# Coyotes and horses?



## WalkerLady (Jul 22, 2010)

If this isn't in the right place please move it but I'm not sure where to ask. My neighbor just told me that he found one of his cows tangled in his bob wire, partially eaten by coyotes. This happened a couple weeks ago and he buried what was left of the cow but they're digging it back up. He said he thought they drove it into the wire on purpose. I know there are coyotes around but I didn't think they hunted in packs, or that a lone one would go after something the size of a cow. For anyone who has any practical experience of coyotes, do they hunt in packs and would they try to bring down a horse?


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

we live in an area with coyotes and in the 13 years that I've had horses(and goats) i've never seen one, our horses are out 24/7, maybe the cow got tangled in the fence somehow and the coyote smelled the blood and took advantage of the fact that it was trapped, i can't really see one going after a healthy cow or horse, but i can't really say for sure, i mean i guess if one was hungry enough it might try


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Yep, they hunt in packs. With a ton of acreage behind our barn, we get coyotes all the time. Last week we heard a pack take down a dog near us. Tried to scare it away with no luck. We've never had any run-ins with the horses, though, and for that I'm grateful.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

There was a horse in Rhode Island that was recently killed by coyotes. Not sure if it was one or several. The thing with this horse was that it was outside in a small paddock, so not really any room to escape. I would think that in a larger paddock, it would not be a big concern since there is so much room to escape.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I ve seen coyotes running in packs so I imagine they hunt in packs but I've never heard of them being a danger to horses except perhaps to newborns, But even that is doubtful.

We have coyotes round here and our horses are very curious about them but not really afraid.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

We had a pack of coyotes kill a foal here about 20 years ago. Since then, we have not let any mares foal very far from the house. They have killed all of our chickens, ducks and geese and we tried to keep them several times. 

They kill calves every year around here but are harder on sheep and goats. A lot of stockmen keep guard dogs or guard donkeys out with their stock. 

Husband and son shoot several a year around here. Husband dropped one a few weeks ago. He was huge and had dog teeth that were 2 inches long. He has a 22.250 with a 12X scope. It gets them at a 1/4 mile.


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

Coyotes always hunt in packs when it comes to large animals (and a calf would be large to them). Atleast 2. It could be that the calf just got stuck in the wire & they came along & saw it as easy pickins or else they could have pushed him into it.
Coyotes are extremely cowardly & so they tend to "torture" or terrorize their prey. They put it in a corner & take turns darting in and out at the animal, wearing it down with exhaustion before one will finally finish it off.

They also like to lure dogs out to be eaten by the pack. This actually happened to my uncle's chiawawah (spl?) who was a little too cocky for his own good & thought he was a rottweiler. 

I've never heard of anyone in my area having an issue with coyotes & horses though& i believe the only ones that would be in risk would be young foals. Wolves wont necessaily even take down a fullgrown horse unless they're incredible starved.


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

Cherie said:


> We had a pack of coyotes kill a foal here about 20 years ago. Since then, we have not let any mares foal very far from the house. They have killed all of our chickens, ducks and geese and we tried to keep them several times.
> 
> They kill calves every year around here but are harder on sheep and goats. A lot of stockmen keep guard dogs or guard donkeys out with their stock.
> 
> Husband and son shoot several a year around here. Husband dropped one a few weeks ago. He was huge and had dog teeth that were 2 inches long. He has a 22.250 with a 12X scope. It gets them at a 1/4 mile.


 My aunt's hubby actually purchased 2 Akbash dogs to keep on their property (they bred Paints) & keep the coyotes away. These dogs are specificall bred to guard livestock from coyotes & if you have more than one they will actually hunt coyotes. My aunt's took off for the trees everytime they heard the 'yotes howlin.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

People here use Pyrenees dogs and I think the other ones are called Anatollian Shepards. They will go after coyotes and strange dogs. The donkeys do a pretty good job, too.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I think it's odd to call Coyotes "cowardly" That is really anthropomorhizing an animal. They do what they do in order to make a kill. No bravery or cowardice involved. I suppose the reason they work that way is that they are relatively light boned and to try to take on the animal before it is worn down would risk injury to themselves. It may look like premeditated cruelty or cowardice to us, but only humans have that sort of moral judgement.


