Originally Posted by elchivito (Post 2748297)

I agree completely. That's why I have good fences and dogs that are worth more than most of my vehicles. I rarely lose stock to predators. I don't dispute their place in the environment, nor their natural behavior. It's important too that they not dispute my place in this environment. I'm quite pleased we have a lion in our vicinity for example. I have seen her with a cub for the last two winters. I've found her tracks right up against the outside fence to my lambing pen, but she has decided my stock isn't worth the trouble. She's quite happy living off the deer down along the creek and doesn't bother my cows when they're down there. The idiot woman across the creek who feeds the raccoons and skunks will meet her someday, and I won't be sympathetic when she eats one of her annoying little dogs. I have no desire to hunt her or see her gone, as long as we maintain our agreement to not bother each other.
I've provided all the warnings and protections necessary to protect my stock. I understand that sometimes you lose stock to predators, that's part of overhead. Having said that, a coyote desperate, old, sick, unskilled or just plain dumb enough to come within my fences is going to end up either feeding my dogs or nailed to the side of my barn, drying.