Lesson learned

[CritterCatcher]

Folks, we have got to be careful out there. A good day on the line can turn really nasty, really quick. I have started selling my canines to a local fox pen cuz it pays a bunch more and I don't have to skin them stinkin' coyotes. Well, this morning I had a feisty little gray that I took to the pen and got paid. So far, so good. I went to the next line and released a wild dog without incident. Nothing else on that line. So, on to the next. Bingo, yodel dog in set 26. After a five-minute tussle, I got her in the cage. All the way to the pen, she fought that cage tooth and nail to get out. We get to the pen, I open the door... nothing. She wouldn't move. So, without thinking I picked up a t-stake bare-handed and prodded her. She wheeled around and somehow got her teeth through the cage, and nipped me on the thumb. It was enough to break the skin, and as I went to grab some alcohol to put on it, she bolted, so I couldn't shoot her and have her tested. and I have not had the pre-exposure rabies vax, so now I have to go thru the whole series. What tees me off is I have been careful to wear welding gloves for protection and just mindlessly prodded her without the gloves. We can't get careless because yotes don't discriminate. Another lesson I learned is if I am going to be handling live critters, I need the vax. Rabies is one virus that does not give second chances if you don't get treated right away. Once the first symptom shows up, you're a dead man walking. Thankfully, however, the vaccine is 100% effective, even if given after exposure. Bottom line, don't play, the critters don't.

 

[Railroader]

Dang it, man...

Sure hope it all goes well for you.

Lesson learned for sure, and thanks for sharing your tale!

 

[sleepr71]

Wow,that stinks,but you absolutely are doing the right thing to go ahead & get treated. Hindsight is always 20/20 they say!

 

[gawildlife]

Years ago had a buddy that grabbed up a coon the way we all did. Wave the left hand watch the birdie then quickly grab the scruff of the neck.
Well this time my buddy grabbed to far back and the coon turned and tagged him. Didn't think nothing of it as it had happened before. Took it home and tossed it in the cage for training the dogs. Well it was dead in the cage a day or so later.
Yup he had to get the shots.

I took it as a sign to quit that nonsense and no more bare handing critters.

 

[sleepr71]

I’m a total rookie at trapping,so I have sworn (for now) to wear Leather gloves,thick pants,Leather Boots,and a thick Jacket whenever handling any live creature. I released a Red Fox this morning & he was pretty feisty. He gnawed on the choke stick & cable a good bit?. I’m sure a full grown Bobcat,or Coyote would be a real handful…

 

[sportsman94]

Hate to hear that, but glad to hear you’re getting started on the treatment. I had a close call several years ago trying to unload a coyote from the pen in the truck to take it to the pen in the yard. That coyote buried its head so far in the corner of that cage that I couldn’t get the catch pole on it. Finally, after several minutes of poking, prodding, and pushing I was getting aggravated. I reached in and grabbed that coyote by the tail to pull its head away from the corner. Like a bolt of lightning she turned and snapped. I could feel the air from her jaws as I snatched my hand back. In retrospect, I probably would have done the same thing. It’s definitely one of those things that can happen in an instant. Glad it wasn’t worse for you

 

[antharper]

Great reminder ! It’s a miracle I haven’t been bitten releasing or catching something . Especially raccoons , they are the worst to me

 

[2dye4]

Cc,
Hope everything goes well and you recover. That’s why I don’t handle them alive.
What really disappoints me, is the fact that you released a wild hog. That’s a nono around here.

 

[gawildlife]

Hate to hear that, but glad to hear you’re getting started on the treatment. I had a close call several years ago trying to unload a coyote from the pen in the truck to take it to the pen in the yard. That coyote buried its head so far in the corner of that cage that I couldn’t get the catch pole on it. Finally, after several minutes of poking, prodding, and pushing I was getting aggravated. I reached in and grabbed that coyote by the tail to pull its head away from the corner. Like a bolt of lightning she turned and snapped. I could feel the air from her jaws as I snatched my hand back. In retrospect, I probably would have done the same thing. It’s definitely one of those things that can happen in an instant. Glad it wasn’t worse for you

It amazes me still just how quick those nasty buggers are.
I've long thought some sort of tongs might be of some use on those "shy" ones but every one I've handled is either heavy and bulky or to lightweight (cat tongs) to handle coyotes.

 

[antharper]

Cc,
Hope everything goes well and you recover. That’s why I don’t handle them alive.
What really disappoints me, is the fact that you released a wild hog. That’s a nono around here.

Wild dog ?

 

[Throwback]

Have a cyber buddy on another board that had his finger tip bit off by a coyote

 

[Big7]

A lot for me to unpack.

Are you selling live fox?

 

[2dye4]

My bad, I misread it. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[canine933]

Cc, you must have posted this in Georgia Trappers today.

 

[CritterCatcher]

Cc, you must have posted this in Georgia Trappers today.

A shortened version, yes. There are people here that don't FB, and I wanted to put out a reminder to as many as possible to be careful.

 

[CritterCatcher]

A lot for me to unpack.

Are you selling live fox?

Yes sir, grays, reds, and coyotes.

 

[CritterCatcher]

Have a cyber buddy on another board that had his finger tip bit off by a coyote

Ouch! I can see it happening after this incident. They are a fascinating animal indeed. They have very different dispositions. Case in point. I had another one today, and it was very docile. That one yesterday wanted to rip my head off and spit down my neck.

 

[sportsman94]

Ouch! I can see it happening after this incident. They are a fascinating animal indeed. They have very different dispositions. Case in point. I had another one today, and it was very docile. That one yesterday wanted to rip my head off and spit down my neck.

Wonder if it was the alpha female that you caught. 98% of the coyotes I have caught and/or cages have been docile at the very least when you get a catch pole on them or are in the cage. I have a couple very notable ones that fought me like you’re saying. Every step of the way. I’m talking small numbers, but enough to make me wonder if it could be a hierarchy thing

 

[Doug B.]

Ouch! I can see it happening after this incident. They are a fascinating animal indeed. They have very different dispositions. Case in point. I had another one today, and it was very docile. That one yesterday wanted to rip my head off and spit down my neck.

We have discussed this on here before but I'll mention again one I had a couple of years ago that lunged at me when I got close. Luckily I wasn't inside the catch circle but those teeth were still fairly close when they snapped together! Most of them just lay down when you get up close. STAY OUT OF THE CATCH CIRCLE!!!!!

Sorry to hear you got bit Cc. I've only seen a couple in a cage. They wouldn't even hardly move if you got close to them. The bad thing is now you have to take the treatment. The good thing is that you can take the treatment!

 

[Throwback]

Ouch! I can see it happening after this incident. They are a fascinating animal indeed. They have very different dispositions. Case in point. I had another one today, and it was very docile. That one yesterday wanted to rip my head off and spit down my neck.

The first coyote I caught was a big male that met me on my side of the catch circle. Like Richard Pryor said “some folks ain’t scared”