What effect do coyotees have on deer?

[Jeff S]

We have had coyotees move into our hunting property. We have never had to deal with this before. What effect will this have on our deer heard and how will it effect our hunting?

[eye's111]

Jeff -

We have noticed coyotes in our area (Central MN) for the last 8 or so years. We have seen several while on stand and this year actually saw two chasing a doe. As deer numbers go, we have not seen a drop in numbers and I have not seen any changes in their routines. I guess it may depend on the number of coyotes in a given area.

[mnhunter79]

There is only one way to help your deer herd. If you don't coyote hunt, now is a great time to start. Besides helping the deer herd, coyote hunting is very addicting (IMO) Really gets the heart thumpin when they come runnin in to your calls.

[Quackaddict9]

Quote:

Besides helping the deer herd, coyote hunting is very addicting (IMO) Really gets the heart thumpin when they come runnin in to your calls.

Kinda like timberwolves!!!

[PmDavis300]

there not protected so...... i say shoot 'em

[BLACKJACK]

We have quite a few coyotes around and we still have quite a few deer too. They probably take a few fawns, I noticed a few does without fawns this summer, but was that because of the coyotes?? Hard to say.

Biggest problem with coyotes around is when you have a bow shot deer that you want to leave die overnight, a couple of times I've come to them and found them partially eaten. Its a catch 22, give the deer more time to die but you can't wait too long or wily coyote will find them.

[slimngrizzly]

I live by BLACKJACK and I agree completely. I dont think coyotes are much or a threat to a healthy deer. We have TONS of them and although they probably take a few fawns and weed out the cripples, I personally dont think they are much of a problem. The just help clean up the dead ones! But leave a deer lay overnight and..... uff da..... good chance theres nothing left in the morning!

Dont get me wrong, I think they are all up to no good and hard on the birds. If I see one and cant kill him, Ill make sure I ruin his day!

[bogwalker]

More predators = Fewer deer.

[Mark Christianson]

They probably take a few fawns, I noticed a few does without fawns this summer, but was that because of the coyotes?? Hard to say.

People sometimes assume because there are does running around without fawns that something bad has happened. Only 25% of doe fawns(6+ month old deer) are bred. So that means 75% of those doe fawns born this spring, will be running without fawns next year. Which is a large number of deer.

[96trigger]

I'm not sure if the coyotes will take out many deer in the population. But I am pretty sure that they can push them out of an area. I have been hunting before and on 3 consecutive days saw double digit deer numbers. Went out on the fourth day and nothing, couldn't figure out what was up, walked back to my truck during the daylight and there were coyote tracks literally all over the place. A couple of yotes won't do much damage, they will often have the gut piles cleaned up for me by the next day, but in that instance. I am betting there was a pack of at least 10, maybe more.

[Scott M]

They can usually be counted on to clean up gut piles. I sometimes wonder what the deer think of all that 'yote activity after a kill, but I have no way to gauge if they are having an effect on deer behavior. I know they aren't doing much to deer numbers. Deer aren't their target prey. Like has been said, the might get a fawn or a cripple but that's about it.

[gonefishin11]

More coyotes = fewer DEAD or crippled deer.

More coyotes = fewer raccoons and fox = more ducks and pheasants

I am going by some of the things I have read regarding coyotes. I have read they have VERY LITTLE effect on deer populations; as others have stated, they will take a few fawns early in the year.

They tend to displace skunks, raccoons and fox. These animals are more detrimental to duck and pheasant populations than coyotes. Coyotes tend to eat carion and rodents more often than live deer or birds.

This was from an article written by a wildlife biologist, I will post the source if I can find it again.

[rattlem'up]

I too agree that the coyotes dont have much affect on the deer herd. I have been tracking some deer in one of the woods i hunt, from when they are fawns till i dont see them anymore. I have about 4 trail cameras in that woods and have been watching 8 deer there now for the last 2 years. Mainly small bucks, fawns and some nice does. I also have plenty of coyotes on the property. I haven't see any of the fawns dissapear because of that. But they do displace other bothersome animals.

[SORNO]

1 coyote walking thru the woods means nothing to a deer when a group of them comes thru the deer will go some place else. Plus I have seen a group/pack of then run down deer in the winter. I for one believe that a population of coyotes will mean less deer in the area.