Just wondering how many of you know, at least in our area, we have wild mink, badgers, bull snakes that reach 7-8 feet long and are about the size of a pop can in gurth, beavers, rattle snakes...YESS we have rattle snakes.....unless you live in the rural community, and sometimes even those who do, there are many many things that go on that you wouldn't imagine....and as far as having chicken's in the city limits, honestly, the coyotes aren't going to come in to get a little bit of chicken, I think your biggest problem with unwanted pests in town if you were to have chickens would be mice and rats. Where there are chickens, there are rodents....and that is the sole reason I won't get them....and I live in the country, but I am not willing to deal with them...they freak me out! lol.

I'm hoping the find one of those wolves...I want a wolf fur hat! hehe.

I actually found the humor in the comment about if we were to have chickens in town we would have a coyote problem....some of you take things WAY too seriously! I do believe that was sarcasm? LOL If not, it was funny...to me anyway. My son and his friends are going out coyote hunting this weekend....anyone interested in some fur?? I don't think they are good eating...but the local pig farmers will be more than happy to have the carcasses I am sure.....

"do other towns that allow chickens have the problem or not? lets get some real experience instead of speculation."
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In all sincerity, do you honestly believe that the experience of other towns with chickens, say Madison for example, will really give you an idea of how it would affect Janesville? Apart from stray animals, we already have wild fox, racoon, oppossum, groundhog, beaver, geese, owls, hawks, and even stray deer occasionally, all inside city limits. The divide between rural and urban is already fragile in Janesville, the 'City of Parks.' In a mid-sized city looking to grow and modernize in the face of an uncertain future, why would we want to regress and purposefully blur that divide even further by raising livestock in the backyards of our suburban neighborhoods?
And of course, this is assuming there's substantial interest in this city for such a thing. Again, take Madison for example, where they only have 80 chicken coops in the whole city. Out of their entire population of 232,000, only 80 coops. Are we really going to task our city with the time and costs of handling registrations/regulations and complaints/enforcement etc, that would be required under a change in ordinance that would favor a frivolous fad that may only suit 20 homes across Janesville, or less, at the potential displeasure of their neighbors?
We are not other cities, we are Janesville, and no comparisons are going to give a useful picture unless the conditions in those cities approximate our own, and none do.

truth1- Today at noon there were two coyotes standing in the fields just east of the Sheriff's department, about 400 yds from the city of Janesville. They stood there and just watched the cars drive by. Saw em with my own two eyes.

momof- The DNR only wants to own and control things and collect money, they don't want any responsibility.

Some say Jvll would have coyotes if they allowed chickens.......do other towns that allow chickens have the problem or not??....lets get some real experience instead of speculation.

We have coyotes out by us in Fulton Township and in the summer I have to close my windows at night just to get some sleep...you can hear their yelping all different hours of the night and it is terrible. So who can I call to complain to, pretty sure the DNR won't pay a ticket for the noise the coyotes create...hunt them and get rid of them.

At least coyotes don't spray paint graffiti on garages, litter in the streets, buy or sell drugs...

These coyotes would be roaming our city if we would have let people have chickens.

"And you are advocating for coyoteism?"
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And is there such a thing as "coyoteism"? Are you really going to propose a false dilemma of "coyote or human"? Are all your premises based on one type of logical fallacy or another?
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"Nah- every animal takes authority 'self-granted.'"
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"Every animal" holds a purely human concept in their minds when dealing with other living things? And this is according to...you? Alright then.
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"Coyotes take authority over chickens."
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No. Some coyotes eat some chickens on occasion because that's how a predator/prey scenario works in the natural order. Coyotes don't take "authority" (an arbitrary human concept) over chickens.
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"I take authority over coyotes."
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I'm aware of your belief in the illusion of your self-granted authority.
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"I'm just as much as part of nature as the coyote"
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However, your self-granted authority is not a part of nature. It is an arrogant false construct that is real only in your mind.
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"I just have the added blessing of guns, opposable thumbs, and a few million years of natural selection toward more grey matter."
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And that gives you "authority" over other species? Care to explain how you jumped to that conclusion?
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"Nature can take me out just as quick."
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So...again, how does that fact give you authority over other species?
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"Humans are not exempt from the natural order- it's only those that make believe we have godlike powers that think so."
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"Those that make believe we have godlike powers"? Like, say, those who believe humans have "authority" over other species?
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"Regarding the horses/fence tangent- the story is about coyotes possibly chasing horses over a fence. Commenter have debated on the possibility, officerfriendly was great enough to post laws. My comment is on topic."
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First, your response was to me. I am not other commenters, such as officerfriendly1. If you have a response to their comments, reply to them.
Second, being related to the topic does not inherently discount a tangent, and sharing information, like the height of mustang fences, is a superfluous tangent, whereas officerfriendly1 offered specifically relevant information in regards to this story.

