• About
  • Mortgage Basics
  • $40K Challenge
  • Aunt Doris
  • Grandfather Says
  • Privacy
  • Archives

Len Penzo dot Com

The offbeat personal finance blog for responsible people.

Grandfather Says: Coyote Countermeasures

By RD Blakeslee

Original oil painting by: Grandfather’s wife

Coyote predation, once a problem limited to the American West, has spread to pet and livestock owners in the Eastern US.

So Grandfather built a blind overlooking one of his pastures, where he could sit and watch for coyotes and take appropriate countermeasures.

After the posts were set in the ground, cross-braced, and the floor was fastened atop them, the superstructure was jacked up to the floor with steps on stepladders alternately supporting one side and serving as fulcrums for a lifting lever on the other. That way, Grandfather didn’t have to build the superstructure while standing on something far off the ground.

Finished! To stay warm in the winter, there’s pink insulation board and a pair of electric space heaters supplied by a 10-gauge extension cord:

Inside.

***

About the Author: RD Blakeslee is an octogenarian from West Virginia who built his net worth by only investing in that which can be enjoyed during acquisition and throughout life, as opposed to papers in a drawer, like stocks and bonds. You can read more about him here.

Photos: Courtesy of the Blakeslee Family

7 Comments June 28, 2018

Comments

  1. 1

    Tnandy says

    Good setup, RD.

    Friend of mine and I were using our 22.250’s one day, trying some really hot, light bullet weight, hand loads.

    His kept missing the targets out beyond 400-500yds….turns out the bullets were actually vaporizing prior to getting there ! We would find holes in paper target that looked like shotgun bird shot had hit it, but not a solid round.

    What brand scope did you mount on yours ?

    Reply
  2. 2

    RD Blakeslee says

    Well, Andy I don’t have to worry about hitting anything at 400 yards – The longest view I have over my pasture is about 320, and the coyotes arrive from the woods considerably closer that that.

    The scope is an ATN.

    Reply
  3. 3

    RD Blakeslee says

    …and I don’t do much shooting, anymore. But Coyotes could be a real bad problem if they were sufficiently numerous and hungry in the spring, when the cattle and sheep are birthing their young.

    Fortunately, my second-nearest neighbor (about two miles away, the nearest is about a mile in the opposite direction) is retired military and an excellent hunter. He can tell me about how many wild turkeys are on my place, how many bear there are and where they are bedding down,, etc.

    He has taken over 200 coyotes over the past four years.

    Unlike other wild animals here, they are not territorial and range in packs – here today – gone tomorrow.

    Reply
  4. 4

    JB says

    We just got back from Montana and they are experiencing a similar problem with wolves. The horse paths we took on our ride through the national forest were littered with bones from wild animals.

    Reply
  5. 5

    Gee says

    In our area of upstate New York, for decades the problem had been coydogs. People dump a dog (or litter) of dogs they don’t want out on some country road, which then breed with the coyotes. We have some strange looking critters running around, but it’s not smart to get too close when you’re out in the woods – or in the backyard with the chickens.

    My brother and his hunting group have reduced the population.

    Reply
    • 6

      RD Blakeslee says

      Here we see the remains of deer all the time, JB.

      Reply
    • 7

      RD Blakeslee says

      Gee, My neighbor who has taken over 200 of these predators tells me many of them are coyote hybrids. They are getting larger and more aggressive here in the Eatern U.S:

      http://www.wyff4.com/article/regions-coyotes-getting-larger-more-wolf-like-scientists-say/13798002

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Polls

Will you close your savings accounts if the banks go to negative interest rates?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

Recent Posts

  • Should You Consider A Pre-Settlement Loan In a Personal Injury Case?
  • What Barfing Out of a Bus Window Teaches Us About Managing Money
  • 7 High-Paying Tech Jobs That Desperately Need Women
  • 9 Important Strategies to Help You Manage Financial Risks
  • Black Coffee: Parasites and Leeches
  • Responsible Casino and Gambling Tips: How to Stay Within Your Budget
  • Starting a Side Hustle? Ask Yourself These Questions
  • Grandfather Says: A Chicken Run for the Henhouse
  • 6 Basic Steps to Help You Achieve Financial Freedom
  • 5 Ways Smoking Negatively Affects Your Personal Finances

Disclaimer

This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and the content herein should not be mistaken for professional financial advice. In fact, making investment decisions based on information published here, or any other website for that matter, is more than unwise; it is folly. This website accepts advertising in the form of monetary and other compensation; as such, topics of discussion are occasionally influenced by these advertisers. Sometimes, an article may also include affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, this blog earns a commission if you click through and make a purchase (for example, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases). Remember, you and you alone are responsible for the decisions you make in life, so please contact an independent financial professional for advice regarding your unique personal situation.

Sign up for the weekly Len Penzo dot Com newsletter
Len Penzo dot Com Delivered Weekly
Join more than 30,000 readers and fans who enjoy personal finance and macroeconomics with an offbeat twist!
Invalid email address
Thanks for subscribing!

Popular Now:

  1. 1. 25 Examples of Shrinkflation That No Longer Fool Consumers
  2. 2. The 10 Worst Things I Ever Bought
  3. 3. 7 Perplexing Money Questions Without a Good Answer
  4. 4. My Cola Taste Test: Is Coke Really Better Than Pepsi?
  5. 5. The Real Secret to Becoming Rich as a King
  6. 6. Planning a Wedding? Here Are 9 Ways to Ensure You’ll Pay Too Much
  7. 7. The Big Secret the Banking Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know
  8. 8. 5 Things Nobody Tells You About Being Poor — for Good Reason
  9. 9. A Simple Test to Know If It’s Better to Rent or Buy a Home
  10. 10. 4 Good Reasons Why Some Quarters Are Painted Red

All-Time Most Popular:

  1. 1. 19 Things Your Suburban Millionaire Neighbor Won’t Tell You
  2. 2. Dear Friend: Here Are 41 Reasons Why I’m NOT Lending You the Money
  3. 3. Why Your Expensive Luxury Car Doesn’t Impress Smart People
  4. 4. If You Can’t Live on $40,000 Annually It’s Your Own Fault
  5. 5. 21 Reasons Why Corner Lots Are for Suckers
  6. 6. 4 Smart Reasons Why College Isn’t for Everyone
  7. 7. 18 Fast Facts About Social Security Numbers
  8. 8. My Ketchup Taste Test: Upset! Guess Which Brand Topped Heinz
  9. 9. Why I Prefer a Spreadsheet to Track Expenses and Manage My Finances
  10. 10. Here’s a Simple Trick for Getting Credit Card Interest Charges Waived

Copyright © 2021 Len Penzo dot Com · All Rights Reserved · Designed by Nuts and Bolts Media

© Len Penzo dot Com 2008–2021