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Predator control

Hoss

New Member
I trapped 75 critters on about 500 acres this fall between my proprety and the neighbors. 17 coyote, 4 fox, 1 bobcat, rest were nest robbers, was wondering if catching that many coyotes and the cat would make a difference for deer, turkey, pheasant, etc... this is the first year ive had luck catching coyotes and it was really fun. Idk if thats enough to make a difference but it would be a bonus of catching them all. Does anyone think i made a difference or na? Either way im gonna trap them yotes now that i got them figure out.
 
By the way when i deer hunt i usually see between 3 and 5 deer on a good day and theres quite a few turkeys and pheasants around
 
I definitely think that helped. Any dead coyote is a great thing. I have witnessed them dragging dead fawns around. My hat's off to you. Please keep up the good work!
 
Hoss,
You did good. We trapped heavy on my place for two years and the numbers of twin fawns showing up really skyrocketed after the second year. I think we trapped 13 and 18 in those two years off of 2000 acres. I know a guy who found a coyote den and set up a trail camera and that pair of coyotes drug 14 fawns back to their pups at that den in one summer. Keep up the great work. When you don't see any more yotes you know you are making progress. But don't stop then. The best yote is a dead yote!!:)
 
Ya trapping season ends wedensday but wen i turn 18 in march im planning on buying a night vision scope and a 223 so hopefully i can keep them in check year round with that. I also hope more fox move in if i keep wacking yotes i like fox and a grey is on my bucket list
 
The Fellar brothers on here trap alot of coyote and cats every winter and although it helps they also said that the predator population continues to rebuild each year even after killing a bunch off. I think those yotes range quite a bit and fill in the holes accordingly. Keep at it, definitely doesn't hurt!
 
Keep after it, but the science says it doesn't move the needle that much. Coyotes have a way of self regulating their numbers. Take one out, one moves in. I saw a single female with 12 pups years back in a field.

So take out 17 yotes..... 2 bred females just replaced them all 6 months later. Not trying to be Debby downer..... just a tough nut to crack!
 
Ya they probably will rebound quick if i dont have good luck hunting them year round wen i get my nightvision but hopefully they stay low enough through the winter where atleast it will make a difference in the rabbit and pheasant numbers
 
Hoss,

Congratulations on the trapping success! I would really like to learn how to trap coyotes effectively as well. What method are you using? Any tips? Getting the impression from others that snares/cable restraints are more effective (maybe easier to learn?) than footholds for coyotes. Would really appreciate any suggestions you have for catching yotes!
 
Thankyou, yes cable restraints have been very easy for me compared to footholds which have not been effective for me. All i do is set them on known coyote trails or if u dont know any known coyote trails wait for snow and set right on their tracks, the trails u choose need to be in moderatly brushy areas tho that consceal the CR to a certain extent without brushing it in, then u can brush them in lightly, i always where gloves when handling the CRs and setting to reduce scent. The key is u dont want the animal alerted by any scent or big changes such as brushing the CR in to much so it becomes cautious and sees the CR or goes around. I make about a 10 inch loop with the CRs and about 8 to 14 inches off the ground depending on what height it blends in best with the brush around the trail, those are rough estumates i just kind of eye it. I prefer setting in the timber so i can anchor my Crs to a tree close to a trail and twist my support wire to a tree but in crp or places with no solid trees to anchor i use 2 18 in rebar stakes, dont use 1 24 inch they pull that out, i found out the hard way. Then i just tightly wrap the support wire around a different stake and lightly pound in and brush that stake in lightly because it sticks way out of the ground.
 
Also if u shoot a deer the scraps are excellent for starting a bait pile and snaring when the yotes start coming to it, i caught 3 over one pile of deer scraps in about 5 days. And speaking of deer u have to be very careful on where u set these so u wont get a deer by the neck. Thats why i prefer not to set fences or trails that go under something. But as far as catching them by the hooves if u put a deer lock so the loop cant close past 3 or 4 inches u should be fine. And as far as catching the yotes go i generally get a yote within 4 days of setting the snare. I have even got several the first check since the Cr was set. So sometimes i keep moving them after about 4 days but if i have confidence i leave them. Longest i had one out before it caught was probably 8 or 9 days but if they are set properly in a decent spot u should get a catch fairly quick, and another good reason to wait for snow is coons will ruin good spots but i trapped coons the first 2 weeks pretty hard and then tried for the yotes and i didnt have many problems
 
And another tip is make sure ur snare support wire is solid to whatever u attach it to so the snare stays in position, and sometimes the snare can be quite difficult to get in the position u want because its twisted or something else but i fiddle with them for a bit and get them how i like them. I just added that because u wouldnt think it would take 3 min to get the snare positioned like u want it but sometimes it does lol
 
Adding to the above. Great info, but what you should do so you don't get a deer caught in the leg or whatever is put a stop on the cable. I just use a small nut or something similar to crimp down onto the cable. That way a deer leg wouldn't get caught. Basically don't let the snare slide (close) all the way to nothing.
 
I believe Iowa requires 2" deer stops on snares anyway. I always had mine with 3", I've seen alot of big footed does out there.
 
Great information Hoss- thanks for sharing! Hope to start having the same type of success you have had. Any suggestions on where to get good cable restraints? Do you buy them pre- made or build them yourself? Sorry for so many questions- this is all new for me.
 
I just went to f and t trading post website because i sae them on a commercial and bought ones labled for coyote and bobcat. There are different cable sizes and ones with swivlea and no swivles. Some are better than others but i just picked one
 
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