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I can't get a handle on the slaughter of coyotes.
I want deer ,turkeys , rabbits and any coyote taking a farmer's livelihood needs to be killed.
But, I've always been brought up to believe that if you can't eat it you don't kill it.
I wish they had a natural enemy, besides man down here ; an enemy that only feasted on coyotes.
Still working on what I think. ( no lectures please. :) )
Sharon I can understand how and why you would feel conflicted about this issue. This thread pops up every year about this time and it generates polarized views.
I started hunting coyotes in the 70's before many even knew they existed in Ontario. I have chased them with foxhounds from northern Florida to upper Michigan. I think that needs to be clear before the rest of my comments.
Every year we get the coyote haters come on and pretty much say 'kill em all'. They believe they understand mother nature and there by take on the role of keeping things in check. Basically that view is a very selfish one as the point of their actions is to have more game available to themselves. They often condemn the coyotes when they lack a lot of the science about these animals.
Do they kill deer...absolutely but not to near the extent that many would suggest. Coyotes main diet is basically rodents and smaller animals. Are some fawns taken...yes but fawns can be prey to other animals as well like resident bear and house dogs running loose who by the way are responsible for far more than you think. There was a time I was involved in radio tracking coyotes and had a look at the analysis of their scat(droppings). The science confirms the above.
To the original poster, foxes start to come in season first week in January, coyotes the first week of February. I'm sure there are many on this forum who have had wild chases in February with young males searching out females in other areas. You can do the math after that and females are very den oriented by middle of March.
Personally it's my belief that we leave them alone at that point as far as gun hunting goes, there are still groups who chase for the sport without killing and it's not hard to find a den area then.
The coyote is subject to much blame at times, and yup at times it could be bonafide but more often than not it isn't. You really want to protect deer and fawns at that time of the year then keep those house dogs tied up. I can't tell you how many times I have seen that..
Coyote recipes? something for the Q?
I cut them slack during whelping season. Like most have said turkey season is a reasonably good stopping point.
They are open season any time I decide to go out. Never hunted them much last year, but there is a rifle with me most of the time now. I will shoot them anytime on sight.
Horrible conditions around here this winter for running hounds. I don't think the guys have been out much this year. Lots of coyotes around I'll likely extend my season this year til just before turkey season. They are bold this year, my dog is going to get it one of these days. He had stand offs with a pair of coyotes twice now in the last month. I know they are just begging him to chase them to get him farther from the house before they attack.
can someone actually take me to one of the coyote hunts not far off York/Simcoe/Durham region? please pm me.
That's a legitimate sentiment,for sure. It's,also,been a bit of a conundrum for the ethics of predator hunting for those of us who were raised on the concept that we should only take animals for food,but,there's not a lot of Coyote recipes out there (unless some folks that eat dog meat have a few they'd like to share) and the fur prices have been rendered flatter than pee on a plate. Your observation that humans are the only predators of yotes is very accurate,except for the odd really nasty Black Bears that aren't above killing and eating them,so,for me,it finally comes down to the protection of domestic livestock which is really where my sentiment stands. Helping my friends keep their animals safer by cleaning out some pesky Coyotes sure works for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sharon
I read it's hard to control coyotes, when there's good habitat (and food) they just have more pups...
I also read that if SERIOUS effort is made, deer do MUCH better (and grow bigger).
I agree with kraka, they eat mice and rabbits more than deer, however, they do eat deer. I don't think anyone argues that.
I came across winter kills and partly eaten fawns many times.
Seeing fewer deer and more yotes, I started hunting yotes last year. I used to be like Sharon - eat what you kill, wouldn't even shoot a crow. I was told recently by a biologist to kill as many as possible :)
If I kill just one coyote, there's simply better chance for me to have venison that year.
Predator control works in Europe.
Really appreciate all the respectful comments. Thanks. I'm working on my thinking . In the late 50s-80s when I hunted often , we didn't seem to have any need for predator control except on a farm . I don't remember a coyote problem at all.
(We had a turkey farm but the biggest problem was wild dogs- not coyotes. . Yes Dad shot them. No we didn't eat them.):)