“Small game animals” - “population cycle”?

[Sligh1]

Anyone else notice this??? I’m out at farms almost every day for last 10-15 years. This might be one of highest amounts I’ve seen for: rabbits, coons, pheasants (still rare by me), quail, etc etc. anyone else noticing a “boom”?
Maybe it’s due to more crp. BUT- I recall even as a kid pheasant hunting from maybe 1994 on.... ups and downs for not super great reasons. “The old timers” used to say “kid, there’s this 7 year cycle ever since I can remember”.
I can’t pin it on anything.... ive been in areas with the same habitat and it runs cycles. Years like this- the “nest raiders” like coons & possums are also all over- so it’s hard to relate it to lack of predation. We’ve had a devastating winter followed by mild one- hard to correlate there. I’m STUMPED.
Anyone else notice this & Notice cycles of the past? someone smarter than me (IQ over >7) - lemme hear ur thoughts why.

 

[rutnstrut]

Could just be that nobody is hunting or trapping those specific animals much lately... Fur prices have been garbage for several years and a lot of pheasant hunters slowed way down or just gave it up years back when the numbers got so low and started hunting other things instead.

 

[2-bucks]

I definitely see rabbit cycles still. 3 years ago my farm was covered with rabbits. More normal this year. But my few acres by my house has them everywhere this year. I think my 12 year old is going to get some quality rabbit hunting this winter!

 

[Booner]

We’ve had hands down the best spring we’ve had in 20 years. Guessing that’s playing into a lot. I’ve seen more birds, turkeys, foxes, rabbits, etc etc. this spring has been one for the books. Southern iowa crops look stellar. Timely rains once a week. Hopefully it continues throughout the remainder of the summer. Could be set up to be an epic fall.

 

[Hardwood11]

Pheasants are gonna go “gonzo” this year. Dry and warm in most nesting areas.

 

[Hanyak]

Seem a LOT more rabbits this year than typical and a LOT more pheasants in many many years. Still it like the god ‘ol days, but a lot more than in quite a few years.

 

[Hawk32]

I've seen a lot more pheasants this year around my place and doing field work this spring. I've also been training a young coon dog and there are a pile of coon everywhere. I don't ever remember seeing the number coon I have this spring.

 

[Matthewfox_45]

Nobody wants to trap coons when the average price is under $5. I love trapping them but you just hemorrhage money trapping Sub $5 coon. That being said, I’ll still try to catch as many as possible at the farm I deer/turkey hunt at as I like seeing turkeys more then coons.

 

[loneranger]

Never ending coons. They attack all me and my neighbors fruit. He killed 30 last year on his farm. I took 16. They were after my cherries this year. I caught 9 near the tree! Epidemic of them.

 

[mplane72]

I've seen a lot more pheasants this year around my place and doing field work this spring. I've also been training a young coon dog and there are a pile of coon everywhere. I don't ever remember seeing the number coon I have this spring.

We have noticed a real boom in coons around our place too. Damn things are everywhere and actually kind of a nuisance this year.

 

[Muskrat24]

Low fur prices make for a boom in coons and possums. Possums typically are controlled by incidental catches for coon not for their fur! Feel fortunate to have good numbers cuz SW IA and NW MO have TERRIBLE small game numbers! Especially turkeys, quail and pheasants! For those of you seeing a lot, have you been seeing any broods/clutches?? Also, how is deer antler development looking??

 

[Matthewfox_45]

I’ve been seeing good numbers of baby pheasants in central Iowa.

 

[Hawk32]

Low fur prices make for a boom in coons and possums.

I haven't sold a hide in years. Gave a few to a buddy who stretches them but thats about it.

 

[Sligh1]

Lots of turkey babies spotted.
Coons are a major problem for fruit trees. Echo above. They need to go bad!! Wreck trees.

 

[Muskrat24]

Most of the Midwest had late freezes that affected mulberry and wild raspberry production which are normally summer staples for the coons so they will be shifting food sources again this summer. Look out cattle creep feeders, sweet corn patches and pretty much any alternative food sources they will get hit even harder than normal this year!!!

 

[sep0667]

I've noticed and heard more pheasants each year fore the past few years now, which is great. I was just about old enough to start carrying a gun and did get a couple about 16-17 years ago and then it seemed like they completely disappeared. I did go one time last year and walked a ditch that usually has a few and was able to get a shot off lol, was the first time I had tried in a long time. Would really like to get back to going if the #'s are there.

 

[Bowfisher]

I have noticed rabbit populations continue to be super high for the last 5 years or so. Seems to be three "hatches" per year around my house.
Racoons DEFINATELY are in high abundance. Deer hunting last fall I saw more coons than ever in the 20+ years I have hunted that timber.

 

[JNRBRONC]

The mulberry tree is dropping fruit. Mama skunk and her gang of 5 were eating early last evening. 2 little coons and a grinner showed up later. Trailcam card is going to be full. Been seeing tons of coons, rabbits and pheasants. I’m not hearing coyotes singing at dusk.


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[Muskrat24]

This what you are seeing also!!!???

 

[Sligh1]

That a bunch of coons?

so buddy who is a biologist and animal nut said this to me a while back ..... he said the big coons- big old boar coons - will hit fawns hard.... kill em & eat em. Any of you ever heard this? Think this is right? I suspect it might be right... by my house I’ve seen em kill pretty big baby geese & have killed neighbors chickens. I almost think this could be right on the farms. New one I heard though. But I don’t know. Thoughts?