Do coyotes eat deer?
- Thread starter chazwho2
- Start date
no snow down here to slow them down.
I work with a guy who also hunts. One of his hunting partners decided that coyotes could not eat deer. They knew where a yote den was & set up a trail cam.
Over a period of weeks they got pics of yotes dragging deer into that den an average of 3 times per week.
He changed his mind.
I work with a guy who also hunts. One of his hunting partners decided that coyotes could not eat deer. They knew where a yote den was & set up a trail cam.
Over a period of weeks they got pics of yotes dragging deer into that den an average of 3 times per week.
He changed his mind.
Evil_Lurker
New member
The antelope refuge report here stated that 70% of the fawn loss was caused by coyotes. I'd expect if they're that successful against antelope, they take a pretty big toll on the deer, too.
It doesn't seem like deer numbers are on the decline most places, so there's obviously a decent balance.
The antelope herd in southeren Oregon, however, is in a serious decline, so whenever I see coyotes in that area, I smoke em.
Summer, winter, spring or fall.
Some people have a problem with that, strangely.
It doesn't seem like deer numbers are on the decline most places, so there's obviously a decent balance.
The antelope herd in southeren Oregon, however, is in a serious decline, so whenever I see coyotes in that area, I smoke em.
Summer, winter, spring or fall.
Some people have a problem with that, strangely.
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CalCoyote
Member
Hey Evil,
Maybe you can cheer me up a little. I had read some data the other day from the ODFW that looked like the mule deer numbers were still in decline here in Oregon (the data was a couple of years old). At that time, the only unit in the NE corner of the state that had stabilized was the Pine Creek unit. I put in for that unit this year. I only have one preference point so my chances aren't that great.
With regard to coyotes, this has been an area of confusion for me. I read these studies done by wildlife biologists and they almost all attribute the mule deer decline to change in habitat, saying that we need to plant more grass and trees. But what about the predators???? When fur prices took a sharp dive years back it made it much more difficult (if not almost impossible) for a trapper to make a living. The result of this was an explosion in coyote population that seems to correlate with the same time line as the mule deer decline. To me this is so obvious, but then again I majored in accounting in college and not wildlife biology. Am I over simplifying this? Is the problem more complex?
Maybe you can cheer me up a little. I had read some data the other day from the ODFW that looked like the mule deer numbers were still in decline here in Oregon (the data was a couple of years old). At that time, the only unit in the NE corner of the state that had stabilized was the Pine Creek unit. I put in for that unit this year. I only have one preference point so my chances aren't that great.
With regard to coyotes, this has been an area of confusion for me. I read these studies done by wildlife biologists and they almost all attribute the mule deer decline to change in habitat, saying that we need to plant more grass and trees. But what about the predators???? When fur prices took a sharp dive years back it made it much more difficult (if not almost impossible) for a trapper to make a living. The result of this was an explosion in coyote population that seems to correlate with the same time line as the mule deer decline. To me this is so obvious, but then again I majored in accounting in college and not wildlife biology. Am I over simplifying this? Is the problem more complex?
Evil_Lurker
New member
Oh, it's a factor, but it's probably a combination of things. One harsh winter can knock the deer population down hard, but the predators probably take a hit in the next few years due to fewer deer.
Search around for Oregon biology reports on fawn predation and see what they have to say. My guess is the coyotes take a heavy toll on fawn numbers unless there's a huge predator control program, but they're also self-regulating over time.
I'd guess the habitat was the bigger factor, personally. Heavy coyote numbers make it worse. Drought and harsh winters really make it worse.
ODFW is probably giving you pretty good info, they seem honest (and greedy).
Search around for Oregon biology reports on fawn predation and see what they have to say. My guess is the coyotes take a heavy toll on fawn numbers unless there's a huge predator control program, but they're also self-regulating over time.
I'd guess the habitat was the bigger factor, personally. Heavy coyote numbers make it worse. Drought and harsh winters really make it worse.
ODFW is probably giving you pretty good info, they seem honest (and greedy).
Black_Wolf
New member
No offense, but I LMFAO when I stumbled on that thread title
Yep, those filthy doggies sure do.
Yep, those filthy doggies sure do.
