A few years ago there was a surge of coyotes near my parents home in Morris County New Jersey.
They were trying to lure my parents springer spaniels into the woods, I know what that outcome would have been, so I retained the services of a tracker, the friend of a friend.
His question was what do you want me to track, I explained my problem.
We set off the next morning, the area behind my parents home was very hilly with a lot of rock outcroppings and heavily wooded.
After following him around like a puppy he brought me to rock out cropping/cave area and announced this is their lair. I asked are you shure? He pointed out evidence of bones and hide of deer, small game and what I think was a cat.
Ok, I’m convinced I said. How far in are they I asked he said it’s a cave, big enough for them but not you, what are you going to do?
I said, “fix the problem” and took out two sticks of 40 gel gelatin dynamite and two electric blasting caps, his eyes where as big a dinner plates, I primed the powder and pushed them into the den area with a tree branch, that got some growling, good right place.
Moved off to the left about 100’ with a lead line and touched a 9 volt battery to the two legs, end of problem. The tracker thinks I am Batshit crazy, but cool.
Have not seen a coyote in that area since.
Now THAT is decisive problem resolution!!! Thanks for the story. It’s always amazed me to see certain people I’ve known plead the plight of these carnivorous predators and argue for reintroduction near urban areas. I’ve read about the incident in California where the 3YO was attacked and slaughtered by coyotes while playing in a driveway. They tried to save the child but these was too much loss of blood and the coyote had broken the child’s neck - could not be saved. It just makes you want to slap people silly when they want to protect these things.