GAZETTE STAFF..and other AVON/southern Rock county residents, I would like to bring to your attention, and may gazette, you could truly investigate this, there has been a confirmed pack of wolves in the area. How this was confirmed you ask? A local farmer we have recently spoke to has been watching them and taking measures to protect his livestock for the past year or so. AND guess what? Two of the wolves have radio collars on them. Things that make you go hmmmmm....just like the cougar spotted with the collar? These animals are stretegically being placed to thin the deer herds, unbeknown to the residents...therefore, creating a problem for these unsuspecting animals being used for human's work....their safety is now in danger because they are being placed in places they shouldn't be and places where people are unaware and unsuspecting of them. Within the past six months, this farmer hasn't seen this pack, SO, they either have been removed somehow....or have moved along to another area?!
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As far as development, the one thing I LOVE about living in the Avon township is, land has to be sold in 35 or 40 acre parcels. That at least eliminates the over poplulation of a rural area at the time being anyway.
You all are taking this WHOLE article way out of proportion, it was to bring forth information 'city folk' or others may not have known and to stop speculation that the horse owners were at fault because of faulty fencing....there are preditors out there that many are not aware of...and a lot goes on out there in the wee hours of the night....so before we blame people, at least personally meet/investigate them yourselves.

vatoloca writes"Life is a gamble. If I choose to move to an area where murders, rapes, and assaults are more probable then I need to recognize that the probability of that happening to me is higher than in an area that is safer."

Are you advocating for respecting the rights of the rapist and murderer in his own environment? Are you honestly suggesting victims of crime are responsible for their misfortune. Great metaphor, that.

And if you move to an area where rapes, murders and assaults happen and don't arm yourself, you're stupid and asking for natural selection to take you out.

"IT:That's the problem - humanism. It's just an appeal to arrogant, self-granted authority (which I suppose suits you). Man made laws and beliefs are arbitrary in the natural order."

And you are advocating for coyoteism? Where we build our civilization around honoring and not bothering the holy coyote?
Nah- every animal takes authority "self-granted." Coyotes take authority over chickens. I take authority over coyotes. I'm just as much as part of nature as the coyote- I just have the added blessing of guns, opposable thumbs, and a few million years of natural selection toward more grey matter. Nature can take me out just as quick. (meningitis, murder from my own kind)

Humans are not exempt from the natural order- it's only those that make believe we have godlike powers that think so.

Regarding the horses/fence tangent- the story is about coyotes possibly chasing horses over a fence. Commenter have debated on the possibility, officerfriendly was great enough to post laws. My comment is on topic.

I'd like to address this post to Ted Sullivan. After a second reading, I find this story even harder to believe than when I first read it. I think it's one-sided, inflammatory, based on unfounded, exaggerated and biased information and does little but stir up even more trouble for an already maligned creature.
I'm also curious as to how a story like this even comes about. For instance, were you simply hard up for something to write about? And did you pursue it or was the Gazette solicited by the horse owners? I'm just wonderin'.

inconvenienttruth - Instead of debating your views or trying to defend mine, I'll just say your posts, speak for themselves.

People who move to or have even lived in the country for any amount of time, and then whine about the habits of the wildlife, or the farm aroma or the tractors on the road (fill in the blank) should perhaps take some time to examine things in the big picture. Is it all about you? Wake up call coming...no, it isn't all about you. And if you allow your pets to roam about freely, there is a chance that something may happen to them. That is the risk you take. Hard to accept when your beloved pet disappears or gets attacked? Yes. Blame and develop hate for the ways of the wild. No.

I am not a PETA freak, or anything like that.
I do feel bad, however, when I see roadkill or hear stories like this. We have taken over so much of the land these creatures have nowhere else to go to hunt and live.
People think wild animals are a nuisance, but what do they think of us? Ever read Watership Down?

Pretty simple. You can hunt coyotes year round and around the clock for a reason. There's too many of them and they need to be controlled. If you have a problem with them where you are located, start hunting them if it's permitted. They're fun to hunt.

"IT, what exactly are you advocating for?"
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Usually, sensibility.
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"Are you for running down and hunting coyotes only by weapons we fashion ourselves, or are you advocation letting them eat/chase livestock?"
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The context of my posts answers your question.
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"Horses will break out of almost any fence when they are scared enough. The fences required in the mustang adoption program (solid, six feet in height) have been climbed by horses with strong enough fear responses."
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A fascinating tangent. And?
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"I will shoot on sight any coyote I see."
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OK.
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"Buckshot is ideal, not a rifle."
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Depends.
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"If they get away and suffer, sad. Nature is cruel. Deal with it."
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That's a bit hypocritical if you admittedly can't deal with a part of nature to the extent that you feel justified in killing it on sight just because you can. I might as well inform you that if a coyote injures/kills livestock, then that's too bad; nature is cruel.
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"When I see trucks with antennaes and dogs out running, I cage up my chickens and close the goat barn. I crate in my dog. THe coyote hunting dogs may trespass, but I am happy to tolerate that for the possibility of less coyotes."
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Obviously others are more concerned with their "legal, humanistic" rights, as protected by law, and hold others to those laws, which they are allowed to do.
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"This is an irrelevant question in regards to the article."
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But not in regards to fanoffun10, who I responded to.
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"A more relevant query would be: How many rights do coyotes have? How many do humans?"
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Natural rights? For both: Life, liberty, pursuit, etc...
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"Look at it in a purely legal, humanistic way."
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That's the problem - humanism. It's just an appeal to arrogant, self-granted authority (which I suppose suits you). Man made laws and beliefs are arbitrary in the natural order. It's laughable to consider coyotes having only the rights we allow them, as if we were their creator and master.

bigdaddy- some townships require a 35 acre minimum to build a single family residence to prevent urban sprawl. My farm was grandfathered in, as it is over 120 years old.
I do agree however that it is suburban coyotes that are the seen as problems. They are seen more, prey on domestic pets, and most suburban dwellers do not count on wildlife as a danger.

