"predator management"

wolfey

New member
New here, but not new to the site. I have poured over a mind numbing amount of material on this forum for quite some time, and finally decided to take the plunge.

I have done a little calling, many years ago, with minimal success. I trapped for quite a few years before becoming completely addicted to bow hunting, which took the place of trapping., since they're both primarily fall sports. I've hunted whitetails for many many years, and due to what I believe is the over commercialization of my beloved sport, it has truly lost that special something that it once had. I would like to try my hand at calling again which is why I find myself tapping this great resource once again. OK, so I'm rambling...onto the point.

I have a good understanding on what it takes to successfully manage whitetail deer. I read an awful lot on here about guys showing an insane amount of critters harvested in one day/evening. Please understand I am not trying to rain on anyone's parade here but, when predator hunting, is there anything such thing as "one too many?" The fellow that taught me how to trap held a great deal of wisdom, both practically speaking and eternally speaking. When he talked; you listened. I remember him telling me one day when we were making a dirt hole set, that you never over trap the area. That you leave enough to keep the smaller critters in check, and you leave enough for the next guy/yourself later on down the road. This certainly applies to managing many other species, so I was curious to see what everyone's take was on this, and also if there is any logical management practice that applies.
 
No worries about me calling/ killing too many for sure-lol! From what I have read coyotes are fairly prolific and move around a bit to fill vacuums in suitable range. With more hunters every week the coyotes are getting smarter about calls and decoys imo. I count on the young ones not being as smart-at least I hope that is true.
 
coyotes sure do polute TN but i have seen some bit to many yotes in the back of mens trucks i saw ten yotes in one truck once. i kill as much yotes as i can but usly just bag one or two (i don't do trapping no offense to trappers).
 
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Our son wrote a paper in college about predators and the effects of hunting them. His conclusion was if you hunt coyotes heavy in a given area, it stresses the population and the coyotes will breed more, having larger litters. If you want to decrease the coyote population, you kill off their food source, ie. rabbits and small game, and the coyotes will have smaller litters, and less frequent to coincide with the diminished food source.
So, I think that it would be hard to over-hunt a coyote. I hunted in South Dakota for a week and did not hear a single coyote at night. I also did not see a single rabbit. A prairie dog village I came upon was sparsely populated as well. No food? Coyotes disappear.
 
yea thats a good point I hunt coyotes because were over run with them and have NO rabbits and its been that way for awhile because they just go to the suburbs and cites and come back to there terroity in the country thats why I hunt them that way the rabbits are getting a little more of a chance.
 
I've found that where there is no prey, there are no predators.
And that predators constantly move with or towards the food supply. We call that "supply and demand".
 
I find this question bothersome to me. If hunting is counter productive to population control than I have no reason to hunt Yotes. I have found to much conflicting information to really draw any conclusions. Arizona obviously is overran with them, but will hunting them cause them to just have bigger lol litters faster?
 
We are talking about management, not eradication. Hunting is a tool in the management bag.

If the population of coyotes goes up due to some being killed, then I guess we will soon be popular with the antis who want more coyotes. We are doing our part by killing as many as we can.

The rate that the popularity of predator hunting is growing, it's a good thing we are the reason for more coyotes.
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Originally Posted By: RedfrogWe are talking about management, not eradication. Hunting is a tool in the management bag.

If the population of coyotes goes up due to some being killed, then I guess we will soon be popular with the antis who want more coyotes. We are doing our part by killing as many as we can.

The rate that the popularity of predator hunting is growing, it's a good thing we are the reason for more coyotes.
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I like the way you think
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If hunting Coyotes causes numbers to go up and we.still hunt them it is for sport. I'm not saying I am agreeing that hunting=population growth but I believe in respect of nature. I would never kill any animal for just the sake of hunting. I know my beliefs are different than most but I will stand by them.
 
I support your right to your opinion. We all do not agree all the time.

I think we get a little full of ourselves sometimes and think that we are above the natural order of things. We are after all the apex predator, and part of the food chain.

