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  • 19 Apr 2013
    140 pound mountain lion captured in LA-area neighborhood 4/11/2013   A large mountain lion found wandering through backyards in the Glendale area has been tranquilized and captured.   GLENDALE, Calif. (AP) — A large mountain lion found wandering through backyards in the Glendale area has been tranquilized and captured. Glendale police Sgt. Tom Lorenz tells the Los Angeles Times that the big cat was spotted in a La Crescenta neighborhood. KABC-TV news cameras showed it scaling up and over roofs and backyard fences. Nearly two hours after it was first spotted, California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers tranquilized the mountain lion, and planned to release it back in its habitat. KABC showed about a half-dozen officers carrying the animal estimated to weigh between 120 and 140 pounds into a truck.
    2019 Posted by Chris Avena
  • 140 pound mountain lion captured in LA-area neighborhood 4/11/2013   A large mountain lion found wandering through backyards in the Glendale area has been tranquilized and captured.   GLENDALE, Calif. (AP) — A large mountain lion found wandering through backyards in the Glendale area has been tranquilized and captured. Glendale police Sgt. Tom Lorenz tells the Los Angeles Times that the big cat was spotted in a La Crescenta neighborhood. KABC-TV news cameras showed it scaling up and over roofs and backyard fences. Nearly two hours after it was first spotted, California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers tranquilized the mountain lion, and planned to release it back in its habitat. KABC showed about a half-dozen officers carrying the animal estimated to weigh between 120 and 140 pounds into a truck.
    Apr 19, 2013 2019
  • 11 Aug 2011
    Wyoming ranchers and hunters fed up with wolves attacking livestock and other wildlife would be able to shoot the predators on sight in most of the state under a tentative agreement state and federal officials announced Wednesday. CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming ranchers and hunters fed up with wolves attacking livestock and other wildlife would be able to shoot the predators on sight in most of the state under a tentative agreement state and federal officials announced Wednesday. Gov. Matt Mead and U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said they've come to terms over how to end federal protections for gray wolves in Wyoming — the last state in the Northern Rockies where the animals remain under federal management. Hours later, a judge rejected a legal challenge to a federal budget bill rider that removed protections for the gray wolf in the other Northern Rockies states. U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy of Missoula, Mont., said precedent by a federal appeals court required him to uphold the provision passed earlier this year that stripped wolves of their endangered status in Montana and Idaho, and in parts of Washington, Oregon and Utah. It was not immediately clear Wednesday whether conservation groups planned to appeal. While some neighboring states plan to let licensed hunters kill wolves at certain times of the year, Wyoming would be the only one to allow people to shoot wolves in most of the state year-round without a license. Environmentalists swiftly blasted the agreement, saying it offers wolves too little protection and would fail judicial review unless Congress approves pending language to insulate it from legal challenges. Mead said state management of wolves is overdue in Wyoming, where many say the animals have taken a heavy toll since they were reintroduced in the 1990s. "For years, ranchers and sheep producers have been asked to sacrifice, and they have. We have lost significant numbers of elk and moose, and we have not had a say in the management of an animal inside Wyoming,'' Mead said. "It's time for that to change. ...'' Salazar has traveled to Wyoming repeatedly in recent months to work on the agreement. He said the gray wolf's recovery serves as a "great example'' of how the Endangered Species Act can work to keep imperiled animals from becoming extinct. "The agreement we've reached with Wyoming recognizes the success of this iconic species and will ensure the long-term conservation of gray wolves,'' Salazar said Wednesday. Environmental groups, however, said the deal doesn't afford wolves adequate protection. "We do think that it's important that wolf management decisions be based on science, and not on these kind of closed-door political negotiations,'' said Collette Adkins Giese, a lawyer with the Center for Biological Diversity in Minnesota. Under the agreement, Wyoming would commit to maintaining at least 10 breeding pairs and 100 wolves outside Yellowstone National Park. There are now about 340 wolves in the state, of which 230 are outside the park. Wolves immediately outside Yellowstone would be subject to regulated hunting in a zone that would expand slightly in the winter months to give wolves more protection in an area south of Jackson. Those in the rest of the state would be classified as predators that could be shot on sight. Wyoming's commitment to classifying wolves as predators in most of the state has been a stumbling block to ending federal wolf management for years even as neighboring states have taken over their own wolf management. Idaho and Montana are planning licensed hunts this fall in which hundreds of wolves could be killed. Wyoming has filed several lawsuits over the issue, trying without success for years to force federal officials to accept its plan. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service went as far as helping Wyoming revise its wolf management plan in 2007 and approving it the next year. But the agency repudiated the plan just months later after Judge Molloy criticized it in response to a lawsuit brought by environmental groups. Wyoming's shoot-on-sight policy continues to generate controversy. Massachusetts Rep. Ed Markey announced Wednesday he had written to Salazar questioning his decision to reach a deal with the state. "Science, not politics, should ensure the conservation and management of the gray wolves in Wyoming, should they be delisted,'' wrote Markey, the ranking Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee. Rep. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., has inserted language into a pending Interior appropriations bill that specifies any delisting of wolves in Wyoming would be exempt from court challenges. Congress approved similar language earlier this year for delisting wolves in Montana, Idaho and other Western states except Wyoming. Some environmental groups had mounted a legal challenge in Molloy's court, but his ruling Wednesday said Congress had authority to shield the delisting actions from legal review. Steve Ferrell, Mead's policy adviser on endangered species, said Wyoming hopes Congress will act to stipulate that any final delisting plan for the state will be exempt from legal challenges. Ferrell said the federal government plans to propose a draft delisting rule by Oct. 1. He said it could take a year for the final rule to be approved to allow Wyoming to take over wolf management. The Wyoming Legislature will consider changes to the state's current wolf management plan when it meets early next year. Chris Colligan, Wyoming wildlife advocate for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, says the push to exempt the agreement from legal review shows the deal is politically motivated and not supported by sound science. "It says that Wyoming and certainly our congressional representatives, they know that this plan is not legally or biologically sufficient,'' he said.
