Western Washington Coyote problem

[chickenmomma16]

Need advice. Thankfully none of my hens have been killed (3 badly injured though). Just got done talking with our neighbor and they have lost 15 chickens! One was snatched 10 ft right in front of her in the middle of the day. My husband last week was putting his shoes on early in the morning and he saw one chasing a hen right under our attached carport, no more than a few feet from him.

I have had it with them!

I cannot find info about laws regarding trapping/killing Coyotes in Pierce County, WA. I must be looking in the wrong areas. We do not own a gun but our neighbor would have no problem taking care of that for us. (he has done it with Raccoons recently) Also, is there some place that I could rent a trap so I wouldn't have to buy one? Just a thought. What have other people done to take care of this problem? Our neighbor said they caught 3 Coyotes on the game cam, each one skillfully snatching a chicken and running off.

 

[Bigwig]

It is okay to shoot them, just don't tell anybody (especially park rangers, LOL).

 

[JJSS89]

There are no effective methods for trapping coyotes that are legal in Washington State. Footholds and body-gripping traps are illegal unless you are a certified and licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Officer. Even then it requires an approved application to the state.

You can shoot (hunt) them year round except one must possess a hunting license to do it legally. Of course you'd have to live in an area without firearm discharge restrictions.

 

[JJSS89]

Just to reiterate, you will never catch a healthy coyote in a cage trap. They absolutely refuse to enter an enclosure trap.

 

[chickenmomma16]

There are no effective methods for trapping coyotes that are legal in Washington State. Footholds and body-gripping traps are illegal unless you are a certified and licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Officer. Even then it requires an approved application to the state.

You can shoot (hunt) them year round except one must possess a hunting license to do it legally. Of course you'd have to live in an area without firearm discharge restrictions.

No restrictions in Eatonville, WA to my knowledge. Ha! If there is, almost everyone on the street I live on would be in trouble. But wouldn't it be legal if I was protecting my livestock?

Just to reiterate, you will never catch a healthy coyote in a cage trap. They absolutely refuse to enter an enclosure trap.

Great to know. But unfortunate. Sounds like I have my hands tied behind my back on this one. Unless there is another way?

 

[madamiec]

You have to have a license to hunt your own land? Coyotes are also legal to hunt year around in Indiana and landowners don't need a license. Even raccoon and opossum are legal to kill when they are a threat to livestock. Our DNR officer said distemper was terrible in all three the past few years because they are over populated.

 

[balticbabe]

Found this

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife does not classify coyotes as game animals, but a state license is required to hunt or trap them (RCW 77.32.010). The owner, the owner's immediate family, employee, or a tenant of real property may kill or trap a coyote on that property if it is damaging crops or domestic animals (RCW 77.36.030). A license is not required in such cases. Check with your county and/or local jurisdiction for local restrictions. Except for bona fide public or private zoological parks, persons and entities are prohibited from importing a coyote into Washington State without a permit from the Department of Agriculture and written permission from the Department of Health. Persons and entities are also prohibited from acquiring, selling, bartering, exchanging, giving, purchasing, or trapping a coyote for a pet or export (WAC 246-100-191).

http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/coyotes.html#lethal

 

[JJSS89]

When it comes to "damaging crops or domestic animals" that would mean you'd be legally limited to shooting only coyotes that were in the act of killing chickens. If there was one walking through the field, you wouldn't be covered to shoot it.

For a simple online hunter safety course and a $30 small game license, you're covered to shoot a coyote anytime of the year. As well as bobcats, foxes (in most areas), raccoons, etc. in their respective seasons, whether they are actively depredating or not.

 

[JJSS89]

Of course I am being super technical but you never want to leave it up to the interpretation of a Law Enforcement Officer because that can go either way. And also when it comes to trapping coyotes, you still limited to cage traps which are not going to tempt a coyote.

 

[blucoondawg]

Coyote are legal to shoot year round here in Wisconsin also, small game license required to hunt, no license required to protect livestock. Reading this thread makes me glad I don't live on the left coast.