# Predator Control In Nevada!



## JERRY (Sep 30, 2007)

This is a good read. http://elkodaily.com/news/local/article ... 03286.html

I wonder how much they are spending on this? Helicopter fuel is not cheap, but the numbers they are killing seem to be much better than Utah.

USDA Wildlife Services stated that they had killed 1700 coyotes last year, and spent $3,000,000 in 5 years for coyote control alone. $352.94 a dog. I would like to get paid that!


----------



## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Sign me up too. Your gambling money at work. :lol:


----------



## EmptyNet (Mar 17, 2008)

Just think how much money they could save if they put a 100$ bounty on coyotes, I know a lot of guys that would start hunting coyotes again. If they used that 600000$ a year they spend on yotes as bounty money, we would see a lot fewer yotes in the state.


----------



## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

It's been stated several times by reps from wildlife services, Jim Karpowitz and several others that sporadic killing of coyotes will not have much of an effect on deer predation. In order for extermination efforts to be effective, they need to be implemented in specific areas, at specific times of the year. They have also eluded to sportsmen randomly pursuing coyotes making it more difficult for their efforts to be effective.


----------



## yfzduner450 (Dec 28, 2009)

I agree wit treehugn, a bounty does nothing to control the population of coyotes. I would love to work for wildlife services and be an adc guy. Shooting coyotes outta a heli seems like it would be pretty dang fun. Or even to be a guy on the ground with dogs locating the coyotes.


----------



## jahan (Sep 7, 2007)

The other day the state trapper killed over 70 coyotes in a couple CWMU's up north. They may pay these guys a lot of money, but they are very effective and like tree said, timing is very important. Don't get me wrong I think people should be encouraged to kill coyotes, but I am not sure that large bounties would be nearly as effective, this is just my opinion.


----------



## JERRY (Sep 30, 2007)

EmptyNet said:


> Just think how much money they could save if they put a 100$ bounty on coyotes, I know a lot of guys that would start hunting coyotes again. If they used that 600000$ a year they spend on yotes as bounty money, we would see a lot fewer yotes in the state.


 I would like to be a gunner too. Imagine what else you get to see! That has to be a lot of fun! They should pay the same people to do game counts while they are out. Maybe they do?

I know it has to be area specific! I think a bounty could be productive though. How about a drop box in areas with your info attached?  Stinky coyote carcasses. I don't know?

The way it sounds with coyote populations it may have to be a dumpster though.


----------



## proutdoors (Sep 24, 2007)

Trying to control coyote populations seems to be about as effective as trying to stop illegal drug use. Loads of funding, with little/nothing to show for it. Is this really an effective use of precious monies? I am beginning to wonder.


----------



## Iron Bear (Nov 19, 2008)

I have to agree with Pro on that one. 

I believe the coyote is an easy and more politically correct scape goat for the major predation of deer. When the cougar is the real issue. Sadly the cougar population could be decreased in one or two yrs to facilitate a deer recovery at no cost to the DWR. But that option is off the table. Again I will say regardless of the current cougar population. We manage them to a maximum capacity which in turn results in a maximum predation of deer. Directly and indirectly. 

I don't understand how so many can overlook the effect of a critter that kills 30 to 50 deer per yr has on our herds. When at the same time the effects of another predator like wolf on elk is so clearly understood and despised. :roll:


----------



## jahan (Sep 7, 2007)

Iron Bear said:


> I have to agree with Pro on that one.
> 
> I believe the coyote is an easy and more politically correct scape goat for the major predation of deer. When the cougar is the real issue. Sadly the cougar population could be decreased in one or two yrs to facilitate a deer recovery at no cost to the DWR. But that option is off the table. Again I will say regardless of the current cougar population. We manage them to a maximum capacity which in turn results in a maximum predation of deer. Directly and indirectly.
> 
> I don't understand how so many can overlook the effect of a critter that kills 30 to 50 deer per yr has on our herds. When at the same time the effects of another predator like wolf on elk is so clearly understood and despised. :roll:


What if I was to say that I think in a lot of ways maybe the Cougar is the scape goat? I am just thinking out loud here, but I don't know if I believe that Cougars are nearly as big of a problem as many believe. I believe Yotes are a much bigger problem, but I also have been questioning the amount of money going into Yote control.


