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FW: [RC] coyote threat - Alison Farrin
Coyotes generally hunt by laying in wait for something unsuspecting to
come by, or by ganging up on something they can overwhelm. Both of
these methods require locating by scent for the most part. They will
lay by a rabbit run (or mouse or ground squirrel or rat), having
identified by scent that rabbits come by there. Then they sight hunt
when the actual rabbit hops by. This will sometimes come back to bite
them - literally - when the rabbit turns out to be a Jack Russell
following the scent of the rabbit run. Both the JR and the coyote came
away from that encounter hurting :(
If they scent something they can gang up on - pet dogs, cats, baby
animals, they will group up in packs of two to (I've never seen more
than 5 pack hunting) five to pull down something with some size. They
will also use a pack to drive prey, like rabbits away from one and into
the jaws of another. In reverse, I have seen coyotes pass by rabbits
that "I" can see 20' or 30' from the coyote - but that the rabbit track
didn't cross the coyote trail, so no scent.
This still means they hunt primarily by scent, so in Southern California
where the scent has generally dried up completely by 9 AM, they hunt at
dawn and dusk when scents are strong. In areas like Barbara's, where
the cool redwoods trap moisture - and scent - near the ground, they may
hunt most of the day. I expect this would also be true in the humid
south.
They are also pretty smart and very opportunistic, so they have moved
into populated areas, where they do occasionally grab small children and
they do hop fences - a 6' fence without a coyote roller on top will NOT
stop a coyote - to pick off domestic animals. A coyote roller is a
round tube secured at the end of each fence section, such that the tube
turns or rolls when you put your hands or paws on the top of it. At 5'
or 6', a coyote "climbs" the fence to some extent, so the roller keeps
him from getting purchase at the top and being able to make it over the
fence.
Where we live, I would not confine anything under 50lbs in an enclosed
area that does not have either a complete cover, or rollers on the fence
top. One of my neighbors lost an older german shepard to a coyote that
jumped the fence and killed the dog.
To make this endurance related, I do enjoy seeing them out on the trails
in the early morning and I don't worry about my adult endurance horses
being able to defend themselves in their 2 acre drylot that is sometimes
visited by coyotes. They are a needed part of our ecosystem and
generally do their part to keep the small animals in check. At the
moment, I wish they would frequent our property more often, as I have
too many rabbits and ground squirrels. But, I suspect the six horses
(most of whom have been taught to chase and drive away dogs!) have
summat to do with my not sighting them more often. <G>
Alison A. Farrin
14251 Danielson St. Poway, Ca 92064
Coyotes are NOT nocturnal. They go out hunting in broad daylight and
they hunt at night as well. Around here it seems to be more a matter of
the season/weather as to when you seem them out. Winter they hunt all
day long.........summer mostly in the morning and night, etc.
abigail
Chico, CA
Truman Prevatt <tprevatt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Jody Rogers-Buttram wrote:
> These guys are hungry. They are out in the daylight hunting
for food.
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