Sheep Industry News June 2024

unharmed when traps are checked regularly. Cable Devices. These are effective in removing problem coyotes where dog, livestock and wildlife concerns can be avoided. Both fence snares and trail snares are equally as effective in their respective situations. Both dispatch snares and restraining snares can be utilized depending on the situation. One of the best assets a PDM trapper who is protecting sheep can have is miles of good woven wire fence to snare and remove coyotes as they disperse into historic problem areas. Cable device use must consider livestock, deer, ante lope and other non-target potential animal problems. M-44. These are an effective tool for coyote removal, but should not be set in the presence of domestic dogs particu larly when those dogs have not been trained to avoid M-44s. This would include stock dogs, livestock guardian dogs, bird dogs, dogs that are pets, hounds, etc. The presence of domestic dogs is one of the biggest limiting factors on the effectiveness of the devices. M-44 success requires a thor ough understanding of any potential domestic dog problems in the area and notification of local dog owners of M-44 use. The EPA has 27 use restrictions that accompany the use of M-44s that limit the problems that could potentially oc cur with their use. M-44s have proven to be highly selec tive for eliminating problem coyotes. M-44s are also very weather resistant and require weekly checks allowing more complaints to be handled in a given period of time. M-44 success can be enhanced by the use of strategically placed baits used as draw stations, or working with ranchers to lo cate historic dead animal pits, which coyotes visit frequently and will concentrate coyote activity. Certain baits are more effective for M-44s and fish-based baits should be avoided around livestock. M-44s reach their peak effectiveness in the months of March and April by removing bred female coyotes prior to denning. Unfortunately, recent legislation has taken M-44s out of the toolbox for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, includ ing Wildlife Services. Calling and Shooting. This is effective in removing prob lem coyotes and probably the most selective ground method of all. Many problem coyotes have been removed by calling and shooting with or without the aid of decoy dogs. Recent developments in thermal scopes, night vision and longer distance shooting capabilities have increased the effective ness of shooting coyotes during complaints. Night calling obviously requires additional hours beyond normal daytime predator control activities, which requires good time management. Aerial Hunting. Both fixed wing and helicopter hunting

are highly effective, selective and cost-effective methods of coyote removal. Aerial hunting operations are greatly enhanced by trappers that are proficient in locating coyotes before and during aerial operations. Trappers also utilize tracking dogs to aid in coyote removal during aerial opera tions. In some cases, efficient predator control trappers will locate 30 to 50 percent of the coyotes taken during aerial operations, particularly in rougher country with more rocks and sage. One limiting factor to the effectiveness of aerial PDM op erations is the fact that it is only effective in daylight hours. With coyotes having more nocturnal habits, some coyotes are difficult to locate during the daytime. Aerial hunting is regulated by the Federal Airborne Hunting Act and only al lowed for livestock protection. Aerial hunting is not allowed for recreation or for fur harvest. It is important to understand that, like a mechanic can’t fix a vehicle with a 9/16-inch wrench only. A PDM specialist needs the entire bag of tools to be effective at his/her trade, and the utilization of those tools at the appropriate times of the year and under the right conditions to be as prudent as possible. SEASONALITY OF PDM METHODS For coyote damage management, most effective PDM programs start removing coyotes in February after most of the fur harvest has slowed down. This is the time to get equipment up and running to remove denning pairs of coy otes in the critical months of March and April from histori cal problem areas. All efforts should be made to remove any and all coyote pairs within four to six miles of sheep as time allows while also removing coyotes on calf kill complaints as well as in historical problem calving areas. These coyote population reduction efforts are based on when calves are being born (spring or fall). The theory that some individuals have of only removing coyotes that are actively killing sheep is bathed in ignorance and unsupported by actual field experience of PDM men and women who know the consequences of such a notion. The primary differences between situations where coyotes are actively killing sheep and where they have not killed sheep yet is opportunity, natural food availability, and the age and/or confidence level of an individual coyote. Coyotes are opportunistic predators and there is no strain of coyotes genetically predisposed or selectively bred to not kill sheep. Given the opportunity, very few coyotes won’t kill sheep. That has been proven time and time again by the knowledge of coyote pairs in close proximity to sheep that eventually start killing them.

18 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org