To kill or let kill...That is the question

Marshall

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I hate the fact that this issue comes up but I wanted some input from others. I live in a large wooded area and we get the usual harmless animals such as deer, bear and the occasional wolf but it is the coyotes that kill almost anything they run across including my turtles... The problem lies in the fact that if you confront one in the act and he don't run he is gonna make a move on you unless you can "persuade" him to go his way with a few rounds in the air. Well this morning all that did not work and I had one charge me so you should be able to fill in the blanks because I hate it so much but.. What are supposed to do ? let it wreck and kill everything ? I mean they are an invasive species so it's not like they are in their element and maybe thats why I feel so sorry for them but I was raised in the mountains of NC and was taught that sometimes it's either you or him so... Interested to see the feedback to this
 

slakker

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Is there an option to call animal control or wildlife/environmental agency for advice or suggestion? I personally don't think any indigenous species is "invasive", or at least no more invasive than humans as a species. So getting the local animal conservation folks engaged for advice may be a good idea.
 

Marshall

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Is there an option to call animal control or wildlife/environmental agency for advice or suggestion? I personally don't think any indigenous species is "invasive", or at least no more invasive than humans as a species. So getting the local animal conservation folks engaged for advice may be a good idea.
I live 84 miles outside animal controls area and the georgia dept of wildlife suggest killing anytime the coyote get closer than 30 yards but I try to warn well before that and when a coyote is charging you full speed you ain't calling nobody..
 

sissy

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I live in a rural area and when we got a momma bear and cubs here animal control came and tranquilized them and took them to a safer area to release them .it was even on the news here .The cubs were in my apple trees happily eating apples .Animal control took some of the apples along and showed where they released them and when they woke up on tv .We do get fox here and deer and and once in awhile a loose cow .I don't eat meat and never have so killing an animal unless attacked by one is not on my favorites list .Sorry meat eaters out there but i only kill veggies and fruit :);)
 

Marshall

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I live in a rural area and when we got a momma bear and cubs here animal control came and tranquilized them and took them to a safer area to release them .it was even on the news here .The cubs were in my apple trees happily eating apples .Animal control took some of the apples along and showed where they released them and when they woke up on tv .We do get fox here and deer and and once in awhile a loose cow .I don't eat meat and never have so killing an animal unless attacked by one is not on my favorites list .Sorry meat eaters out there but i only kill veggies and fruit :);)
Well I did not kill because he was eating apples... He was charging me with teeth showing and I am still waiting for GDW to let me know if it was rabid which they seem to think it was due its crazy behavior so I agree 100% if they are not a threat then why do anything but call animal control but where I live it takes 4 hours to get someone out here unless it's the sheriff and they just shoot anything they see anyways so I am in a bit of a classic catch 22 here
 
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I also live in a heavily wooded area and have to consider what kind of temptations I provide the surrounding wildlife - bears, wolves, coyotes, cougars, moose.
The best advice I can offer is to make your enclosures strong enough to deter any of them from gaining access and giving them a desire to come back for more.
Killing them as they approach your area will not work, they will be followed by others.
If you have fruit trees, get rid of them or spray them with a deterrent, if you have garbage containers, make them animal proof, if you have livestock that they would like to eat, provide a predator proof enclosure.
 

Marshall

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I also live in a heavily wooded area and have to consider what kind of temptations I provide the surrounding wildlife - bears, wolves, coyotes, cougars, moose.
The best advice I can offer is to make your enclosures strong enough to deter any of them from gaining access and giving them a desire to come back for more.
Killing them as they approach your area will not work, they will be followed by others.
If you have fruit trees, get rid of them or spray them with a deterrent, if you have garbage containers, make them animal proof, if you have livestock that they would like to eat, provide a predator proof enclosure.
I think everyone is missing the fact he was not approaching my are he was charging at me... Makes things a little bit different and I just got the email back and he did have rabies.
 
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No, I got that Marshall.
What I'm saying is that you need to make your yard as boring as heck to the natural wildlife predators.
You said you confronted the animal, so you were acting as a direct threat to that coyote's food. It was predictable that it came at you, rabies or not.

What should have happened is that the coyote came into your yard, saw the turtles, sniffed at them, realized that it could not get to them and left on it's own realizing that there was no food available. You should not need to intervene.
 
