HELP!! Ranchers, coyotes and gophers.

N

Northern Howler

New member
When asking permission in southern Alberta(major ranching country)..... the land owners tell me to leave their beloved coyotes alone. They tell me the coyotes keep the gophers under control.

The way I see it is that may be true to some extent but coyotes are nocturnal and gophers are not.

Something is wrong with this picture anyway because the gophers are way out of control.

Are they miss-informed? Am I miss informed? Is there some way around this? Can I enlighten them or do they have a solid case? They seem pretty ridged in their pepective.

Any help what so ever would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 
I think that they may be right to some extent. I have had the same answer only regarding mice. Personally I think that the amount of gophers that they kill verses actual population control is allot less than they think. I do think that the coyotes do help out. But not as much as they think. But then again I'm by no way or means even close to a biologist. I think that you would be a bigger help by going out there with a couple of hundred rounds and getting rid of the gophers. Start putting up some numbers, have fun. Then approach them with the coyote hunting.

It just may be there polite way of saying we don't want hunters on our property.

I wouldn't try to argue the point with them either. That will just frustrate them and you and you will never get on the property. I would maybe go back there and bring up the point that you could help them with there gopher problem by shooting them. And if they really do have a problem you could get a huge amount a day. Help them out that way, then ask for coyote hunting rights. Even if they say no to the coyotes you will have allot of fun shooting gophers. If they say no to that hand them your business card and politely say, if you ever have any problems please give me a call and I will be more than happy to give you a hand. I don't charge any fees!

That is the way I would approach the situation. I hope that this helps.
 
Cougerbait, I'm a little curious, what technique do you use to shoot gophers?

(please don't say that you call them out).

Sheldon
 
NH
I did exactly what cougerbait said a couple of years ago. I asked a rancher about hunting coyotes and he said he thought they kept the gopher population down. I said let me hunt and I will come back in the spring and kill more gohpers than his coyotes ever would!
Last year alone we killed 2204 gophers on his place!!
He welcomes me back for all kinds of hunting, Deer Birds Coyotes and Gophers...
 
Sheldon,
The gopher mating call has worked. Also a gopher pup distress has worked in the past too! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Sheldon,
In all honesty, just sitting on a little elevation waiting for them to come out works. Just like shooting p-dogs or sage rats! We have shot over 500 in a day between 3 of us. Good fun. Makes you a better shot also. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 


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