Coyotes coming close to house

[ericm979]

I have read several predation studies and the overall scientific take away is they just aren't sure, less coyotes, more fawns survive and than starve due to overfeeding. Historically anytime man has tried to manage nature it has turned into a gaggle.

Personally I have not seen the deer herds significantly impacted either way by the local coyote population.

Coyotes aren't going to take a lot of deer. They can take fawns but adult or even half grown deer are too big. I've seen does chasing coyotes.

Predator/prey population dynamics are well understood. We've seen crashes in prey populations due to killing predators over and over (because humans are dumb and keep trying the same thing). Yellowstone in the early 1900s is a classic example. They killed off the wolves and the elk populations exploded and then crashed as many starved. Same on the Kaibab plateau and many others.

I like seeing animals of all kinds. I don't kill them, not even rattlesnakes. But we no longer have outdoor pets. We had one outdoor cat who grew up in the area and was very tough. The only cat I've seen with bulging muscles. Even she got grabbed by something though she managed to make it home and survive. We retired her to indoor duty and she lived to 17.

If I moved to where we are now (which has a lot of predators) with a small dog I'd either keep it in or build a predator proof run. It'd likely get eaten otherwise. Shooting the coyotes won't help much as it's the coyote that you don't see that will take it.

 

[atsah]

They don't get along with our out of control (and growing) wolf population so they do have a predator of sorts. Not to suggest anybody import wolves though.

The Wolfe population is very isolated in this country and basically has no effect on the population of coyotes generally speaking.

Importing wolves has proven to be a very foolish idea in the couple of states that did so..

 

[dmccarty]

We used to see seven or so does in the deer herd. Then the coyotes showed up and I have not seen more than four deer in the herd in many years.

The coyotes have been howling within feet of our house many times. When we had chickens, we eventually moved the chicken tank into the fenced in garden to protect the hens. The coyotes tore up the mesh fencing to get to the hens but they could not get through the chicken tractor. When we had snow, you could see the fox and coyote tracks. The hens were protected at night, but during the day they would sometimes fly out from the fenced in area and that is when they would get taken.

The coyotes ate a fawn back by the barn and there is a leg bone from a fawn right off our front porch. I think the coyotes sat there overlooking things, with its back to the house, and chewed on the bone.

Only seen the coyotes once. Heard them many times.

Later,
Dan

 

[2LaneCruzer]

What happens when the trail hounds finally catch up with the greyhounds, after the fun is over? (Reminds me of horse breeding where they take a regular stallion to warm up the mare, maybe get kicked, and then taken away so the pedigree stallion can finish up.)

I don't have the answer to that, but my guess is that nothing much happens; the trail hounds join in the fun. AFAIK, the Greyhounds and trail hounds are all good buddies.

 

[teejk]

The Wolfe population is very isolated in this country and basically has no effect on the population of coyotes generally speaking.

Importing wolves has proven to be a very foolish idea in the couple of states that did so..

They do not "co-exist" very well. The coyotes tend to move out to friendlier venues. As for the wolf population, we are at about 300% of goal (probably higher but depends on how you count them). Minnesota and UP Michigan are way over goal also. Control is tied up in courts with judges that don't have to deal with them.

 

[Jstpssng]

The Wolfe population is very isolated in this country and basically has no effect on the population of coyotes generally speaking.

Importing wolves has proven to be a very foolish idea in the couple of states that did so..

They are going to do it, though. It's just a matter of time. All that they need is to add another 35k acres to the federal land around Katahdin and then the wolves will be introduced.

 

[JerryK]

According to Dr. Russ Mason, Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division chief, the wolf population has less to do with deer numbers than coyotes. He has said that you need to kill 60% of the coyote population each year just to keep their numbers the same. Any less, and the population is always increasing. Not discounting wolves, but coyotes are usually a worse problem... [ Info from a WCMU ' Ask the Specialists ' DNR edition program ]

 

[teejk]

According to Dr. Russ Mason, Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division chief, the wolf population has less to do with deer numbers than coyotes. He has said that you need to kill 60% of the coyote population each year just to keep their numbers the same. Any less, and the population is always increasing. Not discounting wolves, but coyotes are usually a worse problem... [ Info from a WCMU ' Ask the Specialists ' DNR edition program ]

Coyotes, bears and bobcats are the chief culprits here, mostly involving young fawns. As the fawns get smart then the coyotes move to rabbits and other stuff. All part of nature I guess.

 

[DieselnHooters]

As to bobcats do they prey on cats and smaller dogs like coyotes do or do they stick to chickens, ducks and such. I reckon they are fierce but they are not really big, much smaller than coyotes...are they not?

 

[atsah]

They are going to do it, though. It's just a matter of time. All that they need is to add another 35k acres to the federal land around Katahdin and then the wolves will be introduced.

If they do, they will have made a very poor decision and I doubt it will happen. Were did you hear that? I am very involved with Maine wildlife and I never heard anything about bringing wolves into Maine. Other states have done so and they are paying the price now. Our moose and deer population has enough problems with insect infestation.

Anyone that thinks introducing wolves into "any" state is an idiot..

The morons in MA want to introduce timber rattles onto an island in the quabbin reservoir, guess they don't know they swim really well..