Coyotes and Deer

[DieselnHooters]

If a thread lasts long enough, no matter the topic, it always morphs into a liberal vs conservative argument. Americans are weird that way.

Although this one was mostly civil I still sense you guys would rather shoot each other than go after coyotes or deers.

 

[N80]

The pen (printed word) is mightier than the sword (.270).

 

[Biggreenavalanche]

The pen (printed word) is mightier than the sword (.270).

This would depend on who is wielding either instrument ! :laughing:

Rich

 

[N80]

This would depend on who is wielding either instrument ! :laughing:

Rich

That's true and as long as the liberals are more than 200 yards away then they are safe with me since I'm better with the pen than the .270. :laughing:

 

[charlz]

I have never hunted coyotes, mainly because back home in Montana they were shot on sight by farmers, ranchers etc. so they were few and far in between. An Aunt and Uncle own a 16,000 acre cattle ranch and they have pretty much shot all predators on sight for decades. Coyotes because they go after new born calves, foxes and weasels go after the chickens etc etc. During the same period they have been massively over run by gophers. The gophers themselves are a problem because of all the holes they leave where a spooked cow or horse could break a leg etc. I was out visiting one time and we went gopher hunting. The first day we drove one direction on the ranch and shot 500 gophers between the two of us. The next day we drove the other way and shot 300. This is never getting out of the truck mind you. Didn't even make a dent. Obviously they have gone too far in 'predator control' and caused other problems.

Now here in Idaho where I have hunted the last 2 years there are an unbelievable number of coyotes. This is desert type terrain so you can see a lot more of what is going on in the area versus the forest areas I grew up hunting. Just from listening to them yap and pack up in the evening you can tell there are a lot of coyotes. What surprised me is how close in proximity they are to the deer. Hunter Orange is optional here so we were hunting wearing camo. Many times we would be sitting still somewhere and a coyote would saunter by at 30 yards or so. Every doe and fawns (seemed most had twins) that we saw there was a coyote or two within yards of them. That is the first time I have seen that kind of coyote pressure on deer. On the other hand most still had their twins so I am not sure how many fawns actually get taken by the coyotes. At hunting season time the fawns are about half-grown so pretty good size compared to the coyotes which seem to run a little small here compared to back home. But it appeared that the coyotes were always just hanging around them maybe hoping to get a fawn off by itself.

That really got me wondering about the interaction between coyotes and deer. I have always assumed that deer, with the exception of new fawns, were too big of an animal for coyotes to bother with.

 

[Ken45101]

FWIW, we have seen a doe chasing our dog (45#) down the trail after he apparently discovered a young fawn. He was coming running down the trail like the devil himself was on his tail!

Last winter, that dog and another of ours killed a coyote in mid afternoon about 500' from the house.

 

[dmccarty]

...
That really got me wondering about the interaction between coyotes and deer. I have always assumed that deer, with the exception of new fawns, were too big of an animal for coyotes to bother with.

Yeah, after reading this thread, the one thing I do know is that we don't know if coyotes can routinely take down healthy adult deer. :laughing::laughing::laughing: I think the coyotes can take down a sick adult or adults that are confined by snow, terrain, or obstacles but I am not convinced they can routinely take down a healthy adult with room to run. I know we have coyotes but the deer herd is not decreasing, though I wish it would, if anything the number of deer are growing. With hunting season in full swing, the deer are mostly seen after sunset but the does I have seen have had fawns with them.

We have seen darn few rabbits at our place over the years. However, in 2010 and 2011, we had a fair number of rabbits. I have seen none this year. The county used to be known for rabbits but I don't see them much if at all. We had a fox family living on our land. I think I heard them one night but it might have been the coyotes as well. I used to see the foxes but I have not seen them in years. I suspect the coyotes got the rabbits and foxes.

I find it interesting that people say you cannot kill enough coyotes to lesson their numbers. We used to have wolves in the eastern US but we do not anymore with a few exceptions. The exceptions are from government programs to reintroduce the wolves. Humans wiped out the wolves in the eastern US and certainly coyotes could be taken out if so desired.

The coyotes don't bother me per say unless they have lost their fear of people. The first coyote we saw, saw us, ran into the woods, stopped and look at us. It did not appear too fearful which I did not like. Our kids are getting bigger so the threat decreases and we protect the chickens pretty well though our dogs wonders a bit further from the house than we like but she does seem to know when danger is about. Thankfully, NC just allowed night hunting of coyotes so if the critters become a problem we have another option.

Later,
Dan

 

[Ken45101]

I find it interesting that people say you cannot kill enough coyotes to lesson their numbers. We used to have wolves in the eastern US but we do not anymore with a few exceptions. Humans wiped out the wolves in the eastern US and certainly coyotes could be taken out if so desired.

As I understand it, coyotes are a lot more adaptable to human presence than wolves. Coyotes adapt to urban/suburban areas, wolves did not.

Although probably more of a joke than anything, I've heard it said that the two most resilient species on earth are the coyote and the cockroach.

 

[N80]

I've heard it said that the two most resilient species on earth are the coyote and the cockroach.

And us.:indifferent:

 

[Ken45101]

And us.:indifferent:

No, what I've heard is that coyotes and cockroaches will be around long after mankind is gone.

But why the sad face in reference to "us" surviving? Are you one of those environmentalists who will only be happy when mankind has been removed?

Ken