Nothing is 'wasted' in nature. A coyote will kill a sheep, rabbit, antelope fawn or a house cat to feed himself. If a hunter kills that coyote it means that the sheep, rabbit, antelope etc. will see another day and many, many creatures will feed on the dead coyote, including other coyotes.

It's a circle. We choose to be inside it or outside it.

If you need some recipes for cooking coyote, let me know.
 
Originally Posted By: DomesticCatAvengerI see what you are saying by hunting Coyotes you save other animals. My question is do you believe coyote hunting causes a increase in population.

Nope. I have been hunting coyotes for many years in this area. The numbers don't change much from year to year. I guide for coyotes and each year my clients kill about 100 coyotes, give or take a few.
I've never seen a 'study' over a long enough period to say this is accurate. Numbers may be a little higher or a little lower from one year to the next, but think about it. How many coyotes would there be around here if killing a hundred every year over 25 years caused the numbers to grow significantly.

This would be coyote central with one behind every bush.
 
Originally Posted By: DomesticCatAvengerI find this question bothersome to me. If hunting is counter productive to population control than I have no reason to hunt Yotes. I have found to much conflicting information to really draw any conclusions. Arizona obviously is overran with them, but will hunting them cause them to just have bigger lol litters faster?

I Doubt that you are a hunter at all. You get an account just as the AZ hunt begins? If you are indeed a "DomesticCatAvenger" then you already know the damage that Coyotes do to pets and domestic animals. You would also know that trying to stop the hunting of Coyotes, your "Cats" will disappear sooner. We see Coyotes trotting between the homes here in NV. as they are headed for the foothills with their cat,chicken, and other small prey in their jaws. If you were indeed a defender, you would also fight organizations like "Project Coyote anti's" I believe that you are a Troll looking for ammo to use against people that really know what these Coyotes can do. I await your response. I doubt however that we will see one.
 
Good thing I didn't ask you Sherlock. Some people think long and critically about taking an animals life. They think if they are really making a difference or causing a problem they are fighting. If you read that a university did a study that said hunting = more coyotes faster, you need to take a look into the mirror and ask why you hunt predators. I hope I don't have to explain that if hunting = more Coyotes and you are hunting because you want to do population control that it's counter productive. Thats why I am so curious as to if there was any validity to that study. Also my name is Adam you can see that I was the most vocal defender of your convention on Facebook I am truly disappointed that you would assume I am a troll because I had a moral question about killing a living animal. Here is your response you doubted you would see.
 
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Originally Posted By: DomesticCatAvengerI find this question bothersome to me. If hunting is counter productive to population control than I have no reason to hunt Yotes. I have found to much conflicting information to really draw any conclusions. Arizona obviously is overran with them, but will hunting them cause them to just have bigger lol litters faster?
When wildlife populations are below the carrying capacity of the land, reproductive rates increase. This is true for predators as well as for prey. Wildlife are healthier when there is less competition for food, water, shelter, and space. Healthier animals have higher reproductive rates. The anti's are trying to spin this concept to only apply to coyotes.

The goal of wildlife managers is to keep wildlife populations at or slightly below carrying capacity. This protects wildlife habitat and maintains healthier wildlife for both predators and prey.

 
Well then Adam... Have you any scientific proof that killing Coyotes actually brings more? If you or anyone else does not have it, let alone any basis to back it up. Then why not bring it here? I Live in NV. I had to literally build a Coyote proof encampment for Our Cats. My Wife calls it a "Catio" So I know what I am speaking about. If you need pics to back up My story feel free to ask. Coyotes run free here. And I do what I can to make sure that the "non preadator" type can do so as well..

So what have you done?
I have built a cat enclosure. One that makes my cats safe against predators.. Much like a bird cage that is 30 foot long 6 feet high and completely enclosed. That is what I have to do to keep my Cats safe. And I will kill a coyote that ventures into My yard at any time. I hate seeing an animal ripped to shreds. YMMMV
 
No I don't have any proof you goof that's why I came in here to ask. If you have nothing to add why even post? I was referencing a study done.
 
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