On Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at 12:29:46 PM UTC-5, Mr. Luddite wrote:
This was a little unnerving ....

Our horse barn is about 175 feet down the driveway from our house.
It has a small, two car garage attached to it where I keep the tractor
in the winter.

I had finished up plowing the driveway with the truck and decided to
walk down to the barn to get the tractor and do a little clean up work.

Got halfway down to the barn when suddenly a coyote came trotting out of
the woods beside the house. I stopped. It stopped ... about 20 feet
away and we just stared at each other. It showed absolutely no fear of
me. It kept looking at me, then in the direction it had been going
(towards the barn and garage) and then back at me again. I just stood
there. It finally started moving slowly towards the garage but then
stopped, turned and started walking back directly towards me. My first
thought was that my gun was back in the house. It stopped again about
20 feet away and we stared at each other again for about 30 seconds then
it moved on towards the garage. So, I slowly followed it, around the
corner and then realized that one of the garage doors was open. (I had
been in there earlier).

My thought was that it had gone in the garage. Walked up slowly and
looked around ... no coyote. Turned around and there he was again,
standing behind me, again about 20, maybe 30 feet away. I booked it
into the garage, pulled the door down fast and watched him through one
of the door windows. He finally lost interest and trotted off towards
my neighbor's house. They raise chickens. I think they will need to
do a head count tonight.

Made me think about what would happen if I had a gun and I was forced to
shoot it if it had attacked or become more threatening. Need to check
up on the laws about that.

One thing no one has mentioned...

Coyotes aren't loners. They live in a family unit with at least a mate and possibly more "singles" to assist in hunting. The reproduce in late winter, so you may have a pair bedding down in a den to have pups. They rarely attack humans, but the wolf-coyote hybrid is more likely to attack, and something I read says in general they have become more aggressive because humans aren't harassing them in rural areas very much. Bottom line, if there's one, there's at least two or more.

I did a little research recently because I had some that were hanging out in the area. I saw one crossing the road just down from the house. They were driving Buddy, my lab, nuts. They seemed to have moved on for now.

On Tue, 9 Feb 2016 12:52:55 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 2/9/2016 12:34 PM, Tim wrote:
On Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at 11:29:46 AM UTC-6, Mr. Luddite wrote:
This was a little unnerving ....

Our horse barn is about 175 feet down the driveway from our house.
It has a small, two car garage attached to it where I keep the tractor
in the winter.

I had finished up plowing the driveway with the truck and decided to
walk down to the barn to get the tractor and do a little clean up work.

Got halfway down to the barn when suddenly a coyote came trotting out of
the woods beside the house. I stopped. It stopped ... about 20 feet
away and we just stared at each other. It showed absolutely no fear of
me. It kept looking at me, then in the direction it had been going
(towards the barn and garage) and then back at me again. I just stood
there. It finally started moving slowly towards the garage but then
stopped, turned and started walking back directly towards me. My first
thought was that my gun was back in the house. It stopped again about
20 feet away and we stared at each other again for about 30 seconds then
it moved on towards the garage. So, I slowly followed it, around the
corner and then realized that one of the garage doors was open. (I had
been in there earlier).

My thought was that it had gone in the garage. Walked up slowly and
looked around ... no coyote. Turned around and there he was again,
standing behind me, again about 20, maybe 30 feet away. I booked it
into the garage, pulled the door down fast and watched him through one
of the door windows. He finally lost interest and trotted off towards
my neighbor's house. They raise chickens. I think they will need to
do a head count tonight.

Made me think about what would happen if I had a gun and I was forced to
shoot it if it had attacked or become more threatening. Need to check
up on the laws about that.

At that range if you'd shot it, it would be it's word against yours..

Looked justifiable to me


My question is this though: Let's say a neighbor heard the shot and
called the cops. I'd probably be justified in shooting it if I felt
threatened by it but I'd also probably get written up for unlawful
discharge of a firearm in a residential area.

I don't think a neighbor would call the cops for one shot. If it was self-defense, how would it be
unlawful?
--

Ban liars, tax cheats, idiots, and narcissists...not guns!

On Tue, 9 Feb 2016 10:23:27 -0800 (PST), Its Me wrote:

On Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at 12:43:41 PM UTC-5, John H. wrote:
On Tue, 9 Feb 2016 12:29:43 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:


This was a little unnerving ....

Our horse barn is about 175 feet down the driveway from our house.
It has a small, two car garage attached to it where I keep the tractor
in the winter.

I had finished up plowing the driveway with the truck and decided to
walk down to the barn to get the tractor and do a little clean up work.

