I'll admit to a certain ambivalence regarding predators and their effect on deer. I've always figured coyotes may have a small effect at times but overall they don't decrease the number of deer or seriously impact their behavior. But this year in Monroe County, I am starting to question that. We are still seeing a lot of sign. But I saw a large male yote from my stand last weekend. Yesterday I had a bitch walk up on me while still hunting and then 2 more pass through while I was on stand. I have yet to see a calm deer.

I was in Idaho a few years ago and had wolves around. The elk were noticeably invisible. They were still around but seemed to be really jittery. I wonder if the same thing is happening with the deer here.

I hunt Parke County and the coyote are thick there and have been for years and I don't seem to have problem finding and seeing deer in their normal patterns.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. I may be taking up coyote killing.

Someone will be by shortly to tell you they don't effect adult healthy deer.

I've physically witnessed them chasing and trailing adult deer on several occasions. I don't know too many predators that exert the energy of the chase just for the heck of it. I think they can and will take adult deer depending on the situation. If you have good habitat that supports other wildlife I don't think they will have much effect on deer behavior as they have plenty of other options. If a monoculture exists I think they can be targeted but JMO.

Trap them and shoot them every chance you get. The season on them is in now so take them whenever you can.

Couple old, smart yote bitches can put some hurt on the local fawn population at birthing time.

Kill them any chance you get. h.h.

All good points above.

I think you are on to something with your observations. I believe the coyotes effect on deer is often underestimated. We know from controlled studies they can reduce fawn recruitment by 2/3. I have seen them chase adult deer and certainly have the deer "on edge"

Trap them, snare them, shoot them, or all of the above.

Now is a great time to get back into trapping!

I've had deer come in on the same trail within minutes of yotes coming thru....I've seen herds of deer with four or five yotes walking by within 100 yards in open fields. None seemed to care.

Trapping is very cost intensive for little to no payback now days. By law traps must be checked every day. No biggie if behind the house.

Believe me, hunters should trap and shoot every chance one gets! I have seen my buddies land go from tons of deer to 1/4 of what it was because they neglected the coyotes. I actually just secured another spot to hunt in Spencer County as a trade for trapping their coyotes. I was there last night and heard three different yotes fire up. I have added some facts for you below.

Texas A&M = On 5,000 acres with 1 year of trapping they had 70% more fawns.

During the previous years they avg. a 23% survival rate for fawns.

University of Georgia = On 1,800 acres with 1 year of trapping they had 149% more fawns. During the previous years they avg. a 17% survival rate for fawns.

South Carolina = They radio collared numerous does, 70% were killed by predators.

South Carolina = They radio collared numerous bobcats. One bobcat killed 30+ does.

University of Oxford = 80% of turkeys were killed by predation, especially during the early stages of life (egg to juvenile).

I did get a shot at the first bitch but missed high at 30 yards with the recurve. Lost my freaking arrow too. Stupid dog!

I have killed opportunity yotes in the past but never really targeted them. I am definitely planning on trapping this year after deer season but it is 1+ hours from the house so it will be weekends only. I trapped a bunch earlier in life.

I did find a fairly freshly dead deer a couple weeks ago that had been gnawed to the bones by various critters. No telling what killed it for sure but it was a 1 year old doe. No where near a road. I doubt it was poachers either. I'm going down there the end of the month with a different agenda.

John - a few years ago our deer numbers were way down. We started traping that same year. We trapped 11 and the nieighbor of killed 9. Our numbers of deer have steadily increased. Could it be predator control? I think that is part of what helped. It can't hurt. If we can save 1 or 5 deer it is worth it as we don't have great deer numbers.

Some will say it doesn't matter. I lean on that it does along with other things like habitat

Also Hoosier Trapper Supply has a great kit for beginners. Comes with everything you need if you have never trapped.

Fantastic Post, Brother!

I have only gotten the opportunity to take a coyote twice. I missed by 3 yards via Compound Bow (huge Coyote) and then two came running in on my pile of dog food I laid out for them... never got a shot - as soon as they passed by trail, they took off and never touched the dog food all year.

Fawn recruitment is a big deal. Coyotes (and bobcats) are hard on fawns. Too many predators in an area will definitely affect prey animal numbers.

I kill coyotes at every oppotunity,but the biggest threat to our deer herd is the IDNR .

Yotes are hands down the hardest critters to catch, their home range can take two weeks for them to cover and come back around. Snares are best bet, easiest to get them in.

check out the Trapperman for info on trapping coyotes to all who are interested

TONS of information on which traps, snares, how to, baits, lures, etc.

This ones fawn eating days are over...

for sure..one of many articles I have read recently.

The best time to kill them is right before fawn drop too, not allowing time for another family group of coyotes to move in.

"Dr. Grant Woods cited a study done by one of his graduate students in which 20 plus coyotes and 10 bobcats were removed from a 2000-acre property. This particular property saw a 150% plus increase in fawns the following fawning season."

challenge to all yote trappers this year, cut open their stomachs and report here what you find.

Tell ya what Dave, I'll bring YOU the skinned carcasses, and YOU can cut em open and report back!!!!!!

Everybody knows what MY thoughts are on this. Three years, and nearly 60 coyotes, mainly trapped/snared, and shot at every opportunity has had a BIG affect on the local deer population in the 2 mile square I roam. Four years ago, there were 2 to 1 adult does to fawns come hunting season, even less when they yarded up on our place in late season. And the total #'s were sickeningly low for what it should have been. It was really easy then to get an inventory of what was really out there when they were all standing and feeding in a field at once in January. NOW, as we are entering hunting season, I am seeing a complete swing……….1.5 to 1 fawns over adult does. A LOT of those does are 1.5 year old does with a single fawn. It may even be possible now for me to not feel guilty about taking one doe off the place. I will evaluate that come late season before I do though……...

The only good yote is a dead yote. Especialy when they start cross breeding with dogs. Coybogs can be extreamly dangerous

That one doesn't look too ratty... Anyone need help with coyotes, please remember me. I'd be happy to come down (above 30degree weather) and take me some coyotes.

I'm not saying that it doesn't happen, but from what I have seen usually when a coyote and a domestic dog encounter each other it usually ends up with one of the two dead or hurt very bad. I have been trapping yotes for 40 years and have never encountered a truly wild coydog. I have seen some instances where a coyote pup was raised by man and bred with a domestic dog creating a cross breed, but only with the help of man.

All that I know for sure is that I hunt a few areas where the yotes are tame enough to be dangerous. I just made the assumption that they were coydogs and not true coyotes

coy dogs are a rarity usually found in areas with poor coyote populations. yotes would rather kill a dog bitch in heat than breed her. many claim to have seen or killed coydogs, but the only way to tell is dna testing. like peopl, they come in different sizes, colors and temperments