I’m very protective of the wildlife. I risk placing myself in whatever way for them. I came to the defense for a coyote because of yet another neighbor two evenings ago (8/18/22) fired a shotgun at a young coyote.
A young coyote was in our backforty (it’s what I call it); this young thing was howling to beat the band, suddenly a shot.
I hollered, yelled and trampled, running in the woods to catch who just blew off a shot in which I am always walking my dog in the woods; he could have hit me or my dog; the coyote is protected here!
I got in to it with him! He apologized, but apologies are too late! I told him he was breaking the law; there is no firearm shooting where we live. In any case, he shot but this coyote was on my property or my next door neighbor’s, nothing to do where he was. Angry as a hornet I was. But I have no faith in the County sheriffs. They are a joke. I didn’t call them. But I warned him, there is no shooting here. He said he wasn’t trying to shoot it but scare it. I said understand this: it’s against the law to shoot a firearm in this vicinity – you might have shot one of the neighbors, my dog or me. Stop. I told him if he wants to scare one away, loudly bang on something or hoot, holler, come on! The thing is with these new-ish neighbors they haven’t a clue how to keep their poultry, ducks, etc. safe. He said it was near their animals. I said: you’ve got to build a secure house for your animals. At first they thought it was the owls taking their chickens or cat or turkey or … possibly, but the fact is their housings they keep them in are makeshift.
I said to him: we can go to the market and buy lamb, beef, chicken… This is wildlife’s home; it’s what they have. Secure your animals. If they are available and easily available… fix your housings.
Oh, I’m still mad because people for so long have gotten away with murder of wildlife. At their whim. People can come up with any excuse and their rationalization is taken. The animal loses every time. It’s inhumane because people are inhumane in how they treat animals. I’ll stop here. [I won’t tell you I was dropping the mother bomb of language but I didn’t put this in, no need.]
Coyote Yipps 
Aug 23, 2022 @ 00:09:34
Madeline! THANK YOU for your love of wildlife and for protecting them in the fierce ways that you do!!! And thank you Janet for posting this story. I feel exactly the same way you do, Madeline, and it just made me weep to know there are people like you out there fighting for the wild animals. THANK YOU. It’s a lonely heartbreaking path that sometimes feels futile. I’m so grateful for you!!! (and janet of course!).
Aug 23, 2022 @ 13:58:59
Times have changed for the better. I remember when I worked for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife seeing an article in an old 1953 Department Publication that showed a coyote with it’s mouth wired shut. The caption said, “This is one coyote that won’t be killing any more quail!” That kind of needless cruelty is no longer widely condoned, thankfully!
However, you must admit that hunting of wildlife does serve a useful purpose: it makes animals afraid of humans! This has the exact opposite effect from the habituation that occurs from feeding them.
The problem, as it was with our dealings with the native Americans, is encroachment and destruction of their habitat. Until we deal with our ever increasing population there is little hope for improvement!