[TigersEye]

Too many houses nearby to take a shot at a coyote here. I wouldn't kill one anyway unless it attacked me but I would take some shots to put some fear in them if that wouldn't likely result in a couple of Sheriff's cars coming to find out what's going on.

My rabbits are cottontails too. When I startle my most recent bunny friend (by not noticing that it's there and walking up to it too fast) it gives me a look like "what's your problem?" What can I say? They blend in very well.

[Darksheare]

They do give you some sizzling withering looks when you disturb them, don’t they?
I’m told that it is even worse when they are tamed, they get the imperious attitude that cats have.

The coyote here are protected by law as well.
Seems the opportunistic scavenging pest has good friends in Albany.
So much so that when we had a rash of coyote attacking children, the pols and enviro groups set about demonizing humans instead of going, “Hey, there’s a problem with this critter here.”
You need a nuisance animal license and a predator license to smack one down if it is a bother.
And even then you might run into trouble.