Got halfway down to the barn when suddenly a coyote came trotting out of
the woods beside the house. I stopped. It stopped ... about 20 feet
away and we just stared at each other. It showed absolutely no fear of
me. It kept looking at me, then in the direction it had been going
(towards the barn and garage) and then back at me again. I just stood
there. It finally started moving slowly towards the garage but then
stopped, turned and started walking back directly towards me. My first
thought was that my gun was back in the house. It stopped again about
20 feet away and we stared at each other again for about 30 seconds then
it moved on towards the garage. So, I slowly followed it, around the
corner and then realized that one of the garage doors was open. (I had
been in there earlier).

My thought was that it had gone in the garage. Walked up slowly and
looked around ... no coyote. Turned around and there he was again,
standing behind me, again about 20, maybe 30 feet away. I booked it
into the garage, pulled the door down fast and watched him through one
of the door windows. He finally lost interest and trotted off towards
my neighbor's house. They raise chickens. I think they will need to
do a head count tonight.

Made me think about what would happen if I had a gun and I was forced to
shoot it if it had attacked or become more threatening. Need to check
up on the laws about that.


Seems like we went through that just the other day! I think a round in the ground would be the best
idea, initially. I'd be worried about rabies also, with a wild animal such as a coyote or fox.
--

Ban liars, tax cheats, idiots, and narcissists...not guns!

I'd miss the ground and put it in his head.

Coyotes are open season year-round in SC. You can also bait and call them. They have dropped the deer population by 30% or more. They eat the fawns.

They've done the same down in rural Virginia. Ditto with quail.
--

Ban liars, tax cheats, idiots, and narcissists...not guns!

On Tue, 09 Feb 2016 13:24:06 -0500, wrote:

On Tue, 09 Feb 2016 12:43:53 -0500, John H.
wrote:

Made me think about what would happen if I had a gun and I was forced to
shoot it if it had attacked or become more threatening. Need to check
up on the laws about that.


Seems like we went through that just the other day! I think a round in the ground would be the best
idea, initially. I'd be worried about rabies also, with a wild animal such as a coyote or fox.

===

Once you discharge a firearm in a restricted area you are potentially
subject to legal action, so you might as well make it a shot to center
of mass. There's less risk of a ricochet that way and you remove the
threat. If no one hears and reports the shot, your only problem is
disposing of the coyote.

That is if you hit the coyote. A moving coyote would probably be hard to hit. When I say into the
ground, I mean close in. Not much of a ricochet from dirt.
--

Ban liars, tax cheats, idiots, and narcissists...not guns!

On 2/9/2016 5:35 PM, Justan Olphart wrote:
On 2/9/2016 12:29 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote:

This was a little unnerving ....

Our horse barn is about 175 feet down the driveway from our house.
It has a small, two car garage attached to it where I keep the tractor
in the winter.

I had finished up plowing the driveway with the truck and decided to
walk down to the barn to get the tractor and do a little clean up work.

Got halfway down to the barn when suddenly a coyote came trotting out of
the woods beside the house. I stopped. It stopped ... about 20 feet
away and we just stared at each other. It showed absolutely no fear of
me. It kept looking at me, then in the direction it had been going
(towards the barn and garage) and then back at me again. I just stood
there. It finally started moving slowly towards the garage but then
stopped, turned and started walking back directly towards me. My first
thought was that my gun was back in the house. It stopped again about
20 feet away and we stared at each other again for about 30 seconds then
it moved on towards the garage. So, I slowly followed it, around the
corner and then realized that one of the garage doors was open. (I had
been in there earlier).

My thought was that it had gone in the garage. Walked up slowly and
looked around ... no coyote. Turned around and there he was again,
standing behind me, again about 20, maybe 30 feet away. I booked it
into the garage, pulled the door down fast and watched him through one
of the door windows. He finally lost interest and trotted off towards
my neighbor's house. They raise chickens. I think they will need to
do a head count tonight.

Made me think about what would happen if I had a gun and I was forced to
shoot it if it had attacked or become more threatening. Need to check
up on the laws about that.



Coyotes are a protected species in your state even if it eats your dog
or baby.


I don't think they are protected, even in MA. They have become a
nuisance. The laws I checked said it's legal to shoot them *if* you
have a hunting license *and* discharging the firearm does not violate
any residential area laws. Basically that means firing it within 150
feet of a roadway or firing it within 500 feet of any abutter's property
unless you have their permission to do so.

Don't think the coyote would be willing to just sit and wait until I
go buy the license and then check with a couple of neighbors. :-)

Unless the above requirements are met, I think what would happen is
the LEO would say "nice shot" and then hit me up with illegal discharge
of a firearm and shooting a coyote without a hunting license.

Bottom line is: If I had a gun on me and the damn thing attacked, I'd
shoot and deal with the details later.

On 2/9/2016 6:25 PM, John H. wrote:
On Tue, 9 Feb 2016 12:52:55 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 2/9/2016 12:34 PM, Tim wrote:
On Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at 11:29:46 AM UTC-6, Mr. Luddite wrote:
This was a little unnerving ....

