What kills the most deer?

[kaizen leader]

What Kills the Most Deer in a Year? | Deer & Deer Hunting

STOP! Don’t answer that question without reading this post, because you are probably going to be wrong! First, the question needs some qualifiers. The main question is centered on predation of whitetails across the continental U.S., and it includes all deer from newborn fawns all the way up to...

www.deeranddeerhunting.com

 

[deerdills]

I would be interested to see how this data was collected. Most of these are estimates, I get that, but what are they based off of? We collect data by what we see in person and what's on our trail cams. Then there are biologist that collect dietary info from stomachs. It seems like all these methods combined would be a very low percentage of what actually happens in the wild, making it very difficult to have a somewhat accurate estimate. How did they estimate how many coyotes are killed annually by hunters and trappers? I didn't know people reported killing coyotes? When biologists collect dietary samples, how do they know that the coyote killed the deer vs roadkill vs hunter killed etc? Coyotes are opportunistic and consume a lot of animals they did not kill. Just thinking out loud on these statistics

 

[kaizen leader]

I'm sure the data is based on small samples and projected. I heard 85% (or more) of quoted statistics are lies. Including that one but it is food for thought. Don't put much into it or you'll go crazy. I found it to be interesting. Even if it's off by 25%.

 

[Acorn]

I will go with @Deer Assassin

 

[Deer Assassin]

I will go with @Deer Assassin

lol

only 18 ....

 

[backyardtndeer]

Zero doubt in my mind that coyotes are the heaviest predator on deer. I continue to kill all the coyotes I can.

 

[TboneD]

If I read correctly then, hunters kill almost twice as many during deer season as coyotes do in an entire year, and almost three times as many as automobiles do yearly. I had no idea hunters killed so many, legally at that. So if an agency were to want to keep deer numbers in check, guess they'd do something like TN did in establishing Unit L.

 

[knightrider]

The general consensus of all deer interviewed is , they quit breathing

 

[redblood]

Feral dogs take a few

 

[deerdills]

Yesterday I saw a yote midday chowing down on fresh roadkill deer just off the interstate.

 

[TboneD]

Yesterday I saw a yote midday chowing down on fresh roadkill deer just off the interstate.

While we obviously have plenty of coyotes, my guess is that buzzards get on roadkill first 99% of the time around here. They're so thick where I hunt that I'll put off gutting until I can get back to them with my deer cart.

Speaking of roadkill and coyotes, though, I was surprised from that article that the hunter harvest from legal weapon seasons exceeds the estimated coyote and automobile deer kills for the entire year.

 

[deerdills]

While we obviously have plenty of coyotes, my guess is that buzzards get on roadkill first 99% of the time around here. They're so thick where I hunt that I'll put off gutting until I can get back to them with my deer cart.

Speaking of roadkill and coyotes, though, I was surprised from that article that the hunter harvest from legal weapon seasons exceeds the estimated coyote and automobile deer kills for the entire year.

I was surprised as well. And if you lump hunters and autos together, humans account for an even greater majority.

 

[Lost Lake]

I wonder how coyote kill numbers are figured? It's far easier to get numbers on hunters, even though those numbers aren't 100 percent accurate.

I'm surprised that many fawns even make it thru the first two weeks of life with coyotes, buzzards, foxes and bears. The occasional hay mowing and baling accidents too.

 

[Stingray]

I'd say folks taking long shots that they have no business taking ..gut shots

 

[kentuckylakebuck1]

Farmers! depredation permits!

 

[Methane]

30-.06