As many of you know, I have a small farm. Poultry provide a small income for me. Well, birds attract all sorts of nasty critters since they are so tasty (as we know).

So I have had an on going coyote and fox issue. These critters have been far too nocturnal to call, shoot or hunt so I turned to a new method, snares. I found a guy who makes them professionally from New Jersey. He was directed to me by an A-R poster off a post I put in the varmint thread. I am so grateful for my below results.

I set the snares last weekend and this morning I had my first catch. I did not expect a live animal as they usually wind themselves up and choke. Even total cat haters have to appreciate the following. One of my cats loves hunting with me. She "helped" me set the snares and this morning decided she was going to protect me too.



Zena's full name is Zena, Warrior Princess, and you can see why. She is four feet from a very alive, snared and very stinky coyote.





I am really surprised at the cat as she was well aware that this was a potential predator. The coyote was fully focused on her once the cat went into attack mode.

The coyotes tracks are on the left, cat on the right.





I shot the dog and reset my snares for her mate. This was a female in fine pelt and it is now skinned out in the freezer. This is the first coyote I have ever gotten. I hope this is the one that injured one of my hens. They have killed over a dozen layers and injured several others.

I was taken by the size of the song dog. It is as tall as my 50 pound lab female but much lighter in build. And my dog is cut (very fit) and very muscular.

Way to go Ann!!! And you got some great photo's to add to it!

Sent you a PM

Ann,

Great pictures. Was the snare baited or not?

Hog Killer

Nope, no bait needed! All I did was study the snow, looked for the trails these things prefer to use. This particular trail has three snares. Two now until I replace the one used on this animal. It chewed it up pretty good.

I have others on other parts of the property.

I look for trails the deer don't use but these guys do. Snow really helps. It is snowing again now. There is a lock on the cable in case a deer does get a leg in them it can get out. You can see the coyote did not choke even though it really wrapped itself around the brush.

I guess your using your job skills at home.

Hog Killer

Good show Ann! Not half bad!

We look forward to further reports and more pictures!

Regards,
Martin

What a cat! That one deserves permanent amnesty from all members of the cat hunters group. I am amazed it didn't just turn tail and run. Nice shot of the coyote also.

Nice job Annie! Gotta admit that crat of yours reminds me of one I wrote of some time ago. The one that couldn't press the pallet of Sakrete. Bold little bugger indeed! Once my EX tried to show one of her crats a hog I'd shot, despite my suggestion not to do so. Tortoise shell bitch brought forth a fair amount of blood by the time the girl screamed. Of course I had to spend the night on the sofa again, what with all the laughter...

Dan

Pres., TYHC

www.CratsN.Yotes

I don't think there are many cats that would do what Zena did. Her daughter pins feral males that try for my chickens too. They have both seen me shoot stuff right in front of them.

She didn't even run when I shot the coyote. They must know "the plan" is all I can figure. Even my horse seemed happy, but he will eat about anything and has killed rabbits. I slung the dog over my shoulder to get it up to the barn (it was kind of heavy) so I had a big bloody patch on the back of my barn coat plus it smells pretty strongly now. My horse tried licking it all off. He is weird. I figured he would be afraid of the odor.

Only my dog was a bit cautious about the whole thing.

Anyway, am hopeful for more song dogs. This snaring is definitly an art and catching one makes me no expert at all.

Ann, you should breed on those cats! If you should be successfull in creating a line of warrior cats faithful to their master, I think even Danny Boy would like to have one!

Regards,
Martin

Good cat!

Are you going to make that coyote into a hat?

I may have it done as a rug. Not sure as I do not have a whole lot of fondness for these things since they have killed so many of my birds. I skinned it whole with the paws and head on.

The kitties are neutered. Like the dog, they know when they see a gun it's hunting time. They will sit in the woods when I am in my tree stand bow hunting.

Ann, don't know precisely what type of snare you are using but the ones I'm familiar with will almost always result in a live catch. They use something that looks vaguely like a connebear(sp) to spring the snare. If you want a live yote after the fact with one of those, and they won't fight it much, use a chew stick and a noose to control them. For bobcats just choke 'em down a bit and they'll pass out. Get the choker off 'em pronto and in the box or they will die.

Foxes are pretty easy to handle, lot of them don't really seem to mind all the commotion. Lot of them carry rabies down here though, so it's pretty much the Lubaloy Express for them too.

Dan

Pres., TYHC

www.Funky.Pets

Well done Ann Good catch.

quote:

Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:
They have killed over a dozen layers and injured several others.

Fantastic!

Oh, you said LAYERS, not lawyers.

Nevermind...

Thanks for a great post and pictures. ned

Hi Anne -
Your cat and I go way back and I was told that you had notheing to do with killing that weakling.
Give credit where crdit lays
She tells me it only too one swipe and a small bite and it was all over .
Well I have to go.
I have wet dreams at My Bowl
Birman

My little female crat might not hunt but she sure enough puts the run on our neighbours 2 dogs. She will run them right out of the yard and won't quit until they are gone. derf

I lifted my bobcat hybrid over the back of my truck and droped her on a dead Yote. She cleared the cab and hood after launching off of the tool box,,,,stayed away from my truck for months. Still does in fact. She has pointed two live Yotes at the house...Twice I have came home from work and the cat was in her mini log cabin on stilts. She is never in her house unless it's -10 degrees. Both times I grabed my 7mm-08 and rodent squeeler and nabed a yote from my deck.

Mr. PPosey, bring big Bob GCII, Li give you discount! One Bob feed 12, eggrorr free for you!

Great pics of the dog. I trapped and snared this winter. Missed a couple of dogs and caught some foxes. I have seen "big" dogs in NMN in wire. some are dead some very much alive, it depends on the animal and how wild they get in the wire. But it is the best way to catch critters and you don't get the trash catches that traps do.

It's been pretty quiet around here since that catch. Guess the rest are being a bit cautious now! I will pull my snares at the end of the month if everything stays quiet.

Sorry DLady I like mine walking around not fried,,,,,