predators

[dublelung]

One of the conditions of my biggest farm is to kill as many coyotes as possible. I try to thin them out 10-15 times a year plus targets of opportunity 

I have read some studies that show that killing coyotes might not be as beneficial as we think...

Coyotes eat some turkeys (I have called them in enough turkey hunting to know this is true)...  But coyotes primarily eat small mammals, including egg eaters such as raccoons, opossums. and to a small degree even skunks which are far more harmful to turkey and upland populations, as well as bobcats which target turkeys and upland game more so than yotes.

Plus the critters that coyotes eat (such as squirrels and rabbits) compete for the same food as do upland game (including turkeys).

Granted the studies were done on a small scale, and were directed towards upland game (not including turkeys)...  But in the studies done, the areas with aggressive coyote control suffered a decline in the upland population as compared to the areas that were not controlled for coyotes...

So while I would not claim that coyote control is not beneficial, I would also be hesitant to claim that it is...  Especially if you live in an area that has high populations of racoons or opossums...

That's why you target them all and don't discriminate. Even if you save one nest, that could result in a few male poults that will eventually be the longbeards you hunt. You can't save them all but it's certainly beneficial to eliminate as many egg eaters as possible.

[MISSISSIPPI Double beard]

We trap raccoons and shoot yotes or bobcats when the opportunity arises.

[wchadw]

I trap raccoons , possums and skunks. Also the guy I share the lease with takes care of the yotes , fox and bobcat. This is the first year we started this so can't comment if it's going to be productive.

just curious, did trapping coons and possums help with your turkey populations after a couple of years?  i started trapping this year around april 15 and i am going to continue until i think all nests have hatched (in MS i'm guessing mid may?)  Its kinda a pain to go check traps a couple of times a week but if it will improve my turkey hatches i will do it...

[wchadw]

We trap raccoons and shoot yotes or bobcats when the opportunity arises.

just curious, did trapping coons and possums help with your turkey populations after a couple of years?  i started trapping this year around april 15 and i am going to continue until i think all nests have hatched (in MS i'm guessing mid may?)  Its kinda a pain to go check traps a couple of times a week but if it will improve my turkey hatches i will do it...

[Goodtimekiller]

We trap raccoons and shoot yotes or bobcats when the opportunity arises.

just curious, did trapping coons and possums help with your turkey populations after a couple of years?  i started trapping this year around april 15 and i am going to continue until i think all nests have hatched (in MS i'm guessing mid may?)  Its kinda a pain to go check traps a couple of times a week but if it will improve my turkey hatches i will do it...

It helped mine tremendously, went from seeing a few poults at most and 0 some years to over 20 last year


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[wchadw]

thanks... just wondering if it was worth the effort. 

i have taken out quite a few so hopefully i will see a increase

[Goodtimekiller]

thanks... just wondering if it was worth the effort. 

i have taken out quite a few so hopefully i will see a increase

In TN we have to check them every 24 hours and i trap all of february while working 50 or so hours a week. Worth every minute to me.


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[wchadw]

We trap raccoons and shoot yotes or bobcats when the opportunity arises.

just curious, did trapping coons and possums help with your turkey populations after a couple of years?  i started trapping this year around april 15 and i am going to continue until i think all nests have hatched (in MS i'm guessing mid may?)  Its kinda a pain to go check traps a couple of times a week but if it will improve my turkey hatches i will do it...

It helped mine tremendously, went from seeing a few poults at most and 0 some years to over 20 last year


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How long did you trap before you noticed any difference?


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[wchadw]

We trap raccoons and shoot yotes or bobcats when the opportunity arises.

just curious, did trapping coons and possums help with your turkey populations after a couple of years?  i started trapping this year around april 15 and i am going to continue until i think all nests have hatched (in MS i'm guessing mid may?)  Its kinda a pain to go check traps a couple of times a week but if it will improve my turkey hatches i will do it...

