Agricultural News
Seems Like More Coyotes Around? Wildlife Experts Say There Are
Wed, 01 Dec 2021 06:35:14 EST
If it seems like there are a lot more coyotes mingling in human spaces these days, it's because-well, there are.
"When we look at abundance trends, the population of coyotes has increased three-fold since the fur market crashed in the late 1980s," said Drew Ricketts, a wildlife management specialist with K-State Research and Extension.
Depending on time of year, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks estimates between 150,000 and 300,000 coyotes live in Kansas alone. Coyotes are found in every U.S. state, except Hawaii.
They are also being seen increasingly in more heavily populated areas. Ricketts notes that wildlife cameras have eyed coyotes in such cities as Chicago, Portland and Denver. Researchers in Chicago found that coyotes even learned how to use traffic control signals: "They were waiting until lights turned green before crossing the street," Ricketts said. "They have learned to navigate an urban landscape."
"One of the things that has allowed coyotes to be so successful is that they are so adaptable," Ricketts said. "We typically think of coyotes as predators, whereas they are really omnivores (an animal that eats plant and animal food). They eat a lot of insect matter, fruits and vegetables; they eat a lot of animal matter, too, but they are also good at capitalizing on human by-products, like trash. So in cities they are able to make a living."
Ranchers have long viewed coyotes as a threat to small livestock, especially goats, sheep and newborn calves. Ricketts said of the dozens of calls he takes yearly from farmers and ranchers on wildlife intrusions, nearly half of those relate to coyotes, even though coyotes aren't always to blame for suspicious livestock deaths.
It is legal to hunt coyotes in Kansas, but Ricketts said "population control is not effective. We have been trying to eradicate coyotes for a couple hundred years, and we still haven't been able to do it."
In Oklahoma, it's also legal to hunt coyotes. "We recognize the hard work and the great contributions of farmers and ranchers across the state, and we are eager to help them take care of any wildlife-related issues on their property," said J.D. Strong, Director of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "I encourage landowners to call their local Game Warden if they are experiencing problems with coyotes, and we'll be happy to work through those issues with them on things like night-hunting permits, depredation permits or in connecting them with licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators."
Oklahoma has an open hunting season year-round for coyotes as long as the hunter has a hunting license. Landowners or agriculture lessees do not need a hunting license when hunting on their own property.
Depredation permits are issued by Game Wardens for agricultural damage or threat of damage to livestock of some type. Permit holders can use rifles, night-vision equipment, thermal scopes or snares (with a 10-inch stop). These depredation permits are good for up to one year or a set amount of time agreed to by the Game Warden and landowner, as some only want the permits during spring or fall calving seasons. Coyotes taken under this permit can be sold or traded. Property owners should be aware that some municipalities have more restrictive laws for firearms use within city limits.
Landowners can also kill coyotes at night with a shotgun and light by requesting a night-hunting permit from any Wildlife Department Game Warden. Shotguns with size 6 shot or smaller are legal means of take for these 24-hour night-hunting permits for coyotes.
Those who are having problems with coyotes affecting ranching or farming operations may also contact the Wildlife Services Division at the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) for help in dealing with the situation. In some circumstances, ODAFF agents can come to the property to assist landowners with coyote problems. Those agents use a variety of control methods such as trapping, aerial shooting, and calling coyotes into firearms range. To contact ODAFF Wildlife Services Division, call (405) 521-4039.
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