Unbelievable

[timberjack86]

After hearing alot of the dangers of alfatoxins I'd be scared to feed turkeys. I heard my state is blaming the decline on feeders.

[kelley91]

my point in posting that picture is that it shows one of the big reasons numbers are declining. During our past trapping season I caught 18 coons 10 or so possums and called in one coyote. Got work to do on the coyotes. All within a couple 100 yrds of that spot. I understand that is not the only problem. I can't control the weather or bulldozers but i can try to reduce predators. Just think about how many nest 18 coons would have destroyed

[ChesterCopperpot]

my point in posting that picture is that it shows one of the big reasons numbers are declining. During our past trapping season I caught 18 coons 10 or so possums and called in one coyote. Got work to do on the coyotes. All within a couple 100 yrds of that spot. I understand that is not the only problem. I can't control the weather or bulldozers but i can try to reduce predators. Just think about how many nest 18 coons would have destroyed

The feeder greatly increases the carrying capacity of the land. Cut out the corn and the coon and possum numbers go down.


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[kelley91]

feeder only been up 3 wks . i was trapping during Dec and Jan.  With all due respect I don't think you realize how many coons they are

[ChesterCopperpot]

feeder only been up 3 wks . i was trapping during Dec and Jan.  With all due respect I don't think you realize how many coons they are

There's plenty of research that pinpoints increased scavenger numbers with the introduction of alternate food sources into a landscape. You may very well have trapped piles before you put the feeder out but you're not doing yourself any favors. If that piece of land already had enough food to support a hundred coons, it's now got enough to support 150. It's the whole nose to spite the face scenario.


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[davisd9]

Feeder creates the perfect ambush point for the predators to set up and wait.  Plus a false food source is never a good thing.

[owlhoot]

feeder only been up 3 wks . i was trapping during Dec and Jan.  With all due respect I don't think you realize how many coons they are

Good job on the trapping. Keep it up.   If the feeder brings them in trap them up or shoot them.
The dang coons will destroy the nests. They do it in plenty of areas without feeders too and have no problem increasing their numbers.

[Marc]

A couple years back, I read some interesting studies on coyote control...

Coyotes eat and/or control populations of: opossums, raccoos, skunks, foxes, and to some degree bobcats, all of which are harder on upland populations than are coytoes...  Furthermore, when available, coyotes eat lots of rodents, which compete for upland game for food sources...

Bottem line was that the study showed that in similar areas, the upland populations were improved in areas without coyote control.

Other side of that story is that turkeys are not a typical upland game bird...  I know that coyotes actively hunt turkeys, cause I have called in too many coyotes with a turkey call.  And maybe a hen turkey could fend off nest stealers such as raccoons, opossums, and skunks???

[owlhoot]

A couple years back, I read some interesting studies on coyote control...

Coyotes eat and/or control populations of: opossums, raccoos, skunks, foxes, and to some degree bobcats, all of which are harder on upland populations than are coytoes...  Furthermore, when available, coyotes eat lots of rodents, which compete for upland game for food sources...

Bottem line was that the study showed that in similar areas, the upland populations were improved in areas without coyote control.

Other side of that story is that turkeys are not a typical upland game bird...  I know that coyotes actively hunt turkeys, cause I have called in too many coyotes with a turkey call.  And maybe a hen turkey could fend off nest stealers such as raccoons, opossums, and skunks???

Well the dang coyotes need to pick up their game!  Of course it is not easy for them, because coons and possum have that nasty habit of climbing trees. In the meantime they chase everything. Not many fox around anymore or rabbits, pheasants or quail. Predators getting at everything.
Never seen a 10lb hen fighting off a 25lb coon at the nest. Have any of you?

[kelley91]

not on this planet . a coon can be bad very bad.it just makes sense to me  that if you take a nest raider out it is going to help the turkey population, quail , song bird , or whatever. coyotes are hell on rabbits , young turkeys all small game.