    1469 Posted by Chris Avena
  • Wyoming ranchers and hunters fed up with wolves attacking livestock and other wildlife would be able to shoot the predators on sight in most of the state under a tentative agreement state and federal officials announced Wednesday. CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming ranchers and hunters fed up with wolves attacking livestock and other wildlife would be able to shoot the predators on sight in most of the state under a tentative agreement state and federal officials announced Wednesday. Gov. Matt Mead and U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said they've come to terms over how to end federal protections for gray wolves in Wyoming — the last state in the Northern Rockies where the animals remain under federal management. Hours later, a judge rejected a legal challenge to a federal budget bill rider that removed protections for the gray wolf in the other Northern Rockies states. U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy of Missoula, Mont., said precedent by a federal appeals court required him to uphold the provision passed earlier this year that stripped wolves of their endangered status in Montana and Idaho, and in parts of Washington, Oregon and Utah. It was not immediately clear Wednesday whether conservation groups planned to appeal. While some neighboring states plan to let licensed hunters kill wolves at certain times of the year, Wyoming would be the only one to allow people to shoot wolves in most of the state year-round without a license. Environmentalists swiftly blasted the agreement, saying it offers wolves too little protection and would fail judicial review unless Congress approves pending language to insulate it from legal challenges. Mead said state management of wolves is overdue in Wyoming, where many say the animals have taken a heavy toll since they were reintroduced in the 1990s. "For years, ranchers and sheep producers have been asked to sacrifice, and they have. We have lost significant numbers of elk and moose, and we have not had a say in the management of an animal inside Wyoming,'' Mead said. "It's time for that to change. ...'' Salazar has traveled to Wyoming repeatedly in recent months to work on the agreement. He said the gray wolf's recovery serves as a "great example'' of how the Endangered Species Act can work to keep imperiled animals from becoming extinct. "The agreement we've reached with Wyoming recognizes the success of this iconic species and will ensure the long-term conservation of gray wolves,'' Salazar said Wednesday. Environmental groups, however, said the deal doesn't afford wolves adequate protection. "We do think that it's important that wolf management decisions be based on science, and not on these kind of closed-door political negotiations,'' said Collette Adkins Giese, a lawyer with the Center for Biological Diversity in Minnesota. Under the agreement, Wyoming would commit to maintaining at least 10 breeding pairs and 100 wolves outside Yellowstone National Park. There are now about 340 wolves in the state, of which 230 are outside the park. Wolves immediately outside Yellowstone would be subject to regulated hunting in a zone that would expand slightly in the winter months to give wolves more protection in an area south of Jackson. Those in the rest of the state would be classified as predators that could be shot on sight. Wyoming's commitment to classifying wolves as predators in most of the state has been a stumbling block to ending federal wolf management for years even as neighboring states have taken over their own wolf management. Idaho and Montana are planning licensed hunts this fall in which hundreds of wolves could be killed. Wyoming has filed several lawsuits over the issue, trying without success for years to force federal officials to accept its plan. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service went as far as helping Wyoming revise its wolf management plan in 2007 and approving it the next year. But the agency repudiated the plan just months later after Judge Molloy criticized it in response to a lawsuit brought by environmental groups. Wyoming's shoot-on-sight policy continues to generate controversy. Massachusetts Rep. Ed Markey announced Wednesday he had written to Salazar questioning his decision to reach a deal with the state. "Science, not politics, should ensure the conservation and management of the gray wolves in Wyoming, should they be delisted,'' wrote Markey, the ranking Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee. Rep. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., has inserted language into a pending Interior appropriations bill that specifies any delisting of wolves in Wyoming would be exempt from court challenges. Congress approved similar language earlier this year for delisting wolves in Montana, Idaho and other Western states except Wyoming. Some environmental groups had mounted a legal challenge in Molloy's court, but his ruling Wednesday said Congress had authority to shield the delisting actions from legal review. Steve Ferrell, Mead's policy adviser on endangered species, said Wyoming hopes Congress will act to stipulate that any final delisting plan for the state will be exempt from legal challenges. Ferrell said the federal government plans to propose a draft delisting rule by Oct. 1. He said it could take a year for the final rule to be approved to allow Wyoming to take over wolf management. The Wyoming Legislature will consider changes to the state's current wolf management plan when it meets early next year. Chris Colligan, Wyoming wildlife advocate for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, says the push to exempt the agreement from legal review shows the deal is politically motivated and not supported by sound science. "It says that Wyoming and certainly our congressional representatives, they know that this plan is not legally or biologically sufficient,'' he said.
    Aug 11, 2011 1469
  • 25 Jun 2011
    After a mountain lion was found dead near Greenwich last week, residents of the wealthy New York City suburb have been seeing cougars everywhere: perched on a wall at a golf course, traipsing down a scenic parkway, being chased by a pair of dogs. NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — After a mountain lion was found dead near Greenwich last week, residents of the wealthy New York City suburb have been seeing cougars everywhere: perched on a wall at a golf course, traipsing down a scenic parkway, being chased by a pair of dogs. Officials say the dead mountain lion likely escaped from captivity and found no evidence of other lions stalking Connecticut. That hasn't stopped the buzz from permeating the essence of an idyllic suburb normally accustomed to worrying about geese droppings, the future of a makeshift Wiffle ball stadium and a proposed ban on leaf blowers. "Just five minutes ago somebody from Old Bedford Road said they saw it,'' said William Strain, who owns a store in the backcountry of Greenwich, where the lion was spotted. But experts say such sightings are notoriously unreliable, with people often confusing bobcats, coyotes, dogs and other animals for lions, especially amid the recent hullabaloo. "It's a big exotic wild animal that's capable of killing a human being,'' said Mark Dowling, a director with the Cougar Network. "I just think people are excited about something big, dangerous and exotic. I think people want to be able to say they've seen something exciting, extraordinary.'' He acknowledged, though, that it's possible more than one cougar got loose. State officials believe a mountain lion killed June 11 on a highway in Milford was the same one spotted earlier more than 30 miles away in Greenwich. But reports of more sightings persist. A woman walking her dog Wednesday reported seeing two ``hounds'' chase a big cat, and a golf course employee said he saw a mountain lion on a stone wall. Police in nearby Fairfield received two sightings of a mountain lion. A big cat was spotted in northwest Greenwich a day after the lion was killed in Milford and another motorist reported seeing one on the Merritt Parkway. The sightings prompted the closing of trails at the Audubon Center in Greenwich. Rashe Campbell, manager of the Pet Pantry store in Greenwich, said a few customers with large Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs have come in to buy brightly colored collars in hopes of sparing them from anyone taking up arms against a mountain lion. Dick Hoyt, who owns an outdoor trading shop in Greenwich, welcomed the animal. "It's pretty exciting to see something you would think you would have to go to a national park to see,'' he said. "It's just seems so out of place. It's great that there are a lot of natural woods that critters like that can survive.'' Some experts see a deeper reason for the phenomenon: A desire to believe in a comeback by nature. "There is something in us that needs this sense of wild, especially in the most drab suburban places,'' said Christopher Spatz, president of the Cougar Rewilding Foundation. "The cougar represents that. It reanimates things for people in these places that are as sterile as could be.'' State officials say they believe the mountain lion found dead was kept illegally and either escaped or was released. They are conducting tests to determine its origins. Alan Rabinowitz, a zoologist who is president and CEO of New York-based Panthera and whose research in Belize in the 1980s led to the creation of the world's first jaguar preserve, said he agrees with wildlife officials that lions found in the Northeast have captive origins. But he said it's possible a small population of lions has learned to exist in the wild. "There's a possibility that they are surviving in small numbers in the wooded areas of the Northeast,'' Rabinowitz said. "Some of these could be multi-generational. Having once been captive, they are now wild animals. They are not just being set free as pets.'' Rabinowitz said there have been credible sightings of mountain lions around the Northeast along with tracks and hair. He said there is plenty of prey such as deer, and mountain lions are highly adaptable and secretive. But other private and government experts disagree. They say even a small population of mountain lions would be detectable through tracks, cameras set up by hunters and accidents with vehicles, but extensive surveys and investigations have failed to turn up signs of a population living in the wild or breeding. "The evidence is not there,'' said Mark McCollough, endangered species biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who wrote the report concluding the eastern cougar was extinct. "Even if there were captive animals released in the Northeast, we have no evidence that if there were they have survived for very long and left much if any trail of evidence that can point to a cougar persisting in this area.'' The closest possibility was in Delaware, where numerous cougar sightings were reported for a few years nearly a decade ago and then stopped, McCollough said. He said one or two cougars likely survived in the wild for a short period. McCollough's report acknowledges credible sightings of cougars in the Northeast. "Based on the best available scientific evidence, we believe these are released or escaped captive animals. Breeding, if it occurs, seems to be extremely rare, and there is no evidence of a persisting population established from released captive animals,'' the report concludes. Cougars remain out west and some have extended their range into Midwestern states. Some experts believe they will eventually make it back east.
