livbucks

Coyotes decimate the environment, They deplete the game animals, especially deer by predation on the fawn crop. With man their only threat, they will become a serious problem. They should be driven to near extinction levels as they were in the past. Even at very small numbers they still have the capability to rebound, as they have now, when ignored for a long enough period. I say, see coyote, shoot coyote!

c903

That statement may be the record falsehood of the month. I would suggest your read what important role 'yotes play in the ecosystem. Pay particular attention to rodent control and their contribution to restoration of plants and trees, and distrubtion to other areas of the same.

As for decimating deer, that is pure bull. However, if deer populations are too high in an area, even though 'yotes don't kill as many deer as some believe, any deer they can kill can help to keep the population from reaching a critical population at which time massive deaths can occur from starvation and diseases. You could go to bed with an ample deer population to hunt, and wake up to nothing to hunt, or limited number of licenses being issued.

I have also killed coyotes. It is not the action; it is the attitude. Attitude is what distinguishes a genuine hunter from someone with a weapon whom just wants to kill something.

livbucks

Ok C,
You seem to have come back and added a whole new thought to your previous post. Coyotes serve no purpose and here is why. For rodent control we have foxes, bobcats, hawks, eagles, snakes, fishers, weasels, raccoons,on and on.....When coyotes get established, they breed to vast numbers and slowly decimate everything until there is nothing left. They thrive at the expense of all else. One species relaces many. I have seen the wasteland that these critters leave in their wake, devoid of predator and prey. When everything is gone, they move on, only to repeat the process somewhere else. I don't want them extinct, just this side of it would be nice. Why, as a deer hunter, do you want a species that continually hunts, chases or otherwise harrasses even healthy deer, so that a few more mice will be eaten, mice that would be eaten anyway, by something that won't eat the fawns? When I look in the crystal ball, I see coyotes, and eventually wolves and cougars, replacing hunters..YUK!

Rob/PA Bowyer

Did anyone see the segment on the Drury's show that showed a mature buck being brought down and torn apart by 3 yotes...seems the first one pushed the buck into a ravine where the other two layed in wait and when the buck hit the gully all three were on the buck and tore the guts out of him..........my attitude still is, another animal to arrow and I will every chance I get.......a predator taking a fellow predator.....

skycade

Hey kybuck1, I'm getting ready to have some coyote stew and don't even have to step into the woods! I live in a suburb of Chicago and have a coyote problem in my sub-division. We started noticing alot of rabbit remains in our yards and wondered what was causing it. We recently bought a new lab pup, so we've been getting up in the middle of the night to let him out (potty training is fo fun!), and sure enough we've been seeing a coyote. Sometimes spotted in the middle of the road in front of my house. Needless to say, I won't be calling animal control to take care of him!

c903

livbucks:

I added what I did because I had not read your last post before I posted.

Do not misunderstand; I am not saying that coyotes should not be hunted or that populations (coyote) have not increased dramatically in many regions. However, the belief that they cause widespread havoc and decimate animals and leave barren wasteland is a little farfetched.

My specific contention is with any attitude of wishing to eliminate any other animal just for the sake of deer hunting.

Keep in mind, predators also help maintain a strong an healthy population by killing off the sick and weak.

livbucks

C

I used to think like you. I was under the misconception that coyotes don't pose a threat to healthy deer. That was until I witnessed firsthand a coyote preying on a healthy mature doe. The coyote grabbed the doe by the back leg, tearing at the tendon, a typical strategy. Once the doe was limping it was just a matter of time until it would be brought down. The coyotes we see in northern PA are huge. Unlike the little fox looking things that some have posted pics of in this thread that live in the plains. I killed a huge male in the same exact spot 2 seasons later. I am not kidding when I say that this thing was more like wolf than fox. I have even heard rumors that these coyotes are a hybrid of wolf/coyote. When they get big enough to take deer, why would they bother sniffing around all day chasing little mice? I think they prey on mice as a backup when bigger prey is not available. I have a lab mix that is 60 lbs. The coyote I shot was clearly longer and taller than my dog. The only difference is my dog has the easy life, the coyote was leaner and meaner. I think they add to the lore of the woods and deserve to exist, but at very limited numbers.

c903

I accept that it is possible that one lone coyote could get lucky at times and bring down a healthy deer. In the story you gave I can only say; Smart 'yote, dumb doe!

I have read that eastern coyote's do run a bit larger.

livbucks

C

Not a story, but a factual account of what I saw. The doe was with her yearling and I was surprised the coyote went for her and not the little one. What I realized later is that the doe was trying to place herself between the coyote and the yearling to give the yearling a head start, probably not thinking that she would be caught. The doe damn near got away but the coyote caught her by the back leg and spun her. When she broke free there was a loud "SNAP" and off she went limping. The coyote noticed me and ran off the other way. I am sure he went looking for the doe later. Two seasons later I shot the big male in exactly the same spot. There are alot of big rocks in the area and the coyotes run the deer around them. I have heard they team up too, although I didn't see any others when this happened. There could have been more there I couldn't see, behind the rocks. Tenacious creatures to be sure.

Rob/PA Bowyer