IT: How many defenses do coyotes have? How many do humans?

This is an irrelevant question in regards to the article. A more relevant query would be: How many rights do coyotes have? How many do humans?

Look at it in a purely legal, humanistic way. The answers would be 1) Only rights for the coyotes reside in refuge/trapping/fur farming laws. They are unprotected game species, so it's pretty much open season on them legally.
2) Humans? We have many legal rights, including protecting our livestock.

Just like in some areas but not Wisconsin yet, they are seeing more and more Black Bear finding there way into Towns.
Its called we are taking all there land from them in the country. They need space to run.
Lets keep building and building and we are going to see more of this to happen.

I live in Milton on the edge of town behind the cemetary off of Hy 26 north of Hy 59. Coyotes have been seen in the cemetary and the field behind it. They killed on of my cats...broke my heart. I know when I let my cat go out it's a risk I take that something will happen to them, but I never thought it'd be a coyote.

IT, what exactly are you advocating for? Are you for running down and hunting coyotes only by weapons we fashion ourselves, or are you advocation letting them eat/chase livestock?

Horses will break out of almost any fence when they are scared enough. The fences required in the mustang adoption program (solid, six feet in height) have been climbed by horses with strong enough fear responses.

I will shoot on sight any coyote I see. Buckshot is ideal, not a rifle. If they get away and suffer, sad. Nature is cruel. Deal with it.

When I see trucks with antennaes and dogs out running, I cage up my chickens and close the goat barn. I crate in my dog. THe coyote hunting dogs may trespass, but I am happy to tolerate that for the possibility of less coyotes.

"Horses only have two defenses - Fight or Flight"
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Nah, you're thinking of a Pegasus.
Out of curiousity, how many defenses do coyotes have? How many do humans?

Hunting is hunting
'Kill' does not equate to 'hunt'
"Envolving"? What's that?

Too many coyotes in the area.

Have seen coyotes kill livestock.

Can hear numerous coyotes at night.

Horses only have two defenses - Fight or Flight

Hunting is hunting - We keep envolving from when we had a rock tied to a branch to cameras tied to trees. Either way, it's controlling the herd or placing meat on our tables. It's like the old Ford vs Chevy arguement, either way they both get you from point A to point B.

Lawyers don't chase ambulances anymore. They have already setup a sue happy society. People flock to them when they spill hot coffee on themselves.

And last but not least, isn't it great to be able to express ourselves and agree to disagree ? (Tongue in cheek)

Casey: Jimmy did alot of dope back then.

"Well if it's TRUE hunting you'd condone, then we'd all only be hunting with spears or recurve bows, right?"
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Why is that your definition of "true" hunting? Why are rifles not included? You can hit a target with a bow and arrow at quite a varied distance that prevents prey from knowing a hunter is there, and you can use spears on unsuspecting fish, or while concealed/from above on land animals that are caught unaware.
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"I've always hunted to be out in the woods, or field, etc. Because really, there isn't much sport in sitting on one side of a field, scoping out a deer 200 yards away, and popping it with a high powered rifle when it don't even know you're there."
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And yet, in the premeditated act of hunting, "popping" an animal is ultimately the goal. Otherwise, you wouldn't be out in the woods or field as an armed hunter if you were there simply for the enjoyment of being. You'd go for a hike, and at most you'd 'shoot' with a camera.
Also, an animal may not necessarily be at that hypothetical distance, and may avoid the area altogether. The ability to lure/wait is a part of hunting. Also, animals can hear/smell a hunter depending on the distance and the wind, and a hunter might make a mistake that aids the animal in that regard. A hunter may miss their shot, etc. All give the prey a sporting chance. A pack of trained dogs hounding one animal to exhaustion does not offer this.

officerfriednly1 first of like I posted before, I have a family member who hit some livestock in the road. That member may not be able to work a normal job because of that. If it wasn't for the great attorney they had, they would have never found out the fence was junk. Unless any of you guys have gone threw this, think before you post. Like the ILL Government said horses are pets and we shouldn't open the slaughter houses back up. Its the same if my dog broke his chain and bite your child, but in that case my dog would get a ticket and may be put down.

