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Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? #6781862 06/02/17 03:49 PM
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I don't mean scavenging previously killed hogs, we've all seen that. I mean actively hunting and killing pigs. I say pig, because they wouldn't go after a hog (over 60 pounds) it's too much risk.
Or does the sounder protect the young?

I ask, because I've got lots of coyotes, and a sounder that roves around. I do not see deer numbers like they ought to be, so I kill every hog and coyote I see.


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Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: J.G.] #6781868 06/02/17 03:57 PM
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I did see a coyote in full retreat mode being chased by a 100 lb or so sow. She was giving it her best but of course had no chance at catching up. The chase lasted a solid 150 - 200 yards before she gave up.

That's the best I can do...


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Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: J.G.] #6781880 06/02/17 04:08 PM
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Originally Posted By: FiremanJG
I don't mean scavenging previously killed hogs, we've all seen that. I mean actively hunting and killing pigs. I say pig, because they wouldn't go after a hog (over 60 pounds) it's too much risk.
Or does the sounder protect the young?

I ask, because I've got lots of coyotes, and a sounder that roves around. I do not see deer numbers like they ought to be, so I kill every hog and coyote I see.


I haven't seen any proof of this, but Coyotes are opportunist so I would think in the right situation they would make that kill. I'm with you on Seeing and Shooting when I can.

Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: J.G.] #6782058 06/02/17 07:44 PM
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I see pigs just about everyday and coyotes on most days.
I have never seen a coyote with a small pig in its mouth or ever seen one chase one.
I've watched coyotes give a group of pigs a wide birth every time I have seen the two close together.
I guess if the momma pig got killed and she had some little piglets that were left stranded one might try to kill it. But for the most part I think coyotes steer way clear of anything that smells like a pig.

Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: J.G.] #6782134 06/02/17 09:02 PM
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I find coyote scat with hog hair all the time. They have to be eating the smaller piglets.


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Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: J.G.] #6782149 06/02/17 09:20 PM
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Would have to be one brave coyote to attempt it. I've never seen the little piglets get very far away from momma.

Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: Erathkid] #6782180 06/02/17 10:09 PM
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Originally Posted By: Erathkid
I find coyote scat with hog hair all the time. They have to be eating the smaller piglets.
this


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Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: JLP83] #6782226 06/02/17 11:15 PM
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Originally Posted By: JLP83
Would have to be one brave coyote to attempt it. I've never seen the little piglets get very far away from momma.
I know 2 different people that have caught piglets by hand. Tiniest ones are usually at the back of the line.


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Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: J.G.] #6782246 06/03/17 12:03 AM
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When I was driving the roads in llano looking at deer last year there were 2 piglets all by themselves sitting on the other side of a small fence. I walked up to within 10 ft without them even noticing me. No big ones around at all. believe me I was hesitant to walk over there looking for the older pig laying down in the brush. I had my cc gun with me and It was running through my mind the consequences of shooting a pig even in self defense on a public road.

If a coyote would have come along one of them would have been dinner. They wouldnt last long without protection from mama pig in the wild.

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Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: J.G.] #6782296 06/03/17 01:20 AM
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In the last dozen years, I have seen coyotes on piglets a number of times as have my hunters. Usually, it is fairly soon after killing a sow with piglets as they keep milling around then all hell breaks loose. Like someone else stated, I see hog hair in coyote scat all the time and after my prescribed burns, I'm always surprised to find the number of small hog skulls that I do once the ground cover is burnt off.

On the other end of it, we have killed a number of coyotes of freshly killed hogs that we position near our deer blinds. My dad shot two that were sitting on top a very large bore, plunked them right off. One watched the other and then he died too.

The weirdest piglet snatch I've witnessed was right after daylight one morning. I had killed a very large sow at my house feeder and the piglets had remained in a tight group while moving into a .65 acre food plot that had just low vegetation. My dad had come out of his house to watch as I was going to use #6 shot to police up the piglets. We were on the edge of the plot while I was switching out the shells in the shotgun and commenting on a white piglet in the group. While we watched a caracara swooped down and scooped it up and started to fly away from us toward the brushline. It was a very quiet, still morning and the pig was screaming a fit. My dad started to speculate about whether the bird would drop the piglet at the brushline at the edge of food plot as it looked like he wouldn't clear it. It made it with inches to spare and continued South. I was so intent on watching the bird that I didn't even notice what direction the piglets had scattered so I went back to my coffee.


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Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: J.G.] #6782336 06/03/17 02:19 AM
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Have never seen a coyote kill a pig or even chase one. But we have coyote scat all over the lease with hog hair in it. That's the sole reason I don't kill the coyotes. I have seen several times the sow abandoning the piglets, you can shoot one of the piglets and it can scream it's head off. She doesn't come back. Not going to tell you the sow is not going to come back, but have never seen it happen.

Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: corkys son] #6782380 06/03/17 03:25 AM
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Thank you for the replies, everyone.

Based on the stories my guess is that it depends on the genes in the pack, weather or not they would hunt down pigs.

Does that seem plausible?