----------



## Iron Bear (Nov 19, 2008)

If you were to say that. Then you would not be alone.  

The Coyote is the Iraq in the war against terrorism. The cougar being Afghanistan.


----------



## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

jahan said:


> Iron Bear said:
> 
> 
> > I have to agree with Pro on that one.
> ...


+1, Iron Bear, did you know the average age of lions harvested last year was 1.2 yrs? There's still milk on their lips at that age. To me, this indicates that the population is well below what it has been in past years and that tagging a cat is a much more difficult chore.

I get it, they've done a study on your precious Monroe and it doesn't sit well with you, but statewide the cougar population is low compared to past years.

Coyotes? Seems like it could be a money pit and more of a feel good policy, similar to feeding deer. Dunno, jury is still out for me.


----------



## reb8600 (Sep 8, 2007)

proutdoors said:


> Trying to control coyote populations seems to be about as effective as trying to stop illegal drug use. Loads of funding, with little/nothing to show for it. Is this really an effective use of precious monies? I am beginning to wonder.


That is the way I see it. Mother nature just repopulates them with larger litters when the numbers are down. I dont think they kill near the number of deer that is claimed they do. It is easier for coyotes to go after smaller game. The only reason so much if spent on coyote control is for sheep.


----------



## Iron Bear (Nov 19, 2008)

I never said the cougar population is at an all time high or anything. It stands to reason that the cougar hunting mirrors the deer hunting. Just as human harvest are down so would cougar predation. Reason? Fewer deer. What we have is a situation were cougars are managed on a per acre basis. When the cougar should be managed on a per deer basis. This results in the cougar population being at or near capacity. Capacity to available prey.

An exaggeration to make a point. If the states deer population was at 100 deer then 1 cougar would do the job of keeping the deer from increasing. Predator and prey populations are relative. Sure one could say at 1 the cougar population was low. But relative to 100 deer the population would be at maximum capacity. And I would say the cougar population was to high. So as the deer population goes down the amount of cougar must fall as well to stay in capacity. 

Its not as if I have it out for cougar and want them wiped off the face of the earth. I could really care less if there were 100,000 cougar in the state. So long as they were not at or near capacity leaving the human hunter with little to no surplus to harvest. Leaving no room for uncontrollable factors such as weather and cars disease. IMO it this very situation that exists that has gotten us into an unsustainable program. And sadly when we ignore this dichotomy and deer populations drop we look to limiting hunter harvest to remedy the problem. 

Lastly barring the arguments of habitat and weather. Coincidently Pine Valley Zion and Panguitch on paper have all seen increases in their deer heard over the last few yrs and the cougar harvests in these units have been higher than anywhere else in the state. You can add Morgan to that list as well.


----------



## Iron Bear (Nov 19, 2008)

:lol: :lol: :lol: You cant say b o n e r on the UWN? Thats just silly. Is that one of your rules Tree? Are you afraid of b o n e r s? :lol:


----------



## JERRY (Sep 30, 2007)

Iron Bear, would you feel the same way if you liked to hunt mountain lions? It sucks they eat lots of deer, but some people like to hunt them and from what I understand lion numbers are way down.

Just asking.


----------



## Iron Bear (Nov 19, 2008)

If cougar hunters want to pony up 3.5 million to hunt cougar each yr then I will give them the same say as 100,000 deer hunters. Thats aprox $3500 per cougar tag.


----------



## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

You mean 81,000 deer hunters, at least before the next round of tag cuts........


----------



## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Well I like to hunt coyotes as much as most of you like to hunt deer, so I don't agree with what most people want to do with coyotes. I know I'm in the minority but thats how I feel.
I agree with Pro and Reb that the coyote is a just a scape goat to what the real problem is.


----------

