Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Ohio DNR in denial

We have a declining deer population in Ohio. The population really dropped where I hunt in Perry county.

The talk is the increased bag limit over several years, and yes that is a factor. But the ODNR Dept. of Wildlife denies the connection with our large coyote population.

This year I set 11 snares in the area I hunt. On the first night I caught three coyotes, next night two more. Then I moved them 1/2 mile and caught three more. That's 8 coyotes in 11 snares in 5 days all in a radius of about a mile.

Lets face it, the issue is not something the ODNR wants to deal with. It is huge and difficult. Since coyote pelts are worth next to nothing in Ohio the population keeps on growing. That means a bounty, and we can't have that with the ODNR budget set by the legislature ( it used to be independent of that, all on license fee's, at least the wildlife division was) not to mention the bleeding heart PETA type city azzholes.

Lets be clear, the studies done in other states that prove the impact of coyotes on eastern whitetail are just as valid here. The nature of the varmint does not change just because you crossed Ohio's boarders.

You want some wolves? I could probably send you some. They eat coyotes with gusto!

When wolves moved into the area around our cabin, the coyotes disappeared. 5-8 wolves, including pups, do a number on the coyotes in an area. We went from a dozen or more coyotes in a couple of square miles to a couple of coyotes in a dozen square miles. Deer numbers did drop lately but it took several years of multiple deer tags per hunter in one of the most heavily hunted zones in MN along with a couple of harsh winters and wet, cold springs to do this.

The wolves weren't nearly the problem as the deer numbers increased with the presence of wolves and the decrease in coyote numbers. Now, we need some easy winters and a new pack of wolves as the old one was trapped out. One of the adults was shot during the first season and the rest ended up killing livestock. That led to them being classified as nuisance animals and were killed out. Coyotes are now commonly heard and I took three last time there. Dozens of coyotes have a greater impact than a quarter or less that number of wolves.

It might be beginner's luck, but my SIL set a snare a few days ago and overnight had a good looking 'yote but with a worthless pelt. Our weather has been too mild for them to have a decent coat.

He found 2 skeletons of deer out behind our property that were completely stripped to the bones, and the heads were found some distance away from the carcass.

His work schedule keeps him from doing much hunting or trapping, but I think that there is a LARGE population of 'yotes in Franklin County. I have seen them along the roads several times, and there are tracks all over.

Now this is a county that is largely urban, so the 'yotes are adapting to live close to humans.

I'm not sure that I understand how wolves could be less harmful to the deer population, though, per Uglydog2's post.

Myron

The population of deer where I live is in a decline, with a much smaller population than 10 years ago. I blame more hunters with bigger bag limits, and the general consensus that there is an overpopulation that is pushed by the AG&F, farmers and the insurance companies. I also wonder if the big three mentioned has been putting some form of birth control in corn. Baiting is legal here and when you go to the feed store they have bags of corn and bags labeled deer corn which is always a little cheaper. Walmart, sporting goods stores, grocery stores and some quick marts always sell the deer corn if anything at all. I seem to see a lot of does with no fawns which used to not be the case. My thoughts, no proof. miles

The deer population is down in the places I hunt in TN as well.

same in va.coyotes,rising bear population and disease. when you throw in a few bad mass crops it doesn't take long. i'm not seeing half as many deer in the mountains as i was 4-5 years ago.flat lands in va. are better but down some to.

deer numbers down significantly in Va northern Piedmont region. Too many bears, waaaaay too many coyotes and to many years with liberal bag limits got us here. The coyote problem is here to stay.

These things are naturally cyclical. Here blue tongue also took a huge toll. Populations of coyote go up and down as well because the deer populations were so high. We have plenty of coyote here now and fewer deer, but disease helped knock down the deer population. I wonder what coyote meat tastes like? Perhaps there's an idea?

Coyotes are a blast to hunt. Get a call and a centerfire rifle and get after them.

I have read that bounties on coyotes really does not have a significant impact on population.

They effect nothing in our local area.

But I can see in places they certainly do.

When they get a bit high in numbers here I will shoot a few. Just like managing the deer you manage all your numbers.

Although if you read a lot about coyotes, it seems they are almost like pigs... the more you shoot, the more you do almost no good.

But thats according to articles. Seems like if I shoot a few at home they don't hang around as much for a couple of years.

But I have 2-3 on game camera at deer feeder in the middle of the night usually for a number of years now and have not lost a single deer or fawn to them. Thankfully they do take a few coons which I have a few to many of.

Keep after em, get a small bounty on them, such that folks get after some of them.

How is the deer population up there determined? Hunter success is not a valid measurement.

Bacon grease soaked chunks of sponge....will thin coyotes.

Unfortunately where I hunt is a three hour drive from here. I can try and hit some in April for Turkey season. That would be trapping and shooting. I'd probably give up on the turkey and go after coyotes.

As far as that goes three week long stints will not really make a difference. Good thing, coyotes have pups in the spring so killing the adults has an impact on them, not much but some. It would be good to kill the adults and let the pups die in the den.

How far out of dowtown Cincinnati would you have to go to hunt coyote?

Drought and fires have had an impact on deer in California. Coyotes thrive here. They are doing well on cats and small dogs.

I would rather have the Coyotes than the deer to hunt.

Interesting. How do you set snares for coyotes?

Set in trails and runs that have overhanging limbs that are too low to be deer. Also put deer stops on the snares so the loop will close to about 4-5" in diameter. This will hold a coyote, but not strangle a deer or dog.

Generally along roads and old log roads. As you walk along you will see holes through the edge brush. Many of those have overhanging brush so you know it's not a deer trail. On the muddy road or in the edge ditch you find tracks. I set on the inside of that brush, often in the ditch. You can't just walk up that trail, circle around.

I made mine from 1/8" cable, galvanized. I rolled it out along my fence that I grow beans on and left it all summer. Then I rolled it up and put it in a bucket with walnut hulls and some water. Same with the nuts and washers I use to hold them together.

I never liked stainless cable.

I cut them 6 feet long and build them. Pretty easy really.

My hand is 9 inches wide fully open, tip of my little finger to the tip of my thumb. The loop is that plus an eyeball inch, same for setting it above the ground to the bottom. I use soft iron wire to suspend them usually, or coat hanger wire as a stand it there is not something to hang them from.

All mine are from roads, we have a good deal of old over grown logging roads and those going to gas and oil wells. The coyotes have to cross those roads at some point.

Unit L designation for last 10 years and a catastrophic EHD have done us no favors.
couple that with the East Tn 'hamburger helper' [bleep] mooching in on our west tn deer herds, numbers are way down