Do coyotes really kill calves? HONESTLY?

Last year I got to know a rancher here very well, he lost 7 calves in a month.

Here's my 2€ worth.
This particular rancher was losing calves to coyotes while they were in the process of giving birth. They would chew their faces almost off during birth. Out of the 7 he lost he Actually had to kill 2 of the 7 himself because they were injured and chewed up so bad they could not have survived. There were verging degrees of damage. Ears gone, eyes ruined, noses chewed almost off. In any case the two he killed when he found them were beyond repair. This spring he moved his mother cows into a area to calf by his home where he could watch them. Didn't lose any this spring.

On the other hand I hunted near a ranch in Idaho. I had permission to hunt around the entire ranch but with that said I had spotted some coyotes in with his cattle. It was last spring during calving season. I assumed the rancher would want me to get rid of the coyotes in his cattle. I asked him about it and he said "I've never lost a calf to coyotes that I know of" so do not shoot the coyotes that roam in with my cattle. It was almost like he was worried about creating bad Karma or something.

Here comes my opinion. ( keep in mind my opinion might be worth what it will cost you to read it, nothing) I am of the belief coyotes, like many animals including the human race, do exactly what their parents teach them to do. If Mom and Dad teach the young that calves are a good source of food the trend will continue until you get all the instructors out of the pack.

The doesn't mean a new coyote that has never killed a calf wouldn't decide the calves were fair game and start by itself. There are ranchers who lose calves to coyotes for sure and others who probably don't. I do believe it's what the adults teach their young?
 
Originally Posted By: viper
How the [beeep] do you treat that a few shots of Penicillin but dam nothing to sew back together.
A friend of mine that use to run his bred Holstein heifers in Butte county had over ten coyote's on one heifer that was calving he said the damage to her back end was enormous he had to shoot her.
This calf is out of Idaho it was on FB.
calf_zpsfl3tiyry.jpg
 
Jeepyjer, seen some bad stuff. But that's one of the worst I've ever seen. It's amazing she was still alive at the point the pic was taken. I'm no tender of cattle, but that right their would if piss@d me off to no end!!
 
I think the losses will depend alot on cattle density. In the southern states where there is more grass I dont think the losses are high, on the other hand some of the north western states where cattle density is less you will see more losses. For example: In Arkansas we run a pair per acre. In contrast South Dakota may have areas that only hold a pair per 50 acres. That means in Arkansas a 160 acre field may have 100 cows in it. In South Dakota the same pasture would have 2 or 3. In short, lots more watchful eyes and sharp hoofs on the ready to stomp a coyote into powder.

Kansas is the number 2 beef producing state in the union. They have one of the best coyotes populations yet have no government hunters/contractors of any kind even though they have more cattle than SD, who is ranked 8th and does have government hunters.

Do coyotes kill calves? Absolutely! Do they get blamed for killing more than they actually do? Absolutely!

Note: Im not a coyote biologist, just thinking out loud. May be totally wrong.
 
Were I hunt the rancher wants all coyotes dead. He says the only time he has problems with them is when they do not get thinned out. If he goes a few years without hunting them they get out of control and start taking calfs. I have permission to hunt hogs at his place but he has given me instructions to shoot all coyotes on site.
 
This is all GREAT INFO, GUYS....This was exactly why I started this thread; to get feedback from different guys and their experiences all over the country with coyotes and cattle.
 
I think there are a lot of factors here that can be highly variable. Location, population density, food supply, calving season, disease, what have you. I think that generally speaking, most coyotes really don't cause that much trouble to cattle. For sure, certain individuals can cause a whole bunch of trouble, and serious financial losses. I have seen certain areas where this was much more prone to happen than others. Maybe because that is where a rancher sets up his calving operation, maybe there is a certain predisposed genetic or "trained in" response by the coyotes in that location. One of the big ranches I hunt on usually just has trouble in one or two spots, during certain times of year.

I think that most ranchers that run a fairly high number of cattle in our area may have on average one or two a year. One of the ranches I hunt had three last year (until I killed a big male hanging around his calving pens), but none this year so far.

Coyotes are very opportunistic. They will nearly always take advantage of weak or diseased individuals if possible. I think a lot of times that cow was going to die (or had already died) anyways, but the coyote was there taking advantage of it, and got the blame. It really is hard for coyotes to kill healthy mature animals. Calves, now that is a different story. Especially if 2-3 of them can run the momma ragged and get that calf separated from her. Or if they can take advantage of a situation where the momma is down giving birth and can't defend herself. Coyotes are really drawn to calving operations. Afterbirth, stillborn calves, high protein manure form the calves, what have you. There are always a few hanging around operations like that to take advantage.

I know that generally speaking, dogs are much more predisposed to killing cattle than coyotes are. If we had a feral dog population that was as high as our coyote population is, there would be lots more stories of livestock being killed. Several places I hunt have a "shoot on sight" order for dogs. I killed a dog feeding on a dead calf last year. He had killed it the night before, the rancher thought it was coyotes. But he made the mistake of coming back to the same well the next night while I was waiting up over the carcass. After the rancher saw it, he told me that was the one he had been seeing stalking around his calving pens, but he had thought it was a big coyote.
 
It would be interesting to show some of these pictures or videos of coyote attacks to the commenters on that Yahoo story about the wounded/shot coyote that was saved and gave birth to pups. Seems that most of the feedback was very much pro-coyote and anti-hunters, and they were calling hunters all kinds of nasty names and wishing death upon them. Bet most of those people have no idea of how nature really works. Instead they envision that coyotes are vegans and they hang out with all the cute little deer/lambs/calves/etc like in Disney cartoons holding hands and having tea parties. Reality is a very different thing and having those cute little animals instead half-eaten alive doesn't cross their minds.
 
