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'yotes - can we make a difference?

Live and let live is my agreement with the yotes. I shoot or trap the occasional dog but since fur prices are almost nonexistent and any major intervention from me would result in a kickback from them I just view them as part of the environment. They are kind of fun to watch from the stand anyway.

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Several universities have done serious research on the eastward expansion of the coyotes and conclude there isn't much we can do. I've even read a few that claim you're making it worse by shooting and trapping them. I never heard a coyote howl in the Carolinas when I was a kid, now they're there and pretty thick.
 
In my neck of the woods, if I hear yotes howling at nights, I feel secure and better. It means the wolves are in a different area. To a wolf that night time howl from a yote is like a dinner bell. It’s when there is no yotes around, is when I am concerned.
 
I got my first yote of the year Thursday. I caught 19 last year and a guy down the road caught more than I did (covering a slightly larger area).

I didn’t notice any more than I had on camera over any other year I also didn’t see a single one from stand this fall and the number of fawn sightings this year was way up. I may regret it in the future but I’m going to keep thinning the yotes out.


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John-W-WI said:
I know there is lots of info regarding keeping populations in check. I think most agree trapping is the only viable option to keep numbers down. This article doesn't seem to agree:

https://www.themeateater.com/conservation/wildlife-management/coyotes-kill-deer-not-deer-herds

-John
Click to expand...

Most of the recent research I've seen doesn't support localized management. There are several factors I've seen listed. First is the very large distance the cover very quickly. They can move hundreds of miles in a very short time. This means any kind of population management that involves hunting or trapping would need to be done on a very wide scale to have any impact. The second factor I've seen is that killing them indiscriminately can actually increase population. One of the USDA biologists who did her graduate work on coyotes told me of a study that showed when certain age class males are taken out of the population it trigger something in females to increase production.

Even if we could manage the number of coyotes, there is research that shows it may not directly affect deer recruitment. One study showed that in certain habitat, lower numbers of coyotes had a much higher impact on deer recruitment but in a better habitat, larger numbers of coyotes had little impact on deer recruitment.

I haven't convinced myself that there is sufficient evidence we can have a beneficial impact on deer by trying to control coyote numbers.

Thanks,

jack
 
We shoot them at every opportunity...figure the more difficult you make it for them, the less likely they will stay on your property?
 
While it's true that coyotes can travel hundred of miles in a very short time, there are many that aren't transient. I have caught 12 so far this year, 40 last year, and 19 the year before. I have caught a coyote in a leg hold several weeks after she broke one of my snares as I took her picture; I caught her about 200 yards away with the snare still around her neck. I shot one in the head last year and took it out of the trap. Much to my surprise as I was carrying it to the truck, it decided to come back to life and tried to take a bite out of my leg. I dropped it and it run out of sight. This year I caught that coyote in the same trap location. I could see the scar, and when I skinned it it had the .22 bullet under it's hide. So, although not a scientific study, I can tell you that most of the coyote population is not nearly as transient, and I believe coyote trapping helps the fawning situation, or at least can't be hurting anything. I'm a descent trapper, but I think all you can hope to do is somewhat keep the population from exploding.
 
swat1018 said:
While it's true that coyotes can travel hundred of miles in a very short time, there are many that aren't transient. I have caught 12 so far this year, 40 last year, and 19 the year before. I have caught a coyote in a leg hold several weeks after she broke one of my snares as I took her picture; I caught her about 200 yards away with the snare still around her neck. I shot one in the head last year and took it out of the trap. Much to my surprise as I was carrying it to the truck, it decided to come back to life and tried to take a bite out of my leg. I dropped it and it run out of sight. This year I caught that coyote in the same trap location. I could see the scar, and when I skinned it it had the .22 bullet under it's hide. So, although not a scientific study, I can tell you that most of the coyote population is not nearly as transient, and I believe coyote trapping helps the fawning situation, or at least can't be hurting anything. I'm a descent trapper, but I think all you can hope to do is somewhat keep the population from exploding.
Click to expand...
Did you crap yourself?
 
yoderjac said:
Most of the recent research I've seen doesn't support localized management. There are several factors I've seen listed. First is the very large distance the cover very quickly. They can move hundreds of miles in a very short time. This means any kind of population management that involves hunting or trapping would need to be done on a very wide scale to have any impact. The second factor I've seen is that killing them indiscriminately can actually increase population. One of the USDA biologists who did her graduate work on coyotes told me of a study that showed when certain age class males are taken out of the population it trigger something in females to increase production.

Even if we could manage the number of coyotes, there is research that shows it may not directly affect deer recruitment. One study showed that in certain habitat, lower numbers of coyotes had a much higher impact on deer recruitment but in a better habitat, larger numbers of coyotes had little impact on deer recruitment.

