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We’ve had a pack of coyotes move into the neighborhood and they’re pretty brave. Can anyone cite the rules of “ engagement “ they’re coming up into the yards and the folks with small dogs are getting nervous.

seems like that would fall under the "if you feel you or yours are in danger" wouldn't it? you can't go hunting them, but if you're there and you are feeling threatened...

Coyotes will eat cats.

This statement isn't something I heard or read about.

While out cycling at dawn, I once saw two of them trotting out of a sub-division (when I lived in the Clear Lake area) with an obviously dead cat (which the coyote had no doubt killed) in one of the coyotes mouths.

At that point, we stopped letting our cats go outside.

Where I now live in the country, at times during the evening we hear them caterwauling (perhaps I should say 'coyote-wauling) and before I had my entire fenced in, I would occasionally see them in my back yard in the early morning while slugging down my first coffee.

They are everywhere...residential sub-divisions and out in the country.

Sounds like they need a 00 buck chest rub

Coyotes adapt well, which is why they are so abundant, despite efforts to eradicate them. Urbanization doesn't slow them down a bit as evidenced by the many attacks on small children, including the fatal attack on a three year old child in 1996. They dwell in large urban areas like Los Angeles and Houston, even New York City. Dogs and cats are a perfect prey for them. I didn't look up the statute, but I believe Texas law allows shooting them if they are attacking your animal.

I watch some of the cooking shows like "Chopped", "Bizarre Foods", "Master-chef"...

Andrew Zimmern had a show where they ate a fresh killed coyote.

He seemed rather positively enthusiastic as to it's taste, but eating a mammal predator kinda turns my stomach..., but who knows, perhaps they taste good.

The first question to ask, is it legal to shoot a firearm in your neighborhood?

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department permits the hunting of coyotes without a license if they "are attacking, about to attack, or have recently attacked livestock, domestic animals, or fowl". Hunters should be familiar with local ordinances restricting the discharge of a firearm within city limits. Additionally, state law prohibits the discharging of a firearm across or on a public roadway, even if livestock animals are under attack from a coyote.

Note that the priority is not attacking humans. Gov. Perry killed a coyote while out jogging with his dog. Apparently the dog was under attack.

At "backyard" distance, I would use a shotgun loaded with birdshot. It will most likely take down a coyote at that range and is less likely to be lethal to a neighbor.
They are probably living somewhere else and roaming into your neighborhood - encouraging efforts to control them in the most remote area possible will be the safest.

Boxerrider wrote:At "backyard" distance, I would use a shotgun loaded with birdshot. It will most likely take down a coyote at that range and is less likely to be lethal to a neighbor.
They are probably living somewhere else and roaming into your neighborhood - encouraging efforts to control them in the most remote area possible will be the safest.

Nbr 4 or bigger and then at about 30 yards or less. Use small bird shot only at VERY close range. They will get up and run with #6 bird shot at 20 yards. Then you have a wounded coyote to contend with.

I personally witnessed a coyote stalking my buddy while dove hunting. Let’s just say the coyote did have a good day after 7 1/2 bird shot at 10 yards hit him three times

My sister lives in a very nice subdivision north of Ft Worth, her property abutts a large rural area, she says she has quit a few coyotes that are very brazen, told me she went to feed her chickens and there were two circling her chicken coop trying to figure out how to get to the chickens, when they saw her she said they trotted off about a 100yds and stopped to watch her. She ask if I could do something, told her first chance I get I'll bring my .204 and cull the pack some!

One of the facilities guys at a local highschool was on a gator picking up trash around the football field after a Friday night game. Started playing cat and mouse with a coyote. Cameras caught everything. Coyote chased him around the entire field.

The neighborhood coyotes are better behaved than the neighborhood dogs.

I live live in a suburban subdivision north of Fort Worth. Behind my house is about 15 acres of undeveloped commercial property. Whenever the fire trucks roll by the coyotes will howl back at the passing sirens. By mid winter there are quite a few of them back there. AFAIK they've never tried to breach my fence, and the local outside cats have not been disappearing. We do get the occasional report of coyotes on nearby streets in the early mornings and I have seen the occasional fox in our street.

I live out in the country and the coyotes aren't the problem. It's the new neighbors dogs that bark all night at the coyotes. City dogs that belong to city people. I throw scraps over the fence about 3 times a week and the yotes come up within 20' of my house and eat. I even been out grilling after dark in the winter and have them come up with there nose in the air and watch me grill. I get a kick out of it. I've killed 2 out my bathroom window with a 12 ga loaded with 3" mags. Nothing like varmint hunting from inside the house.