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Old 11-21-2014, 07:57 AM
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deers2ward
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Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 22
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Originally Posted by X_Rayted35
what exactly are the Coyotes I see and hear eating? I remember my trapper not getting a single one earlier this year on my land but caught 7 or 8 across the road. So are they just passing through and dont actually stay on my land?
I do kill coyotes anytime I have the opportunity, but I do believe depending on where you are, they are not to blame for reductions in deer sightings as much as people would believe them to be. They are opportunistic predators, and will certainly kill a whitetail if given the opportunity, but primarily feed on smaller animals like field mice, chipmunks, rabbits, squirrels, etc.

Whenever I am bushhogging or planting foodplots, I intentionally leave a significant part of my fields to grow up unchecked in order to promote habitat for small mammals with the intent of providing an alternate food source for coyotes and other predators. We also have bobcats, foxes, feral dogs, hawks, lots of owls. Also provides habitat for rabbits and the occasional covey of quail.

One could say I am attracting coyotes and other predators, but we have always had them, even when we used to completely cut our fields for hay twice a year, so I like to think that I am taking pressure off the deer, even if just a little.

Depending on what your property consists of, they may very well just pass through to hunt or seek out other coyotes. Like beavers, you can kill and trap all the coyotes around and it is only a matter of time before more move in and lay claim to the area.
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