Or at least gets a bit out of kilter. We used to have a family of foxes dening under a porch at the other end of the block. They were cute, in their own way, and cruised the neighborhood in search of food, keeping the place nicely clear of dog food in bowls on back porches, mice, and the occasional cat. They also scrupulously picked up the squirrels that ran afoul of my trap.
Now we have a coyote, who cruises the hood on Thursday evenings, since trash day is Friday. I suppose he, or she, it's hard to tell, would take the squirrel too, but it's not on his regular day. Also with the arrival of the larger predator, the foxes have departed to parts unknown.
The retired cop across the street says he has a .410 with #4s in it, and if I hear a modest pop, I should pay no attention. Fine with me, he can explain this to the local gendarmes with greater alacrity that I could. Meantime I may have to figure out how to make a coyote trap as effective as the one for the squirrels.
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2 comments:
Billll,
Coyote - do they crawl into culverts? Perhaps they could mistake a length of 8" or 10" PVC for a culvert, especially if it had a self-loading aspect with a squirrel trap at the far end - and triggered a 'melon cannon type mechanism.
Would the neighbor with the .410 mind a coyote-sized ding next to his front door?
Oh, and I would watch out, now, about the cats. If your town is like mine, the loss of "extra cat" pickups from the foxes will result in extra cats being turned into the animal shelter. Since they are extras, the help there will report putting more of them down. The do-gooders will cry, appalled, to the city council, and get ordinances written to set a fee of $100/cat and dog for leaving them un-neutered, and an additional $100 fee for every litter, limit one per year. All intended to reduce the overpopulation of cats and dogs running about, so the inhumane practice of putting down the extras that Animal Control picks up won't be offending do-gooders.
As for the squirrel trap effluvia - couldn't you compost the remains, maybe with a dusting of lime or whatever it is that is supposed to hurry the process?
As for the ordinances - three cats have wandered in to my barn, about 2 miles west of Ponca City. Other neighbors report cats being dumped near them, too. But at least the do-gooders in Ponca City, OK, aren't being offended by un-neutered cats and their unwanted progeny.
And my .410 works pretty good, too.
This one looks to be medium sized. It would take a piece of 14" to entice him in. It's possible, of course, to modify one of the dog crates we have to act as a trap.
Hmmmm. 2 coyotes = 1 vest, no?
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