Nest Robbers

[tomstopper]

This year I have decided to declare war on all the raccoons, foxes and coyotes that are on my hunting grounds. Never done it before so I am looking for as much advice as possible (trapping, rifle, shotgun) on how to eliminate as many as I can. I found a little article about some of the demons that was a little informative and just thought that some of you guys might want to read it as well. The article that I read started on pg. 40. Any advice will help. Thanks.


http://www.predatorxtreme-digital.com/June2012/June2012/0/0#&pageSet=0

[Ol'Mossy]

I've been hunting coyotes for the past three years using a FoxPro caller and haven't killed one yet. They are very sneaky and almost always get downwnd of you. The best way to kill them is with dogs or trapping. I'm going to try and trap some this fall, while hunting them I  found where their travel routes are so I think I have a better chance of catching some.  Good luck with however you try.

[tomstopper]

Ol'Mossy,
Thanks  for the advice. I know nothing about hunting these varmints but it sounds like you have the same mindset that I do. I dont know where they are traveling but I do know that I have about 4-5 racoons visitng the same area nightly. This is where I was going to focus first.

[Skeeterbait]

If you want to go out and hunt some coyotes and have a good time, by all means go ahead.  But don't kid yourself that you will in any way control or significantly reduce the population in a area.  Biological adaptability of the coyote is too strong for you to have any positive effect on reducing population and can actually cause an increase of population over time.  

For instance, If you were really successful and killed numerous coyotes in the area, it will first cause an increase in food supply for each of the remaining animals which will cause more pups per litter and increase pup survivability.  Then the disruption in territorial boundry defense will cause more animals to migrate in from surrounding areas.  The influx of more unrelated animals will increase the number of mated pairs resulting in an increase of pup dens in the area.  The net effect is you could actually cause an increase in the population of the area.  

The good news is you are unlikely to kill enough animals to cause this to happen.  So if you want to hunt them and have some fun, no problem.  But intensive erradication practices can and do backfire.


Here is a good scientific paper on this subject if you would like to read it.
http://www.predatordefense.org/docs/coyotes_letter_Dr_Crabtree_11-04-97.pdf

[tomstopper]

Thanks for the advice. I don't believe that I will be able to eradicate them all, but am just trying to reduce their numbers. The land that I have been hunting belongs to my wife's grandmother and since her husband passed there has been no one hunting there besides me. She said that they never used to see any coyotes there but now we see them all the time. Just trying to reduce the population a little. Her neighbor has had a bout two cats come up missing and about three years ago had a small yearling doe killed right in a field behind her house. Just thought that I could do a little to help out her grandmother and the neighbors. 

[Hooksfan]

There are some extreme measures if it gets to be a big problem, but I'm not sure if its legal or not. 

[wisconsinteacher]

I am not a good trapper but I try every fall.  I would get some Bridger #2 traps, some lure and tools to make sets.  Start out with dirt holes and set everything for coyote.  Off set pan to the Right or left and 7"-9" from the hole.  Bedding the traps is very important.  The reason I say set for coyotes, is because you will catch coon, grinner, and fox in the same set.  One thing that is important to understand, if it is good for one trap, set 2 or 3 traps.  You never know when 2 yotes or 3 coon will come down the trail.  Practice making sets in the summer months.  If you have a dog, make a few sets WITHOUT a trap and watch it work the set.  There is a lot of great info on the web about trapping.  Get some books and videos and let the animals teach you what to do.  You will get frustrated when you see a paw print 2" from the pan but keep at them and you will connect. 

[tomstopper]

I am not a good trapper but I try every fall.  I would get some Bridger #2 traps, some lure and tools to make sets.  Start out with dirt holes and set everything for coyote.  Off set pan to the Right or left and 7"-9" from the hole.  Bedding the traps is very important.  The reason I say set for coyotes, is because you will catch coon, grinner, and fox in the same set.  One thing that is important to understand, if it is good for one trap, set 2 or 3 traps.  You never know when 2 yotes or 3 coon will come down the trail.  Practice making sets in the summer months.  If you have a dog, make a few sets WITHOUT a trap and watch it work the set.  There is a lot of great info on the web about trapping.  Get some books and videos and let the animals teach you what to do.  You will get frustrated when you see a paw print 2" from the pan but keep at them and you will connect. 

[Ol'Mossy]

I'm going to get one of these videos:

http://coyotevideos.net/store/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=26

[Ol'Mossy]

I also found this while browsing the Internet:

http://www.ehow.com/how_6461159_bait-set-traps-coyotes.html

[captin_hook]

Me and my hunting buddies declared war on coons , possums, foxes and yotes a few years ago on about 60 acres that we turkey hunt on . Over the last two years we trapped about 50 coons, bunch of possums, a couple fox, no yotes. Our turkey population is as good as its ever been so hopefully we are making a difference. Easiest way to get the coons is with the dog proof coon cuff with some sardines , easy to set and a dozen of em won't break your bank.

[tomstopper]

Thanks to everyone. This is very helpful.   

[wisconsinteacher]

One thing that will happen and I can promise it will happen.  You will make the best looking fox/yote set in the world, come pack in the morning and see glowing eyes in the head lights, from there you will be all pumped up and run out to see a great big stinking grinner.  From there, your great set will smell like crap and never catch a fox or yote. 

One set that works well for me is the trench set.  I have caught fox and coon in it.

Coon are not hard to catch and I feel they are harder on turkeys than the other animals your are going after. 

Good luck and have fun.  Use the cash you make from hides to buy more traps and in a few years, you will be filling the fur shed.

[captin_hook]

Put 2 dozen of these out and you'll smash some coon.