# How to kill a coyote



## CarolynRenee (Jan 30, 2008)

We live on several acres, surrounded by hundreds more and have a small farm with chickens and a handfull of goats.

We had to put down our livestock guardinan dog last year and now the coyotes have been coming up to and INTO the electrified fenced area where the goats and chickens are. The chickens go in & out of the electric fence though.

We've had three chickens taken by a coyote in the middle of the day in the last week. Seen two of them, one while we were out in the front yard. Other one, just today, was out by the barn (but not inside the fence) chasing chickens....and the little bugger didn't even care when I was screaming at it. Ran to get the rifle, but too late. 

Anyways.....is there a way to make a "bait" for the coyote? I do not want to use poison as there are too many neighbors with free roaming dogs & cats. I would like to make a clean kill instead of trapping also (same problem with other animals possibly getting caught).

I was hoping to put out something really, really tasty for the coyote & set up the rifle in the window. Or am I not going to be that lucky? 

Any info. would be greatly appreciated as I am sick of losing chickens & am worried about the goat kids now also.


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## Bear (Jan 25, 2005)

You might try setting up somewhere and using one of those animal in distress calls to bring them in for a shot, or even putting 1 or 2 chickens in cage somewhere as bait and wait for a shot.


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## CarolynRenee (Jan 30, 2008)

I've got a rooster that I don't much care for and was thinking that I would tether him up to a tree & just sit and wait (i.e. read a book with some iced tea) until / if the bugger comes back. 

Worst case is I miss the coyote & have chicken soup. Best case is I have a coyote rug. It's about 40 yards to where I'll tether the rooster up. Do you think a .22 is big enough for a head shot?

Wish me luck!


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## Bear (Jan 25, 2005)

A 22 in the head will do the job if you get the shot. A larger caliber rifle would even be better, if you have one-then you could take a chest shot. Good luck to you and the rooster!


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## CarolynRenee (Jan 30, 2008)

Thanks for the input!

Haven't put the rooster out yet, think I will wait for it to cool down a bit. For they coyote, yeah, for the coyote, because he is probably away sleeping off the heat & wouldn't be interested in my chickens until a little bit later anyways (has absolutely nothing to do with me not wanting to sweat my bum off).


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

you have already worked out a good plan. put the bird out about 30 min before dark keep a line from it to you and get a red lense flash light. start around dark sweep the area w/ the light and use the line to get the bird talking about every 20 min use the light. a shotgun would be better but the 22 will work just fine. don't be surprised if you get more than one coyote come in.


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Ok I know you don't want to be losing chickens.But I asked the Conservation Department about killing them this time of year.They said even though it is Legal.They said its best not to kill them,because they have Pups and if you kill one of them it forces the mate to go after easier prey to continue to feed the pups.

But if you must I would say since they are close to the house use a 12ga. with 0 or 00 shot.

big rockpile


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## TnTnTn (Dec 23, 2004)

I think your basic plan of using a live decoy is ok. Coyotes are most active in the early am and pm. They know that chickens roost so they will look for them before dark. They have taken some of my chickens on several occasions when I and others are in the yard working or whatever in mid morning or early afternoon. It is difficult to have a firearm instantly ready for the crafty raiders-and they rarely ever stop to offer a good shot.

First I think you need to get a bigger rifle. If you are out in the country with chickens and goats you need a .223 for coyotes and such. It will kill them well with a chest shot or even a gut shot if it occurs. It is best to use a varmint type bullet which is fragile and doesn't travel far or remain intact after hitting something. Most of the times my loads with these type bullets don't exit a coyote. You still must be aware of your shot and have a safe backstop of course. A .22 is very marginal for coyotes imo; a headshot will certainly work but hitting a coyote head at 40 yards would be problematic imo.

A dead carcass of a cow, horse, goat etc will lure them also if you have one and can stand the stink.

I had two instances this last week of coyotes chasing our two poodles; I missed one coyote but killed the other. Our poodles are great little hunters but they know not to fool with coyotes and always run for protection from the master! Coyotes are feeding pups now and tend to be more aggressive in hunting food and chasing small dogs too.

Good luck-it takes time, patience, and luck but you can get some of the raiders if you are persistent. You will never get them all however they will learn to look for easier chickens! TnTnTn


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

I had an old Indian neighbor a few years back who always used a .22 on coyotes. He never aimed for the head, always took body shots. 

He said that coyotes have no health plans, no health insurance, no surgeons or hospitals. A bullet in the chest, the gut or the legs all cause them a lot of trouble. Chest and gut wounds get infected and kill them. Leg wounds either get infected or slow them down so that they cannot kill food. 

He used .22 long rifle hollow points. They not only cause a lot of internal damage, they carry hair and skin into the wound to cause infections. 

With minimal practice you can hit a coyote at fifty yards. The .22 starts dropping pretty fast at that distance. 

I just looked up the information: If you zero at 73 yards, using high velocity .22 ammo in a Ruger l0/22 you will be within an inch of line of sight at all times.
That's good enough for coyotes unless you insist on knocking them down and stomping them.
Ox


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## tn_junk (Nov 28, 2006)

Oxankle said:


> He said that coyotes have no health plans, no health insurance, no surgeons or hospitals. A bullet in the chest, the gut or the legs all cause them a lot of trouble. Chest and gut wounds get infected and kill them. Leg wounds either get infected or slow them down so that they cannot kill food.
> 
> He used .22 long rifle hollow points. They not only cause a lot of internal damage, they carry hair and skin into the wound to cause infections.
> 
> Ox



Even coyotes deserve the respect of a quick and merciful death. Shooting one in the body with a .22 rimfire and allowing it to go and linger in pain is disrespectful to not only the animal, but also the hunter.

alan


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## CarolynRenee (Jan 30, 2008)

Still no coyote. He must know that I'm on to him. 

Thanks for the zero-ing info as well as the pups info. 

I'd rather go with a head shot. As much as I don't like the buggers eating my chickens, I don't want him to be a suffering bugger. Maybe I'll see if DH has something a bit larger than a .22 that I can plink off a few times & sight it in.


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## hiswife (May 30, 2008)

put a few ads up at the feed stores around you and talk talk talk to every person you see about it, you'll find someone with hounds or staghounds who would love to have permission to hunt your land and help rid you of your problem. I am not a fan of shooting or trapping because as someone else said above me it can be a cruel and lingering death. Depending on what town you are near I might know someone nearby who can help, pm me if you like.


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## montysky (Aug 21, 2006)

Kill the Yotes hitting your Chickens now, will just bring in replacement Yotes. Long them you need a pair of large dogs that can and will kill them, a good dog will teach a "smart" yote to stay back or die. we have two Akitas.

But a Yote that gets too near I would shoot in a heart beat. short range a .22l or long range 30-06 I don't have a .223.


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