I always find it interesting when commenters create accounts just for the purpose of replying to me. Take, for example, ibhunter. Only two posts since joining yesterday, and the first one was to me. Aww.
ibhunter, humans attack animals and have been known to rape women, or kidnap children (as just two tame examples of what they do to each other). Do you know any women or children? As someone who does, and lives on the streets in an urban city, I have been witness to mankind's treatment of one another. If it weren't for yard/street lights, who knows who might lurk outside our homes' windows at night. I say packs of dogs should be trained to hunt humans and get rid of them all. Hunt them however you want, really, just get rid of the damned things. Millions of people senselessly die at the hands of others every day, and exponential more "live" in traumatized victimhood/disability. I have never lived in a natural area that hadn't been spoiled by temporary and garish human artifice, so I'm used to the arrogance of self-righteous man. Country bumpkins like you don't deal with the crowded masses every day like we do, losing family and friends to preying neighbors who hide behind the mask of civility, or worse - to those who need not hide because of humans' desensitization/hardened sense of self-preservation. Of course you think it is appalling to turn nature on humans. But you're ignorant of how bad things are. Humans need to be hunted however you can get rid of them. They are a self-destructive nuisance to themselves and to the balanced nature they hole themselves up in homes to seal themselves off from, when they aren't futilely trying to control it. The human population is out of hand. If you love the things so much, what is your address? I'll catch them in live traps and bring them over to your house. You can have the damned things.
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I note, ib"hunter," that you advocate extermination - "get rid of all of them...however you want, just to get rid of the damn things" - because coyotes are "a nuisance" and could become overpopulated. Interesting. Seems you'd like to futilely control nature.
I've never said it to be "mean" to hunt (actually hunt) coyotes, and I never said it was "mean" to train dogs to hunt them. I said it isn't hunting on the part of humans, and is not sporting. I also never said I "love" coyotes. An ignorant assumption on your part. You're just full of self-righteousness, aren't you?
But, thank you for creating an account just to essentially admit you give consideration to my comments. I'm always happy to learn I've added a little something to the lives of others.

I can hear coyotes all the time, but I've never seen one in my yard.

JUSTFOR...there is no such thing as a fool proof secure fence for horses unless it is wrought iron and ten feet tall. A scared horse is very powerful and can bust through things you wouldn't never imagine. You know, you all should just go and take a look at the fencing and judge for yourselves, I assure you it is top quality fencing! You want to attack....refer to my previous post, those people need to be reported!

Oh and just an update, I am not sure that it was included in the article previously, but they actually lost a total of five horses. And One of them was completely torn to pieces, and it is thought that a semi hit it and probably kept going. This was a conclusion come to by both the owner and the officer on duty. So, what do we think about that person, if that is true? Wow huh? I know time is money for those who drive truck, but I couldn't imagine not stopping. Of course this isn't proven, therefore, it is an assumption, but I just wanted to make it clear that the driver that obviously had no choice but to stop, had compassion and cared more about these horses than many of you on here that aren't even personally effected by the accident. Shows who has more character in my opinion.

officerfriendly....you are exactly right. Those people disgust me! And I am sure they have struck already. The driver seems to be a compassionate person, but of course anything can change, anyone can be persuaded...hopefully, that doesn't happen because my friends have truly been through enough, and without major injuries involved, I don't believe in any type of sueing should be involved...but I am not that type of person. As far as the coyotes. Ok, lets understand something here, just because the fact that the over population of the critters has been brought to the attention of the public, does not make them horrible things, and make their place in the wild any less important. The fact being brought forward was to hopefully just make people aware that a little extra care needs to be taken with their pets/livestock. In the winter, it is more likely for them to attack out of their natural prey, and yes, they don't often eat deer, but in the winter the weak, injured and the fact that deer have a harder time escaping a chasing coyote in the snow, make a meal of deer a lot easier when other prey isn't so accessable. With a lower deer population, there are fewer deer out there that are in need of natural thinning.... every spring and summer it is so sad around our area, we see turkey feathers (although they are very over populated), pheasant, fawn remains, ect.... the coyotes are a problem where certain wildlife is concerned, including pheasants. They are trying to grow the population of these birds, but they unfortuneately are a favorite... this wasn't suppose to be an attack on coyotes or the owners of these horses, I do believe the purpose of the story was, something, presumably coyotes, scared the horses out of their well fed home, and that was an explaination to the scandalous thoughts out there that the owners were careless horse farmers. I will stand behind what I said earlier though, we are entirely sticking our noses in the cycle of life and the food chain. Nature will take care of itself, and although we think we are taking control of thought to be problems, we will see who will have the last laugh...when the earth has had enough, we will definately know about it.

Being a Farmer, and learning a few things about how to control livestock and predators. My conclusion is that if the farmer or should I say a "horse owner" which is different then a real farmer, if they had kept there horses secure then none of this discussion would be happening at this time. What I have heard is that, Coyote hunting dogs are what really spooked the horses. If I can offer advise to other "farmers" use this link and you will not have problems controlling your animals or the other animals that want to play with your animals please follow this link. I have never had a problem since I used this system-it really works, and it will reduce the Hunters dogs too. By the way the Coyote hunters dog's that usually do stray will be zapped too.

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/simp...

Yada, Personally, no, I haven't. But thanks to an attentive mother, a small child in Janesville is still alive today.

