WOW!

I am familiar with the great pyrenees as I see them frequently used here. I really feel bad as you say as personally I think the heat here is too much for them. Coyotes used to not be a problem until the new road expansions started. They have lost their habitat and are quite satisfied with the menu around here. I am going to the auction this week and see about a couple of donkeys.

Tonite my neighbors we are locked and loaded. I appreciate everyone's thoughts on the subject matter.

I watched a Documentary on Coyotes. The people couldn't understand after killing several coyotes that it seemed like there were more than ever. Turns out that only the alpha pair breed. If they're killed, it screws up the whole pack order and they all breed..... so kill the alphas and have a population explosion in the coyote community.

Interesting. .. Kip would you like some coyotes to round out your animal farm?

No thank you very much we have a more than adequate supply here.

SCIENCE SHOWS COYOTE “CONTROL” INEFFECTIVE
Research shows lethal coyote control is ineffective in the long run and often achieves the opposite of what is intended. When left alone, coyotes regulate their numbers. Coyote populations often follow their prey base. For example, when jackrabbit populations decline, coyote populations usually follow the same trend. Much like wolves, coyotes have a highly structured pack hierarchy, with only the alpha pair breeding. Other females, though physiologically capable of reproducing, are "behaviorally sterile." Coyotes respond to lethal control with a number of biological mechanisms, which work very efficiently to boost their numbers. If an alpha pair in the pack is killed, subordinate pack members splinter off from their original pack, forming new packs, breeding, and eventually bearing larger litters of pups. To feed these new litters, coyotes will reluctantly – as they are wary of "novel" foods – prey upon domestic animals, if adequate quantities of their normal diet of mice, gophers, and rabbits are not available. Killing coyotes not only increases the next generation of coyote numbers, but drives them to hunt sheep and calves they would normally avoid.

Very interesting Kip.. Much appreciated. Tomorrow I am calling the game warden and see if they have any suggestions.

espíritu del lago wrote:

Tonite my neighbors we are locked and loaded. I appreciate everyone's thoughts on the subject matter.

Think I'll root for the coyotes...

I think that probably the best defense would be a good deterrent rather than lethal force. I know my cousin who has a big sheep ranch in Central Washington has a male llama.  He's not crazy about people... He looks at EVERYONE with suspicion, but he's waaay bad news to dogs or coyotes or anything that threatens his flock.  He takes his job very seriously and is on the job 24/7.

For some reason there are a whole lot of Pyrenees here.  With the humidity you'd think they'd get heat stroke.  If I had one I would probably shave it  in the summer ...but I would imagine all that hair is great protection in a fight.

My big Warmblood mares don't need protection.  Several years ago a dog chased them when they had foals..... They never forgot.  They're like an equine militia... maybe lynch mob would be a better description.  They work as a team and if a dog isn't quick .... he doesn't get the option of ever trying it again.  I've seen a pit bull scrape the hide off his back diving under a gate at a dead run.  The big girls are not kidding around.  They only do this with strange dogs. Our menagerie is perfectly safe.  Once they realize they're a part of the family...they get a pass...but the dogs are smart enough not to even think about chasing them.

In Southern Cal we used to have dogs who'd like to chase us when we'd go for a ride. I got tired of it and turned my stallion back on them.  Scared the hell out of the dogs and Phantom Hawk LOVED it!