Well, that's just great. First, it's alligators. Now it's coyotes.

[Bake]

I had just convinced Mrs. B that we really didn't have to worry about alligators in Mississippi making hors d'ouerves out of our doggies (yeah, we've got 'em here in central MS; we do not, however, live that close to a body of water to have to worry about finding one in our backyard).

Now, we hear this howling the last few nights. And two weeks ago, we were on the interstate about 50 miles north of here, and a freakin' COYOTE comes trotting down the highway (headed south, I might add). So we googled coyotes and Mississippi and guess what? They're freakin' EVERYWHERE. They can scale most fences. And the homowners association would shit if I made our fence coyote-proof. What do the experts tell you to do about this? Keep your dogs indoors from dusk to dawn, don't leave them alone outside, and be especially careful when you take them out first thing in the morning. WE FENCED OUR YARD SO THE DOGGIES COULD ROMP AND PLAY SAFELY!

COYOTES!!!!! DAMN DAMN DAMN!!

Bake

[pitohui]

1. saw one not too far outside jackson not long ago

i don't know what to suggest but the coyote situation might be getting a little out of hand up there


forget where exactly but i think on the northern side of jackson

[Bake]

2. Yep. I live in Madison, just north of Jackson.

On the one hand, there's no limit on shooting them, no "season," etc. On the other hand, I think it might scare the bejeezus out of the neighbors if they heard my .357 Magnum go off at midnight or so. Plus, no telling what else might get shot by mistake, so that's not happening.

I know, I know ... it's not their fault, we did it to them by encroaching on their habitat, etc. Nonetheless, they eat family pets.

Bake

[pitohui]

11. i think they are actually encroaching on OUR habitat ?

didn't they come from out west of the mississippi river within the last 50 years? i don't think it is a case of us encroaching on them but them encroaching on us...that's what i heard, won't say for sure it's correct

they seem to keep their heads down more in louisiana, hear them but i don't see them, that's why i was surprised to see one out so bold up there in your neck of the woods -- this was actually in the day and so seemed unusual to me

well, take care!

[LiberalEsto]

3. We've got coyotes in DC and its suburbs

They're just feral scavengers like their friends the Republicans.

[seemunkee]

7. Saw one on my street in Olney MD

I have a pretty small pup too.

[LiberalEsto]

14. Yikes. Haven't seen any in Derwood yet.

But we have loads of foxes in my neighborhood. because there's a woman who feeds them every evening.

[harmonicon]

4. what kind of dogs?

Unless your dogs are tiny little things, I wouldn't worry about it.

My gf and I used to live in a part of southern California that was just crawly with coyotes. I think I saw some every single day, and we heard the packs making their strange coyote sound almost every single night, sometimes very close to the house - within 100 yards, for sure, but some times I think just a few feet away. We let the dog out in the backyard whenever. There was a fence, but our dog could get out of it, and I'm sure coyotes could get in.

Most coyotes won't fuck with dogs. Dogs are bigger and tougher than coyotes, and I think they know dog territory and will stay out of it. My brother lives in northern Michigan where there are lots of coyotes and even the occasional cougar or bear, but he lets his dog outside where there is no fence. He doesn't keep her out there all night, but she goes out to do her business, and it's no problem. He also has a cat that can come and go as it pleases, with no problems so far.

[Bake]

9. Three small ones, one medium

A lhasa apso, her two offspring with a shih tzu, and a springer spaniel.

I daresay the coyote could take any one of them.

DAMN DAMN DAMN!!

Bake

[harmonicon]

12. I still don't think you should worry

The coyotes are after prey animals, not a fight. They want to catch things like rabbits. As far as I know, roving bands of coyotes don't go attacking one another, so I doubt they'd want to attack a 3 dog pack, especially in close proximity to people. Even when I see coyotes in the streets in California, they seem to still want to avoid people. And you have a fence - you'd have to have something in that yard that they really wanted to get to to bother getting over that fence. I've never once heard of coyotes jumping a fence to get after dogs - cougars, on the other hand, I have heard of doing it.

Maybe it's best to just look around and see what your neighbours do. Do they leave dogs outside? If so, it can't be a big concern. If you're really worried, you might want to make a phone call to the local animal control and vets in the area - explain your concern, and see what they have to say.

[hvn_nbr_2]

5. Buy yourself some lion pee. Sprinkle it around the perimeter.

Well, on second thought, that'll probably keep the coyotes away but your doggies may not want to go outside.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. Good luck *collecting* lion pee.

Ever try to catheterize one of those guys?

[KitchenWitch]

6. coyotes are just about everywhere.

We even have them here, in somewhat densely populated MasterPlanistan. People lose their little dogs to coyotes quite frequently here, if they are left outside for extended periods of time. My husband's cousin lost one of his Dachsunds to a coyote about 3 years ago.

[Bake]

10. I would die if I let that happen.

I'll just go out with them. Every time.

Bake

[RT Atlanta]

13. get a helicopter and hunt them from the air...

(a little sarcasm thrown in there)

Not sure, but I would search the web. Generally, the keep to themselves and scare pretty easily - I come up on them in the wild sometimes when I am out trail running and it scares the shit out of them when they see me (scares me too) and they take off running.

[RebelOne]

15. There were 3 of them trapped in Kennesaw, GA, a couple of days ago,

which is just a few miles from my house in Woodstock, GA.

[Mugu]

16. The best way to deal with coyotes?

Out to forty yards it drops them like a wet dishrag.

[Shell Beau]

17. I have yet to come across a coyote. However, I have seen

some pretty fierce hawks lately. They like little animals too!!