IBHUNTER - And how many kids have you seen coyotes carry off lately.....lol

Inconvenient truth,Coyotes attack livestock and have been known to carry off small children and household pets. Do you have pets or small children? As an owner of pets and living by fields and in a woods,i have lost pets in the past to these things. If it was not for a yard light, we would probably lose our cats and worry about our lab when he is outside. Hunt coyotes with dogs and get rid of all of them. Hunt them however you want, just to get rid of the damn things. A lot of my family are farmers and hate them also. I have never lived in the city in my life, so country life isn't new to me. City slickers like you don't deal with these pests every day like me and lose pets and livestock to them. Of course, you think that it is mean to hunt these with dogs. You don't know how bad the things can be. You need to hunt them however you can to get rid of them. They are a nuisance to farmers and pet owners. Get rid of them before their population gets out of hand. If you love the things so much, what is your address? I'll catch them in a live trap and bring them over to your house. You can have the damn things.

Napalm-- A deer "hung" on a fence occurs when a deer hops over, catches its back leg on a top wire, flips over, and in doing so wraps its leg in the middle wire. It traps its leg and is hung there. It's sad but if you find it in time and flip it back over 180 degrees, it will bound off.

I would like to see a controlled DNR survey of coyote sightings, confirmed attacks, and confirmed kills. The thing is that coyotes are USUALLY shy. They USUALLY stick to small prey and don't hunt in packs. But this time of year, prey has been decimated, the prey animals aren't reproducing, and *all* predators are extra hungry.

facts101- couchsit: Last time I checked no one or their pet has ever been attacked by a rabbit.

I remember when Jimmy Carter was President he was attacked by a rabbit while fishing in a boat.

True, jstwndrn, killing anything for "sport" alone is less than admirable. Trophy kills/extermination efforts are ignorant and arrogant. However, if one is hunting rather than eradicating, the hunt should be "sporting," as in the prey should have a fair chance to avoid or evade the hunter (or, hunt the hunter in return). And if the prey cannot do so it is because the hunter alone happened to have wits/speed on their side in that instance.

dalegribble, I hate to break it to you, but I don't really see using dogs for any hunting purpose other than restrained tracking to be sporting. If a hunter is not keeping pace with the dogs or the dogs find and strike the prey before the so-called hunter does, then the dogs are the only ones doing the hunting, and their owners are merely watching. However, at least bears are capable of killing both dog and human, making it somewhat more fair. Not by much, though, which is why I only condone true hunting.

Time out...for hockey...go USA!

Wildlife Notebook Series No. 19
Written by Brent Stettler, Conservation Outreach Manager, Southeast Region, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources;
Produced by Project WILD, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources:

"Despite millions of coyotes being taken during the past century, and ongoing control efforts, coyotes not only still flourish, but are expanding their range. Like “Wile E. Coyote,” in the Roadrunner cartoon, coyotes seem to cheat death again and again. Besides being highly intelligent and adaptable, coyotes are able to employ physiological and behavioral means to counteract threats to their existence.
For example, when coyote populations are lowered, females tend to produce larger litters and more females reproduce. This is known as “density dependent reproduction.” Also, those coyotes that evade being killed, are typically the toughest, strongest and smartest members of the species, thus through selection, the cleverness, speed and wariness of coyotes has, over time, been inadvertently enhanced by those seeking to eliminate them."

saraB1 its to bad somebody in your family have not hit any livestock, and can't work or do what he did before. I also live out in the country I hear them all the time, Bring them on. The farmer should still pay for all medical and damages, just like if my dog would bite you. It goes back to the dog getting shot by the cop up North last week, before it got into traffic.

Also, in response to a couple of other posts:
As a horse owner, I have many times seen coyotes cut through my pasture and totally ignore my lone horse.

Killing anything for "sport" is less than admirable. Why is it not bothersome for you to have domesticated dogs that will rip another animal to shreds, for sport, but you are completely intolerable of a wild animal hunting to feed itself? Also, when you are out there practicing your "sport", would you mind not parking in the middle of the road at the peak of a hill and forcing other drivers to take to the middle of the road, on a hill, in order to get around you?

For all the people who commented about the numerous coyotes they are seeing near their homes...do you also have numerous rodents? Probably not. Nothing is black or white, there needs to be moderation. For all you coyote haters, they serve a purpose in the cycle, like it or not. Your efforts to eradicate them will never work. In fact, there are studies that show that the more they are hunted, the bigger litters they have in response and despite decades of efforts to wipe them out, they are more plentiful then ever. If you consider yourself truly in touch with nature, which you should if you are out there hunting, try doing a little research, you might be surprised what you learn.

"inconvenienttruth - your kidding right?"
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No. What gives you that impression?
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"It is real easy to sling your words as someone from behind a keyboard."
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Yes, it is. And?
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"Have you ever even been coyote hunting? My guess is not."
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What is your point in making this assumption?
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"Whether you use dogs, radios, and GPS does not lessen your skills as a hunter, and it definetly doesn't make you any less of a hunter."
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Yes, it does.
The dogs are great hunters, I'm sure. But would you care to explain what "hunting" is done by those that merely follow the dogs, using GPS, from a distance? As momof4 says, "with our group it is mainly to enjoy watching our dogs do what is in thier nature and bloodlines to do."
Again, that's "watching our dogs do" the hunting.
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"Part of the thrill is hearing a dog 'open' on a coyote and locating both to make the kill."
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Yes, vicariousness can be quite thrilling. It's basically like a spectator sport.
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"This one act can take hours of pursuit."
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Yes, pursuit of the dogs that are doing the hunting. Sometimes, again as admitted by momof4, onto lands "where the dogs dont belong," because they are not properly restrained in accordance with the law.
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"You need to stick to your computer games so you can claim to be a hunter also..."
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Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Because I'm on a computer, commenting with/about others...just like you. So, what "computer games" do you play?
Also, why do I need to "claim to be a hunter also"?
Again, there is no "sport" (aka competition) in sending a trained pack of dogs after a lone animal that is run to exhaustion and cornered by man and dog. A true sportsman would hunt with a call/lure and a rifle, giving the coyote a chance, and resulting in a quick, clean kill if the hunter is successful.
There's a difference between being a hunter and an exterminator.

