The Predator Problem

[the Ward]

As the older generations of us disappear, you will see less and less people trapping or predator hunting. I guess you could call it the nature of the beast .. But i will somewhat agree nature has a way of taking care of itself to extent.

Put it all over social media and the tube and it will take off.

Ha ha! And on some forum, somewhere, hunters will be commenting on how youtube has ruined predator hunting!!

[owlhoot]

As the older generations of us disappear, you will see less and less people trapping or predator hunting. I guess you could call it the nature of the beast .. But i will somewhat agree nature has a way of taking care of itself to extent.

Put it all over social media and the tube and it will take off.

Ha ha! And on some forum, somewhere, hunters will be commenting on how youtube has ruined predator hunting!!

Exactly .lol

[Howie g]

The few coon dog hunters around here rarely actually shot the coons they tree anymore .  They just let the dogs tree , then leave em be . We let folks run there dogs on our place , with the exception they " have to shot the coons .  I trap a good bit also , but with nobody else doing the same in my area, I'm barely putting a dent on population it appears .
Somebody please start a fad on face book ,  make coon killin a " cool " thing !  Make travel travel coon hunting look fun . Take some hero pics with a few pelts with a flat bill cap on , lay the coons next to you and smoke cigars in celebration!!  Come on fellas , get with it already ...

[the Ward]

The few coon dog hunters around here rarely actually shot the coons they tree anymore .  They just let the dogs tree , then leave em be . We let folks run there dogs on our place , with the exception they " have to shot the coons .  I trap a good bit also , but with nobody else doing the same in my area, I'm barely putting a dent on population it appears .
Somebody please start a fad on face book ,  make coon killin a " cool " thing !  Make travel travel coon hunting look fun . Take some hero pics with a few pelts with a flat bill cap on , lay the coons next to you and smoke cigars in celebration!!  Come on fellas , get with it already ...

Yes!

[arkrem870]

Coon hunters don't kill them because they are worthless dead. It's all about competing in the coon world. And the money is big time.

In arkansas falling fur prices and falling poult recruitment are mirror images of each other when the data is put into graph form. 

It's the number 1 issue in my opinion. Our habitat is similar/same, our weather is most definitely wetter which isn't good for nesting hens as it increases predation while sitting and leads predators back to the nest.  Of course pneumonia in poults also happens in wet patterns.

Turkeys were stocked into arkansas during times of low predator numbers. They flourished under these conditions. Predators have exploded and now the turkeys are suffering. Habitat trumps predators in theory but much of the habitat where they were stocked wasn't perfect to start with.   

[Shiloh]

Even if you have great dogs and kill every Coon you tree dog proof traps are still much more effective than hounds.  I have Coon hounds so I could be biased, but it's just a fact.  Got the hounds for two fold reason.  Help the turkeys and lots of nighttime fun with the kids, but if you don't love it it sure is hard to leave a good, warm fireplace to go outside and fool with a few hard headed dogs!!!
I used the dog proofs on protein feeders and it is crazy how quick you can catch 20-30 coons around here. 

[the Ward]

I have the upmost respect for guys running coon and coyotes with dogs. A ton of work and investment to get good results. But i imagine it is an extremely exiting way to hunt when the pack cuts a hot track and begins their song!

[RutnNStrutn]

the entire concept of killing certain animals so that other animals will increase in number so we will have more of those to hunt  is a philosophy that way too many folks in our urbanized society are not comfortable with. 
Wildlife departments that used to have to answer only to the hunting community are now having to answer to that other 97% of our population that are co-owners of our wildlife but do not hunt.  Those folks are not all that enamored with killing things to create more other targets.  That is the reality we have to face,...and as such, we need to start "thinking out of the box" some way or another. 

100% correct. Sadly our society is becoming more liberal with each passing generation. Hunters, in the eyes of liberals are barbarian slobs that are out in the woods heinously and maliciously killing Bambi and other sweet, innocent denizens of the forest.
They will not support such predator reducing programs because they see US as the enemy, not coyotes, bobcats, foxes, coons and possums.
So yes, while relaxing restrictions on predator hunting would help both turkeys and hunters, the solution is much more complex than that.

Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.

[falltoms]

I do alot of predator trapping, the fur market has been in the dumps for the last 5 or 6 years or more. When the money isn't there the trapping falls to the wayside. Running a trap line is ALOT of work, especially with a full time job. It's a dying sport. I still do it, for predator control, I tan my own hides and make use of them, but most give up till the price rebounds, or there's a market for it. When there are too many predators, game animals suffer, along with diseases in the predators themselves. It's a sad fact. Bounties on predators can be a complicated situation. For instance, take coyotes. If a bounty was placed on them, everyone would take to the hills, and peoples dogs would be shot by mistake and so on. One option is to take up the  trapping sport and each do his or her part

[Ihuntoldschool]

No, predators get way more blame than they deserve for declining turkey populations. 

[falltoms]

I hunt old-school ,. How much time do u spend in the woods. I'm not blaming all of this on predators, but they are a BIG problem on turkey populations. For the last month, I have been watching a hen with her young. Almost on a daily basis. She started out with 9, as I'd yesterday she had 6. I know it's the same hen cause she's bearded. Predators need controlled, and right now there's too many

[the Ward]

No, predators get way more blame than they deserve for declining turkey populations.

How so? I think predators/nest robbers are one of the leading causes of declining turkey populations in my area, along with several other factors.

[bobk]

Ran a trap line beginning in the 60's until I completed my education. My occupation did not offer the time necessary to run a line. Resumed trapping again upon my retirement. My observation ,in my area, the amount and number of species of predators has skyrocketed  in those nearly 40 years. My non professional thought is that the increase in predator numbers are a significant impact to the turkey population.

[Sir-diealot]

the entire concept of killing certain animals so that other animals will increase in number so we will have more of those to hunt  is a philosophy that way too many folks in our urbanized society are not comfortable with. 
Wildlife departments that used to have to answer only to the hunting community are now having to answer to that other 97% of our population that are co-owners of our wildlife but do not hunt.  Those folks are not all that enamored with killing things to create more other targets.  That is the reality we have to face,...and as such, we need to start "thinking out of the box" some way or another. 

100% correct. Sadly our society is becoming more liberal with each passing generation. Hunters, in the eyes of liberals are barbarian slobs that are out in the woods heinously and maliciously killing Bambi and other sweet, innocent denizens of the forest.
They will not support such predator reducing programs because they see US as the enemy, not coyotes, bobcats, foxes, coons and possums.
So yes, while relaxing restrictions on predator hunting would help both turkeys and hunters, the solution is much more complex than that.

Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.

I heard somebody once say they knew we were in trouble when the movies Bambi and The Fox and the Hound were released, I fully understand what he meant.

[Sir-diealot]

Coon hunters don't kill them because they are worthless dead. It's all about competing in the coon world. And the money is big time.

In arkansas falling fur prices and falling poult recruitment are mirror images of each other when the data is put into graph form. 

It's the number 1 issue in my opinion. Our habitat is similar/same, our weather is most definitely wetter which isn't good for nesting hens as it increases predation while sitting and leads predators back to the nest.  Of course pneumonia in poults also happens in wet patterns.

Turkeys were stocked into arkansas during times of low predator numbers. They flourished under these conditions. Predators have exploded and now the turkeys are suffering. Habitat trumps predators in theory but much of the habitat where they were stocked wasn't perfect to start with.

There are so many of them they should shoot them anyway, they is competition and big money in the coyote hunting world too but they still shoot them, in season of course.