With fawning season back in full swing, the annual debate resumes – do coyotes really impact deer herds? The answer tends to vary depending on who you ask, or what part of the country you’re from.
The video below with Brian Murphy helps shed some light on the impact coyotes make when it comes to your local deer herd.
Check it out in the latest video from HuntStand’s series, Murphy’s Law on Whitetails in the video below.
Resident & Transient Coyotes
Murphy says that hunters need to know that coyotes can be broken down into two different groups. There’s resident coyotes as well as transient coyotes.
Resident coyotes have a fixed home range and will typically hold to a 7 square mile range. Transient coyotes are consistently on the move, ranging from 25 square miles, or more.
How do you know the difference? Your trail cam photos can help you determine the frequency of coyote behavior on your property.
Impact on the Herd
The big thing hunters need to keep in mind when it comes to coyote impact is, are coyotes helping or hurting your deer herd? As Murphy mentioned in the video above, if your deer population is above average, and you don’t have time or ability to manage your doe numbers, then coyotes can play an essential part of your management plan.
However, if your numbers are struggling, you certainly don’t need any other players in the game cutting down on your herd numbers. But remember, an incidental coyote kill here and there won’t do the trick. You’ll need a concerted effort and management plan to reduce coyote numbers. “Consistent trapping is the key,” says Murphy. “And your trapping efforts need to take place prior to the fawning season for maximum results.”
So what about you? How are the coyote numbers in the areas you hunt? Do you have a management plan? Comment below, and let us know what you think.
