Should I kill coyotes?

[MBG]

I have never shot a coyote although I've seen many while deer hunting. I have never felt comfortable killing something that I don't intend to eat or otherwise use. I do understand that coyotes, if in abundance, may be a detriment to the deer and turkey populations.
My question is, how does one know or decide when the population of coyotes has reached the point where some killing is necessary? On one part of our lease, where the yotes seem to prefer, we get many trail camera pictures of yotes, and recently got a picture with 7 of them eating a bird kill. They were all good size, mature dogs, and we are worried that even a mature deer is no match for a pack like that. Is it time for action? If so, I would appreciate tactical advice as to how someone with no predator hunting experience might most efficiently hunt them. We have one food plot in particular that they seem to like as an ambush point, and where we've gotten the most pics.

 

[Hunter 257W]

If I see one while hunting deer, I immediately become a coyote hunter. I don't even hesitate to shoot. I had 2 bucks in sight one time when a coyote came trotting by. The coyote dropped and the bucks trotted away. I had no regrets at all.

Now did this make a big difference in deer being killed by coyotes in the area? Who know? It made me feel better though. I figure the ones I shoot sure can't kill any more fawns.

 

[easy45]

The population is already to high, there is a reason the season is year round with no limit, just shoot them and find a good ditch to throw them in, bugs and vultures got to eat too

 

[pass-thru]

If you have seven in one photo, they are most definitely a litter of pups....they run in family groups until the young disperse, not packs (like wolves).

They are not native to the east. They eradicate native fur bearers like fox. They quickly overpopulate and spread disease like mange and distemper.

Do you only kill a cockroach if you plan to eat it?

I sell the fur off of the vast majority of yotes I kill and some years they bring good money.

 

[Plateau Hunter]

No, you shouldn't.

 

[DaveB]

Some may say its okay for coyotes to take a part of the deer herd, they are a natural balance, etc. Not me. Kill every last one. Dog, fluffy kitten, pup. No mercy.

Trapping is the absolute best way to decimate the coyote population(since poison is illegal). If you cannot do it yourself, hire someone.

Sport hunting will thin the herd but that's all. An aggressive approach via trapping is what's required. And as I have posted before, you need to have quite a few traps placed when you start.

I got a question for you: Whatcha think all those coyotes been eating?

 

[KPH]

Coyotes are invaders they did not come into this part of the country till the 60's. If you see one I bet there are ten or more you don't see just like the rats they are. I would pass up a shot at a world class deer to take out a mangy low life stinking coyote and can not understand why some one would let one walk. I guess I have said how I feel about the scum.

 

[bigtex]

I kill or try to kill everyone I see, I don't even hesitate.

 

[MBG]

Thanks for the comments. I guess one of the reasons I have hesitated in the past to shoot them is because I've read several places, and even on this forum, that killing them would only result in others moving into the territory to take their place, but even if that's true (and I don't know that it is) it's still a reduction in the population of the "general" area.

As for the cockroach analogy, I sure won't hesitate to kill one or any bug in my house, but if I see something like that in the woods I'm more likely to just let it be-- but then again, cockroaches don't kill game animals.


The coyotes that we get in pics are most definitely full grown. Rarely do we get pics of smaller ones, and it is not uncommon to see 3 or 4 big ones travelling together, but again-- only in one specific area of the property. If I get lucky enough to get another pic of a large group I will post it, as we deleted the pics after our last camera check. We are used to getting a lot of coyote pics, but we all were shocked to see 7 of them in one pic.

I think, as has been suggested, that our best bet is to have someone trap a bunch out of the area (we have had many offers)to really see a reduction. Also the more I learn about their negative impact, the more I am willing to kill them when I have the opportunity, especially since I see them quite often while hunting.

 

[TheLBLman]

They are not native . . . .

Kinda like kudzu.

Don't wait until you have a bigger problem. Nip in the bud soon as possible.

Coyotes have all but eradicated native foxes in many areas.
I also believe coyotes have contributed to dwindling quail populations.

If you're seeing ANY coyotes, you have too many.

And should you ever see a coyote kill a deer, you'll likely lose any feelings of hesitancy in killing a coyote.

 

[fishboy1]

This is just personal observation so its not scientific but here goes.

On our farm, We have had ZERO fawns and turkey poults make it to August that we know about in the last 6/7 years.

