D*mn Coyotes

[animules]

   D*mn coyotes came through Monday night and got two of my last three tom turkeys.      I'm afraid to go look this morning.  They had already "reduced" my geese flock this year, and I had already  gotten that down to just the few pet ones.  Not a darned thing I can do either as a city was incorporated around me and I live smack dab in the middle of the town center area, city hall can see what I do here.       Row of houses on one side, elementary school on the other.  I hope the d*mn coyotes leave my sheep alone...........   

So, how do I preserve the beards?        Do I just skin them off and cure with rock salt?  No sense in burying the nice beards with what's left of the toms.

[Beau]

I would think you should be able to do something about it.  call the state trapper, or trap them your self. 

[animules]

We can only use live box traps here.  This great state allowed the city folk voters to decide that a few years ago.  I think I will take pictures and deliver to city hall though.....

[Beau]

I would get a Greyhound catch dog then   man-o-man I cant beleive the laws some places have    I would make them pests go away some how if they were doing that to my animals, thats for sure.

[philip]

You can remove the beards by just pulling them out.  Grasp near the turkey and "yank".  Also can cut it out if you would rather.  Use the knife and then remove most of the skin.  Borax, the old twenty mule team type, is a great preservative on the skin area and easier to use than rock salt.  You can also cut off the tails near where they joint the body and then freeze them to preserve later or use a knife to remove most of the fat and skin between the feathers and then "stake" the feathers out as if the turkey is fanning the tail.  Use pins and put on a sheet of styrofoam or cardboard and liberally sprinkle with borax for a few weeks and then you can mount the fanned tail on a board or whatever you want. 

[KILLERBEE]

i would figure something out to catch them. that stinks

[animules]

That stinks is for sure.....      If anybody wants to come out I'll set up a nice coyote blind for them.........Just for viewing of course since we can't shoot here.      

Thanks Phillip,  I took shears and cut the beards off, right now they are in rock salt as that's what I had, I'll get some borax and trim the skin closer.  No tail feathers and the wings were shredded too.  Think feathers scattered from end to end of the pasture.   

Beau, I thought about a state trapper.  However, I don't want any reason for the local government to set foot on my place, they don't like us here and already tried zoning out the animals.....  I can have animals here (for now) but cannot have any business related to animals.

As of last night I had two hens left, one with no tail feathers the coyotes had almost gotten her, and one tom.  Three years ago there were about 20 turkeys free ranging the area.   I hope it's not a repeat.  Counting down to early retirement and moving to someplace not so stupid......

[Desert Rat]

Well Tina a few pans of anti freeze around your turky coop will take care of the problem.

[Steve]

Salt will preserve your turkey beards.  As Phillip said, most people use borax.  Some people use instant preserve.  I use small staples and cardboard on my turkey tails.  Get as much fat and meat off as you can.  There's also a gland down there that needs to come out.  Don't cut off too much though or you'll lose some feathers.  I usually hang the beard just below the fan.

Too bad you can't trap or snare those coyotes.  I think I'd pop one with a 22, but I don't want to get you in trouble.  Anti-freeze would work too, but it's hard on dogs and cats. 

I've snared a few dogs over the years.  Didn't hurt any of them.  I just turned them loose.  You need to use the right kind of snare though.  Some will keep tightening up and do a lot of damage, and kill a dog.