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## WalkerLady (Jul 22, 2010)

Wow, it bothers me to hear that they actually do hunt in packs. When I hear them yipping and yowling at night I've comforted myself with the thought that if they did anything, it would only be one going after something really small, a cat or a chicken. My horses have lots of room to room to run, minimum of 1 1/2 acres, depending on which pasture they're in, and hopefully the two of them fighting together would drive off any pack. But one side of two pastures borders my neighbor's, and is bob-wire (neighbor had it up long before we moved in.) The horses leave it alone so we haven't replaced it, there's been so much to do getting 2 other pastures ready. Hopefully it was just that the cow got tangled up somehow and they moved in on something already helpless. We've been here 2 1/2 years and this is the first we've heard of coyotes killing something so large.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I believe that coyotes only go for larger animals (anything bigger than a weanling calf) out of desperation. I don't believe that coyotes would try or even be able to drive a full grown cow into a fence to the point where she got tangled and died. We've got millions of coyotes around my area and other than the _occasional_ foal/calf or smaller pet like a cat or a dog, nobody has ever lost any stock to them.


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## twogeldings (Aug 11, 2008)

When you call in coyotes for hunting, you usually get a pair. Sometimes just one, but generally a pair. 

The best thing you can do with coyotes is either live trap them or shoot them. They're as common as head lice. Generally they don't go after calves and such unless they are really hungry. Coyotes honestly prefer scavenged meals, or already wounded animals. 

WOLVES on the other hand, WILL take down dogs, calves, foals, etc. REGARDLESS of how hungry they are. They take down larger animals just for the fun of it, who ever came up with the idea to reintroduce them was out of their minds. I would check and see if your area has a wolf population or not. Wolves are far more aggressive then 'yotes.


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## flytobecat (Mar 28, 2010)

We have coyotes everywhere out here. Packs as large as 5 or 6 are fairly common, and I've seen them as big as my Malinois. They usually hunt small game (rabbits, cats, chickens), but are very oportunistic. I wouldn't put it past them to go for a cow if they thought it was an easy meal. They only one I every heard of going after a healthy horse ended up being rabid.


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## Micki O (Apr 22, 2008)

We have a pack of 8 or so coyotoes in the swamp behind our farm. I talked to Fish & Wildlife and they said coyotes don't normally go after livestock or horses but they have been know to attack a lone human. He did warn me that because I have blind horses they might sence their handicap and try to corner 1 but my sighted horses would no doubt frighten they off.
I do not like to kill animals but if we have coyotes or wild dogs within 100 yards of the barn they are shot. I just am not taking the chance. We had 4 minis killed by wild dogs about a month ago.


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## WalkerLady (Jul 22, 2010)

Well, I guess I shouldn't worry too much, it doesn't sound like they'd go after my two horses, who are always together. Like I said it's been 2 1/2 years and this is the first trouble I've heard of. I hope it was just an unusual situation with the cow.


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## BackInTheSaddleAgain (Apr 20, 2009)

Coyotes are getting less afraid of people and becoming more aggressive hunters. They've been known as more solitary hunters, and would call out to the pack after a kill, but things are shifting. Their patterns and techniques are beginning to resemble those of a pack of wolves where every member has its own job in a chase.
The number of attacks is on the rise, and not just on larger animals, but on children. 

My aunts horse was eaten by coyotes after it had gotten its halter stuck on fencing. It's more rare of them to attack a free roaming horse, but it still makes me nervous.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

smrobs said:


> I believe that coyotes only go for larger animals (anything bigger than a weanling calf) out of desperation. I don't believe that coyotes would try or even be able to drive a full grown cow into a fence to the point where she got tangled and died. We've got millions of coyotes around my area and other than the _occasional_ foal/calf or smaller pet like a cat or a dog, nobody has ever lost any stock to them.


Ah - the average weaning weight of a beef calf is about 500 pounds. . .