No kidding, justme46. Wild animals are just islands unto themselves, with no relation or impact on their surroundings. And there's no way of creating more humans. If only we could reproduce, somehow...

Bigdaddy, you woke up too early! Reread your posts, they make no sense at all. And also Sandman is not right. Just another hater on here. JMO

I have seen these animals for the past 25 yrs in my yard. They come in packs of 6 or more and when I come home at night they are trapped by fence on 3 sides and go wild trying to escape. At night I hear them all the time giving there famous howl. Every spring when the calves are born in the pastor around me, at least one or more come to demise by these coyotes. Hunters come to the house all the time asking if they hunt for coyotes on the land around me.

inconvenienttruth - your kidding right? It is real easy to sling your words as someone from behind a keyboard. Have you ever even been coyote hunting? My guess is not. Whether you use dogs, radios, and GPS does not lessen your skills as a hunter, and it definetly doesn't make you any less of a hunter. Part of the thrill is hearing a dog "open" on a coyote and locating both to make the kill. This one act can take hours of pursuit. You need to stick to your computer games so you can claim to be a hunter also...

Do you city slickers & tree huggers know what a financial loss it is for a farmer when they loose livestock or poultry? Most of the animals you see on a farm aren't family pets - they're a farmer's source of income. When they loose a calf, sheep or cattle that is a huge financial loss. Farmers have every right to protect their livelihood from the coyotes or any other predators.

couchsit: Last time I checked no one or their pet has ever been attacked by a rabbit.

one thing we been talking about the horses,but the main thing did any body in the SUV get hurt. The animals can be replace put not a human.

Sandman your still 100% right. I wish I could say more to shut that person up. Its still the farmers fought period.

Thank you optimism. I am from Avon township, near the farm on Carroll/Timm intersection. I grew up deer hunting, and we used to see coyote tracks and scat everywhere. They have become a growing problem in the area, most likely due to the low deer herd. I'm not trying to make excuses for all the coyotes, nor will I defend animal lovers who've never experienced the loss of livestock and poultry because of the coyotes. We lost poultry to the coyotes and foxes quite often.
The main thing that people haven't heard is that the DNR owns quite a large chunk of Avon township. The Sugar River bottoms are mostly owned by the DNR, not to mention all of the public hunting grounds. This is a huge breeding ground for all wildlife, including the coyotes. Fenced-in areas are an easy meal for them. People from the "city" don't quite realize how much wildlife there is, until it is at their doorstep/driveway. Then it becomes a problem.
Country life vs city life is different. We literally had the sheriff show up at our door, on an odor complaint caused by our 6 (yes six) pigs, called in by our neighbors who weren't accustomed to country air.......
Coyotes are becoming a problem. It will get worse. They are nothing compared to feral cats.

COUCHSIT...I totally agree with you! My point is, if we, people, keep messing with the cycle of life, the survival of the fittest, mother nature, everything is going to just be out of whack! And I totally agree with the rabbit comment. I have said that many times before, we have killed off so much of the coyotes food chain (granted coyotes kill and eat far more deer in the winter) that now they are becoming a problem, and unfortuneately, it's not their fault, but now they are being targeted, and yes, eventually the whole food chain is going to be f'd up. And then we are going to have to put all kinds of pesticides on our crops/gardens to keep the rabbits out that the coyotes are suppose to kill that our health is eventually at risk as well....but oh us humans, we think we know it all.....

SANDMAN......you are a presumptuous jerk! First of all....the inuendo "pard'ner" was disgusting, second, until you personally go and inspect the fencing, don't assume that they don't have adequate fencing! Because you know what?! The fencing is in wonderful shape. You want to see some fencing that is in awful shape, that we have to deal with loose horses destroying our CRP crops? Take a little drive to the corner of Timm road and Carroll road in avon township! And look at the many many mnay places these horses can just step over the fencing! My friends' fencing is of the upmost quality. AND the empty bread packages all over the pasture that are fed to these poor animals, and the disgusting round bales full of mold..and worse yet, one round bale of hay for 20 horses a week! These are the people that should be ridaculed and reported! Not responsible horse owners! DID you not read in the first article? THEY BROKE through a gate! If you know anything about horses at all...horses will not bust through anything unless immense fear is involved, and their first instinct is to run. It is fight or flight, and they flight! ALSO, YEs, there are a tremendous amount of coyote tracks, feces and carcass remains left behind all over the avon bottoms including surrounding the farm these horses reside at. SO, until you personally INVESTIGATE....I suggest you keep your hating to your self and your fellow coffee clutch haters group! There are three people that have been tremendously hurt by this, the owners of the horses and the person involved in the accident. He received minor physical injuries, but the emotional distress was overwhelming.

