Shooting coyotes, self defense, or illegal firearms discharge.

[RA8]

I have an LTCH. About 3 in the morning early today, I strapped on my reflective vest, and my subcompact, and went for a 5 mile jog on the country roads. I saw several coyotes run right in front of me on the road. If for some reason, one, or all of them had taken an interest in me, and stood their ground in an intimidating fashion (I don't even know if this is likely) would I legally be justified in firing shots? This is just a fun thought, I'm not really concerned.

 

[esrice]

Are you in fear for your life or grave bodily injury?

Shoot 'em.

 

[longbarrel]

They won't bother you. Coyotes are way more scared of people than people are of them.(especially if you are running) Another thing, I refuse to let a 30-40lb dog kick my arse. It is just not going to happen. Maybe worry about it in Jan. when it is 10 degrees and has been for a month. Things gotta eat, but will you be running then? I would guess as long as the corn is still standing the coyotes are more worried about rabbits. Firing a pistol in the air, in the country, 4:00 a.m., what county?

 

[Scutter01]

I refuse to let a 30-40lb dog kick my arse. It is just not going to happen.

Be glad you're not this guy.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BZ_fMnikDA]YouTube - Canadian Bow hunter gets attacked[/ame]

 

[Big John]

clap your hands and yell boo!

Unless you just feel the need and it gets you off to discharge your firearm. If you want to hunt Coyote do so if you want to jog do so don't try to combine the two.

That is what we need is this in the paper..

"Area gun owner illegally discharging a pistol stray bullet kills 74 yr old woman"

replace woman with kid, kid's dog, deputy sheriff what ever else you like.

If your afraid while jogging and a pack of coyotes runs across the road in front of you and you want to start shooting how are you going to react when a group of people approaches you in a urban area? Imagine if they were (insert race here) OMG what would you do?

Leave the gun at home, call ISP and turn in your LTCH before you hurt yourself or someone else.

How old are you? Are there not any local ranges where you can get your need to shoot rocks off?

 

[Scutter01]

Leave the gun at home, call ISP and turn in your LTCH before you hurt yourself or someone else.

How old are you? Are there not any local ranges where you can get your need to shoot rocks off?

The OP said it wasn't a concern of his, just a thought exercise. What's wrong with discussing it?

 

[esrice]

Wow BJ, I think you read WAY too much into the OP's post . . .

 

[eldirector]

I don't see where the age of the runner or recreational shooting has any bearing on this?

There are several threads regarding aggressive dogs and self-defense on this board. Not much difference between a dog and a coyote. I do believe you would be justified in putting down an aggressive animal if it attacked (or threatened?) you while jogging. Local ordinances against discharge of a firearm vary, though.

 

[Bubba]

Wow. No need to be so hard on the guy. The OP I read recognized that coyotes were predators, admitted he didn't know if they were likely to pose a threat to him, and asked a question about defending himself against an animal that acted in a threatening manner. Apparently some people read a different post involving a personal challenge to kill as many animals as possible while participating in some sort of perverse Ironman...

 

[Big John]

OK after the everyone else's post I guess I may have read too much into his post.

I just have(had) a friend that was(is) the worst gun owner imaginable, he OC'd just to get a reaction. Was upset when nobody noticed. Wanted to discharge it when ever possible.

We were out riding quads once when he decided he was threatened by a Raccoon in the tree behind our tent, Guess it struck a nerve.

Sorry to the OP. I really am not a Dick but it reminded me of him and the blood started to boil.

 

[esrice]

Sorry to the OP. I really am not a Dick but it reminded me of him and the blood started to boil.

I actually see this happen on forums quite a bit. Usually it comes back to some backstory that everyone else is unaware of.

Way to step up, BJ!

 

[jesse485]

A gun may have saved this woman's life from coyotes: BBC NEWS | Americas | Coyotes kill Canadian folk singer

 

[Chuck26287]

I sometimes run with a handgun on me. Good question actually. Local laws are variable, but I would go by one major test question... am I or someone else in serious danger? You usually are not. A pack of coyotes crossing your path but staying away is not a threat (I actually ran with two other people through a residential area in Phoenix and watched four coyotes meander through backyards in the morning). Outward signs of aggression or attack is another story. If an attack appeared definite, I'd shoot any animal big enough to worry me about my safety. Over aggressive behavior during the day from animals like coyotes, skunks, raccoons, etc is usually the sign of a sick animal (rabies is a concern), and at the very least should be reported to the animal control authorities for that area. Typically, if one of these animals is off enough to be attacking humans during the day, it's ill and it needs put down. I'm sure not going to let one bite me while I'm carrying a handgun.

 

[RA8]

clap your hands and yell boo!

Unless you just feel the need and it gets you off to discharge your firearm. If you want to hunt Coyote do so if you want to jog do so don't try to combine the two.