John Brent Roy
New member
Does a cajun eat everything?
skullcreek
New member
I know they can and will take adult deer but I don't think its a staple for them here. There is so much smaller, less dangerous prey for them here in GA. I have seen coyotes and deer together in close proximity and other than watching them the deer didn't pay them much attention. Maybe they could see they had a full belly. Haha I have found plenty of deer hair in coyote scat but they undoubtly get most of their grown deer through roadkill, discarded carcasses and ones hunters lose. I find a lot more deer hair in scat during deer season so that tells me there is something to this.
I don't dispute the fact that coyotes take a large toll on the fawns here and I am THANKFUL for that as the deer population continues to soar here in GA. Our firearms season lasts from October to mid January and it doesn't seem to have much affect although everybody stacks them up. If we didn't have coyotes taking out fawns we'd be in a mess with the deer.
I don't dispute the fact that coyotes take a large toll on the fawns here and I am THANKFUL for that as the deer population continues to soar here in GA. Our firearms season lasts from October to mid January and it doesn't seem to have much affect although everybody stacks them up. If we didn't have coyotes taking out fawns we'd be in a mess with the deer.
thats a coyote kill 48 hours after. There was 4 coyotes on it the morning after the kill, one big one would feed and 3 smaller ones sat like dogs 20 yards away and watched. My dad shot the big one with a 300wsm at 270 yards while the others watched. Haven't seen a coyote in our field since LOL
Coyotes kill alot of the mature bucks after they shed their antlers each year. I think the bucks get use to everything being scared of them and forget they no longer have the horns as defense.
I live in a very rural area, my neighbor is almost 5 miles away. I feed the deer under a night light in my yard where I can see what we have. We have never shot a deer under the light and they come to the feed like clock work. Each year I would have 3 or 4 nice 3 year old bucks survive the hunting season. They would come to the feed until the woods greened up which s about time for them to shed here. The next fall I would be lucky if one came back. I had reasoned that they simply had become nocturnal with age and was scared of the light. Then when game cameras came out I noticed the same thing at my feeders in the woods. We have almost 5000 acres and very limited hunting but the bucks would simply vanish.
One morning two years ago I was turkey hunting next to a two acre field when a mature buck came into the filed. Three coyotes came into the field and started trotting towards him. Rather than running he bowed up and started walking at them as if to fight. The yotes took that buck down in seconds and this was a 200 lb buck which is a big deer in Alabama. After seeing that I started thinking about all the missing bucks that had been left in the woods after each season and could not be found the next season. So I started checking our 700 Acre high fence area in March and April and for the last two ywars I have found 23 bucks that yotes killed after the horns shed. They were all atleast 3 years old.
This is why I want to get into calling. I want them dead! If calling want work I will find another way but they must go.
I live in a very rural area, my neighbor is almost 5 miles away. I feed the deer under a night light in my yard where I can see what we have. We have never shot a deer under the light and they come to the feed like clock work. Each year I would have 3 or 4 nice 3 year old bucks survive the hunting season. They would come to the feed until the woods greened up which s about time for them to shed here. The next fall I would be lucky if one came back. I had reasoned that they simply had become nocturnal with age and was scared of the light. Then when game cameras came out I noticed the same thing at my feeders in the woods. We have almost 5000 acres and very limited hunting but the bucks would simply vanish.
One morning two years ago I was turkey hunting next to a two acre field when a mature buck came into the filed. Three coyotes came into the field and started trotting towards him. Rather than running he bowed up and started walking at them as if to fight. The yotes took that buck down in seconds and this was a 200 lb buck which is a big deer in Alabama. After seeing that I started thinking about all the missing bucks that had been left in the woods after each season and could not be found the next season. So I started checking our 700 Acre high fence area in March and April and for the last two ywars I have found 23 bucks that yotes killed after the horns shed. They were all atleast 3 years old.
This is why I want to get into calling. I want them dead! If calling want work I will find another way but they must go.
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GC
Well-known member
Deer Boy,
Calling isn't the answer to your "needs." Recreational hunting has little effect on long term coyote populations. You need to learn trapping and perfect that skill to effectively thin the coyote population. And for actual long term coyote control, you should remove 70% of the coyote population for up to five years to see real long term benefits. Fewer than that and you may very likely find your coyote population increases. Predator control is complicated and not as simple as it may seem at first glance. My understanding of it is pretty basic but there are tons of long term intensive studies done by various universities and wildlife organizations that can be researched for a more complete understanding of the complexities of the task.