    2908 Posted by Chris Avena
  • After a mountain lion was found dead near Greenwich last week, residents of the wealthy New York City suburb have been seeing cougars everywhere: perched on a wall at a golf course, traipsing down a scenic parkway, being chased by a pair of dogs. NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — After a mountain lion was found dead near Greenwich last week, residents of the wealthy New York City suburb have been seeing cougars everywhere: perched on a wall at a golf course, traipsing down a scenic parkway, being chased by a pair of dogs. Officials say the dead mountain lion likely escaped from captivity and found no evidence of other lions stalking Connecticut. That hasn't stopped the buzz from permeating the essence of an idyllic suburb normally accustomed to worrying about geese droppings, the future of a makeshift Wiffle ball stadium and a proposed ban on leaf blowers. "Just five minutes ago somebody from Old Bedford Road said they saw it,'' said William Strain, who owns a store in the backcountry of Greenwich, where the lion was spotted. But experts say such sightings are notoriously unreliable, with people often confusing bobcats, coyotes, dogs and other animals for lions, especially amid the recent hullabaloo. "It's a big exotic wild animal that's capable of killing a human being,'' said Mark Dowling, a director with the Cougar Network. "I just think people are excited about something big, dangerous and exotic. I think people want to be able to say they've seen something exciting, extraordinary.'' He acknowledged, though, that it's possible more than one cougar got loose. State officials believe a mountain lion killed June 11 on a highway in Milford was the same one spotted earlier more than 30 miles away in Greenwich. But reports of more sightings persist. A woman walking her dog Wednesday reported seeing two ``hounds'' chase a big cat, and a golf course employee said he saw a mountain lion on a stone wall. Police in nearby Fairfield received two sightings of a mountain lion. A big cat was spotted in northwest Greenwich a day after the lion was killed in Milford and another motorist reported seeing one on the Merritt Parkway. The sightings prompted the closing of trails at the Audubon Center in Greenwich. Rashe Campbell, manager of the Pet Pantry store in Greenwich, said a few customers with large Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs have come in to buy brightly colored collars in hopes of sparing them from anyone taking up arms against a mountain lion. Dick Hoyt, who owns an outdoor trading shop in Greenwich, welcomed the animal. "It's pretty exciting to see something you would think you would have to go to a national park to see,'' he said. "It's just seems so out of place. It's great that there are a lot of natural woods that critters like that can survive.'' Some experts see a deeper reason for the phenomenon: A desire to believe in a comeback by nature. "There is something in us that needs this sense of wild, especially in the most drab suburban places,'' said Christopher Spatz, president of the Cougar Rewilding Foundation. "The cougar represents that. It reanimates things for people in these places that are as sterile as could be.'' State officials say they believe the mountain lion found dead was kept illegally and either escaped or was released. They are conducting tests to determine its origins. Alan Rabinowitz, a zoologist who is president and CEO of New York-based Panthera and whose research in Belize in the 1980s led to the creation of the world's first jaguar preserve, said he agrees with wildlife officials that lions found in the Northeast have captive origins. But he said it's possible a small population of lions has learned to exist in the wild. "There's a possibility that they are surviving in small numbers in the wooded areas of the Northeast,'' Rabinowitz said. "Some of these could be multi-generational. Having once been captive, they are now wild animals. They are not just being set free as pets.'' Rabinowitz said there have been credible sightings of mountain lions around the Northeast along with tracks and hair. He said there is plenty of prey such as deer, and mountain lions are highly adaptable and secretive. But other private and government experts disagree. They say even a small population of mountain lions would be detectable through tracks, cameras set up by hunters and accidents with vehicles, but extensive surveys and investigations have failed to turn up signs of a population living in the wild or breeding. "The evidence is not there,'' said Mark McCollough, endangered species biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who wrote the report concluding the eastern cougar was extinct. "Even if there were captive animals released in the Northeast, we have no evidence that if there were they have survived for very long and left much if any trail of evidence that can point to a cougar persisting in this area.'' The closest possibility was in Delaware, where numerous cougar sightings were reported for a few years nearly a decade ago and then stopped, McCollough said. He said one or two cougars likely survived in the wild for a short period. McCollough's report acknowledges credible sightings of cougars in the Northeast. "Based on the best available scientific evidence, we believe these are released or escaped captive animals. Breeding, if it occurs, seems to be extremely rare, and there is no evidence of a persisting population established from released captive animals,'' the report concludes. Cougars remain out west and some have extended their range into Midwestern states. Some experts believe they will eventually make it back east.