While I believe that pests should be taken care of, bees kill far more humans that coyotes do (two documented cases EVER in North America according to the Taylor Mitchel link posted earlier). Domesticated dogs and other farm animals kill more people, too. Kill all the coyotes and people will be complaining about too many rabbits and squirrels eating their plants and birdseed. http://www.wemjournal.org/wmsonline/?req...

Gazette, thank you very much for bringing to the attention of residents of rock county and surrounding counties that coyotes are a real problem. It is truly heartbreaking what damage they are doing. I understand, in the beginning, the reason the deer herds needed to be downsized, but this is a prime example of messing with mother nature. Survival of the fittest. I am not claiming to understand the extent of the deer issues, but I do believe that it was completely taken out of hand. And now this isn't going to stop until the head of the food chain is the prime prey....we are taking out the cycle of life, and we are going to be sorry. My friends are still heartbroken about this, and have told me that the gentleman that hit the horses, sat and held one of the horses head while it passed. Now that is a wonderful soul! There is a special place in heaven for that wonderful man! Thank you very much for having such a heart and compassion for a living being!

When I commented about this on the blog about the chickens within the city limits, I got put down!! Believe me, it would get worse and attract more predators. We live on Garden Drive in Janesville and have seen coyotes and fox a few times in the field at the end of our road. And right next store to where we saw them is a yard with a swingset where kids play! Me and hubby also saw a red fox by Cork & Bottle on Court Street right before xmas. So they are out there and in our city. Watch putting your dog out, especially if he/she is little. My sister has a dachsund and a hawk tried to pick it up and carry it away. We also one night were sitting in their backyard enjoying a fire and we saw a coyote pass in the field behind their house, scared me to death!

So now does the DNR still have to spend that 2 million dollars? I have a friend who hunts these things and he tells me they are all over. I guess they will have to kill a child or an adult before the outrage. Of course I would like to see us be able to kill wolves in northern Wisconsin. But the tree huggers will not let that happen. If this were a pack of dogs doing this we would be hunting them down. My suggestion to the man that lost the horses is find yourself some hunters and have at it.

sandman your 100% right the same thing happen to me a few years back. It may cost the owner alot. Sorry I can't say much due to legal issues, These guys are sh##ing in there pants over this.

So, momof4, you're not hunting personally, you're letting dogs loose and following/watching them as they do all the hunting. And in so doing, you've lost sight/control of dogs on multiple occassions, upsetting property owners in the process, and you don't feel that it is in the public's interest that you be cited for allowing dogs to run freely on public/private land (or, as you word it "where they don't belong")? GPS is not a form of restraint, as required by law. You may not be "Neanderthals," but you're not "sportsmen," either, and you're absolutely dishonest to claim you're not "out to kill something" (then what, exactly, do you do with a coyote your dogs have found for you?). There is no "sport" (aka competition) in sending a trained pack of dogs after a lone animal that is either torn up if caught, or maimed and chased some more by fresh dogs if the coyote does manage to escape, only to be ultimately run to exhaustion and cornered by man and dog. If you were a true sportsman, you'd hunt with a call/lure and a rifle, giving the coyote a chance, and resulting in a quick, clean kill if you're successful. Or, maybe you could hunt something that could hunt you right back. Maybe bear?

and don't forget the folk singer Taylor Mitchell. who was fatally attacked by coyotes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor_Mitc...

There was a man a few years ago attacked by coyotes by brodhead & ordfordville which was reported in the gazette paper.

All that I have to say is no Sh%& I have been talking about this for 6 month's wow! why did this come up? It could'nt have anything to do with the low fawn count!!!!! I give UP

Make some live traps out of steel culvert and hog wire......point .22 through wire....bang......easy.

Coyotes normally hunt singly and go after smaller game in this part of the US. But there is research that shows that in areas where there are more large prey animals and fewer small ones, they can and do hunt in packs. (That was from a DNR predation talk I went to several years ago.) They can/do kill animals as large as sheep and will also kill cows and newborn calves when the cows are birth-weary and too tired to fight them off.

We had been seeing more foxes and fewer coyotes in our area for the past two years. (Foxes and coyotes do not like to share territory so their presence is usually an indicator of less coyote presence.) But this winter the coyotes are back in full force and they are coming up closer to the house and pastures out in the open.

You think coyotes can't kill horses? Ha!! My brother lived in Arizona for awhile & coyotes were everywhere. They killed my niece's pony, their neighbor's dogs, horses - you name it. Coyotes travel in packs - you may only see one, but that just means the rest of the pack isn't far behind - they're lurking in brush or wherever. They'll chase a horse or smaller livestock over to the rest of the pack. Then they gang up on their prey & - well, I'll spare you the details. I live west of Janesville & I can hear them at night quite frequently. I've even seen them at night & early in the morning walking across the road, or in fields. These guys who are hunting these buggers are doing farmers and all of us a big favor.