Our horse barn is about 175 feet down the driveway from our house.
It has a small, two car garage attached to it where I keep the tractor
in the winter.

I had finished up plowing the driveway with the truck and decided to
walk down to the barn to get the tractor and do a little clean up work.

Got halfway down to the barn when suddenly a coyote came trotting out of
the woods beside the house. I stopped. It stopped ... about 20 feet
away and we just stared at each other. It showed absolutely no fear of
me. It kept looking at me, then in the direction it had been going
(towards the barn and garage) and then back at me again. I just stood
there. It finally started moving slowly towards the garage but then
stopped, turned and started walking back directly towards me. My first
thought was that my gun was back in the house. It stopped again about
20 feet away and we stared at each other again for about 30 seconds then
it moved on towards the garage. So, I slowly followed it, around the
corner and then realized that one of the garage doors was open. (I had
been in there earlier).

My thought was that it had gone in the garage. Walked up slowly and
looked around ... no coyote. Turned around and there he was again,
standing behind me, again about 20, maybe 30 feet away. I booked it
into the garage, pulled the door down fast and watched him through one
of the door windows. He finally lost interest and trotted off towards
my neighbor's house. They raise chickens. I think they will need to
do a head count tonight.

Made me think about what would happen if I had a gun and I was forced to
shoot it if it had attacked or become more threatening. Need to check
up on the laws about that.

At that range if you'd shot it, it would be it's word against yours..

Looked justifiable to me


My question is this though: Let's say a neighbor heard the shot and
called the cops. I'd probably be justified in shooting it if I felt
threatened by it but I'd also probably get written up for unlawful
discharge of a firearm in a residential area.

I don't think a neighbor would call the cops for one shot. If it was self-defense, how would it be
unlawful?

Shooting it in self defense would not be unlawful. Discharging a
firearm in a residential area within 500 feet of a neighbor's property
is. I doubt anyone would complain but the LEO may not agree unless
I had their permission first. I only have two neighbors that might be
within 500 feet, depending on where I fired the gun. I suppose I could
shoot it then drag it somewhere on our 6 acres that is far enough away.
But, this is all an exercise anyway. If I were carrying a gun and the
coyote attacked ... I guarantee I'd shoot it.

On Tuesday, 9 February 2016 19:45:13 UTC-4, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 2/9/2016 5:35 PM, Justan Olphart wrote:
On 2/9/2016 12:29 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote:

This was a little unnerving ....

Our horse barn is about 175 feet down the driveway from our house.
It has a small, two car garage attached to it where I keep the tractor
in the winter.

I had finished up plowing the driveway with the truck and decided to
walk down to the barn to get the tractor and do a little clean up work.

Got halfway down to the barn when suddenly a coyote came trotting out of
the woods beside the house. I stopped. It stopped ... about 20 feet
away and we just stared at each other. It showed absolutely no fear of
me. It kept looking at me, then in the direction it had been going
(towards the barn and garage) and then back at me again. I just stood
there. It finally started moving slowly towards the garage but then
stopped, turned and started walking back directly towards me. My first
thought was that my gun was back in the house. It stopped again about
20 feet away and we stared at each other again for about 30 seconds then
it moved on towards the garage. So, I slowly followed it, around the
corner and then realized that one of the garage doors was open. (I had
been in there earlier).

My thought was that it had gone in the garage. Walked up slowly and
looked around ... no coyote. Turned around and there he was again,
standing behind me, again about 20, maybe 30 feet away. I booked it
into the garage, pulled the door down fast and watched him through one
of the door windows. He finally lost interest and trotted off towards
my neighbor's house. They raise chickens. I think they will need to
do a head count tonight.

Made me think about what would happen if I had a gun and I was forced to
shoot it if it had attacked or become more threatening. Need to check
up on the laws about that.



Coyotes are a protected species in your state even if it eats your dog
or baby.


I don't think they are protected, even in MA. They have become a
nuisance. The laws I checked said it's legal to shoot them *if* you
have a hunting license *and* discharging the firearm does not violate
any residential area laws. Basically that means firing it within 150
feet of a roadway or firing it within 500 feet of any abutter's property
unless you have their permission to do so.

Don't think the coyote would be willing to just sit and wait until I
go buy the license and then check with a couple of neighbors. :-)

Unless the above requirements are met, I think what would happen is
the LEO would say "nice shot" and then hit me up with illegal discharge
of a firearm and shooting a coyote without a hunting license.

Bottom line is: If I had a gun on me and the damn thing attacked, I'd
shoot and deal with the details later.

I'm almost sure I saw one down at Point Pleasant Park last week. I was walking my Springer on a quiet path when I saw a dingy gray looking animal ahead. It was either a small coyote or a good sized fox. He was gone by the time I got there.