    Jun 25, 2011 2908
  • 24 Jun 2011
    It takes planning, practice, and some good old fashioned woodsman skills to sneak that close to a coyote without his awareness. by Tom Austin   The Wyoming sage peppered the yellow grass valley where a dozen or so head of Black Angus were grazing. White capped mountains in the distance warned me that the heavy snows of winter would fall here soon. I parked the Tacoma out of sight from the valley I planned to call and carefully snuck along the 10-foot deep, red-clay ravine, which split this valley into two equal halves. After gaining some distance from the Tacoma, I ascended out of the ravine and quickly sat down on its edge concealing myself with a sage tall enough to hide my silhouette. I chambered a round of Dead Coyote into the Benelli and began a stint of the bunny blues with a well-used FOXPRO, open-reed hand call known as the Lil’ Skyote. I groaned and wailed quivering tones into the call for less than 30 seconds when I caught motion right in front of me. Coyote! Totally unaware of my presence, the coyote came double time to my cries stopping seven yards from my feet. I decided that was close enough so I put the Benelli to work. I gathered my calling gear along with the coyote and snuck back into the ravine quietly so I could call this stand another day. At 30 seconds into the series, that coyote had to be less than 100 yards away when I started. The stealth approach to my stand location put another hide on the stretcher. It takes planning, practice, and some good old fashioned woodsman skills to sneak that close to a coyote without his awareness. I get a lot of opportunities to mentor newbie predator callers with my guide service, Predator Strikeforce. As a result of this, I’ve developed some rules for approaching a stand with stealth and precision. Rule 1: This Ain’t NASCAR Don’t rev and race your motor while approaching a stand. I realize in NASCAR this type of behavior will draw a crowd, but when predator hunting, you’ll finish last. Rule 2: Bumpin’ And Slammin’ Is For Gangsta’s Coyotes and bobcats could care less if you have 1,000 Watt’s of power crashing through your speakers. Keep the windows rolled up, turn the music down, and don’t slam the doors. Rule 3: Crossing Fences Is An Art—Perfect It Any sound you make while crossing a fence will travel both directions sending a telegraph to critters that you’re in the area. Cross as quietly as possible and if you happen to snag your delicates on barbed wire, scream in silence. Rule 4: Sticks And Stones Might Break Your Stand Stepping on sticks, crashing through leaves or tripping over rocks are all great ways to ruin your stand. Slow down, watch where you’re stepping and tread lightly to avoid making a lot of noise. Rule 5: Monkey See, Monkey Run Away If a predator sees you, that predator will leave. Don’t expose yourself while approaching your stand and expect to consistently call in predators. Plan your approach using the terrain for concealment. Most of us loved to play Army when we were younger, some of us still do. Figuring out the terrain, sneaking in on the enemy and planning the attack are all part of it. Apply these five simple rules, use some discipline, and make a plan of attack on a battlefield near you. About The Author For the past 26 years, Tom’s passion has been calling predators and because of that passion, Predator Strikeforce was born. As owner and operator of Predator Strikeforce, Tom has daily opportunities to hone his skills “hunting the hunter.” Predator Strikeforce allows individuals of all ages, both male and female, the opportunity to get up close and personal with the hunters of the animal kingdom. Individuals who embark on a predator hunting adventure with Predator Strikeforce have an opportunity to “get their 15 minutes of fame” through the film. Tom writes editorials for AR Guns & Hunting and authors a monthly column for Predator Xtreme magazine titled “Caller for Hire.” He literally hunts predators from Canada to Mexico and every hilltop and valley floor in between. For Tom, predator hunting isn’t just an obsession; it’s a way of life.
    1601 Posted by Chris Avena
  • It takes planning, practice, and some good old fashioned woodsman skills to sneak that close to a coyote without his awareness. by Tom Austin   The Wyoming sage peppered the yellow grass valley where a dozen or so head of Black Angus were grazing. White capped mountains in the distance warned me that the heavy snows of winter would fall here soon. I parked the Tacoma out of sight from the valley I planned to call and carefully snuck along the 10-foot deep, red-clay ravine, which split this valley into two equal halves. After gaining some distance from the Tacoma, I ascended out of the ravine and quickly sat down on its edge concealing myself with a sage tall enough to hide my silhouette. I chambered a round of Dead Coyote into the Benelli and began a stint of the bunny blues with a well-used FOXPRO, open-reed hand call known as the Lil’ Skyote. I groaned and wailed quivering tones into the call for less than 30 seconds when I caught motion right in front of me. Coyote! Totally unaware of my presence, the coyote came double time to my cries stopping seven yards from my feet. I decided that was close enough so I put the Benelli to work. I gathered my calling gear along with the coyote and snuck back into the ravine quietly so I could call this stand another day. At 30 seconds into the series, that coyote had to be less than 100 yards away when I started. The stealth approach to my stand location put another hide on the stretcher. It takes planning, practice, and some good old fashioned woodsman skills to sneak that close to a coyote without his awareness. I get a lot of opportunities to mentor newbie predator callers with my guide service, Predator Strikeforce. As a result of this, I’ve developed some rules for approaching a stand with stealth and precision. Rule 1: This Ain’t NASCAR Don’t rev and race your motor while approaching a stand. I realize in NASCAR this type of behavior will draw a crowd, but when predator hunting, you’ll finish last. Rule 2: Bumpin’ And Slammin’ Is For Gangsta’s Coyotes and bobcats could care less if you have 1,000 Watt’s of power crashing through your speakers. Keep the windows rolled up, turn the music down, and don’t slam the doors. Rule 3: Crossing Fences Is An Art—Perfect It Any sound you make while crossing a fence will travel both directions sending a telegraph to critters that you’re in the area. Cross as quietly as possible and if you happen to snag your delicates on barbed wire, scream in silence. Rule 4: Sticks And Stones Might Break Your Stand Stepping on sticks, crashing through leaves or tripping over rocks are all great ways to ruin your stand. Slow down, watch where you’re stepping and tread lightly to avoid making a lot of noise. Rule 5: Monkey See, Monkey Run Away If a predator sees you, that predator will leave. Don’t expose yourself while approaching your stand and expect to consistently call in predators. Plan your approach using the terrain for concealment. Most of us loved to play Army when we were younger, some of us still do. Figuring out the terrain, sneaking in on the enemy and planning the attack are all part of it. Apply these five simple rules, use some discipline, and make a plan of attack on a battlefield near you. About The Author For the past 26 years, Tom’s passion has been calling predators and because of that passion, Predator Strikeforce was born. As owner and operator of Predator Strikeforce, Tom has daily opportunities to hone his skills “hunting the hunter.” Predator Strikeforce allows individuals of all ages, both male and female, the opportunity to get up close and personal with the hunters of the animal kingdom. Individuals who embark on a predator hunting adventure with Predator Strikeforce have an opportunity to “get their 15 minutes of fame” through the film. Tom writes editorials for AR Guns & Hunting and authors a monthly column for Predator Xtreme magazine titled “Caller for Hire.” He literally hunts predators from Canada to Mexico and every hilltop and valley floor in between. For Tom, predator hunting isn’t just an obsession; it’s a way of life.