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Ahh.. wild life :) I totally understand you. But I actually have to agree with Mitch, because if you kill one and the 'temptation' is still there, there will be other, and more and more. So you have to get to the source problem, and since you want to enjoy your life too, so short of getting rid of your animal, you probably need to get a fence or any other type of deterrent that will discourage wild life to come in to your property.

The one that attacked you, you said you did everything but it still charged you, so killing it is the only way, it's self defense. I'm sorry you had to go through this. Did you get bitten?

If it were me, seeing that there is already one rebied coyote, i'd put up a fence. I do not want to have to look over my back when I go enjoy my pond all the time.
 

JBtheExplorer

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We don't really have problems with coyotes around here. An occasional news report of a pet being taken, but they don't really wreak havoc around here. I occasionally come across them in the woods but they've never been threatening. I know nationwide, coyotes rarely ever bite humans, and almost all are warning bites, and the majority are for some reason in California. I'm surprised to hear you have issues with them.
 

slakker

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If it's you or him, then there's no question. I live in a suburb of Vancouver and we get coyotes and bears; one came into the yard, ate all the wind fall fruits and pooped everywhere. And picking bear poop isn't very pleasant.

Luckily, never have the coyotes charged.. they have charged dogs and cats and even a toddler (luckily he ran once the mom charged it).
 

Marshall

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No, I got that Marshall.
What I'm saying is that you need to make your yard as boring as heck to the natural wildlife predators.
You said you confronted the animal, so you were acting as a direct threat to that coyote's food. It was predictable that it came at you, rabies or not.

What should have happened is that the coyote came into your yard, saw the turtles, sniffed at them, realized that it could not get to them and left on it's own realizing that there was no food available. You should not need to intervene.
I agree 100% but this was just an unfortunate time coincidence because I was going to feed the turtles and had no clue the coyote was even out there. I cant see my pond from my house so I have to walk out there to know whats up.
 

Marshall

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Ahh.. wild life :) I totally understand you. But I actually have to agree with Mitch, because if you kill one and the 'temptation' is still there, there will be other, and more and more. So you have to get to the source problem, and since you want to enjoy your life too, so short of getting rid of your animal, you probably need to get a fence or any other type of deterrent that will discourage wild life to come in to your property.

The one that attacked you, you said you did everything but it still charged you, so killing it is the only way, it's self defense. I'm sorry you had to go through this. Did you get bitten?

If it were me, seeing that there is already one rebied coyote, i'd put up a fence. I do not want to have to look over my back when I go enjoy my pond all the time.
I wish I could afford to fence in the yard but it is 12.8 acres so I will have to save up for that
 

Mmathis

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So this coyote charged at you this morning and you shot it. You don't have the cooperation of your wildlife people, yet you've already gotten back confirmation that the coyote did test postitive for rabies? I must be missing something here.

It takes 24 -72 hours to complete the test for rabies on a dead animal. Where did you take it for the exam? I would think that any wildlife dept. would be very tuned in to the fact that there are rabid animals in your area.

But back to your original post, I think you should come up with a very sturdy way to enclose your turtles as a way of keeping the wild critters from getting to them. Something that can't be dug through or under. To be fair, animals are animals and you are living in their world if you are that far away from civilization.
 

Marshall

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So this coyote charged at you this morning and you shot it. You don't have the cooperation of your wildlife people, yet you've already gotten back confirmation that the coyote did test postitive for rabies? I must be missing something here.

It takes 24 -72 hours to complete the test for rabies on a dead animal. Where did you take it for the exam? I would think that any wildlife dept. would be very tuned in to the fact that there are rabid animals in your area.

But back to your original post, I think you should come up with a very sturdy way to enclose your turtles as a way of keeping the wild critters from getting to them. Something that can't be dug through or under. To be fair, animals are animals and you are living in their world if you are that far away from civilization.
They cant get to my turtles but they were trying when I accidentally walked up on him and the wildlife people I am talking about was the game warden not animal control and I will forward you the GDW email if you would like to see... Not to be an ass or anything but you basically just cast a shadow of doubt over my word making almost wish I had not even mentioned something that hurt me verry much to do. I did not enjoy killing an animal for gods sake I run a animal rescue
 

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