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Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: J.G.] #6782421 06/03/17 04:28 AM
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On an archery hunt heard comotion behind me while in my stand, turned & seen a yote carring a piglet off in its jaws... flag



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Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: J.G.] #6782498 06/03/17 12:45 PM
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As said before, Yotes are opportunist if a piglet or small enough pig was easy pickings, they would take it and run.


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Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: Stub] #6782501 06/03/17 12:50 PM
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Originally Posted By: Stub
As said before, Yotes are opportunist if a piglet or small enough pig was easy pickings, they would take it and run.


No one is arguing that.

I can hear the sounder from time to time. More than once, I've taken off walking, with rifle in hand. If I can hear it, coyotes can hear it, and probably smell it. The sounder in my area seem to stay within three miles of me. Looks like a big ole predator buffet. I wonder if the packs of coyotes go get a meal when ever they feel like it. My bet is yes.


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Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: J.G.] #6782549 06/03/17 01:58 PM
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Originally Posted By: FiremanJG
Thank you for the replies, everyone.

Based on the stories my guess is that it depends on the genes in the pack, weather or not they would hunt down pigs.

Does that seem plausible?


Not really. It isn't going to be a genetic basis for whether or not a given coyote or coyotes will hunt pigs. It certainly may be a learned/experiential or need basis, however.


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Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: Double Naught Spy] #6782581 06/03/17 02:37 PM
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Of course learned experience. Coyotes are brilliant, based on what I've observed, for many years of hunting them. Maybe genetics wasn't the most appropriate term. If ten generations ago, a coyote learned to hunt pigs, and that behavior is taught to each following generation. That would be technique, within the pack. That more appropriate?


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Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: J.G.] #6782665 06/03/17 04:34 PM
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More appropriate, but the generations aspect isn't necessary. The behavior may be taught by a preceding generation or learned last week because the yote was hungry. What is learned today may or may not carry over and be adopted by the pack or all members of the pack. Not everything learned by the pack will necessary pass down to the next generation.

Coyotes have canid smarts and are good at being coyotes. I don't think that really qualifies them as brilliant, LOL.


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Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: Double Naught Spy] #6782676 06/03/17 04:44 PM
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I maintain my brilliant statement. They are the smartest critter walking the land, in Texas, after humans of course. I've seen them reason, and have been very impressed by their intelligence. Of course I've had lots that made fatal mistakes too. wink


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Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: J.G.] #6782733 06/03/17 06:37 PM
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In the panhandle, I watched a sounder feeding on a hillside as a coyote snuck in and snatched one of the piglets and carried it away. The adults didn't act as though they cared at all. I have seen more times than not the adults will not come to the rescue of a squealing piglet, guess they know how prolific they can reproduce.

Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: TWarren] #6782761 06/03/17 07:17 PM
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Thank you for sharing. It seems that's the story across many parts of the state.


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Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: colt45-90] #6782834 06/03/17 08:48 PM
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Originally Posted By: colt45
Originally Posted By: Erathkid
I find coyote scat with hog hair all the time. They have to be eating the smaller piglets.
this


Originally Posted by Russ79
I learned long ago you can't reason someone out of something they don't reason themselves into.


Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: corkys son] #6783090 06/04/17 02:33 AM
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Originally Posted By: corkys son
Have never seen a coyote kill a pig or even chase one. But we have coyote scat all over the lease with hog hair in it. That's the sole reason I don't kill the coyotes. I have seen several times the sow abandoning the piglets, you can shoot one of the piglets and it can scream it's head off. She doesn't come back. Not going to tell you the sow is not going to come back, but have never seen it happen.


I watched a litter of 15-16 piglets (hard to count all them little buggers) one morning for 3 hours that were up under the bushes next to a feeder. The piglets would come out to the corn from time to time, but no mama pig ever came around. I finally decided that a few piglets for dinner would be nice, so I decided to see how close I could get. I walked right up to the piglets. Some would come out right next to me, I would shoo them away with my boot. I enjoyed the show and then lined up 2 on them with mt 22-250 from about 5 feet. I shot them and it went nuts, I had little pigs running and screaming everywhere, I needed a shotgun badly.
As I picked up my dinner I thought how easy it would have been for any predator whether it was coyote, fox, coon, cat or even human to get them piglets. They were easy prey for any of us.


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Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: J.G.] #6783274 06/04/17 01:40 PM
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I watched a sow being absolutely murdered by a pack of coyotes from my bow stand 6-7 years ago, but it was through the brush and some trees. I'd just see dogs and little blurs of black. Couldn't tell if she was previously injured or what, but it wasn't a tiny pig. Probably 80-100 lbs. As you'd suspect, she didn't go down without a fight and it took like 15 minutes before she stopped screaming. Incredibly loud. I guess once they killed her, they called in the rest of the pack because by the time I crawled out of my stand less than an hour later, there was no trace beyond some hair and blood.

Re: Have you seen evidence of coyotes killing and eating pigs? [Re: J.G.] #6783276 06/04/17 01:42 PM
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Originally Posted By: FiremanJG
Thank you for the replies, everyone.

Based on the stories my guess is that it depends on the genes in the pack, weather or not they would hunt down pigs.

Does that seem plausible?


I think it depends more on the food supply and whether there's easier stuff around.

If they're hungry, they're gonna make a go of it. Period.

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