Quote:
Originally Posted by MK2750
Glad you enjoyed it and I am sure this will crack you right up.
It has been scientifically proven that killing Coyotes for sport has absolute no effect on reducing populations and in fact may have the opposite effect. Coyotes are more intelligent than most people and have the ability to breed as needed. Kill more and they make even more.
Pressure from recreational hunters have caused coyotes to abandon their usual diet of mostly vermin and live a more reclusive life in the heavy bush targeting larger prey and game birds. They also adapted to hunting in packs where need be.
There is more Coyotes alive than have ever lived and their range has expanded across Canada and the US. They are truly a success story as numbers can even be found in large urban areas where they never lived before.
People have been trying to control Coyotes forever and the Coyote is still winning. It is a proven waste of time but by all means use what ever logic you see fit. As a trapper you will no doubt benefit regardless.
Wolves are certainly an issue but again that is an area that is beyond the control of the average Joe. Having any significant impact on their population would take more time and effort than most of us have to offer.
What we can control is our impact on game populations by imposing limits, honoring seasons, avoiding sensitive areas and reporting our observations to those that make the rules.
I am all for more opportunity. I am having trouble understanding how increased harvest in the dead of winter is going to do anything but reduce opportunities in years to come.
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tactical Lever
If you want to put blame on a lack of small game, you might want to look at coyote, lynx and fox. And fishers, corvids, skunks, domestic cats, raptors, etc.
Contrary to what you believe there are about 6 times the population density of coyotes surrounding urban areas and towns as out in the middle of no-where. And as you mentioned, wouldn't killing a coyote save a few grouse that year? The same people that saying that killing coyotes makes no difference bemoan the timber industry as if trees don't grow back.
I believe the real reason coyotes are out of control is the relative dearth of small family farms in recent years, and the lack of being able to thin them around the outskirts of towns. I would also say the overall decline of trapping is also a factor. Same deal with wolves. It was not "sport hunting" that decimated them down south. They were simply trapped, poisoned and shot on sight, by people who carried guns as a matter of habit.
As for coyotes only targeting vermin; that is crazy talk. They will eat cow crap, apples, garbage, Fifi, and just about anything that crosses their path.
You, I and the rest of the hunters simply will not be out enough, in all the out of the way locations to kill off the grouse. I agree with Speckle, and one would do well to learn from his experience and knowledge of the outdoors.
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by MK2750
This is a strange post. You quoted me as if to contradict and said pretty much nothing contrary to what I have already stated.
I too believe that predation is a major problem and stated such.
I too believe there are large populations of predators living in urban areas and stated as such. You should see the Racoons that live in eastern cities and towns.
I too believe in the forestry as a renewable resource and have worked in that industry.
We both stated that sport or recreational hunting does little to lower predator populations. I have nothing against trapping and hunting of fur bearers and never said that I did. What I said was that the recreational hunting of coyotes has little effect on populations.
I at no time would suggest that coyotes wont eat nearly anything. I stated that left to their own devices they would spend most of their time targeting vermin as this is their natural prey and easiest to catch. If we chase them off the fields full of mice every time we see them, they simply find something else to eat.
I also agree with you that no amount of hunting will kill off all the grouse. You state your location as Fox Creek and Speckle says he is in Hinton. We had crazy numbers around here in the Rocky Caroline area too before everyone started coming from 3 major cities to harvest them. There are still grouse if you know where to go but I bet you that you and Speckle would be very disappointed if you had to do your hunting around here.
Where they went, I don't know. It is probably a combination of many things but they are not bouncing back with the cycles that they use to. It goes from near none in bad years to a few in good years. Not few to many like years ago.
I just can't see how adding winter hunting is going to help matters. If few (or nobody) actually asked for this extension, why take a chance on trying it.
|
I don't think you read what I typed or what you typed. And I stated that we may not kill off the coyote by sport hunting, but killing one will probably save several dozen grouse that year.
A hunter will not touch what wild predation does to grouse. So why not try it?
And you seem to state that coyotes only killed vermin before we pushed them into the bush. Untrue, and untrue. As I stated more live around cities and towns and they will eat nearly everything that walks, and flies. Certainly not excluding full size, healthy deer and have even seen the aftermath of probably a year(?) old steer killed.
Linear Mode