    Jun 24, 2011 1601
  • 05 Jun 2011
    Wolves in the eastern United States are hybrids of gray wolves and coyotes, while the region's coyotes actually are wolf-coyote-dog hybrids.   ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Wolves in the eastern United States are hybrids of gray wolves and coyotes, while the region's coyotes actually are wolf-coyote-dog hybrids, according to a new genetic study that is adding fuel to a longstanding debate over the origins of two endangered species. The study is unlikely to impact the management of the endangered red wolf in North Carolina and the eastern Canadian wolf in Ontario, but it offers fresh insight into their genetic makeup and concludes that those wolves are hybrids that developed over the last few hundred years. Some scientists have argued that the red wolf, Canis rufus, and the eastern Canadian wolf, Canis lycaon, evolved from an ancient eastern wolf species distinct from the larger gray wolf, Canis lupus, that is found in western North America. Wolf experts who adhere to that theory say the new study is interesting but falls short of proving anything. They say it doesn't explain why hybrids appear only in some places and note that western wolves don't hybridize with coyotes but often kill them. In the study, published online earlier this month in the peer-reviewed journal Genome Research, 16 researchers from around the globe led by Robert Wayne of the University of California-Los Angeles, used information from the dog genome — the animal's entire genetic code — to survey the genetic diversity in dogs, wolves and coyotes. It was the most detailed genetic study of any wild vertebrate species to date, using molecular genetic techniques to look at over 48,000 markers throughout the full genome, said Roland Kays, curator of mammals at the New York State Museum and a co-author. In a previous study of the dog genome published last year in the journal Nature, a Wayne-led international team of scientists reported that domestic dogs likely originated in the Middle East and shared more genetic similarity with Middle Eastern gray wolves than any other wolf population. The recent study showed a gradient of hybridization in wolves. In the West, wolves were pure wolf, while in the western Great Lakes, they averaged 85 percent wolf and 15 percent coyote. Wolves in Algonquin Park in eastern Ontario averaged 58 percent wolf. The red wolf in North Carolina, which has been the subject of extensive preservation and restoration efforts, was found to be 24 percent wolf and 76 percent coyote. Northeastern coyotes, which only colonized the region in the past 60 years, were found to be 82 percent coyote, 9 percent dog and 9 percent wolf. In a study co-authored by Kays last year in the journal Biology Letters, museum specimens and genetic samples were used to show that coyotes migrating eastward bred with wolves to evolve into a larger form that has become the top predator in the Northeast, filling a niche left when native eastern wolves were hunted out of existence. The hybridization allowed coyotes to evolve from the scrawny mouse-eaters of western grasslands to robust deer-hunters in eastern forests. The genetic techniques used in the recent study allowed researchers to estimate that hybridization, in most cases, happened when humans were hunting eastern wolves to extinction, Kays said. "The few remaining animals could find no proper mates so took the best option they could get,'' Kays said. L. David Mech, senior research scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey's Northern Prairie Research Center in St. Paul, Minn., and founder of the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minn., is skeptical of the theory that eastern wolves are hybrids. "How do you reconcile this with the fact that gray wolves typically don't breed with coyotes, but kill them?'' Mech said. "We have no records in the West of wolves hybridizing with coyotes, even in areas where single wolves looking for mates have dispersed into the middle of coyote country.'' Mech also questioned whether the study tested enough Canadian and North Carolina wolves and whether those specimens were true representatives of those populations. Although 48,000 genetic markers sounds like a lot, it's actually a relatively small part of the entire genetic code, Mech said. So the evidence of a unique eastern wolf ancestor could simply be in another part of the code that wasn't analyzed, he said. Several researchers who consider the eastern wolf species separate from the gray wolf weighed in recently in an online discussion of the new study. Brent Patterson, a genetics researcher at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, called the study "an important step forward.'' But until more samples are analyzed, the hypothesis that a North American wolf evolved independently from the gray wolf was still viable, he said. "It's an academic issue,'' Mech said. "It's nice to know what the origins are from the standpoint of curiosity, but from a conservation standpoint, it shouldn't make any difference.'' David Rabon, coordinator of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Red Wolf Recovery Program in North Carolina, said the federal agency has taken the position that the red wolf is a unique species that warrants protection. The new study, while interesting, won't likely change management decisions, he said.
    1412 Posted by Chris Avena
  • Wolves in the eastern United States are hybrids of gray wolves and coyotes, while the region's coyotes actually are wolf-coyote-dog hybrids.   ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Wolves in the eastern United States are hybrids of gray wolves and coyotes, while the region's coyotes actually are wolf-coyote-dog hybrids, according to a new genetic study that is adding fuel to a longstanding debate over the origins of two endangered species. The study is unlikely to impact the management of the endangered red wolf in North Carolina and the eastern Canadian wolf in Ontario, but it offers fresh insight into their genetic makeup and concludes that those wolves are hybrids that developed over the last few hundred years. Some scientists have argued that the red wolf, Canis rufus, and the eastern Canadian wolf, Canis lycaon, evolved from an ancient eastern wolf species distinct from the larger gray wolf, Canis lupus, that is found in western North America. Wolf experts who adhere to that theory say the new study is interesting but falls short of proving anything. They say it doesn't explain why hybrids appear only in some places and note that western wolves don't hybridize with coyotes but often kill them. In the study, published online earlier this month in the peer-reviewed journal Genome Research, 16 researchers from around the globe led by Robert Wayne of the University of California-Los Angeles, used information from the dog genome — the animal's entire genetic code — to survey the genetic diversity in dogs, wolves and coyotes. It was the most detailed genetic study of any wild vertebrate species to date, using molecular genetic techniques to look at over 48,000 markers throughout the full genome, said Roland Kays, curator of mammals at the New York State Museum and a co-author. In a previous study of the dog genome published last year in the journal Nature, a Wayne-led international team of scientists reported that domestic dogs likely originated in the Middle East and shared more genetic similarity with Middle Eastern gray wolves than any other wolf population. The recent study showed a gradient of hybridization in wolves. In the West, wolves were pure wolf, while in the western Great Lakes, they averaged 85 percent wolf and 15 percent coyote. Wolves in Algonquin Park in eastern Ontario averaged 58 percent wolf. The red wolf in North Carolina, which has been the subject of extensive preservation and restoration efforts, was found to be 24 percent wolf and 76 percent coyote. Northeastern coyotes, which only colonized the region in the past 60 years, were found to be 82 percent coyote, 9 percent dog and 9 percent wolf. In a study co-authored by Kays last year in the journal Biology Letters, museum specimens and genetic samples were used to show that coyotes migrating eastward bred with wolves to evolve into a larger form that has become the top predator in the Northeast, filling a niche left when native eastern wolves were hunted out of existence. The hybridization allowed coyotes to evolve from the scrawny mouse-eaters of western grasslands to robust deer-hunters in eastern forests. The genetic techniques used in the recent study allowed researchers to estimate that hybridization, in most cases, happened when humans were hunting eastern wolves to extinction, Kays said. "The few remaining animals could find no proper mates so took the best option they could get,'' Kays said. L. David Mech, senior research scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey's Northern Prairie Research Center in St. Paul, Minn., and founder of the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minn., is skeptical of the theory that eastern wolves are hybrids. "How do you reconcile this with the fact that gray wolves typically don't breed with coyotes, but kill them?'' Mech said. "We have no records in the West of wolves hybridizing with coyotes, even in areas where single wolves looking for mates have dispersed into the middle of coyote country.'' Mech also questioned whether the study tested enough Canadian and North Carolina wolves and whether those specimens were true representatives of those populations. Although 48,000 genetic markers sounds like a lot, it's actually a relatively small part of the entire genetic code, Mech said. So the evidence of a unique eastern wolf ancestor could simply be in another part of the code that wasn't analyzed, he said. Several researchers who consider the eastern wolf species separate from the gray wolf weighed in recently in an online discussion of the new study. Brent Patterson, a genetics researcher at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, called the study "an important step forward.'' But until more samples are analyzed, the hypothesis that a North American wolf evolved independently from the gray wolf was still viable, he said. "It's an academic issue,'' Mech said. "It's nice to know what the origins are from the standpoint of curiosity, but from a conservation standpoint, it shouldn't make any difference.'' David Rabon, coordinator of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Red Wolf Recovery Program in North Carolina, said the federal agency has taken the position that the red wolf is a unique species that warrants protection. The new study, while interesting, won't likely change management decisions, he said.
