csmith4242
Notable member
If people live in areas with coyotes or other predators they have to be more diligent in keeping there pets safe, letting small animals loose were they can be caught is a poor choice by the owner.Fenced yards and vigilance is all that is required. Where we live Coyotes and owls and hawks are known to take pets.
ButterflyMommy
New Member
I could not agree more! As another Tucsonan, its just part of life here. I can't tell you how many of my neighbors have lost pets to coyotes, owls and hawks. We have three owls in our backyard and I am constantly finding bird feathers and miscellaneous "pieces" of leftovers around our house daily. We have wild cottontails and quail in our front and backyard and I cringe at the thought of them becoming owl snacks, but its part of the great circle of life. However I do not let my cats outdoors, nor any of the smaller foster dogs we have had outside unsupervised, the coyotes walk our streets in packs at night. It is all part of being an aware and caring owner.
Before my next door neighbor moved, they had chickens and omg, one morning I found a dead one on my driveway, another day a pile of feathers in the yard....I finally asked if she was missing chickens and yes, she was. Even some of her pet fancy roosters. We didn't know if it was an owl or coyote but either way, it put a damper on me wanting fowl! Hubby doesn't want them anyway, but I've always thought it would be neat to have chickens running around. They're great for bugs. And I've always yearned for that Aflack Duck! (Pekin) But my heart would break at their loss! :no2:
Coyotes are a given here too. We've seen them crossing the back of our property by the farmers field and howling at night gives me the creeps! Such an eerie sound!
I happened upon an article in the HSUS publication, All Animals, entitled "Better Off Alive." It decries the existence of coyote hunting contests. These are not hunting, rather they are contests to see who can kill the most, and some or all of them are promoted by those who want to decrease the number of coyotes so as to quell the coyotes' killing of deer.
Anyway, you hunters and other such knowledgable folks out there: What do you think of the theory outlined in this diagram?
Anyway, you hunters and other such knowledgable folks out there: What do you think of the theory outlined in this diagram?
GennyB
Hot Topics Subscriber
I'm not a hunter but the theory doesn't make a lot of sense to me. First I don't see a lot of coyotes hunting deer. Maybe a fawn, but for the most part they go for small prey. I have serious doubts the deer population needs to worry. I have never heard of deer population being threatened, in fact the problem is usually how do we control the deer?
I know various parts of the metro area here will have problems with deer control. Always leads to town hall meetings where possible solutions are discussed, everything from bringing in sharp shooters to trying to relocate the deer. Never fails to bring the PETA wackos out of the woodwork.
I hear ya'. We have so many deer right here in the middle of town. Tired of seeing them. The City does have hunting in the large parks during the winter. I suspect the notion is set forth that coyotes hurt the deer population because the hunters don't like the idea of the coyotes taking any of what the the hunters want for themselves. But...
...I was asking about the theory laid out in that diagram.
I had Ghinnies. Spelling? They kept all ticks, fleas, and rattlesnakes under control.
Doesn’t sound very scientific. My back yard is two acres, next to a 90 acre oil patch. I live in Texas. My biggest worry, besides rattlesnakes is wild, feral hogs. They can eat you!
Guinea? I think those were the ones someone told me were good for all those bugs. I didn't know they were good for rattlesnakes too!
I believe it. I would be afraid of wild hogs for sure. In fact, there used to be a TV show (on Animal Planet?) a handful of years back about a group of people that ran a business of hunting wild hogs. I was most intrigued because at least one of the dogs they used to help them was... ...yes, a Great Dane! No doubt, not your typical modern-day Dane. Of course, Great Danes were originally used for a purpose similar to this. I imagine back in that day they were quite a formidable dog indeed.
GennyB
Hot Topics Subscriber
Guinea? I think those were the ones someone told me were good for all those bugs. I didn't know they were good for rattlesnakes too!
They will go after small snakes for sure. We have friends that are homesteaders. They have a flock of 10 (? I think) those things are LOUD! They do a great job with the bugs, especially ticks, but the noise
They will go after small snakes for sure. We have friends that are homesteaders. They have a flock of 10 (? I think) those things are LOUD! They do a great job with the bugs, especially ticks, but the noise
More than two is too many. Those crazy birds are loud. A neat fact is at night they line up at an elevation. The birds on the right and left stay awake, pulling guard duty
GennyB
Hot Topics Subscriber
I haven't noticed anyone staying awake. They roost in a tree, same tree, same branch every night. The 2 end ones face the opposite direction of the rest. I always wondered if they line up the same way every night, like some kind of pecking order or something. Haven't bothered to look up much info because it just doesn't matter. They are way too loud for me.
When our friends first got theirs, I thought they were fascinating, but then they grew up. They seem to want to hang out where ever we are and just scream their heads off. You can't carry one a conversation with those guys around.
