Coyotes!

[GATA61]

It's almost two weeks into the season here in GA. Plenty of gobbling, but I still haven't been able to knock one down. Unfortunately, the coyotes have been having plenty of luck! Found a new burrow that is of decent size. I'm new to the whole predator control scene and I was wondering if you guys could give some advice on how to take out a few of these dogs. I hear them every night at our hunting land, they're out there. I've been looking at a new .243 for a coyote/deer combo and to have as a truck gun. I know some use the electronic callers and bait, just wondering what you guys like to do to take them down! Thanks in advance.

[Bowguy]

Not sure the regs there. I'd snare em but the season is over here

[zelmo1]

Hunt them and call often. Get as many as you can, they will overpopulate the area quickly if not controlled. Good luck

[WV TURKEY THUG]

your best bet is to trap them you wont dont  any real damage hunting them well u could if ur good at it. but i have yet to see anyone that could hunt a area and thin them down like trapping would. a semi auto would be good as a truck gun one with a clip dont know ur regs were u live but a clip is the way to go as to getting the gun loaded fast if u see one driving down the road. just look for a collar before u shoot i almost shot someones dog a week or so ago. i had the saftey off and finger on the trigger just starting to squeeze then i see a red collar then after that i notice a lab in front of it. personanly i would go with a 223. it will be plenty for deer its all about shot placement.

[GATA61]

Bowguy: I'm not into trapping, rather just send a piece of lead at them. Just don't know enough personally about trapping.


Zelmo: That's what I'm afraid of. Our deer population has dwindled in the past 5 years. We're on the rebound from a blue tongue outbreak several years ago, but I have also noticed that there haven't been nearly the amount of rabbits. Afraid our turkeys will take a hit too, if they haven't already.

In Georgia, coyotes are not considered game animals since they are an invasive species found in all 159 counties. They are open to kill year round with no limit. So I don't believe any regulations apply.
Thanks for the input!

[Honolua]

It's almost two weeks into the season here in GA. Plenty of gobbling, but I still haven't been able to knock one down. Unfortunately, the coyotes have been having plenty of luck! Found a new burrow that is of decent size. I'm new to the whole predator control scene and I was wondering if you guys could give some advice on how to take out a few of these dogs. I hear them every night at our hunting land, they're out there. I've been looking at a new .243 for a coyote/deer combo and to have as a truck gun. I know some use the electronic callers and bait, just wondering what you guys like to do to take them down! Thanks in advance.

Trust me the only way to even make a dent is trap them.

[Rick Howard]

Trapping is your answer.   I have been calling coyote for almost 20 years.  Shooting them here and there, like you might while calling, won't do ya any good.  It's fun though. 

There is a reason the coyote are there.  If you remove one or two... It won't take much time for new ones to move in.  Sometimes only days. 

Calling coyote is not what most people think.  Coyote are smart and the more they are called the harder it gets.  So your luck will decrease if you call the same area often.  In the time it will take you to learn how to call and kill coyote consistently, you could learn to trap.  If you don't wish to put the time into trapping, which is understandable, you could bring in a good trapper.

I'm not suggesting that you should not take up calling. 

[Marc]

As a related thought, how much damage do you guys feel that coyotes do on turkey populations?

I read some interesting papers on coyote control and upland game management that got me thinking...

The paper I read stated that on areas studied, upland populations did better with healthy coyote populations, and here are the reasons given:

• Coyotes will kill or drive off other predators that are better at capturing upland species such as bobcats ferrets, and foxes.
• Coyotes will kill or drive off the egg-eaters such as opossums, raccoons, and to some degree even skunks...  It is widely thought that these egg-eaters are far more destructive to upland populations that other predators.
• Coyotes tend to eat smaller mammals such as squirrels and mice which are in direct competition for the same food sources as upland game.

Thinking about it logically, it makes sense to me, and I am in the line of thinking that the raccoons and opossums do far more damage to the population than do a few incidental birds killed by coyotes...  And even hunting in coyote country, I still call in far more bobcats with a turkey call than I do yotes...

Might be fun to call in and hunt some dogs, but I do have to wonder if it is as helpful as most of us think???