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I'm completely convinced that it is somewhat regional and genetic disposition. I hunt a lot of different cattle ranches. Some have never had a problem ever. Other consistently have calves killed by coyotes. As near as I can tell once coyotes figure out that a newborn calf is a pretty easy meal then they become a real problem and they tend to teach their offspring how to kill calves. Now sheep are another story altogether. Coyotes will obliterate a herd of lambs in a heart beat if given a chance. I've seen where they've killed 20 or more lambs at a time. They are also super hard to deer and antelope fawns and I have witnessed them killing both and find many kill sights where coyotes have killed fawns. For example here is the entrance to an active coyote den. I had discovered the den the evening before. I went back first thing in the morning and this fresh fawn head was laying there. It was not there the evening before.
FawnDenSmaller_zpsdgum2mwa.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: CaliCoyoteCaller

No need to get too huffed about it. I am not trying to justify it in my mind. They only justification I need is ITS A WHOLE LOTTA FUN. Its an added benefit that when we take a yote out, it helps save maybe a fawn, maybe a calf, maybe somebody's domestic pet etc...


I completely understand the reasoning behind it, and didnt really need an explanation. We raised cattle ourself, that, coupled with calling yotes for a long time, I know all about the game and totally understand. I was just curious how many guys actually see problems with coyotes killing cattle. I hunt them because its a passion that wont burn out. Its a lot of fun and makes for great memories and great stories with friends and family. That is all the justification I need.


Trust me, there is no "huffing" in my post what so ever, just facts to help you better understand the situation.

Originally Posted By: CaliCoyoteCallerThis is all GREAT INFO, GUYS....This was exactly why I started this thread; to get feedback from different guys and their experiences all over the country with coyotes and cattle.

Being that you "raised" cattle "ourself", I would think this is not only facts based your job description, but a lot of common sense. I agree it's good to get everyone's POV, including but not limited to opinions, better yet experiences, but in the end, an ungulate is an ungulate, and a predator is a predator. Eventually, one will kill the other, in one way or another, and 99.9% of the time it's the predator doing the killing.
Subject title: Coyotes, really kill Calves, Honestly!
 
I think a lot gets blamed on coyotes. The fact is many of these animals die of natural causes. Then the coyotes feed on the dead body. The carcus looks all tore up from coyotes but the damage occurred after it was dead.
 
Originally Posted By: skinneyOriginally Posted By: CaliCoyoteCaller

No need to get too huffed about it. I am not trying to justify it in my mind. They only justification I need is ITS A WHOLE LOTTA FUN. Its an added benefit that when we take a yote out, it helps save maybe a fawn, maybe a calf, maybe somebody's domestic pet etc...


I completely understand the reasoning behind it, and didnt really need an explanation. We raised cattle ourself, that, coupled with calling yotes for a long time, I know all about the game and totally understand. I was just curious how many guys actually see problems with coyotes killing cattle. I hunt them because its a passion that wont burn out. Its a lot of fun and makes for great memories and great stories with friends and family. That is all the justification I need.


Trust me, there is no "huffing" in my post what so ever, just facts to help you better understand the situation.

Originally Posted By: CaliCoyoteCallerThis is all GREAT INFO, GUYS....This was exactly why I started this thread; to get feedback from different guys and their experiences all over the country with coyotes and cattle.

Being that you "raised" cattle "ourself", I would think this is not only facts based your job description, but a lot of common sense. I agree it's good to get everyone's POV, including but not limited to opinions, better yet experiences, but in the end, an ungulate is an ungulate, and a predator is a predator. Eventually, one will kill the other, in one way or another, and 99.9% of the time it's the predator doing the killing.
Subject title: Coyotes, really kill Calves, Honestly!

You seem to be huffed, but maybe not. I appreciate your input.
 
Originally Posted By: WeaselCircusIt would be interesting to show some of these pictures or videos of coyote attacks to the commenters on that Yahoo story about the wounded/shot coyote that was saved and gave birth to pups. Seems that most of the feedback was very much pro-coyote and anti-hunters, and they were calling hunters all kinds of nasty names and wishing death upon them. Bet most of those people have no idea of how nature really works. Instead they envision that coyotes are vegans and they hang out with all the cute little deer/lambs/calves/etc like in Disney cartoons holding hands and having tea parties. Reality is a very different thing and having those cute little animals instead half-eaten alive doesn't cross their minds.
I have a screen name on Yahoo of Bill Ohney (say it real fast)devised for the sole purpose of giving those people heck in the comments section.
 
I guess after everybody's input one could say, yes coyotes do kill calves. That isn't something that can be argued they are a scavenging predator, they will kill for their meals but will do so in the easiest manner possible i.e killing a calf. Just as an example and this is something I have experienced several times in life. A dog killing chickens, once a dog gets the taste for chicken blood, it will not stop. Many people say tie it around their neck, beat the living [beeep] out of them with a dead chicken, but honestly. It never works. Maybe on some dogs but not all. I feel like coyotes killing calves is the same way, and they arnt domestic so you can't tie a calf around their neck, or beat them with it. Best solution is a simple dose of lead, the amount is your choice
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Originally Posted By: steve garrettI think a lot gets blamed on coyotes. The fact is many of these animals die of natural causes. Then the coyotes feed on the dead body. The carcus looks all tore up from coyotes but the damage occurred after it was dead.

I AGREE 100%. I think the coyote gets blamed for a lot of things he didnt do....maybe he is there cleaning up a dead calf and somebody sees him, and says, "Coyotes killed that calf."

Yes, large calves do get killed by coyotes, but it is not everyday that coyotes kill 500lb steers in the pasture.

Sheep are a different story. Personal experience shows sheep get hammered harder by yotes than cattle do.
 
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