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## WalkerLady (Jul 22, 2010)

That's a shame about your aunt's horse. It sounds like the same situation as my neighbor's cow - got itself trapped and then got picked off before it could get free. I used to enjoy listening to the coyotes at night, but I'll never be able to listen to them howling without feeling uneasy now.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

we have lots of coyotes, you can here them really loud right now when you ride at night ! none of the horses have ever been hurt or killed so i wouldnt worry too much


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

We have 3 packs in the area. Once in a great while they will all come together, and their meet-up point seems to be my neighbor's yard. The horse fence we have around wouldn't stop them, but it probably deters them from entering our yard. There is a wash that goes within 20 feet of our corrals. The mare mostly ignores them. The gelding lived in the open on ranches, and he gets very upset. However, I can't imagine them tackling two healthy horses, or surviving if they did.

My dogs hate coyotes, but they don't try to engage them either. The older dog we gave to my daughter had spent some time around them because he used to get out and stay in the desert for 24-36 hours. He hates coyotes as well, but avoids them if possible. When the other two were pups, Dan would stand guard over them while they retreated to the back porch. I think Dan somehow got the idea across that coyotes were dangerous and not to be tackled unless cornered. At 50 lbs, the Border Collie is about the size of the coyotes around here, while the Australian Shepherd is larger - but 2 against 6 or 10 wouldn't work out so well either.

Mostly, I'll just see 2-3 moving along the wash. As long as they are just passing thru, neither horse gets too upset. The dogs will bark, but won't give chase.


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## ButtInTheDirt (Jan 16, 2011)

We have coyotes everywhere and haven't had any issues with them attacking cattle, horses, chickens, ducks, people or any other creatures on our farm. I live fairly close to the forest, with ridges and such that coyotes live in.

Canines are smart animals, I'm sure they could have driven the cow into the barbed wire fencing. Or perhaps the cow just didn't see it and tried to get away. If food is very scarce, they could try and get harder prey like a horse. Most canines hunt in packs, from what I know. If natural food isn't there, they might try to get something from a farmer or a rancher. They'd probably go towards poultry first, then maybe cows, and if they had to horses. I think horses would be last resort, if there is one [or a very small group] out alone in a smaller pasture away from high-traffic areas.

Just my thoughts with my experiences. Our land isn't hunted much, so they have there own prey. Our horses have a pasture closer to the roads, and the barns are pretty much front-and-center with traffic going by them constantly. We have multiple farm dogs that are outside, and we have quite a few smaller dogs [not toy breeds, but smaller herders] that are fenced in. I don't think I coyote would even want to mess with us, or have any reason to. But different places have different deals. That's why I don't like the idea of a huge pasture out of sight. Not that we have the land, but coyotes and other factors can take a toll on the animals if they're too far out.


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## WalkerLady (Jul 22, 2010)

Our neighbors also have chickens, guineas and peacocks. The guineas and peacocks are up here all the time looking for dropped grain so I know exactly how big the flocks are - 12 guineas and 3 peacocks. A year ago a guinea and two peacocks disappeared. Maybe a coyote got them but a year later their numbers haven't changed so either the coyotes aren't that desperate or the birds got smarter. Occasionally I hear a few gunshots late at night and have always thought some neighbor within a couple miles is chasing a coyote away from chickens or trash.


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## Tabbi Kat (Nov 30, 2010)

twogeldings said:


> When you call in coyotes for hunting, you usually get a pair. Sometimes just one, but generally a pair.
> 
> The best thing you can do with coyotes is either live trap them or shoot them. They're as common as head lice. Generally they don't go after calves and such unless they are really hungry. Coyotes honestly prefer scavenged meals, or already wounded animals.
> 
> WOLVES on the other hand, WILL take down dogs, calves, foals, etc. REGARDLESS of how hungry they are. They take down larger animals just for the fun of it, who ever came up with the idea to reintroduce them was out of their minds. I would check and see if your area has a wolf population or not. Wolves are far more aggressive then 'yotes.



I, personally, own a pack of wolves and am part of a large community of "domesticated" wolf owners. I have studied wolves for years and what you are saying is not true! They DO NOT hunt for just for fun. You should check your facts first before spreading misinformation.


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## Tabbi Kat (Nov 30, 2010)

smrobs said:


> I believe that coyotes only go for larger animals (anything bigger than a weanling calf) out of desperation. I don't believe that coyotes would try or even be able to drive a full grown cow into a fence to the point where she got tangled and died. We've got millions of coyotes around my area and other than the _occasional_ foal/calf or smaller pet like a cat or a dog, nobody has ever lost any stock to them.


You are 100% correct!