    Jun 05, 2011 1412
  • 01 Jun 2011
    By PERRY BACKUS - Ravalli Republic Photo courtesy of Mahar family Geoff Mahar poses with the mountain lion he shot in his front yard Saturday evening after it attacked a goose. The mountain lion killed a sheep on the Mahar property earlier that day. After an eventful day, Geoff and Karen Mahar were sitting down to a late dinner Saturday evening when their prayers were answered. That morning, the couple had discovered that one of their sheep had been killed by a mountain lion at their home northwest of Hamilton. Geoff followed a 50-foot-long blood trail from his backyard pasture to find the sheep's carcass buried under some leaves and sticks. "It was a real obvious lion kill," Geoff said. "It had teeth marks on the back of its neck and rake marks down its sides. The front shoulder had been eaten away." Local Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist Lou Royce gave Mahar permission to shoot the mountain lion. A friend showed up with his hounds, but they weren't able to find the predator. Later, a U.S. Wildlife Services trapper set some traps around the carcass. Geoff spent the rest of the day working on a new shed. The day was nearly over when the couple sat down for their evening meal at about 8:30. "I remembered that I hadn't asked the blessing," Geoff said. "I prayed: Lord, it would be a small thing in your sight if we could get this lion thing finished." About 10 minutes later, the couple heard a ruckus coming from in front of their home. When they looked out the window, they saw a mountain lion race up the driveway and leap over the fence to pounce on their goose, just 10 yards from their front door. "Karen was immediately outside yelling at the lion," Geoff said. "I told her to get back in the house, and I grabbed my gun. All of this was happening in a flash." Geoff shot the lion in his front yard. This wasn't the first time that a mountain lion has killed domestic animals in the area, but Geoff said it did seem odd that it didn't show any fear when his wife started yelling at it. "It didn't shock me at all to have a sheep killed, but it was disconcerting that the lion wasn't at all afraid of us," Geoff said. Royce said it was unusual for the mountain lion to return so quickly to the Mahar home. "Typically, you would see them return at night," Royce said. "Having it come back so soon and kill a goose, it was probably a good thing that Geoff had a chance to get it before it could kill anymore." "I think it probably would have kept getting in trouble," Royce said. With the late winter and cold spring, Royce said people who live in the wildland/urban interface should be aware that predators may stick around in the lower elevations a little longer than normal this year. "Bears are just now starting to come out in force," Royce said. "They didn't have a great summer last year to put on weight, and now they're facing this long, cold spring. "They're hungry and there's not a lot of feed up high yet. People really just need to get rid of attractants. Those birdfeeders and cat and dog food on the porch attract bears." In some cases, people are going to find that bears aren't going to be afraid of them while feasting on food that's been left outside." "It's not the bear's fault," Royce said. "They're just hungry and they want to get some calories. It's not their fault that it's right up against people's homes." Royce also cautions homeowners against using attractants like salt or grain to bring in deer. "Many times, when we have a problem with predators, we'll find that someone in the neighborhood has been feeding deer," Royce said. "I've seen 30 deer in a front yard of someone's home. I understand that people like to see wildlife, but they often don't realize that it also brings in predators." Mahar's place was not the problem, Royce said. "He has livestock, but he keeps it cleaned up," Royce said. "There are not a bunch of turkeys or deer eating the leftover grain that his livestock wasted, but I'd put money on a bet that within a mile of his home there is someone feeding wildlife." Geoff is happy that he doesn't have to worry about the mountain lion anymore, especially since there are young children residing nearby. The mountain lion was estimated to be about 3 years old and weighed somewhere between 100 and 130 pounds. "It couldn't have worked out better for us, although my wife was pretty upset to lose her goose," Geoff said. "It was 2 years old. It was a mean old thing, but you still hate to see your animals killed like that. It didn't have a chance." The lion was a powerful animal. "The wether was big," Geoff said. "I couldn't drag that wether 5 yards. The lion had no problem dragging it 50 feet." Reach reporter Perry Backus at 363-3300 or pbackus@ravallirepublic.com.  
    1506 Posted by Chris Avena
  • By PERRY BACKUS - Ravalli Republic Photo courtesy of Mahar family Geoff Mahar poses with the mountain lion he shot in his front yard Saturday evening after it attacked a goose. The mountain lion killed a sheep on the Mahar property earlier that day. After an eventful day, Geoff and Karen Mahar were sitting down to a late dinner Saturday evening when their prayers were answered. That morning, the couple had discovered that one of their sheep had been killed by a mountain lion at their home northwest of Hamilton. Geoff followed a 50-foot-long blood trail from his backyard pasture to find the sheep's carcass buried under some leaves and sticks. "It was a real obvious lion kill," Geoff said. "It had teeth marks on the back of its neck and rake marks down its sides. The front shoulder had been eaten away." Local Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist Lou Royce gave Mahar permission to shoot the mountain lion. A friend showed up with his hounds, but they weren't able to find the predator. Later, a U.S. Wildlife Services trapper set some traps around the carcass. Geoff spent the rest of the day working on a new shed. The day was nearly over when the couple sat down for their evening meal at about 8:30. "I remembered that I hadn't asked the blessing," Geoff said. "I prayed: Lord, it would be a small thing in your sight if we could get this lion thing finished." About 10 minutes later, the couple heard a ruckus coming from in front of their home. When they looked out the window, they saw a mountain lion race up the driveway and leap over the fence to pounce on their goose, just 10 yards from their front door. "Karen was immediately outside yelling at the lion," Geoff said. "I told her to get back in the house, and I grabbed my gun. All of this was happening in a flash." Geoff shot the lion in his front yard. This wasn't the first time that a mountain lion has killed domestic animals in the area, but Geoff said it did seem odd that it didn't show any fear when his wife started yelling at it. "It didn't shock me at all to have a sheep killed, but it was disconcerting that the lion wasn't at all afraid of us," Geoff said. Royce said it was unusual for the mountain lion to return so quickly to the Mahar home. "Typically, you would see them return at night," Royce said. "Having it come back so soon and kill a goose, it was probably a good thing that Geoff had a chance to get it before it could kill anymore." "I think it probably would have kept getting in trouble," Royce said. With the late winter and cold spring, Royce said people who live in the wildland/urban interface should be aware that predators may stick around in the lower elevations a little longer than normal this year. "Bears are just now starting to come out in force," Royce said. "They didn't have a great summer last year to put on weight, and now they're facing this long, cold spring. "They're hungry and there's not a lot of feed up high yet. People really just need to get rid of attractants. Those birdfeeders and cat and dog food on the porch attract bears." In some cases, people are going to find that bears aren't going to be afraid of them while feasting on food that's been left outside." "It's not the bear's fault," Royce said. "They're just hungry and they want to get some calories. It's not their fault that it's right up against people's homes." Royce also cautions homeowners against using attractants like salt or grain to bring in deer. "Many times, when we have a problem with predators, we'll find that someone in the neighborhood has been feeding deer," Royce said. "I've seen 30 deer in a front yard of someone's home. I understand that people like to see wildlife, but they often don't realize that it also brings in predators." Mahar's place was not the problem, Royce said. "He has livestock, but he keeps it cleaned up," Royce said. "There are not a bunch of turkeys or deer eating the leftover grain that his livestock wasted, but I'd put money on a bet that within a mile of his home there is someone feeding wildlife." Geoff is happy that he doesn't have to worry about the mountain lion anymore, especially since there are young children residing nearby. The mountain lion was estimated to be about 3 years old and weighed somewhere between 100 and 130 pounds. "It couldn't have worked out better for us, although my wife was pretty upset to lose her goose," Geoff said. "It was 2 years old. It was a mean old thing, but you still hate to see your animals killed like that. It didn't have a chance." The lion was a powerful animal. "The wether was big," Geoff said. "I couldn't drag that wether 5 yards. The lion had no problem dragging it 50 feet." Reach reporter Perry Backus at 363-3300 or pbackus@ravallirepublic.com.  