I haven't convinced myself that there is sufficient evidence we can have a beneficial impact on deer by trying to control coyote numbers.

Thanks,

jack
Click to expand...
If you shoot every one you see, you get the females too!!
 
swat1018 said:
While it's true that coyotes can travel hundred of miles in a very short time, there are many that aren't transient. I have caught 12 so far this year, 40 last year, and 19 the year before. I have caught a coyote in a leg hold several weeks after she broke one of my snares as I took her picture; I caught her about 200 yards away with the snare still around her neck. I shot one in the head last year and took it out of the trap. Much to my surprise as I was carrying it to the truck, it decided to come back to life and tried to take a bite out of my leg. I dropped it and it run out of sight. This year I caught that coyote in the same trap location. I could see the scar, and when I skinned it it had the .22 bullet under it's hide. So, although not a scientific study, I can tell you that most of the coyote population is not nearly as transient, and I believe coyote trapping helps the fawning situation, or at least can't be hurting anything. I'm a descent trapper, but I think all you can hope to do is somewhat keep the population from exploding.
Click to expand...

The convincing study I read this year (Penn State I think) spoke specifically about your exact point. I'm summarizing from memory but the basic point was that the resident coyote population may "behave" better than a transient coyote looking to set up residence. Basically they have to show the neighborhood who's in charge and can be more ruthless. Something to that affect.

I'm not passionate about the topic but did find it very interesting. Certainly worth reading if you spend a lot of time and money trapping. It is hard to ignore that we've been trapping and hunting them in the east ruthlessly in the past 30 years and the population has exploded.
 
chummer said:
Did you crap yourself?
Click to expand...

It's a long story. I had been up all night, one of my best friends, a Conservation Officer, had gone through the ice and died trying to rescue another ice fisherman. I am a Deputy and was called out from home by another friend, my buddy's LT. After dealing with that, I couldn't sleep. I ended up leaving the house at 4:00 AM to check traps. First trap I came to I had him. I use a single shot .22 with a can on it. I shoot subsonics, and normally shoot Yotes in the heart. This coyote was being difficult, I kept moving around to get a broadside, he wouldn't have anything to do with it. Not in the best of moods anyway, I said, "Ok, I'll shoot you between the eyes." I did, and it went down and stiffened up. I decided to shoot it again, and put one between its ear and eye. It went limp and I assumed it was dead. I put my rifle back in the truck, walked up and lifted a back leg to see if it was male or female, then took it out of the trap. I started carrying it to the truck by the back legs, and I felt it come to life. I let go, and it left throwing mud. I spun my minitruck around to see it in the head lights, and it was gone, vanished. I still say that was my buddy playing one last trick on me, before moving on...

In hindsight, I should have noticed there wasn't a drop of blood anywhere. I like the silenced .22, but the subsonics aren't the greatest for head shots.
 
In many cases, you can make a difference. There are a wide variety of studies that inconclusively prove everything under the sun. In general, the best time to remove coyotes is just prior to and during fawning season. If you catch two coyotes in one night, they will not be replaced by the next night - it may take a month or two for replacement - that is all you are after. Coyote litters may increase in size in response to removal of individual animals - but studies in the south show that young coyotes replacing older coyotes have lower reproductive capacity and the impact is negligible.

Even though some studies show massive increases in fawn recruitment within one year - be reasonable. I remove an average of two or three coyotes each year on 300 acres - at the appropriate time - and have seen fawn recruitment numbers climb from .5 to .6. That doesn’t sound like a lot - but it a 20% increase. Over time - that adds up.

Folks may tell you coyote removal is a waste of time - and they may be correct for their area. They are ignorant if they think their area applies to every piece of ground nationwide
 
I’d love to trap during fawning/nesting season. Unfortunately the NC trapping season ends months prior. That’s the single recommendation I sent the state wildlife agency this year. I wish we were the only state but that’s not the case.


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I frequently notice posters suggesting the benefits of trapping/hunting coyotes during fawning season; several suggest late March through April May as prime time. I have read a couple of reports saying coyotes do their greatest damage (kills) during the first month of fawn life. Consequently, if one is going to hunt/trap yotes, it might be wise to continue hunting/trapping during June and even early July. Mom and Dad yotes have to forage for food (often during the day) with a big litter of pups not yet out of the den OR the adults may take the young out on hunting trips to teach them to hunt (might get a chance at the whole family). I say .... if you have free time, access, and appropriate equipment plus one or more friends who enjoy the challenge of pitting your skills against wiley yote, GO FOR IT!
 
I guess April-May is wishful thinking at this point, NC trapping ends in February. I'm with you, April-July would be excellent.
 
In Indiana you can trap nuisance coyotes year around, with written land owner permission.
 
I can make a difference in the quality of their eyesight.

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