It helped mine tremendously, went from seeing a few poults at most and 0 some years to over 20 last year


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How long did you trap before you noticed any difference?


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On roughly 500 acres I have trapped 6 possum and 4 coons in a little less than  a month.  Not sure what kind of impact that would have?


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[zelmo1]

Saw a coyote at noon today, right by my farm . I couldn't pull over fast enough. Coyotes don't eat as many egg eaters as they do hens on nests. I whack em all 

[tree-rat sniper]

I called in two red foxes last sunday afternoon.  One was at 40 the other at 25 yards, since they're not in season, they get a pass.  In the fall I'm under strict orders from the neighbors, who's land I hunt, to shoot every coon & yote I see.  Shot 3 coons & 2 yotes last fall's turkey season.

[Bowguy]

The more predators killed the better imo. Was talking to a friend and member on here. We were talking bout avian predators. I'd never thought of this nor had I seen predation on turkeys by birds.
I'm shooting my bow one day and I notice some hens w poults. Dang hawks came swooping in trying to grab em.
The hens ran the poults into a hedgerow and actually took flight after hawks.   I was amazed.
At the refuge we mentor at we had a turkey biologist doing a seminar. Normally I'm busy working but on this day I had a moment to speak to the biologist. I asked about avian predators and they're impact.
He mentioned one study group they did where almost 100 hens were collared. They were keeping tight tabs on em. It was a drought he said and many animals were nearer the water. The hen nests were too.
That year he said out of all those poults only a couple survived. Shoulda been a couple hundred. Many were observed taken by birds of prey, in fact moreso than any other predator.
Being these birds are protected we can't touch them but it shows what predators can do.
Kill every legal predator you can

[Happy]

The more predators killed the better imo. Was talking to a friend and member on here. We were talking bout avian predators. I'd never thought of this nor had I seen predation on turkeys by birds.
I'm shooting my bow one day and I notice some hens w poults. Dang hawks came swooping in trying to grab em.
The hens ran the poults into a hedgerow and actually took flight after hawks.   I was amazed.
At the refuge we mentor at we had a turkey biologist doing a seminar. Normally I'm busy working but on this day I had a moment to speak to the biologist. I asked about avian predators and they're impact.
He mentioned one study group they did where almost 100 hens were collared. They were keeping tight tabs on em. It was a drought he said and many animals were nearer the water. The hen nests were too.
That year he said out of all those poults only a couple survived. Shoulda been a couple hundred. Many were observed taken by birds of prey, in fact moreso than any other predator.
Being these birds are protected we can't touch them but it shows what predators can do.
Kill every legal predator you can

I have seen hawks take many a poult and now we have bald eagles as well.

[kjnengr]

The more predators killed the better imo. Was talking to a friend and member on here. We were talking bout avian predators. I'd never thought of this nor had I seen predation on turkeys by birds.
I'm shooting my bow one day and I notice some hens w poults. Dang hawks came swooping in trying to grab em.
The hens ran the poults into a hedgerow and actually took flight after hawks.   I was amazed.
At the refuge we mentor at we had a turkey biologist doing a seminar. Normally I'm busy working but on this day I had a moment to speak to the biologist. I asked about avian predators and they're impact.
He mentioned one study group they did where almost 100 hens were collared. They were keeping tight tabs on em. It was a drought he said and many animals were nearer the water. The hen nests were too.
That year he said out of all those poults only a couple survived. Shoulda been a couple hundred. Many were observed taken by birds of prey, in fact moreso than any other predator.
Being these birds are protected we can't touch them but it shows what predators can do.
Kill every legal predator you can

I have seen hawks take many a poult and now we have bald eagles as well.

Shoot em all!!!!     Just kidding of course.

My buddy has noticed an increase in turkey population since he started hammering the nest raiders a season or two ago.

[High plains drifter]

I have called in several coyotes, but I've never been a big game Hunter, and I don't shoot things with legs.Only birds, and carp.