    Jun 01, 2011 1506
  • 29 May 2011
    Can culling coyotes on your deer lease help the herd? Lots of factors affect the answer. by Mark Kayser Coyote Density Most prey species have cyclic, annual reproduction rates and as the habitat that sustains them decreases, so does the population of the prey. Predators follow suit and also decrease as prey diminishes. Litter sizes shrink and inefficient hunters succumb to the best hunters in a pack. This has been proven in research studies involving predators such as coyotes and Canada lynx in the context of snowshoe hare cyclic trends. Your first goal is to determine if you are dealing with a high coyote density or an average population. Most states have animal damage control offices that deal with predator and nuisance animal control. The United States Department of Agriculture might have an animal damage control officer in your area. These specialists work daily with predators and can tell you if you live in a “problem” area or if trying to control coyotes would be a waste of time. You can do your own research. First, do you routinely find evidence of deer mortality on your property? Do you find fawn parts, adult deer parts and deer hair in coyote scat? Can you trace those kills back to coyotes or are they scavenging road kills from a nearby highway or taking advantage of deer wounded and lost during the deer season? Listen at dawn and dusk and count the number of howls you hear. You can also trigger howls with a siren or recorded howls. This will give you an idea of how many coyotes are in the area. Finally, look for tracks and scat, and count your sightings. If you hunt the property regularly keep notes of when, where and how many tracks, scat and sightings you come across. Ask your hunting partners and lessees to do the same to broaden your perspective of the local coyote density. Habitat Inventory If you have a large property consisting of several hundred acres that include food plots and dense cover, you might be actually ringing the dinner bell for coyotes. Quality habitat increases the all-around prey base and that might attract coyotes. That can be both good and bad. The Quality Deer Management Association attempts to keep its members abreast of the latest in information to aid deer management practices. This organization has updated its members on new research conducted by students and faculty of Mississippi State University regarding predator and deer relationship. The study, which lasted nearly 10 years, indicated that deer managers who conserve and enhance habitat aid deer by creating better fawn hiding locations and overall escape habitat. Plus, the habitat increases other prey species that will attract the attention of predators looking for an easy meal so they won’t be as apt to focus on deer. Location Where you manage deer also should influence your decision to control coyotes. Deer in southern latitudes have less overall stress throughout the year due to increased browse and less winter stress. Deer in northern latitudes often have a feast or famine lifestyle with abundant browse from spring through fall, but suffer through severe conditions due to snow and cold in the winter months. After being rundown from the rigors of the rut, northern deer easily succumb to predation when deep snow and cold enter the equation. I’ve seen a pack of coyotes run down a tired buck and strip it of every ounce of edible meat. Although that isn’t the norm, coyotes tend to have an advantage on northern deer when conditions merit. Another negative factor facing northern deer is their practice of yarding and herding up in large groups, again attracting coyotes. It’s not unusual to see coyotes approaching winter herds of deer and running them to see if any weak animals are in the group. I’ve witnessed it dozens of times and have watched coyotes do the same with my saddle horses. If you try and manage deer in a northern region that has a high coyote density, keep your eye on the conditions to see if coyotes are targeting stressed herds. Research Results Several studies have been undertaken on the predator-and-prey relationship, specifically the coyote’s impact on prey. Each study differs because of location, duration and resources available to conduct the study, but you can glean a few important facts from each. To begin with, several studies strongly support the notion that coyotes prey on fawns in the spring. One study conducted on the coastal plains of South Texas clearly showed fawn survival could be substantially increased by decreasing coyote densities. Two study areas, each consisting of 5,000 acres, were designated. They were five miles apart. One was designated a predator removal site and the other as the control site with no predator control at all. Predator densities were similar prior to the two-year removal period. During the first year the whitetail deer counts indicated a fawn-to-doe ratio on the predator removal property to be at 0.47 and 0.12 on the control property without predator removal. During the second year the fawn to doe ratio jumped to 0.82 on the predator removal property and 0.32 on the control site. Interestingly, similar jumps in productivity were seen in bobwhite quail and Rio Grande turkeys at the removal site. Another study took place over eight years in the Welder Wildlife Refuge in South Texas. Researches coyote-proofed 1,000 acres of pasture with raised and buried fence. The top of the fence was charged with electricity to ensure that coyotes were kept out. All coyotes were removed, but deer were able to cross the perimeter fence and cattle were introduced to replicate typical agricultural conditions. Researchers discovered that fawn survivability was 30 percent higher in the enclosure as compared to the unregulated refuge. Over the next five years, the whitetail density increased, but declined after that period due to decreased food supplies and increased parasites. What do these studies prove? First, the studies took place in areas where deer habitat was not altered. Therefore, as fawn survivability increased along with the overall deer herd, the food base did not. The carrying capacity of the land could not keep up with the animals found within the research sites. That’s not the case on most managed properties today. Quality management programs supplement nutrition in addition to maximizing food plots. Savvy managers have at least 5 percent, if not more, of land cultivated in food-plot programs. Most of the better properties I’ve been on actually have an abundance of food to meet the demands of area deer as well as those migrating to the property during severe winter weather. Next, in several of the studies the predator removal program was only implemented for a short window of time, two years or less. After removal had concluded, coyote numbers began to rise because of predator dispersion and fawn survivability again decreased. One of the studies showed that any coyote removal program of less than six months in time had little effect. Solid results were only seen after nine months or more, and had to be continued to keep fawn survivability high. Short-term bursts of coyote control were only recommended for problem coyotes, particularly those preying on livestock or that had learned to prey on adult deer effectively. Finally, you won’t find a “one-size-fits-all” answer to predator management for optimum deer production. The MSU study clearly illustrated that properties managed with the greatest potential for habitat can achieve quality deer production with little or no predator management. If you have a chink in your plan and are short on habitat, coyotes can pressure your deer, particularly your annual fawn crop. They could be eating the next trophy on your property before it has a chance to grow. Most deer managers take a “no-tolerance” approach to coyotes. Greg Simons manages more than 300,000 acres for deer in Texas with his outfitting business Wildlife Systems and has managed properties for hunting for 20 years. As a biologist with a wildlife and fisheries science degree from Texas A&M University, Simons