That is what we need is this in the paper..

"Area gun owner illegally discharging a pistol stray bullet kills 74 yr old woman"

replace woman with kid, kid's dog, deputy sheriff what ever else you like.

If your afraid while jogging and a pack of coyotes runs across the road in front of you and you want to start shooting how are you going to react when a group of people approaches you in a urban area? Imagine if they were (insert race here) OMG what would you do?

Leave the gun at home, call ISP and turn in your LTCH before you hurt yourself or someone else.

How old are you? Are there not any local ranges where you can get your need to shoot rocks off?

You sir are out of line. You misread the context of my comment, and got offensive for no reason. I'm 26, and would never shoot my gun unless I was protecting my life. Also, I would never over react because someone of (insert eye color here) looked at me funny. I'm smart enough to be able to look past a cultural variant to see the person for their intentions. No reason for you to troll around looking for a reason to make yourself sound better than anyone (not very convincing considering you compared a pack of vermin to a group of (any other race but your own) people.) Go back and read my comment, and leave a response in the same playful context that I originally commented. Also, I do belong to linden conservation club, and "shoot my rocks off" in a safe, and controlled manner. I also take people there to educate them on gun safety. But thank you for taking the time to assign a criminally inclined identity to my otherwise harmless little user name, which if you notice has a (insert Spanish stereotype here) name.

 

[RA8]

OK after the everyone else's post I guess I may have read too much into his post.

I just have(had) a friend that was(is) the worst gun owner imaginable, he OC'd just to get a reaction. Was upset when nobody noticed. Wanted to discharge it when ever possible.

We were out riding quads once when he decided he was threatened by a Raccoon in the tree behind our tent, Guess it struck a nerve.

Sorry to the OP. I really am not a Dick but it reminded me of him and the blood started to boil.

Sorry, my last post was posted before i read this. disregard. thank you for explaining why it struck a nerve.

 

[Cemetery-man]

That poor girl. Pretty much settles the argument that coyotes won't harm humans. had she had a pistol, she may still be alive to tell her story.

 

[singlestacksig]

state law allows you to kill coyotes on land you own at any time.
local discharge laws might apply, but most have a defense clause..

and if a coyote is close enough for you to kill it with a handgun, it is reasonable to say it could have been defensive..
out side of a large anti gun town, you probable would not have a problem..

 

[Walter Zoomie]

Landowners, or a person with written permission from a landowner, may take coyotes year-round on private property by snaring, trapping or shooting without a permit from the DNR. A landowner does not need a permit to take coyotes on his/her property by one of these methods, but a hunting or trapping license is required to hunt or trap coyotes on land other than your own.

DNR: Coyotes

 

[cce1302]

First, you are nuts for going running at 3 a.m. I mean, seriously, running 5 miles in the first place is crazy, but in the middle of the night when most people are sleeping?

Second, I believe your right to self defense from a pack of coyotes trumps any hunting regulations (since your intent is not hunting) or any noise ordinances or firearm discharge ordinances since you aren't making noise to annoy people or discharging your firearm for sport.

Last, why not get a donkey or llama (maybe one of their 1911 copies) to protect you while you run?

Farmers with livestock can take additional precautions, such as:

• Use net-wire or electric fencing to keep coyotes away from livestock
• Shorten the length of calving or lambing seasons
• Confine livestock in a coyote-proof corral at night
• Use lights above corral
• Use strobe lights and sirens to scare away coyotes
• Remove dead livestock promptly so coyotes won’t be able to scavenge
• Use guard animals, such as dogs, donkeys and llamas to protect livestock

 

[RA8]

First, you are nuts for going running at 3 a.m. I mean, seriously, running 5 miles in the first place is crazy, but in the middle of the night when most people are sleeping?

Second, I believe your right to self defense from a pack of coyotes trumps any hunting regulations (since your intent is not hunting) or any noise ordinances or firearm discharge ordinances since you aren't making noise to annoy people or discharging your firearm for sport.

Last, why not get a donkey or llama (maybe one of their 1911 copies) to protect you while you run?

Haha... good post.
Suffering from insomnia makes my schedules all mucked up. Motivation can hit me like a ton of bricks in the middle of the night, but hide its cowardly face when the sun is out. Why not take full advantage of this. Also, Nothing like really going out and enjoying the other half of the earth that most people are sleeping through. Everyone's grass has a creepy mist over it, there's no one there to see you when you stop to rest, and just on this mornings run I saw 2 GIANT shooting stars, the coyotes, 1 doe, and NO PEOPLE! The air has much more humidity in it, making breathing easier, I could go on all day.

Also, about the donkeys/llamas, If you were running next to a donkey, and got tired, would you keep going, or put your fat butt on your fat *** and tell him to take you home?

P.S. before completely reading your post, I embarrassingly reached for google to look up what type of gun a Donkey, or Llama was.