The only good coyote is a……….Coyote Grill in Whitewater, WI.
They mostly prey on hungry people who want a good cheeseburger.

Has anyone seen coyotes on the west boundaries of Janesville near Rock Port Park? Seems that area would be an ideal area for them but I've never seen one.

I agree at times and in certain locations coyotes can be numerous. I am proud as well as fortunate to say that I am part of a group that hunts coyotes. We typically use use dogs to do this. With our group it is mainly to enjoy watching our dogs do what is in thier nature and bloodlines to do. It is certainly not an easy sport. Another reason we do this is because we have numerous farmers conact us hoping we will help remove some troublesome coyotes from thier property. Many members in our group spend an insane amount of money to raise and train thier dogs. They also invest in very expensive tracking and gps locating systems which allows us to keep track of the dogs location at all times. The trouble is, sometimes when the dogs are on the track of a coyote, they may end up in areas and on land which is less than ideal. We can usually prevent this from happening but ocassionally they will slip through our perimeters. I appologize to everyone that this has upsetted. What upsets me is when the dogs do end up where the dogs dont belong, Warden Diekoff suggests we get a DOG AT LARGE citation. Now I ask you, whos side is he on anyway? We are not Neanderthals just out to kill something. We are sportsmen who pay a great deal of money to do what we love to do. I just wish more people could be open minded about the sport. I thank all that do support us.

I have hunted these wiley creatures for some time, and they are everywhere. I was at a tournament at Knutes a few years ago, and the 6 hours that we were allowed to hunt these before registration time, 36 were submitted. They are thicker then what people think...

Why don't people start trapping these things with live-traps?...Its not impossible, they trap GRIZZLY BEARS with live traps...I think they make them out of a piece of highway culvert and put them on wheels to move them around with atvs and pickups....Lots easier than trying to hunt them down as wary as they are.
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What could be used as bait?

happycamper....We seem to be missing a few of the strays that were in our area..not sure if Wile E got them or the Humane Society!!!!

We live on the edge of the greenbelt near a major highway and have seen several coyote in the field behind our house. They are not in packs when we see them. It is early morning when we see a lone coyote "strolling" through the area. We have also had red fox in our yard.
I'm so glad the city did not allow chickens in the city...I'm sure that we would see many more of these animals

I wish Wile E Coyote would come and get the ferrel cats in my back yard.

This BS because coyotes fear horse's they try to stomp them only when they have colts will a horse run.These guys are looking to shift blame for being poor caretakers of there animals.

Where we hunt in Lafayette Co. they are everywhere. I have heard packs of 10-20 at night on the farms over there. They have killed calves, colts, pigs, you name it they kill it. I live in Janesville and have had them chase rabbits out of the wooded greenbelt area behind our house right up to the deck where the rabbits ran under. The guys I know have the most success hunting them with dogs. They have got rid of over 100 of them this winter alone back where I hunt in Lafayette Co. Get rid of them all!!! Let the hunting bashers begin!!! I love it!!!!

"When Guy Peterson and Tom Nacious lost three horses, they had suspects"--allegedly!

"They (coyotes, not Peterson and his "pard'ner" Nacious) hunt in small packs and eat fruit, garbage, slugs (must be the cause of all those car-slug accidents too), deer fawn or house pets, according to the DNR. They mostly prey on small rabbits and squirrels." Odd, but I don't see any mention of horses in that list. Heck, the picture you post with this article is a stock DNR photo and NOT even attributed to Rock County.

Were there paw-prints in the snow? How close? How many? Did the duo see or hear them? Did the police find any indications that this scenario may actually be what actually happened? I suspect that it was not part of their investigation of this accident, which was concerned with loose horses on the roadway that were hit by a car. Not unlike the loose horses that were hit a few years back on Hwy 11 near Footville, likely as a result of poor fences and regular horse escapes. A coyote conspiracy, I assume?

Sounds like coyotes might just be a convenient excuse for poor fencing and poor horse management, and an attempt to avoid personal responsibility and civil liability--allegedly, of course! If you know it's a problem, manage your herds and livestock accordingly!

I have lived and traveled day and night for decades in this area of southern WI and northern IL and can count on one hand the the number of times I've seen live AND dead coyotes crossing or by the roadway. And I can count on two hands and a few fingers the number of times I've been close enough to clearly hear their haunting night-time choruses. I've treasured those sightings and experiences as an integral part of nature. We are the intruders in this landscape, and I suspect that the coyotes and coons will be here long after we are gone.

"Coyotes abundant, troublesome in Rock County"? Mostly an anecdotal excuse for self-styled, invasive, trespassing coyote hunters (and I'm not implying that some coyotes don't become pest and need control). In reality, they are Darwin's little checks in the balance of Nature. One could easily rephrase your headline, "People abundant, troublesome in Rock County." When does the season begin, DNR?

DNR sharpshooters trying to thin the deer herd shoot deer in the area, then leave the carcasses lay. Coyotes thrive and multiply on these easy meals, especially in the middle of winter.

Great, some more DNR estimates. It's quite possible it might be an increase in the Roadrunner population in the area. Which explains why there is an increased demand for ACME Dynamite and Birdseed.