Around here those things ought to be put on the endangered species list. Haven't shot one in years. Only one I ever see lives about 125 yds. behind me. Thinking it may indeed be due to the increase in the fox & coyote populations. See a lot more of those now than in years past. Especially foxes; which show up on my trail cams all the time. 20 something years ago a friend would ask me to help cull 'chucks out of his small meadow that he kept mowed. Another farmer used to tell me to "shoot the bast@%ds". Did 'chuck control with everything from 22LR to various centerfire varmint rifles. Damn; I miss those days.
