You may consider a .410 Bore shotgun if you're concerned about noise, Mick. It's MUCH quieter than a 12 guage, especially with a longer barrel, and I'm sure it has the knockdown power you'd need for 'Yotes. They even have a few really nice semi-auto platforms out now. I've been eyeballing the .410 Bore AK shotguns myself recently, although a Saiga 12 guage suits me much better.

I'm no expert, but in my area, as long as you are outside of city limits, on private property with permission, or public land, and are not firing in the direction of other houses/have an adequate backstop, you're allowed to fire any caliber. The rules change a bit with huge calibers that can reach out and touch someone, same rules apply, but as a shooter I'd still be responsible if my .50 BMG (hypothetically <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />) went through the wall of my nieghbors house 2 miles away. I didn't think sound was a concern unless you're within a quarter mile of another home, during daylight hours.

If you're firing after people are asleep, you may seriously consider a supressor for an existing weapon in your collection, if your state will allow you to posess one. The prices are actually fairly reasonable nowadays, less than 1000$ for most that I've seen, plus the tax stamp. They've got cans for .22s that are as cheap as 180$ apiece that offer great performance. It's a lot of paperwork though, unfortunately.

A couple of things that I would do:

-research major paths of travel by looking for tracks, poop, etc.
-Pre-range potential shots from your stand. That would help you determine what would be a reasonable/safe shot based on distance, backstop and cartridge. It also saves time when when the action starts.
-Use bait (a bag of dogfood should work but, if you bait, sometimes it takes a few days for the coyotes to hit consistently) or a call/decoy set-up to direct traffic into your hunting area.
-a fox pro call is very effective. It's what I use in the field. Make sure that you pre-program a "hurt coyote" sound to switch to in case the 'yotes start to run. It usually gets them to stop long enough for a shot.
-If these coyotes are bold enough to go into peoples yards, they may respond calls that mimick domestic cats/kittens, domestic dog/puppies, chickens or other animals that might be found close to houses.

Take what Kmar said to heart, he's a BIG Coyote hunter, couldn't get someone better to advise you.

Mick, the 17 HMR is the ticket while calling them in. K's advice is spot on with the kitten call.

Thanks for all the good suggestions.

I do not have a rifle or shotgun yet and I don't think the Glock 19 is suitable. I have been sweating over buying either a shotgun or 17 HMR for some time. Lately I have been leaning toward the shotgun as maybe the better tool for home protection, but with 6-7 German Shepherds around the house I don't think anyone will be sneaking up on us.

For me the issue with a 17 HMR is, the need for accuracy suggests use of optics, then there is the question of a laser or night vision. It gets a little complicated and expensive.

I think I will talk to a responsible party at the PD before setting up to hunt those coyotes.

I've got a .17 HMR Savage with the Accutrigger. Never shot a coyote with it, but it's downright deadly on crows. They just disappear in a puff of black feathers! I can put 5 shots inside a dime size circle at 50 yards, so it's definately accurate enough. I'd imagine a head shot would be prefered, not sure how the ballistic tips would hold up on a broadside shot.

I am in Grant County. Been coyote hunting many times in my life. Has been a long long while though.

My Uncle and Cousin are always looking for Coyote pelts for their coats.

Coyote is one of the few furs that won't ice up from your breath in extreme cold weather.

I have had many friends loose dogs to packs of coyote's. And not just little dogs either.

German Shepard's and hound dogs will loose to a pack of coyote's when they the pack numbers get bigger.

Quite a while ago, I had a farmer call us out to his farm. We normally do population control on his rock chucks.

He lost two dogs in a week to coyote's. Then he heard a ruckus in the back yard at dusk. A pack of coyote's had actually "treed" his little grand kids and were in a mass under the swing set slide barking and nipping at the crying grand kids. He grabbed his gun, and took a few shots to chase them off. Scared the crap out of him, because his grand kids were little enough to be killed by the coyotes.

Time to deal with those 'yotes Fatty, I would have made [censored] sure they didn't come back.

BFT,

Wow, that's scary. I'm with ECF. I'd take care of those 'yotes ASAP.

The dog that our neighbors lost was half GSD and half Beauceron (large french working dog). A tough dog that other dogs and people generally left alone. He had been chasing coyotes on early morning walks with his owner. The night he died he got through an 8 gauge chain link fence gate, around 50 lbs, wired closed. Then he got over two 5' fences. He was apparently after the pack that roams the valley at night. I found the body a few days later. There was damage to head and hind quarters. He had retreated into a hard to reach area, where he could protect his rear, but apparently died of his wounds there.

Another neighbor was walking with his, very large, GSD in the woods in the same area in the late PM. A pack of Coyotes went after the dog. Classic case of one or two animals trying to keep the dog occupied while the others did their best to "hamstring" the dog from the rear. The dog survived the wounds to his hind quarters, with the help of his human master.

SO FAR around here it isn't that bad, yet. But I hear them every night when I take out dog out before I come to work. They are getting closer to town all the time. I have had a couple regular dogs come into our yard possibly after Penny but when I get up and get aggressive toward them they leave. I don't go out with her, EVER, without a knife and have actually stood between her and another dog twice, they backed down.

Luckily, most canids, unless they're very sick or very very hungry, think twice when confronted with a fully grown human male. I'm sure the prospect of going one on one with you changed thier minds Randy. It stinks that we can't be there every moment of every day to step in though.