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## tonipaw (Mar 23, 2015)

I watched a coyote and my 2 horses last night. They were totally indifferent to each other and the coyote was looking for rodents not 10 feet away from my grazing horse. Interesting to see such little reaction.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

I ride with coyotes in the wash next to where i board my horse. most people get upset but i dont care. they are fallowing me because y horse sturrs up rabbits they they then hunt down. 

In colorado we had wolves, bears, mountain lions and coyotes. NEVER had an issue with any of them with the horses, including the foals. They would all come to the pond for a drink but that was it. our horses where too healthy and fast for them. we also had a ornery donkey, 4 llamas and a mule. Donkey was the one stomping coyotes who got to carless.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

tonipaw said:


> I watched a coyote and my 2 horses last night. They were totally indifferent to each other and the coyote was looking for rodents not 10 feet away from my grazing horse. Interesting to see such little reaction.


Here, too. Our horses ignore both the coyote and fox hunting in the fields, and both will scurry away if the horses get too close.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Djinnjer (May 11, 2012)

We have loads of coyotes and foxes, and also a mountain lion in the area.

Most all of us have livestock, some have lots of smaller babies (chicks, ducklings, goat kids and lambs) a lot of the time, and the only "wildlife-attributable" attack we know of was a neighbor's small dog. (It's so obnoxious and prone to harrass neighboring farms that some of us aren't even sure if it was wildlife, or someone's loose livestock guardian dog or feral dog, which we also have a few of around)

We hear and see multiple coyotes regularly near our property, and I've seen the tracks through the snow to prove they do cut through even the pens and paddock up by the barn on occasion (also I have seen a fox pass right between them once on her way back to the ravine behind us), but they don't seem to bother my paint mare or the mini-donk at all. They don't even so much as flick an ear at them even when they are very close and there are several (ours travel in packs pretty often as well). I suspect in the winter they are probably hunting rabbits, rats & mice and chipmunks, which we are lousy with.

Now in the suburbs...that's a different story and we have seen increasing stories of coyote attacks on smaller pets...even scaling fences to get to them. So my thought is if you live in an area with ample natural prey, they most likely won't seek out healthy domesticated animals.


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## TamandNickP (Mar 14, 2015)

A cow sounds like awful big prey for a coyote to me but I read a couple of days ago about people having trouble with squirrels killing their chickens (we have chickens) and I was shocked. I guess that anything is possible if the animal wants to eat it bad enough. We saw a coyote in the woods behind our house years ago and neighbors have seen them. I haven't heard of any attacking any horses/cows yet though.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

If the cows are used to being herded by a dog then they will instinctively move away from coyotes if they start to run at them or even walk at them.
Cows can be stupid over reactive creatures and it doesn't take a lot to get them into panic mode so I expect the poor thing ran into the wire and the coyotes then took advantage of that
The farmer needs to throw lime over the carcass after re-burying what's left of it
My horses ignore them or attack them off if they get too close but I've never allowed a dog to run after my horses - I know some people seem to think its like a game but I prefer they stay steady around dogs and not see them as something to get chased by


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## WinstonH123 (Oct 11, 2013)

We live in the NC country area and we have had our australian shepard attacked and bitten by a coyote who gave him an infection(he was alright). They would come up to the house to try and eat Winston's food at night and would have probably had to go through the pasture to get there. Charlie is a mustang so he would ahve been used to a coyote's ways and I know he would give one a good kick if he got near Alfie! Neither of them like dogs and will run away if they feel threatened. I feel like the only way they would attack a full grown horse would be if it were old and sleeping lying down, or if they noticed it was hobbled or unable to run. The commenter that said one horse was killed because it was in a small pen and couldn't run would also be very bad with coyotes. THey are very intelligent and that was a very sad story.


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## JulieG (Jun 25, 2013)

I've seen coyotes out in the pens with the horses I ride, just napping and hanging out. Horses don't seem to mind and the coyotes certainly aren't going for the horses. There's even one horse I ride that like to chase them when we're out on the trails.

I'm sure it just depends on how desperate they get.


