So as I'm trying to get rid of the coons, opossum, skunks. I was wandering the percentage of birds that die at the hands of these varmints compared to say... oyte, bobcats, other birds. I'm guessing more die in the nest before opening their eyes.
I have no idea on percentages. But I think it's a safe bet most are lost during incubation. Coons and crows are probably responsible for most of those, but I've heard skunks are pretty rough too. Once they're hatched I'd guess raptors are pretty bad on them for a couple of months along with bobcats. Once they get half grown or so I'd say bobcats account for most of the losses. I think coyotes get some, but not as many as people think. Look at a bobcats front feet and compare to a coyotes and it's easy to see which one is better equipped for catching birds capable of flight. Consider the source. Just a senile old man with an opinion.
Why not try to manage all predator populations and not just nest predators? Although anything you do will be more effective than doing nothing.
I have quite a few turkeys around my house, and in the last 3 years I've seen exactly 0 poults so the predators are doing a great job.
More are lost in egg or poult stage than any other time. Bobcats kill way more poults and adults than any coyote. I've seen a big boar coon try to take down a full fledged tom before. Coons, bobcats, and owls are very efficient predators of turkeys.
Quote from: guesswho on August 10, 2022, 01:11:27 PM
I have no idea on percentages. But I think it's a safe bet most are lost during incubation. Coons and crows are probably responsible for most of those, but I've heard skunks are pretty rough too. Once they're hatched I'd guess raptors are pretty bad on them for a couple of months along with bobcats. Once they get half grown or so I'd say bobcats account for most of the losses. I think coyotes get some, but not as many as people think. Look at a bobcats front feet and compare to a coyotes and it's easy to see which one is better equipped for catching birds capable of flight. Consider the source. Just a senile old man with an opinion.
I agree with this 100%. I have seen racoons and skunks destroy a whole nest in one visit, it only takes them a few minutes. I try to "control" as many predators as possible. I have trapper friends and always clue them in to the areas that need it the most. Post hatch, I believe that, in my area, bobcats are the #1 predator on turkey poults now. Z
Always been predators and always been turkeys, in certain areas. In these certain areas, there will continue to always be turkeys, as well as predators. Some areas are just not meant to have turkeys. It is just that simple. #1 predator for wild turkeys, and the overall determining factor in their numbers plummeting has, and always will be "hunters". It is ashame the real turkey hunters out there get lumped into this category with yesterdays "market" hunters and todays "social media" hunters.
I've read that you have to be careful not to remove too many coyotes. If you take them all out, the nest predators population rises out of proportion.
I doubt coyotes get many adult turkeys, they aren't stealthy enough. Bobcats are top level hunters and can surely kill adults and poults alike.
Around here, I suspect pigs get some nests, coon too. I rarely see a skunk where I hunt, but we do have lots of hawks and some owls so I think they get some poults every year.
Quote from: Tail Feathers on August 12, 2022, 02:32:45 PM
I've read that you have to be careful not to remove too many coyotes. If you take them all out, the nest predators population rises out of proportion.
I doubt coyotes get many adult turkeys, they aren't stealthy enough. Bobcats are top level hunters and can surely kill adults and poults alike.
Around here, I suspect pigs get some nests, coon too. I rarely see a skunk where I hunt, but we do have lots of hawks and some owls so I think they get some poults every year.
I have posed this question to a biologist who has done studies tracking raccoons and it seemed predation of raccoons is extremely rare. Yotes may get opossum and others, but I do not think they are killing hardly any raccoons. If I was a yote, the last critter on earth I would try to attack would be a raccoon with how vicious those jokers are. Yote wont be getting a pass from me.
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If any of you boys have some links to hard data I would very much like to see it, as I think it would be very informative. I've been trapping for three years on a piece of property and the number of predators has been amazing. I still am not seeing poults like I think I should be seeing, although we do have a healthy turkey population. Most of Dr Mike Chamberlain's data is EXTREMELY informative. (He also seems like a dang good guy) I've heard some of Dr Chamberlain interesting stories about a pair of great horned owls in one of his doctoral student's studies. If I remember correctly Chamberlain said the bobcat is the most efficient killer of turkeys, but not percentage wise the most voluminous.
Phattso ;)
Quote from: cwedding on August 13, 2022, 03:04:03 PM
If I was a yote, the last critter on earth I would try to attack would be a raccoon with how vicious those jokers are.
Man you ain't a kiddin'....the last!!!
It is my understanding that Opossum really nail nests too, I guess the way they search and area is so thorough that they do not miss much. What they do is basically a grid pattern covering every inch of the ground they can access. I have heard skunk are much the same.
Also somebody here did a thing I think two years ago along with others where they put out fake nests with cameras on them and if I recall correctly (Please correct me) crow were just about always the first thing to show up. I think that was the case with several people that did this, but I hope whomever it was will chime in and correct me if I am wrong, my memory is not to be trusted because of my medications.