Question for you Mike, distemper and fleas,

Tactical .20

New member
I noticed this year I am getting almost all adult fox, coyote,coon , badger, maybe 1 out of 8-10 coyotes were young ones. I figured since someone mentioned they saw dead coon laying around and I was only getting adult animals, then distemper must have hit.
Also, I noticed that only 6-8 of all of those animals had fleas on them. I know our predators have fewer than the western ones, but this is unusual. I think I got my 17th coyote before I saw a tick scar on the hide of a coyote. Then I trapped more east of me and started seeing more tick scars.
Is there any conection to the distemper and fleas and or ticks? Do fleas carry it? Have 35 coyotes so far,Thanks!
 
Tact,

I'm not aware of fleas being the vector for distemper.

A healthy animal may contract canine distemper from direct contact with an infected animal or its bodily secretions and waste. Under most environmental conditions the virus does not survive long outside the body; therefore, transmission requires close interaction between animals to enable direct contact or aerosol exposure.

Sounds like distemper has hit your area. Don't expect coyote/fox/racoon numbers to be that great next year.
 
Well, where I was trapping the numbers will be way down!lol I took 13 in a 1x3 mile area, and one-two mile west of there a farmer saw six going across a snow covered field. It must be a boundry of two or three groups. I only trapped half days and on a total of seven small farms. Took 35 so far. Time to get the rifle ready, we have a lot of snow now.
 
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