If you have any cats that are not coyote savvy, you may have a problem with that. Cats usually get hep to coyotes rather quickly though. If you keep chickens you will need to protect them as well. We have many many coyotes here where live. No problems with them in gardens.

They are growing in population around here. I have the privilege of living in the country and can use firearms to declare my territory to the local predators. I didn't think it possible, but I now won't go out after dark without a weapon. I was confronted by a "pack" of 7 coyotes year before last and that was pretty scary. However, I can say that the bold members of that pack no longer are a threat to myself, my family, or the cattle in the back pastures. Mr Remington has helped there. For those who don't know, take this problem seriously. It's kind of like the days of yore when the population had to take into account that there were wolves in the woods around the village. The only difference now is that the wolf is slightly smaller, but is just a smart and just as much of a threat.

Heads up, Y'all.

I garden in both the burbs and the boonies. Coyotes, coy-dogs or whatever have never caused a problem for me. As a matter of fact they can be a great ally. They will put a hurt on a rabbit population very quickly. And yes, they will run deer, but that is short lived as deer make adjustments and always come back to the food.

Coyotes come back for food too. The fact that they haven't caused a problem yet isn't proof that they're harmless. If they can threaten something as large and capable as a deer I'm not willing to think that they're not a threat. It's asking for trouble.

Ounces of prevention are almost always available. Some things need more than a pound of cure.

Got no use for em. They are an invasive species here. Cats, dogs, chickens, goats...they'll eat whatever they can run down. I prefer the ".223 solution." just sayin'...

"a number of years ago, we were driving home after flying into chicago, and i saw a coyote near the freeway on the out skirts of the city. i couldn't believe it would be in such an urban setting."

I lived in Wisconsin when the coyote population pushed out the fox. We had a number of cats disappear but no problems with the garden.

Fascinating about melons! I didn't grow many/any.

I use Tenax Deer fencing for my garden now. It's great for deer but rabbits chew their way through fairly easily. I wouldn't trust it with coyote.

Saw a fat one in my back yard the other morning.

Worth

It is not my area of expertise, but I have read that shooting them can actually increase the population afterward, by throwing off pack hierarchy and creating new competition for females, leading to more breeding and more coyote pups.

Interesting stories being shared. I have a total lack of knowledge about coyotes, and I have never seen or heard one, but apparently neighbors sharing RING video are worried about their pets above all.
Then again, [I][U][B]no one in my neighborhood has a backyard with a buffet quite like mine :)[/B][/U][/I]
[I][/I]
- Lisa[I][/I]

[QUOTE=Cole_Robbie;721300]It is not my area of expertise, but I have read that shooting them can actually increase the population afterward, by throwing off pack hierarchy and creating new competition for females, leading to more breeding and more coyote pups.[/QUOTE]

Makes sense, now that I think about it; I'll look into it. I'd rather not shoot an animal if there's a better way....

We no longer have many rabbits or quail anymore and it has been blamed on coyotes, but there really isn't a lot of coyotes around ... Red Tailed Hawks are killing everthing.

Red tailed hawks do eat rabbit and quail. But if they're in decline I have a feeling feral cats (as well as domestic cats that are allowed to roam) are a bigger problem than hawks. Cats get blamed for wiping out many species in Australia (mostly because they're actually responsible) so its really no surprise that they can have an ecological impact in North America too. Our barn cats always seemed to be dragging in varmits, leaving bunny parts where they weren't wanted, and scattering feathers all over the cowyard. With rare exceptions there seem to be fewer of most animal than when I was a kid. Insects, migratory birds, antelope -- less of lots of things. Edd except people, of course. And a few species that can spread into new biomes like the coyotes moving into forest and urban areas.
I think if we really need to find a species to take the blame we should consider our own. ��

Greenthumb: Down here south of you a bit, we have coyotes walking through the landscape regularly. I politely asked them to try the big city where there are lots of folks with little yappy dogs on the menu. Coyotes and bobcats have taken care of our pest rabbit population so now on to bigger things and better habitat in Omaha.

I told them to follow the river north and take a left at the zoo.

[QUOTE=oldman;721319]
I think if we really need to find a species to take the blame we should consider our own. ��[/QUOTE]

I am so much in agreement with this. Habitat loss and thus encroachment on areas where humans live and have built houses is the biggest problem for wildlife. Where are they supposed to live???

I always figure that they were here first and I try to live in harmony with them.

I live on a barrier island less than 1 mile wide and there are always coyote sightings although I have never seen one. I heard about them the first time a couple of years ago and wondered how they got here. Did they cross a causeway (unlikely) or were they intentionally brought here?