Why hunt coyotes?

[rucker]

I have been invited to go coyote hunting and just have one question: why? I'm not a big fan of going and shooting things for no reason... unless it's a steel plate

So, are there any benefits to thinning out the coyote population in Minnesota?

[ttousi]

Less coyotes=more pheasants for one.

[Greg]

I've talked to a couple of the six teams that South Dakota has flying around shooting coyotes, back when I flew in SD a lot.

One of them figured that he'd shot about 25,000 coyotes and 5,000 fox in the last 25 years, and told me that all they were doing is breeding smarter coyotes. When you put the population under pressure they start having more, and bigger, litters. He said that the smart coyotes just lie still when he flies over and they're very hard to see and shoot; the dumb ones run and are easy to shoot. Guess who gets to breed?

It's mostly a feel good thing the state does for the ranchers, they have as many coyotes now as 25 years ago. If you left them alone, the population would stabilize at a level not much larger than it is now. Regardless of hunting pressure, there is quite a bit of natural fluctuation in the population due to disease and game.

I figure that the wolves and coyotes were here first and have first call on the game. Easy for me to say, since I don't hunt anymore.

[Rip Van Winkle]

Less coyotes=more pheasants for one.

I'm not so sure that's true. I read an article awhile ago which argued that when you thin the coyote population, the smaller predators like fox and skunk fill the void and are much harder on pheasant numbers.

[Pinnacle]

Good lord

which is it - more coyotes=less of something else or is there an article somewhere to refute that?

I have a question for you

How many greek gods can dance on the head of a pin?

[Rip Van Winkle]

How many greek gods can dance on the head of a pin?

Why would they dance on the head of a pin when they can dance on top of Mount Olympus?

[Old Dude]

How many greek gods can dance on the head of a pin?

Why would they dance on the head of a pin when they can dance on top of Mount Olympus?

Maybe because it's cold on top of Mount Olympus, and from the pictures I've seen, they're not dressed for it.

[Rem700]

If they where of any value the Mn DNR would

A. Set a limit
B. Set a season
C. Require a license
D. All of the above

[Pinnacle]

Iv'e been yote hunting once - I got one at a pretty good distance and I thought that was cool - right up until the point when I walked up on it and it looked like a rather cool looking dog.

I like dogs - hard thing for me to hunt. I dont much care for hunting yotes. I have one in the neighborhood that is my clean up guy after we shoot vermin. He is prety helpful.

And if I were to shoot him - I am afraid of what would come to clean him up.

[hammAR]

Rural predator hunting is a great way to keep on top of your game afterall Coyotes are scavengers,
and it beats the hell put of paper, besides inner-city predators are illegal to hunt.................

[princewally]

besides inner-city predators are illegal to hunt.................

Only out of season.

[Pat]

Here is an interesting thread which may aid in this discussion...

[Pat]

Gosh, but this is getting interesting: http://www.puppybeef.com/index.php

And people think the French are funny for looking at a horse for marbling potential...

[Squib Joe]

Coyote hat?



Good for job interviews, meeting your girlfriend's parents, etc

[1911fan]

because you can not hunt them hard enough to hurt the population. it does help with some game species on the short term to keep some preds under control. But its like owl and ptarmigan populations, they have a median level that both seem to surge above and below, a good year for ptarmigan means a good year for owls the next, a down year for Ptarmigan, a down year for owls follow.

Plus knowing you can hit a small dog sized target on the move, outdoors, and in wind really increases your confidence with other long range live targets, should the need arise...