Farm Horizons • April 3, 2017 • Page 5
By Jennifer Von Ohlen
While rustic regions of Minnesota might expect to hear a wolf’ s howl during the evening hours, the state’ s central residents are more familiar with the night-cry of a coyote. Coyotes are members of the wild dog family, averaging about 30 pounds( in Minnesota) and standing 18 inches high at the shoulders. They are highly adaptable, and can survive in any eco-system in the US – forest, swamp, desert, farmland, etc.
According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources( MN DNR), coyotes are the state’ s most abundant large predator, with their main diet consisting of rabbits, mice, and other small mammals. Being opportunistic, coyotes have also been known to occasionally raid garbage cans, hunt larger animals( such as turkeys, calves, and sheep), and kill domestic cats and small dogs.
Even though they may show an interest in some people’ s pets, McLeod County Wildlife Supervisor and Statewide Furbearer Committee member Joseph Stangel stated,“ Coyotes are no threat to humans,” and that they usually try to stay away from people.
While states such as California have claimed coyote confrontations, no coyote attacks have been reported in Minnesota. Investigations of the reported out-of-state episodes linked the events to humans initially feeding the coyotes, or the predators becoming used to humans in densely-populated areas.
Hunting and trapping coyotes
While perhaps not as popular as white-tailed deer or waterfowl game hunting, the number of coyote trappers has risen from 600 in 2000, to 2,300 in 2015. The number of coyotes harvested increased from 2,000 to 11,000, according to Trapper Harvest Statistics.
Coyotes are not protected in Minnesota, and“ can be taken at any time and by any method except artificial lights, poisons, or motor vehicles,” according to the MN DNR. They have a continuously open season and require no license for taking.
Although there are several reasons a hunter or trapper may pursue coyotes, whether for sport or protection of property, Meeker County Area Wildlife Supervisor Cory Netland said,“ It is a misconception to believe that a‘ bounty’ would reduce the population” – if that is an individual’ s motive.
Historically, trying to control the wild coyote population via hunting or trapping has shown to be ineffective. Whenever there was a decreased population, coyotes exhibited higher pregnancy rates, larger litters, and increased pup survival. In fact, coyotes can annually withstand a 70 percent population mortality rate, according to a 1975 study on controlling coyote population. In general, the population has remained steady since the mid 2000s.
Mayer Lumber Co. IN BUSINESS SINCE 1938
��������������������������������������������������������� 201 Ash Ave.( Hwy. 25), Mayer,( 952) 657-2291