I have read a lot of Wolf and coyote literature in the last few years by some of the top Wolf and Coyote men in the country that mention revenge killing. Meaning, you take out a particular animal and a survivor from the group goes on a livestock killing spree. A couple questions ? Has anyone on here ever witnessed this ? If this actually happens, is this not proof that these animals do have the ability to think ? I live in Michigan and it's very rare for coyotes at least in my area to harm livestock. I just think there is so much food they don't have to ? I'm pretty sure I have had a few beavers do revenge cuts. Take out a couple from the colony and boom, the most important tree on the property goes down. I'm kidding !! I have always been intrigued by this topic and was just curious what others thought ?

I know nothing about coyotes. But I find it hard to believe that any canine has the ability to associate a trapper....for example......with the owner of livestock.......who may or may not be the same person.


A canine may kill a domestic critter, but to ascribe the motivation to a human emotion is the height of anthropomorphism IMO

And how do they know they caught the live stick killer to start with? Could have caught the mostly peaceful feeding wolf and not the hateful live stock killer to begin with.

I have the experience several times when multiple coyotes come into a stand and one gets shot and having the other (s) jump on it and give it mauling. Not sure what that is about but it definitely happens.

Oh absolutely. I've seen that with wolves and sled dogs. Any indication of weakness or disability seems to trigger that response. Even if a dog stumbles his partner might jump him if the spirit moves him. I think it's just instinct.

… my right hand man here at the pipeyard acts just like that

Lol

Ask someone from hard sheep country that question. It's YES. You kill a old females whole family group. BUT. She doesn't leave. Why? She has no pups to care for? Why does she still kill alot and move on? Kill LOTS of sheep and leave??She ain't teaching her pups

My guess is the habitat still meets all her needs. Why would she leave?

Not buying it.

Are u saying she goes on a killing spree and kills more sheep than she would previously? If so maybe stress induced reaction....????

Seems illogical she would be doing it out of the conscious idea of revenge

You don't have to buy anything. But some of the best Trappers on here That work 365 in sheep country my feel different than you do. Animals can take revenge against humans Coyote is 1 of the smartest animals on the planet

You never met my ex wife. She was a really conniving

Osky

I find this behavior to be very likely though not driven by revenge. I find it more likely it is due to the other partner being the prominate provider or at least losing their hunting partner makes them seek easier meals.

to me the only thing that makes sense and I have heard this from sheep folks as the only logical explanation.

there are coyotes around your farm they have never taken a lamb

you shoot or trap the coyotes and new coyotes not from your immediate area can tell the pack is not as strong and the newer more aggressive coyotes eat your lambs.

this is why as much as the sheep folks I have talked to say there are coyotes everywhere , I ask to shoot them or trap them and they have a gear come loose and other than this possibly logical explanation , start spouting utter nonsense

I literally had a sheep guy invite me to his property for long range shooting , then complain about how the deer are so thick I offered to come hunt his place and his head spun around , pea soups shot out and he started raging on how hunters will shoot your dogs and stock and #$%^&*()$%^&*()$%^&*()_

I kid you not , it was weird . ok not the head and the peas soup, but it was like suddenly he was possessed by some anti hunting daemon.

and I had just been invited to shoot 800 yards over the top of the sheep.

Don't know about revenge killing,but back in the 70,80 and some of the 90's there were a lot of turkey farms up here.Many many time wolves and coyotes would kill 100 to 150 in a night just for fun and hardly eat anything,red fox would also be hard on them ,but not the mass killing,out west I know the sheep guys have a lot of problems with red fox and the lambs.REVENGE KILLING?????KILLING FOR FUN,YES THEY DO......

We see that in wolves occasionally as well. The terms I have heard used were, "surplus" killing or "excess" killing.
With wolves it almost always happens (when it does happen) in the early spring when the snow is deep but crusted. If they find a few moose together they may kill them all. Most I have seen is five dead moose within a very short space ........maybe less than a hundred yards.

It is fairly uncommon but when the conditions are right it can happen. Sort of like the sled dog that stumbles and triggers his partners instinct to attack what is weak.

I don't think they are doing it for fun. I think it is something they have no control over at the time it is happening. I don't think they could stop if they wanted to.

OK. Learned and taught behavior? A dog can be trained to sniff out drugs. And dogs can be trained to do LOTS of amazing things. A coyote know that when it goes under a fence to kill a sheep-- that it is wrong! Wayne Derrick said this and I believe it! My dog got made the other day when I was on phone with daughter Dog out of jealousy pee's on my bed ! S0 you can't believe in simple revenge from coyote????

Spot on.