goes off.

I had one sitting right outside my door one night at 3 am when I walked out - it stared at me for a moment then hustled off.

I kind of think its cool they live here. They were here first after all.

BTW - around here (Centennial) - they have warning signs up saying they are not to be harmed too - they should be scared off.

The Black Knight
Mon Oct 6th, 2008, 08:49 PM
Thing about Coyotes you have to worry about is more that one. While they don't hunt like wolves(in big packs) 2 or 3 coyotes will hunt together and it's not uncommon. Worry about your dog or your neighbors. Coyotes will normally try and draw the dog out.

Usually one coyote will act as the bait. Then when the dog pursues, the other two will flank the dog. Coyotes have great stamina, so the lead coyote only has to keep a pace that wears the dog down. Then the others move in.

Look, I love wildlife as much as the next person. However, if one is in your yard and has the intentions of attacking your dog. Blow it away. Chances are one or more are out there as well.

I'm sure it's the same there as it is here in the Springs. But every coyote I've seen, another is not far behind it. Most of the time I see them running around town in packs of 3 or 4. Some of our open space and native areas in town, have tons of coyotes. We're even getting mountain lions and black bears starting to live in Palmer Park open space area now.

If it's in your yard, kill it and call D.O.W., don't call Animal Control or whoever. DOW will handle it and most of the time investigate the situation. If the dead animal is on your property, odds are you're good. Don't move the animal after you kill it though.

I would use a shotgun, instead of pistol. Mainly because you can run a buckshot or heavy bird load. You don't have to worry about it blowing through stuff, as most shot slows way down after it leaves the muzzle. An actual pistol round or rifle round(especially) at that range may over penetrate and keep going.

You do have to worry about the "discharge of firearms within city limits" law. So that will always be a problem. It is better to do the right thing and accept the consequences, then to have a dead dog or possible dead or hurt child from an attack.

Scribbler
Tue Oct 7th, 2008, 12:12 AM
Yeah I'm pretty well aware of how Coyotes hunt. And really I have no problem with them up until now... heck we have Fox, Skunks and even the occasional Porcupine (I know... in aurora people think it's rare, but it DOES happen). And honestly I actually get a thrill when I see coyotes running wild and wish them well.

However it's come to the point they are becoming very accommodated with human population, and to see them running around where young children play has me a little concerned.

As to what type of weapon to use if they came into my yard... I dunno I'd use a shotgun because chances are good my dog would be involved so I wouldn't want to hit my own dog with a shotgun while trying to shoot a coyote. I'd sooner try to use whatever means (screaming, scare shot...anything) to break up the altercation then take the ranged shot. Regardless of how talented anybody thinks they think they are with a gun, I'd sooner take a ranged shot before I risked hitting my own dog... hey I love the little guy, he's my best friend.

In any case... I have Dep of Wildlife and Dep of Animal Control coming out tommorow morning (I threw a fit over what Animal Control said). After talking to other neighbors, they've said that they have similar concerns lately. I'm very adamant that it's handled humanely... meaning I'd prefer relocation over extinction. Yes I wanted to take the shot at the time.. however my humane side still holds sway.


As far as getting cited for discharging in city limits, that only applies when you're firing off rounds for no apparent reason. If you have a specific target in mind for a specific purpose, you shouldn't (and I hate the term "shouldn't" cuz it can cause a grey area) get cited for it.

arata954
Tue Oct 7th, 2008, 06:12 AM
i know on carson, you can go down range and shoot all you want. :D as for me personally, i would take the kill and the fine. if anyone would have ratted me out, they would be missing a porch light for quite a while (j/k).. well maybe ;) in any case, my family and animals come first. i dont have multiple dogs like colorado has multiple coyotes. but thats just one mans opinion.

MrMischief
Tue Oct 7th, 2008, 08:15 AM
Kill it. Probably shouldn't use your firearm though.