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## mred (Jan 7, 2015)

My horses don't like the coyotes or dogs. For years people in the area would let dogs loose to run the deere. The deere would run into the pasture and do a few circles around the horses and leave. When the dogs came thru, the horses did not like it. The horse would get in a circle around one or more of the dogs and start backing up. Kicking the whole time. I have had to drive in with my truck to give the poor dogs an escape. The dogs don't come back. The foxes don't seem to be a problem to them.


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

I've noticed that the coyotes around our area are getting more and more brazen. We've been out riding in the evening and as the sun goes down you can hear them trying to circle in. Yipping and "talking" to each other. Trying to circle around as we get closer to the trailers. A shot will send them scampering, but only temporarily. 

However, it sounds like different packs have different hunting skills and requirements depending on location. 

I've seen for myself a cow fend off two coyotes harassing her. But I can see an animal in distress becoming dinner real quick.

I don't like coyotes at all. While I am a firm believer that all creatures need to survive however they can, I've seen these vermin "evolve" their hunting skills to include populated areas. They're not just looking for water, they're showing up in playgrounds and golf courses. Not good


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## mred (Jan 7, 2015)

In the past we had nature to take care of things. But we have killed off most of the things that well hunt a coyote. Here they are said to breed with wild dogs and some have little fear of people. If you have a small dog or cat outside, you have to watch it. Even inside the city. They are spreading like crazy.


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## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

Unfortunately, our neighbors kill all the wildlife around our property, but we do occasionally hear coyotes yowling about a half mile from the house. I guess there's a pack that hangs out in the quarry down the road. 

I don't worry about them bothering the horses. They're too smart to risk such large prey, and the barn is right by the house. I seldom even see one, unless it's dead at the side of the road. :-( Which is a shame, because I really looked forward to seeing native wildlife when we moved out to the country.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

horses that live with coyotes, don't fear them, and know they are harmless.
In fact, one morning when I went to feed the main herd out in the pasture, my cowhorse bred filly was 
working' a coyote!~


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

Smilie said:


> horses that live with coyotes, don't fear them, and know they are harmless.
> In fact, one morning when I went to feed the main herd out in the pasture, my cowhorse bred filly was
> working' a coyote!~


O my, I would have like to have seen that!


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## Katz1411 (Jul 31, 2014)

I've seen coyotes any number of times around here, but they're always hunting rabbits and prairie dogs. When I've seen them while out riding they've always run off.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Coyote info that may be useful to someone http://www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0/Learning/documents/Species/CoexistingWithCoyotes.pdf


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## canterbury (Jun 29, 2014)

It depends on how much wildlife they have to sustain themselves. Coyote prefer deer and our area's coyote are nice and fattened on wild turkey and deer. and they have a lot of foliage to hunt in. Now I would say that if Coyote are especially stressed for food, they may try and take on a smaller horse. We had an incident in Streator, IL (near where I live) where a horse owner was actually rescued by his horses from a pack of coyote! They fought off the coyote and encircled the owner to protect him.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Coyotes in my area prefer calves during calving season. Lambs during lambing season. If they can find them AS they are being born, while mom can't defend or flee, all the better. And after they munch on the newborn they will start on the mother. I set quick kill snares around our calving grounds. Quite gruesome to come upon an unfortunate pair - the calf still alive with half its' face and a shoulder gone, and mother still alive with her hindquarters partially eaten. 

Oh, we have donkeys and Livestock Guard Dogs. As a neighbor said, though, "They have to sleep sometime."

Otherwise, they will take down an arthritic horse grazing in the middle of a prairie dog town, if available. Which is why I do not let old partners die a natural death. Natural deaths are not peaceful here.

Basically, coyotes will eat whatever is most easily available.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

^^^What Boots said applies in my area. A few years back the neighbor watched two coyote watching his cow giving birth----just waiting for a weak moment from her so they could get the calf. They never got the calf as my neighbor just happened to have a gun:-(

Also why my my horses come on at night. My 29 yr old Arab isn't what he used to be.

Last night I swear every coyote in two counties was gathered nearby for a meeting. I've been here 12 years and have never heard that many carrying on at once. There will be more farmers out with guns this week as this is serious calving time, in my area.


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

Yup, calving season. The coyotes in our area even know when someone in the neighborhood has a littler of pups, but the owls do too. When anyone around here has a litter or anything young you can bet the coyotes and owls will be hanging around. We may not like them, but they're smart and have adapted for a reason.


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