We coyote trapped our club in Wilcox County last year. About 4,000 acres. We caught 43 off of it. Our fawn sightings doubled this fall compared to last fall.
S O B!!!! 43??? That is a HUGE #!! Hell yea y'all made a difference. Even if you saved just 1 fawn per 2 coyotes that's BIG!! But that ratio is going to be closer to 2 fawns to 1 coyote I'd guess.
The problem is its a never ending process. You won't continue you catching those big #s but you can't quit or else in a few short years you're right back.
It was big no doubt. We are getting Chris King (shooters I think) to come back again this year. He is a beast when it comes to coyotes. Everyone wants to have their place trapped right before fawning season. We try to do spring and fawning season.
I like the spring trapping time just as much if not more than the fawning season. My theory is I had rather catch those females before they give birth or right after they do. Fewer pups being born. I start seeing pups all over the place in July each year. I kill a bunch with the thermals. No doubt a female feeding pups will kill more fawns than one simply feeding herself.
No doubt we are still learning about the impact coyotes have on game animals.
I try to explain trapping to folks this way. Deer and turkey reproduce at a much slower pace than predators and hogs. You can't put off addressing these pests because it takes years for your game animals to recover. That fawn you save this summer won't be a mature buck for 4+ years. You can't put it off until next year. Just like liming your fields. It is a management practice that pays dividends. Yes, it cost money. But, the reward is worth the effort.