[Bowguy]

Marc has a popular and perhaps correct point. But think about this, how many guys have not called in coyotes while turkey hunting? How many guys use turkey calls to lure coyotes? Well they aren't coming to admire the beautiful colors on the bird. Why on earth would they waste time if unsuccessful? Seems to me they must have some success. Oh n remember another thing, before someone says they only take perhaps a few poults, often coyotes are called in the dead of winter. There's no poults around n the turk calls are deadly. Not discounting what Marc is saying just pointing out they must have some impact

[Ihuntoldschool]

I think coyotes have very little if any effect on the turkey population.  They will kill a few but not many. They kill a lot of turkey nest predators as previously mentioned.  It is my opinion that the coyotes can effect the turkeys behavior and make them more difficult to call. They may have an effect on the amount of gobbling on the ground.  The turkeys may start gobbling later and remain on the roost until there is more daylight, this can vary depending on terrain/habitat.

They will acknowledge a hen turkey call, and in some cases respond. But in my experience, the way to call them in is with those high pitched squeals on a mouth call.  They respond to this much more readily than hen sounds. As soon as I see one when turkey hunting, I start making those high pitched, distressed squeals on a mouth call. When they get to about 30 yards, I fill them full of #6 lead. Bang, Flop.

One thing our biologists are learning now is that black bears may be having a significant effect on our turkey populations. This has a lot more merit than the coyote theory in my opinion.

[TauntoHawk]

I think coyotes have very little if any effect on the turkey population.  They will kill a few but not many. They kill a lot of turkey nest predators as previously mentioned.  It is my opinion that the coyotes can effect the turkeys behavior and make them more difficult to call. They may have an effect on the amount of gobbling on the ground.  The turkeys may start gobbling later and remain on the roost until there is more daylight, this can vary depending on terrain/habitat.

They will acknowledge a hen turkey call, and in some cases respond. But in my experience, the way to call them in is with those high pitched squeals on a mouth call.  They respond to this much more readily than hen sounds. As soon as I see one when turkey hunting, I start making those high pitched, distressed squeals on a mouth call. When they get to about 30 yards, I fill them full of #6 lead. Bang, Flop.

One thing our biologists are learning now is that black bears may be having a significant effect on our turkey populations. This has a lot more merit than the coyote theory in my opinion.

Really? Do the bears get at the eggs I guess?

I don't think the yotes effect turkeys like they do deer. For every adult turkey they kill I think they save a few entire nests by eating other nest predators. I've caught raccoons in the act of destroying nests. I've also seen coyotes come right through a flock of birds he just sauntered right through and the birds kinda just parted and let him pass and went back to their thing once he was gone. I do see curious coyotes in the spring a lot but the turkeys always seem to just watch them until they pass not flush or go running. That's just my experience and I still hate the coyotes for the fawn damage they do.   

[Ihuntoldschool]

Exactly, you have to look at how active the black bear are at that the time of the year as they start to prepare for their rut.  Their population here has increased dramatically during the same time the turkey populations have continued to decrease.    Their is no match for their nose and scenting ability.

In some areas, I think it is safe to say black bear hurt the deer population more than yotes as well.

[ridgerunner]

I trap coyote on my hunting grounds.. a good trapper can thin em out in a couple weeks, or less..

[Marc]

Marc has a popular and perhaps correct point. But think about this, how many guys have not called in coyotes while turkey hunting? How many guys use turkey calls to lure coyotes? Well they aren't coming to admire the beautiful colors on the bird. Why on earth would they waste time if unsuccessful? Seems to me they must have some success. Oh n remember another thing, before someone says they only take perhaps a few poults, often coyotes are called in the dead of winter. There's no poults around n the turk calls are deadly. Not discounting what Marc is saying just pointing out they must have some impact

I would not argue those points...  But do coyotes do more damage or less damage to the turkey population than the other predators (including nest robbers) that they either kill or drive out?

I think a lot of critters put a bit more emphasis on hunting turkeys in the spring, because they are more susceptible to predation...  They are more vocal (thus easier to find), and otherwise preoccupied with breeding, and thus a bit easier to sneak up on.

I know where I am hunting there are far more coyotes than either bobcats or foxes, but I have certainly called in more bobcats, and probably more foxes than I have coyotes while turkey hunting.  Last season, I did call in a pack of yotes while trying to call geese in the fog...  They came within feet of us, and were sniffing the decoys with a discouraged presence.

[wvmntnhick]

As has been mentioned, the only good way to thin them is trapping. They're much harder to call. For every one you call in, there's at least three more that didn't respond. They get wise to calling quick too. Snares are quite effective and footholds can be as well but snares are way more successful IMHO.