coyote problem

[CWhite]

I have spent the last 3 mornings running coyotes away from my free range chickens.  This morning, I was tramping around in the woods and over fences for 3 hours protecting my little flock with a 20 gauge shot gun ready. 

As soon as I came inside to start my "inside" chores, they struck again.  I ran out there, shells ready, and caught another glimpse of the murderer, but didn't have a clear shot. 

This evening, I'm going to go get myself a 22 rifle.  I think I could find a quiet spot on his "regular breakfast tour" and get a shot at him if I can do it without having to be within 20 feet. 

Does anyone have a suggestion as to what kind of 22 I should stay away from or look for?.....I'm wanting something inexpensive with a clip, so I can get off more than one shot while they run through the woods I think. 

I usually like taking pictures of wildlife, but I'd rather wait and take a picture of a coyote after I shoot it.
Christina

 
I've lost at least 4 chickens in the last 3 days, and I'm getting a little tired of it. 

[glenn kangiser]

With Free Range chickens, the Coyotes likely will win.  If you see a few of them, there are dozens likely.

I recommend locking them in an enclosed pen - with wire buried in the ground to prevent digging under, or possibly a movable coop - wheel barrow style with wire on the bottom.

From my experience.

Guns -- my 22 is from Walmart about 20 years ago.  I understand that you will be videoed, inspected, licensed, chipped and branded now if you buy there but a good semi-automatic 22 rifle there may be cheapest.  Others may know better - I don't buy a lot of guns.

Mine has a tube under the barrel that holds something like 17 rounds.

[CWhite]

Thanks Glen,
The gun info is what I'm looking for.

Most of my 4 acres is fenced in with hog fence, and I've got dogs (one is 140 lbs) that mark the perimeter.  As long as the chickens  and peacocks stay in the fence, they are safe.   It's when they venture into the woods that the coyotes get them.....lately, every morning.  Chickens are dumb birds.
I kept caged chickens for 15 years, and I'm done with that. 

If I can discourage these beasts and have them reroute their hunting trail, it will be the best I can do.

Christina

[peternap]

Your going to have trouble getting them with a 22 LR. They're moderatly tough and smartr than we are. I expect you may get one but the others will start watching for you and stay just out of range. I would get a .22 Mag at least.

Good luck!

[BiggKidd]

Ruger 10/22 is one of my long standing favorites. Accurite and reliable. But isn't a .22 a little small for going after a coyote? Its likely you will just wound them. Wich maybe his pack will feed on him I just hate to see wonded animals run off to hurt and heal up mean. You might want to try slugs in that 20 Ga. They should be good out to 50 yards or more.

Larry

[BiggKidd]

Just wanted to add.

I shot a coon this weekend with a .22 mag hollow point. We have three or more around our camp. Well they got fighting and scared the crap out of us. Then one of the smaller ones maybe 20 lbs. ran right at Nickole and I,  I gave him until he was about 7 ft. away (way to close) and blasted him he went up a few feet and slammed back into the ground and was gone before I could get off another shot. I made a good body shot from the front and he still ran off. You should see the big ones they are huge close to 30 lbs. I know I wanted nothing to do with those teeth and claws. We had been listening and watching them for an hour or more but when one came right for us and nothing we did scared them off he had to go. They were fine long as there was some space between us but once he got in my personal space seeming intent to get in the swing with us no thanks...

Larry

[CWhite]

I had a call from John C, and he recommends a 22 hornet with a good scope.  Any other input?  Peter nap?...gun guy supreme? 

I'm really able to get fairly close to the coyotes.  They will pass by at about 30 to 40 yards in not too big of a hurry through the woods. .....that is so far.  I haven't gotten a shot off at them yet.  They only know I'm here, not how mad I am.
Christina

[John_C]

I recommended a few others as well.   The proximity of neighbors might make the report of a .223 or .243 (my first choice) a bit much.

[Heather]

I don't know enough to recommend a gun but.... have you thought of a Great Pyrenees dog?

We have goats and chickens here, along with a lot of coyotes, a few bobcats and stray dogs. Before we got our great pyrenees we lost several goats and chickens. One thing I would say, if you have close
neighbors, these dogs bark almost all night long. That isn't a problem here and it works to keep the other
animals safe. One day a few weeks back we found a coyote tail in the field  But for the most part their barking does the job.

If you'd more information I'd be happy to share. And our pyrenees get along fine with our other dogs,
they just consider them one more thing to be looked after.

[NM_Shooter]

Other than the personal satisfaction of killing a few coyotes, I think that you are not going to be able to save your chickens without penning them up.  Once you start to shoot coyotes, they will change their patterns pretty quickly.  You probably can't be out there all the time to watch, and there are plenty of them to continue to pose risks. 

Out to 50 yards, a 12ga full choke with #4 buckshot works very well.  Works great at night too.  Once you start to shoot them they will start to get further away.  I would not purposefully buy a .22lr for coyotes.  Not enough energy at 100 yards to routinely kill cleanly.  22mag would probably be okay, but still a bit wimpy.

22Hornet is a nice round.  Keep in mind that they will carry a long, long way.  Also consider a lever action rifle in a pistol caliber.  .44Mag rifles would be fine for coyotes out to 100yards, and the ammo is very easy to find.

