Coyote Problems?
Is there any way that I could run a couple packs of coyotes off my hunting property without using lethal methods and without scaring the deer?
I was out one evening on the ground with my crossbow and a coyote started howling within 30 yards right behind me. I got up and left before legal hunting hours were over.
The next afternoon I went back and sat someplace else. Coyote started howling and yipping within 100 yards in front of me so I left again.
I waited two days and went back to my original spot. This time I saw four coyotes in front of me in the field, not 20 yards away. While I was watching them I heard a couple more just to the right of me running in the leaves. And as soon as I heard those, two more started growling at each other behind me. That makes at least 8 coyotes in this pack.
About a week later I chose a totally new spot that was well away from where the pack lives, but as I was on my way out for the evening I began to hear another pack start howling across the road. It started as one lone howler, but then a couple more started howling with it. The next thing I know there are so many coyotes howling that it sounded like "white noise". It was just this roaring sound and you couldn't even make out the individual howls until they began to settle down. It sounded like there was 30 or more over there! My brother said he heard them too and we have never heard anything like that before. I mean I have heard some nice sized packs before but nothing compared to this. These aren't a problem for me though as they were a bit farther away.
But the coyotes are beginning to cross the highway and come near the edge of our yard now snooping around.
Does anyone have any suggestions other than trapping and shooting them? I really don't like the idea of shooting a canine.
Most of the deer have left the area since these coyotes took over and I have found several spots where bloodied bones still lay from victims. It's a problem.