[BVW]

Hey folks,
If anyone is seeing Coyotes on thier hunting land and would like them thined out a bit, let me know [email protected]
I am not a ADC person, just a avid Coyote hunter looking for land preferably in the south west part of Michigan.
Coyotes can do a number on the fawn crop, it's estimated that they can kill up to 35 % of the fawns. The Coyote population is on the rise and they are very adaptable.
Thanks,
BVW

 

[steve ypsi]

Coyotes can do a number on the fawn crop, it's estimated that they can kill up to 35 % of the fawns.

You are right about that, over the years I had a doe that had fawns every year for about 8 years 1000 ft at the back of my property, one year I watched 2 fawns every day come out in the open field at the back of my property, they came out 4 or five times a day, they were funny to watch, I would be working in my garage and making noise, they didn't seem to care. they would chase each other around a dirt mound. well a few days went by, no fawns, about a week went by so I walked down there and found their skulls and the hide, not even much bones, I had seen a very large coyote eariler in the spring but hadn't seem him again, well the fawns didn't last a hot minute.

 

[fairfax1]

For about the last 4 or 5 years I would hear coyotes most every night. This year, after 50 AM & PM sits, I've heard a coyote once.

Plus, the carcasses of deer that were lost by bowhunters or shotgunners or auto collision always were scavanged up real quickly. Not this year. I did a long walk over two leases a week ago. I found 5 dead deer with slug holes and very little varmit chewing.

All this leads me to think that coyotes are down in my township of DMU 34.

 

[BVW]

Fairfax,
I doubt the numbers of Coyotes are down in the area, but it's possible that they moved out of the area from lack of food. They are deffinatly growing in population around here, i saw 4 around my house this summer, i have tracks all over. 10 years ago, i didn't even know we had Coyotes in Michigan.
There are a group of guys that track them in the snow and drive them, they got over 30 last year around here. The year before that they got 20, a year before that about 17, i am sure this year they will do very well, and this area is not known for having a large coyote population as far as Michigan gos.
Get out in the snow and look around your hunting ground, i bet you will see a few tracks.
take care,
BVW-

 

[Proteus]

Originally posted by BVW
Fairfax,

There are a group of guys that track them in the snow and drive them, they got over 30 last year around here. The year before that they got 20, a year before that about 17, i am sure this year they will do very well, and this area is not known for having a large coyote population as far as Michigan gos.
______________________


Appreciating that coyotes pose a meaningful threat to whitetail deer, and all the other ecological/biological issues etc., driving coyotes (assuming with the help of dogs) is fraught with
negative issues that clearly outwiegh the benefits that this antiquated practice purports to bring with it. These include:

- Trespass and Landowner's right to privacy
- Nuicance, intimidation and danger to pets, farm animals & livestock
- Nuicance, intimidation and danger to humans while out of doors
- Blatant disregard for hunting regulations and the law (road-hunting, fire-arms transport)
- Fair and ethical pursuit of wild game
- Flagrant "dis-interpretation" and abuse of existing statutes surrounding dog-recovery on lands of another

Perhaps there are parts of the State where, because of the large amount of acreage being hunted, some of the above can/will not occur. However, in the less open, more populated areas..sorry, coyote drives should become a thing of the past.

Today, there are many other ways to pursue this quarry that are far superior and frankly, more fun to this method such as: trapping, and stand-hunting (both during the day and night).

 

[Whit1]

Fairfax,
Up here I am noticing the same thing. Coyotes are down.

 

[BVW]

I am not a big fan of Coyote or Deer drives either, i have no interest in it. Just used it to illistrate how the population is increasing in the area. They don't use dogs, they just get a bunch of people and stick them on the edge of a field while the others push the coyote. It's amazing how many Coyotes they get in a small area where most people don't even know that they exist.
good day,
BVW-

 

[Dave Lyons]

BVW,

Yes an area can have very few coyotes.

They need to be hit real hard in Jan and Feb. ( breeding season)

Last year I really hit the coyotes where I trap and just this week did a few coyotes start showing up again ( Winter dispersal or breeding season) at this time of the year the young of the year are being pushed out or go and venture on there own. So I will snare them starting the first of the year again.

I am in the field everyday from Oct. 15th till I can't move anymore around Feb. 1st. Then I only am off till open water comes around then hit the beaver trapping.

People in this state have a lot to learn about the coyote because what you read today on them is good maybe for a few coyotes. But then the nxt batch of coyotes teach you something else about them.

Have Fun

Dave Lyons

 

[Proteus]

As long as whoever is doing the "drives" are doing it on their own land, or on the land where they have permission to be (and no further) and, there are no dogs, and they are not shooting from a public road, and they not trespassing.

Other than that, I am fine with it.

 

[Eastern Yooper]

Looks to me like Eye1zLotto is back to posting under a different alias......

 

[bounty hunter]

What ever happened to eye1 ?

 

[Arthur Ritus]

Best I can tell, she had a head-on collision with a moderator and has been banished to the hinterlands. Didn't care much for all the strong opinions, but I sure'nuff loved her songs!

 

[johnhunter]

If one is interested in hunting coyotes on private land, I would think their chances for gaining access would be much better if the hunters used "calling" or perhaps the above-mentioned "driving" tactics.

Too many landowners are hip to the BS of guys that hunt coyotes with hounds. Over the last year, 3 guys have tracked me down to ask for permission to do me a favor by hunting yotes with their hounds on my property. Of course, I turned them all down. I've checked these guys out with locals, and found that 2 of the 3 are known troublemakers, and the other one is an unknown quantity.

Up until a year ago, no one ever asked for such a thing. I believe the word is out that a owning a big hound can be your ticket to trespassing legally.

 

[Parrothead]

Hi BVW, I know of some area close to you that hold some coyotes. I grew up and hunt in that area. There is alot of state land that holds some yots. I just saw one saturday morning on the tail of 6 does. Send me a email and I can give you some areas that I have seen yots. I would also like to learn more about how you hunt them. I have shot a few, but I think most of it was luck.

PH

 

[BVW]

Parrothead,
Thanks for the offer, i have a good amount of private land in West MIchigan to hunt but i am looking for more, i hunt in Hamilton, Fennville, Allendale, Allegan Woods, Allegan Farm unit. My e-mail is [email protected] if you would be interested in gettting together for a hunt around here sometime.
Also i don't know how this post turned into a Coyote Drive topic, i guess i will not use that word "drive" again. I only like to try to call Coyotes, to me thats were the challenge and excitement is. But i must say the guys that i know that drive Coyotes are all good people and very responsible. I find it hard to stereotype differnet forms of hunting, there is good and bad in everything.

 

[markbouman]

I think we're all aware of the trespass laws ..... does this mean that all types of hunting is "fraught with negative issues"? (or just the yote hunting?)

Just curious .....

 

[Proteus]

Every activity has its plus and minuses. This forum does an excellent job at illuminating those issues, both pro and con.

With regard to this particular activity, no, I am not against coyote hunting, with the singular exception of hunting coyotes via the traditional "drive" method and particularly, "drives" utilizing chase-dogs; for all the reasons detailed in my previous post.


And yes, you are 100% on the mark when you state "..we're all aware of the trespass laws". Trouble is, these laws are totally meaningless to some.