Coyotes - Wild Texas Forums: Parks, Travel & Recreation

sandyl01 · 01-06-2007, 06:59 AM

Hello members
I have a question concerning coyotes> I'm a new member and not sure how to start a new post so please forgive me if this doesn't start a new message. Here's my question >The Tennessee City I work in just recently purchased a 110 acre old country club that was a golf course and the property is surrounded by homes and neighbor hoods. I work for the City Parks and Recreation Department that purchased the property and now that the property is not as active with humans out playing golf the home owners are complaining about coyotes roaming the property. The golf course will be re- vamped and will become a passive City Park. But for now its closed but is still be maintained and mowered. We have several phone calls daily from home owners that live next to the property and are concerned with their safety as well as the safety of their pets. We the City did speak to our local TWRA ( Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency) and there was a hunt scheduled to address the coyote problem but due to media attention that the coyotes have generated the TWRA pulled out of the hunt and now I’m here asking what you hunters might suggest the City do as a alternative to hunting the coyotes. The property is located within City limits so hunting isn’t an option if not conducted by officials from the TWRA. I’m a country gal and live on a 100 acre farm just 15 miles from said property and coyotes are just a way of life that I’m use to, but people that live within the City limits are not familiar with their habits and are very fearful of the critters. I don’t know if there’s an occupied den on the property but if there is I’m sure it could be found. Trapping is also NOT an option due the possibility of trapping and catching home owners pets. If there’s a den on the property I would think if the den was destroyed that might also help with the pack possibly relocating to another area. I do know the current property condition will probably all ways be an attraction to the coyotes. Coyotes main diet are vermin I know that but City dwellers don’t know that. Coyotes have been a problem in middle Tennessee for years and I for one can sit out on my porch any evening and hear them in all directions. The yipping and howling is just a common accuracy of coyotes in the country but City dwellers are not so accustom to coyotes and their sounds. I have heard but I don’t know how true this statement is but I have heard that coyotes don’t eat their own. What if possibly a road killed coyote being placed next to the den , would that have any effect on the pack moving on to another location? Also if moth balls where placed around the den area would that also drive them out of the area. I’m just guessing of ways to encourage the pack to move on and ways that are still safe for the environment. I know if there’s a open den then we could possibly mix concrete and fill the entrance with that to prohibit entrance to the den or totally destroy the den all to gather someway. Do coyotes have 2 entrances to their den’s like some animals? An entrance and an exit? Someone also mentioned the possibility of using surfer in power form around and in the den, has anyone every used that? I was suffering and found this site and thought I would post a message and see what you hunters might subject. Remember hunting and live or kill trapping isn’t an option in this case. Thanks in advance for any and all information.

rockhill · 01-06-2007, 10:38 AM

Well I am far from being an expert, and my initial answer would upset the citizens, but here are my thoughts.
The coyotes will not leave the area if they have suitable cover and source(s) of food and water. As metropolitan areas encrouch on wildlifes traditional domain, conflicts occur. I suspect any attempt to make their den unpleasant to them would cause a relocation, but not very far. 100 acres gives plenty of cover and the wildlife plus the added attraction of small domesticated animals in the food chain make for a desirable area. Your good city citizens really have to come to a choice: live in harmony with the coyotes, with the occasional loss of a pet or face the reality of hunting/trapping them out of the area. Trouble is that others could move in after you erradicated the existing pack.

This site is mainly visited by campers, rather than hard core hunters, so you may not get much advice.
Good luck

CyberCelt · 01-16-2007, 11:41 AM

Educate the people with the help of Animal Protection Institute. They have two articles about Living with Coyotes
and Close Encounters with Coyotes that may be useful to you.

Good luck and God bless you for looking for alternatives to hunting.