I hear a lot of anger here from deer hunters in Georgia over deer losses by coyotes during the fawn drop season. There have been published articles about some counties being dangerously close to the "predator pit" issue where once predators get the upper hand, no amount of reproduction can balance out the losses. Around here, the DNR is catching grief over the coyote population and deer population reduction. It seems someone is always complaining about lack of action by the DNR. Politics are often involved in controlling DNR action. For instance, a group of saltwater fishing guides met with local DNR to lower redfish limits as the 5 fish limit was impacting the number of fish. SC and Florida have far lower limits. The DNR said their hands were tied because they must first do a "study" before lowering limits. The legislature controls the funding which must be in place for studies. Another example of politics was the legislature's allowing hunting over feeders. On a radio program, a DNR representative said that the decision to allow baiting for deer was not based upon game management principles but was based on political reasons. Damned if you do; damned if you don't. Gil
The farmers around here are, including myself, diametrically opposed to what the deer hunters want concerning the coyotes. As I have said many times, coyotes are the farmer's friend. Coyotes eat deer, deer eat row crops ...............do the math. For any here who may feel that coyotes are not an efficient predator of deer, allow me to enlighten. A turkey hunter here found a coyote den a couple years ago and set up a trail camera nearby. That spring alone the mama 'yote brought eight fawns to her pups, that she had killed. I'd say that's pretty effective predation for one dog. And, to further bolster my high opinion of them as a predator, they catch and eat many, many wild pigs/piglets year 'round, too.
Quickest way to get a free pass off my land is for me to find out that you shot/shot at a coyote. I don't mean to sound like a tyrant, but it's my tens fo thousands of $$$ that the deer are eating every year, not my guest's.
SRH