[CWhite]

Thanks for all of the feedback and information on guns.  It helps to have some preliminary recommendations before we walk into a gun shop to purchase another firearm.
Meanwhile, I will continue chasing them through the woods with my 20ga shotgun.

Christina
 

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

Every now and then, my dad has trouble with the coyotes getting one of his chickens, usually in the woods at the end of his pasture.  He just pens the chickens at night and lets them out in the morning.  However, the neighbor's boxer proves to be more of a challenge.  He hasn't been able to get a clear shot at him.  Good luck! 

[mvk]

Christina
Why don't you pen the chickens near a blind, you might get one or two coyotes? I think it is pretty hope less though, I think you need to pen them at night and get a dog during the day. You have a lot of exotic birds right. If you get a guard type dog and raise him with them he will protect them.

Mike

[peternap]

I based my recommendation on a .22 Mag on an assumption (bad idea) that you were looking for price vs range vs power.

My first choice would be a .300 Winchester Mag on a heavy barrel model 700 action with a McMillen stock with a high end scope. That's out I expect.

The 22 Mag is a good round. It can be had at Walmart or most other places and the rifles aren't expensive and the round is fairly quiet.

The hornet is a better round, More expensive and while available, not as easy to find as the Mag. It will give you more range and better knockdown with a very reasonable report.

The suggestion of a pistol round in a rifle is a good one. It doesn't have to be a tack driver.

Now you know why I have so many guns. There are so many you need

[NM_Shooter]

I agree.  300 Mag.   

Firepower....If it isn't working, you are not using enough.

-f-

P.S.  Did you hear what they found in Charleton Heston's vault?

http://eforum.reviewjournal.com/lv/showthread.php?t=24285

[John_C]

My first choice would be a .300 Winchester Mag on a heavy barrel model 700 action with a McMillen stock with a high end scope.

Yeeehaaa   that a lot of gun for a coyote at 30 or so yards.  I want one too , and the coyote is as good a reason as any to fire a few. I doubt Christina wants to get whacked by that gun....  neither on her shoulder nor in her checkbook.

Did you hear what they found in Charleton Heston's vault?

There's plenty there with which Christina could vent her anger on the coyotes.

[peternap]

If your looking for a mid priced gun that could well be the only gun you ever need, take a look at the Remington, Spartan Over Under in .308 Win/12 Ga.

They aren't horribly expensive and they are Russan built which means, built like a tank. They are a little stiff untill broken in, but that's a plus because you'll never shoot it loose.

I have one and it;s the one I take when I'm going hunting for whatever runs in front of me. The only quirk is that they use an 11mm mount and that can be a little hard to find. CZ makes an excellent one.

As NM Shooter said, the 12 is good to 50 yards although that's a stretch to my self imposed limits. The 308 is good to at least 300 yards. 

[glenn kangiser]

Usually I just grab the 30.06, no matter what the problem, however my garbage storage bin was attacked and ripped apart by a bear last night so I loaded the shotgun with 2 rounds of 00 buck and 5 rifled slugs -- might give it a try if he comes back tonight.

[benevolance]

Best way to deal with Coyotes.... Is get a big fishing hook...They call them Cod Hooks in Canada...

Go get a couple dollar piece of stewmeat

Hang it from a tree branch about 4 feet in the air

Keep your dogs inside or penned up so they cannot get to it...

Coyotes will jump up to snatch meat... hook themselves the way a fish gets hooked... Cod hook will go through the roof of their mouth trapping them and they will hang there and bleed out...

In the morning you pull them off... throw them away or whatever and set the hook back up again...

It works flawlessly

Used to be a small bounty on Coyotes in Canada when I was a little boy...Everyone was setting Cod hooks for them back then

[glenn kangiser]

The PETA people should love that.

[benevolance]

Hey it was legal when I was a boy

and how is this any more cruel than fishing, or say setting snares for rabbits?

[glenn kangiser]

You can't go by common sense, Peter --- you have to be P/C now and go by who may be incensed.

When I was a boy we went with my granddad and got bobcats and other wild animals out of leg hold traps on his trap line-- kinda frowned on now.

[benevolance]

Never saw a bobcat...

We had the Canadian Lynx back home...Little bit smaller than a large dog... no tail...I have only ever seen 3 of them...Growing up in the woods mind you... They were a cautious and shy predator... Never could get really close to one they were skiddish and would take off.

But yeah everyone had a trap line when I was a kid... People would give my dad some meat or a fur for using his land or going across his land to get to their trap lines further back into the wilderness.

I saw a Comedian the other night.... He was talking about PETA and vegetarians... HE said: You know those vegetarians and animal activists are appauled with KFC... One of them said to me ...And what do you think of what they are doing to those birds... He replied... Whatever it is, it tastes delicious

I do not like KFC.... too greasy and nasty for me... but the sentiment was perfect.

[MountainDon]

A late check in on this topic...

How close are the neighbors? Most any rifle bullet is going to carry a ways; more so with the bigger numbers...

That's one good thing about the shotgun.

I'd vote for something in the .223 - .250 range; scope an absolute necessity. Or a 12 ga. if within range

But Coyotes and free range chickens are a lot like water and caulking in place of a properly window flashing... water always wins; same with coyotes and free range chickens.

[phalynx]

If he's in brush, a good 30/30 would work nicely.  It's well known as a brush gun.  Doesn't travel near as far as the other larger calibers.