On Tue, 9 Feb 2016 16:39:20 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 2/9/2016 3:55 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 09 Feb 2016 13:24:06 -0500,
wrote:

On Tue, 09 Feb 2016 12:43:53 -0500, John H.
wrote:

Made me think about what would happen if I had a gun and I was forced to
shoot it if it had attacked or become more threatening. Need to check
up on the laws about that.


Seems like we went through that just the other day! I think a round in the ground would be the best
idea, initially. I'd be worried about rabies also, with a wild animal such as a coyote or fox.

===

Once you discharge a firearm in a restricted area you are potentially
subject to legal action, so you might as well make it a shot to center
of mass. There's less risk of a ricochet that way and you remove the
threat. If no one hears and reports the shot, your only problem is
disposing of the coyote.

SSS

Shoot
Shovel
Shutup



You Fla guys don't know much about frozen ground, do ya?

Frozen ground?
I have not heard of this thing. ;-)

Bury it in the snow and plow another few feet over it.
Worry about it in April or May.

.... or just put it in the bed of the truck and kick it out on the side
of the road.

In article ,
says...

This was a little unnerving ....

Our horse barn is about 175 feet down the driveway from our house.
It has a small, two car garage attached to it where I keep the tractor
in the winter.

I had finished up plowing the driveway with the truck and decided to
walk down to the barn to get the tractor and do a little clean up work.

Got halfway down to the barn when suddenly a coyote came trotting out of
the woods beside the house. I stopped. It stopped ... about 20 feet
away and we just stared at each other. It showed absolutely no fear of
me. It kept looking at me, then in the direction it had been going
(towards the barn and garage) and then back at me again. I just stood
there. It finally started moving slowly towards the garage but then
stopped, turned and started walking back directly towards me. My first
thought was that my gun was back in the house. It stopped again about
20 feet away and we stared at each other again for about 30 seconds then
it moved on towards the garage. So, I slowly followed it, around the
corner and then realized that one of the garage doors was open. (I had
been in there earlier).

My thought was that it had gone in the garage. Walked up slowly and
looked around ... no coyote. Turned around and there he was again,
standing behind me, again about 20, maybe 30 feet away. I booked it
into the garage, pulled the door down fast and watched him through one
of the door windows. He finally lost interest and trotted off towards
my neighbor's house. They raise chickens. I think they will need to
do a head count tonight.

Made me think about what would happen if I had a gun and I was forced to
shoot it if it had attacked or become more threatening. Need to check
up on the laws about that.

Sounds like Harry - who once said he carried because of "dog
packs."
I can't imagine being attacked by a coyote. They are naturally
fearful of me, with good reason. Dogs too.
Excepting Chihuahuas. Tiny dogs are stupid. I have one.
Instead of "booking" it into the garage, you should have just
growled at it as you approached it. Make a fist too.
Would have sent it away with its tail tucked.
Bears are another story.

On Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at 8:23:57 PM UTC-5, Boating All Out wrote:
In article ,
says...

This was a little unnerving ....

Our horse barn is about 175 feet down the driveway from our house.
It has a small, two car garage attached to it where I keep the tractor
in the winter.

I had finished up plowing the driveway with the truck and decided to
walk down to the barn to get the tractor and do a little clean up work.

Got halfway down to the barn when suddenly a coyote came trotting out of
the woods beside the house. I stopped. It stopped ... about 20 feet
away and we just stared at each other. It showed absolutely no fear of
me. It kept looking at me, then in the direction it had been going
(towards the barn and garage) and then back at me again. I just stood
there. It finally started moving slowly towards the garage but then
stopped, turned and started walking back directly towards me. My first
thought was that my gun was back in the house. It stopped again about
20 feet away and we stared at each other again for about 30 seconds then
it moved on towards the garage. So, I slowly followed it, around the
corner and then realized that one of the garage doors was open. (I had
been in there earlier).

My thought was that it had gone in the garage. Walked up slowly and
looked around ... no coyote. Turned around and there he was again,
standing behind me, again about 20, maybe 30 feet away. I booked it
into the garage, pulled the door down fast and watched him through one
of the door windows. He finally lost interest and trotted off towards
my neighbor's house. They raise chickens. I think they will need to
do a head count tonight.

Made me think about what would happen if I had a gun and I was forced to
shoot it if it had attacked or become more threatening. Need to check
up on the laws about that.

Sounds like Harry - who once said he carried because of "dog
packs."
I can't imagine being attacked by a coyote. They are naturally
fearful of me, with good reason. Dogs too.

Heh. You've stated you don't have a gun. A good sized dog or a couple of hungry, crazy coyotes would mess up your month (or two), if not worse. They hunt for their food. You hunt at the grocery store. You aren't as bad as you think you are.