Originally Posted By: K-22hornet."In the former article, author Dana Kobilinski cited this study done by North Carolina State professor Roland Kays.
“There have been studies that show coyotes can have an impact, but in terms of having an impact on a large scale across the entire continent, we didn’t find any evidence,” he said."
Interesting. Perhaps the good professor never heard of the Kaibab Plateau in Arizona. Way back in about 1915, or so, there were an estimated 4-5,000 deer on the Kaibab. The Gov't decided to kill all the predators on it, coyotes, bears, eagles, bobcats, etc., every predator.
The result? By about 1922-24, the deer herd was estimated to be at 100,000+. Tell me again that predators don't impact deer herds?
On this very site, maybe 10+ years ago, we had a guy from Texas that had a game-cam out when a pair of coyotes decided to make a den within camera range. He said he counted 18 different fawns that Mom & Dad brought back to the den in a short period of time.
Here in Colorado, when I moved here in 1979, there were about 650,000+ deer. Now, there are about 350,000+/-.
Talk to a Colorado Biologist, and they will say "habitat decline, humans moving into wintering grounds, climate change, yada, yada, yada". They generally will not address predators as a cause.
Currently, using Lions as the example, the accepted kill by a Lion is one-deer-per-week-per-Lion.
Colorado has between 3,000 and 5,000 Lions. Doing the math, even Common Core math, and we see that Lions can be killing up to about 260,000 deer per year on the high side, and 156,000 deer on the low side. Add in predation by bears, (also higher population numbers lately), coyotes, eagles, and all the other factors, and one can see why our deer are in rough shape.
Studies done between Ducks Unlimited, which is mainly increasing habitat, and Delta Waterfowl, trapping predators, and the studies show that the Delta Waterfowl areas has higher nesting success by ducks.
Predators can, indeed, have a large impact, even if today's 'touchy-feely' biology professors don't teach that.
Yep, I have been hunting in Colorado for 40 years and can attest to the significant decline in deer populations.
Side note: I had a game warden knock on my door one morning. He asked if he and his fellow DOW types could go on my property to tranquilize and collar a cow elk. .... Sure, go ahead. There were 5-6 of the DOW types standing around while the one with the tranquilizer gun snuck up on the herd. While we were watching, the subject of mountain lions came up and I told about a lion being seen recently three times within 150 yards of the house. This ranger says “Oh yea, you have two permanent lion residents here. He pointed out a saddle a mile or so to the south and then to a small ridge about two miles to the NE.....,He says “While they do roam a bit, they are pretty much always around those to spots.” He goes on to say that if one dies another one will take its place.” Primo territory I guess.
Had a rabid lion go near a school near town.... Attacked a sheriff deputy before it was shot.
Too many lions.... for sure