Calling isn't the answer to your "needs." Recreational hunting has little effect on long term coyote populations. You need to learn trapping and perfect that skill to effectively thin the coyote population. And for actual long term coyote control, you should remove 70% of the coyote population for up to five years to see real long term benefits. Fewer than that and you may very likely find your coyote population increases. Predator control is complicated and not as simple as it may seem at first glance. My understanding of it is pretty basic but there are tons of long term intensive studies done by various universities and wildlife organizations that can be researched for a more complete understanding of the complexities of the task.
Byron South
New member
First off I want to make one thing very clear.
DEAD COYOTES EAT NO DEER.
Live coyotes however will most certainly kill and eat deer. Not just fawns either. I have seen firsthand evidence of them killing adult deer. I've also heard plenty of eye witness testimony telling of adult deer being killed. There is no question about it.
In the last few weeks I've been doing some ADC work for a couple of high fenced deer ranches (1000 acres each). They have been very effective with snares/traps but both places had a pair inside the fence that the trapper couldn't get. They rejected his best efforts. I called in and killed both pair. It took three days each on both places to make them dead. I didn't use the conventional run and gun methods either as I knew ahead of time they were probably an older smarter pair that would not be pushovers.
By the way the fawns haven't begun to drop but the does are very heavy bred. These coyotes have killed a couple of these heavy does just before I was called on one place.
On the other place has been high fenced for I think 6 years. The first 2 they had no predator program. As a result they lost almost the entire fawn crop to predation. Yep that is right, they had practically no bucks available for sale or harvest in those age classes. Since they began a predator program their survivability rate has skyrocketed.
Even though I’ve killed the offending pairs on both places my job is not done. As the fawns begin to drop, this will draw more coyotes. The fence is very effective at keeping deer in but it will not keep coyotes out. Even with predator wire turned under they will dig or climb in. I will go back when they begin to drop and hopefully we help the fawns get a few weeks old. Then they will stand a lot better chance against predation.
As far as mature buck being killed by deer….This happens too. In places where bucks rut hard they become very stressed and this makes them vulnerable. In heavy snow….same thing…… coyotes learn to work with a team effort to take these larger animals. This is well documented.
Be aware however that every dead deer that coyotes eat was not necessarily killed by coyotes. They will sometimes die from other injury just to be eaten by coyotes.
pair from last week. Don't they look peaceful?
By the way they will and do kill calves too.
Good Hunting, and God Bless,
Byron
DEAD COYOTES EAT NO DEER.
Live coyotes however will most certainly kill and eat deer. Not just fawns either. I have seen firsthand evidence of them killing adult deer. I've also heard plenty of eye witness testimony telling of adult deer being killed. There is no question about it.
In the last few weeks I've been doing some ADC work for a couple of high fenced deer ranches (1000 acres each). They have been very effective with snares/traps but both places had a pair inside the fence that the trapper couldn't get. They rejected his best efforts. I called in and killed both pair. It took three days each on both places to make them dead. I didn't use the conventional run and gun methods either as I knew ahead of time they were probably an older smarter pair that would not be pushovers.
By the way the fawns haven't begun to drop but the does are very heavy bred. These coyotes have killed a couple of these heavy does just before I was called on one place.
On the other place has been high fenced for I think 6 years. The first 2 they had no predator program. As a result they lost almost the entire fawn crop to predation. Yep that is right, they had practically no bucks available for sale or harvest in those age classes. Since they began a predator program their survivability rate has skyrocketed.
Even though I’ve killed the offending pairs on both places my job is not done. As the fawns begin to drop, this will draw more coyotes. The fence is very effective at keeping deer in but it will not keep coyotes out. Even with predator wire turned under they will dig or climb in. I will go back when they begin to drop and hopefully we help the fawns get a few weeks old. Then they will stand a lot better chance against predation.
As far as mature buck being killed by deer….This happens too. In places where bucks rut hard they become very stressed and this makes them vulnerable. In heavy snow….same thing…… coyotes learn to work with a team effort to take these larger animals. This is well documented.
Be aware however that every dead deer that coyotes eat was not necessarily killed by coyotes. They will sometimes die from other injury just to be eaten by coyotes.
pair from last week. Don't they look peaceful?
By the way they will and do kill calves too.
Good Hunting, and God Bless,
Byron
Kizmo
New member
Most of the calves at my place that are killed by yotes are in the 120-130 pound range, not the little guys who stick close to mama. Just when they think they want a taste of freedom...
They will also do a quick number on a bobcat if you don't recover it immediately after the shot.
They will also do a quick number on a bobcat if you don't recover it immediately after the shot.