Started trapping two seasons ago and shooting yotes any chance I could get.

This year we had ONE fawn on trail cam and 4 turkey poults with a flock of hens.

Is this a result of trapping? No way to tell for sure.

But since I have started reducing the nest predators and yotes, we are seeing more deer activity, our first baby turkeys AND hearing a lot more quail all summer long.

I THINK the break in pressure during the spring really helps the prey species out. Yotes moved back into the area during June, and coon tracks are all over the creek banks so they DO repopulate.

 

[stik]

I also believe coyotes have contributed to dwindling quail populations.

quail disappeared around here long before the coyotes showed up.

as for the op? shoot em all!!!

 

[TheLBLman]

quail disappeared around here long before the coyotes showed up.

as for the op? shoot em all!!!

No doubt, quail were on the decline in most of TN before coyotes became so numerous. It's just that coyotes add to the demise of quail populations, and it's my belief coyotes are more deadly predators to quail than the native foxes being displaced by coyotes.

I can show you some areas in West TN that had decent quail populations until about 5 years ago, and despite ideal and improved quail habitat, no quail now, but noticeably more coyotes. These areas have had coyotes for decades, so not exclusively blaming coyotes for the dwindling quail populations. In these areas, it appears the purposeful improvement of the habit (for quail) had the unintended consequence of being more ideal habitat for coyotes.

Yet there are other areas that had few quail, lots of coyotes, still have lots of coyotes, and the quail populations have been steadily increasing over the past 5 years. It may be in some areas coyotes focus more on deer than smaller animals and birds?

 

[stik]

i believe feral/free roaming cats are much more detrimental to the quail populations than any natural predators.

 

[DaveB]

Kind of a devil/deep blue sea situation. If you have feral cats ground nesting birds of all types are in trouble.

If you have coyotes they will catch and kill cats in a heartbeat-pets or feral. Then, they will eat the ground nesting birds.

Coyotes are several steps up the predator stairs. Again, your very best bet is trapping them.

 

[KPH]

Neither cats or coyotes are native Tennessee.

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

i believe feral/free roaming cats are much more detrimental to the quail populations than any natural predators.

Feral cats are hard on everything so I shoot them to

 

[Grill-n-man]

Coyotes- yup shoot em all day every day. Feral cats- very few around here but they on they on my list of critters that when it stops, looks at me, lays the ears back, hair on the back of its neck up, shows its teeth, and starts my way yup

 

[BackwoodsBoy]

Just eat the coyotes you shoot...

Just kidding..man them things sure stink when skinning them

 

[plinker22]

Kill them all...

 

[Dover_Mike]

Kill em

 

[102]

I have, on several occasions, had a Gobbler headed my way, within sight. Only to have a coyote appear witin range.

YES, I boogered the turkey hunt to kill a coyote. THey are out of control.

 

[MRUTVOL]

If you have one then you have too many ! Take it from me you are not going to put much of a dent in the coyote population if you are just shooting what you see from time to time. The only way to cut their numbers down is by a experienced trapper who can catch them in large numbers but even then it will be temporary. Man has been trying to control or get rid of the coyote for over a 100 years and there are more now than ever so SHOOT AWAY !!

 

[TheRealSpurhunter]

I was always in the "kill them if you can" camp, but hadnt ever really done it. About two years ago I was trukey hunting and saw one chasing a doe flat out across a field, a healthy, mature doe. I was dumbfounded. Thick about what they do to young deer/turkeys etc?? Now, I am in full kill mode, If I see one I try to call it in no matter the hunt, I feel like its for the betterment of of the game in my area.

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

I kill every stinking one i can pull the trigger on

 

[Hunt 365]

Kill everyone you see- save a deer and turkey

 

[1 good shot]

just a few little facts
coyotes seldom live past 2 1/2 years in this part of the country
heartworms get them
they breed according to food supply , the more food the more pups they have
it is true they are usually solitary animals but it is not true that they won't run in packs and often dogs will join the packs
my dad and i have killed as many as thirteen in one bunch when we had cattle
coyotes know that all animals will come to water so we frequently hunt the creeks on our place with a lot of success
you will very seldom see one that is not moving so you better have your gun ready if you plan on making a sound to stop one for shot and don't make any sudden movements because you will spook them every time