believes firmly in controlling predators on his property and has the data to prove it. Simons is managing nearly 200,000 acres in west Texas for mule deer and has implemented an intensive predator control program to increase fawn production. After six years the results are obvious and only affected by Mother Nature. “We track the fawn crop on our property and before we started managing the predators our fawn crop was less than twenty-five percent. After one year of predator control, fawn production jumped to eighty percent and has been averaging seventy percent or higher since,” explains Simons. “Last year we only had two inches of rain from January through August so we were in a severe drought, but we still managed to keep fawn production at fifty percent. I can only guess what it would have been without predator control, but I’m sure the percentage would have been much lower.” Currently, Wildlife Systems has multiple leased properties under intensive predator control, but Simons stresses that you can’t hope for miracles on a small property, especially if it is only surrounded by barbed wire. Regardless of your efforts you will continue to have coyotes unless your neighbors also implement a predator-management program. If you own a high-fenced property with net or woven wire fence, you might have better luck managing coyotes. From his experience Simons knows that coyotes prefer to slide under a net fence instead of going through it, leaving easy-to-find clues of their entrance. These slide areas are perfect locations for snares to catch the invaders. Simons stresses that once you commit to a predator management program you need to continue it through the duration of your deer management program regardless of the size of a property. If you stop controlling the predators the vacuum you create will quickly be filled by other coyotes. In a year or two you’ll be back to where you started, advises Simons. If you want to increase fawn production on your property, consider increasing the habitat base and following a stringent predator management control program. Even though people might never agree on coyote control as a whole, I think we can all agree that any fragile fawn or weak adult deer will become a snack if a coyote finds it. It’s your choice whether you want to decrease that opportunity by decreasing the coyote population.
    1699 Posted by Chris Avena
  • Can culling coyotes on your deer lease help the herd? Lots of factors affect the answer. by Mark Kayser Coyote Density Most prey species have cyclic, annual reproduction rates and as the habitat that sustains them decreases, so does the population of the prey. Predators follow suit and also decrease as prey diminishes. Litter sizes shrink and inefficient hunters succumb to the best hunters in a pack. This has been proven in research studies involving predators such as coyotes and Canada lynx in the context of snowshoe hare cyclic trends. Your first goal is to determine if you are dealing with a high coyote density or an average population. Most states have animal damage control offices that deal with predator and nuisance animal control. The United States Department of Agriculture might have an animal damage control officer in your area. These specialists work daily with predators and can tell you if you live in a “problem” area or if trying to control coyotes would be a waste of time. You can do your own research. First, do you routinely find evidence of deer mortality on your property? Do you find fawn parts, adult deer parts and deer hair in coyote scat? Can you trace those kills back to coyotes or are they scavenging road kills from a nearby highway or taking advantage of deer wounded and lost during the deer season? Listen at dawn and dusk and count the number of howls you hear. You can also trigger howls with a siren or recorded howls. This will give you an idea of how many coyotes are in the area. Finally, look for tracks and scat, and count your sightings. If you hunt the property regularly keep notes of when, where and how many tracks, scat and sightings you come across. Ask your hunting partners and lessees to do the same to broaden your perspective of the local coyote density. Habitat Inventory If you have a large property consisting of several hundred acres that include food plots and dense cover, you might be actually ringing the dinner bell for coyotes. Quality habitat increases the all-around prey base and that might attract coyotes. That can be both good and bad. The Quality Deer Management Association attempts to keep its members abreast of the latest in information to aid deer management practices. This organization has updated its members on new research conducted by students and faculty of Mississippi State University regarding predator and deer relationship. The study, which lasted nearly 10 years, indicated that deer managers who conserve and enhance habitat aid deer by creating better fawn hiding locations and overall escape habitat. Plus, the habitat increases other prey species that will attract the attention of predators looking for an easy meal so they won’t be as apt to focus on deer. Location Where you manage deer also should influence your decision to control coyotes. Deer in southern latitudes have less overall stress throughout the year due to increased browse and less winter stress. Deer in northern latitudes often have a feast or famine lifestyle with abundant browse from spring through fall, but suffer through severe conditions due to snow and cold in the winter months. After being rundown from the rigors of the rut, northern deer easily succumb to predation when deep snow and cold enter the equation. I’ve seen a pack of coyotes run down a tired buck and strip it of every ounce of edible meat. Although that isn’t the norm, coyotes tend to have an advantage on northern deer when conditions merit. Another negative factor facing northern deer is their practice of yarding and herding up in large groups, again attracting coyotes. It’s not unusual to see coyotes approaching winter herds of deer and running them to see if any weak animals are in the group. I’ve witnessed it dozens of times and have watched coyotes do the same with my saddle horses. If you try and manage deer in a northern region that has a high coyote density, keep your eye on the conditions to see if coyotes are targeting stressed herds. Research Results Several studies have been undertaken on the predator-and-prey relationship, specifically the coyote’s impact on prey. Each study differs because of location, duration and resources available to conduct the study, but you can glean a few important facts from each. To begin with, several studies strongly support the notion that coyotes prey on fawns in the spring. One study conducted on the coastal plains of South Texas clearly showed fawn survival could be substantially increased by decreasing coyote densities. Two study areas, each consisting of 5,000 acres, were designated. They were five miles apart. One was designated a predator removal site and the other as the control site with no predator control at all. Predator densities were similar prior to the two-year removal period. During the first year the whitetail deer counts indicated a fawn-to-doe ratio on the predator removal property to be at 0.47 and 0.12 on the control property without predator removal. During the second year the fawn to doe ratio jumped to 0.82 on the predator removal property and 0.32 on the control site. Interestingly, similar jumps in productivity were seen in bobwhite quail and Rio Grande turkeys at the removal site. Another study took place over eight years in the Welder Wildlife Refuge in South Texas. Researches coyote-proofed 1,000 acres of pasture with raised and buried fence. The top of the fence was charged with electricity to ensure that coyotes were kept out. All coyotes were removed, but deer were able to cross the perimeter fence and cattle were introduced to replicate typical agricultural conditions. Researchers discovered that fawn survivability was 30 percent higher in the enclosure as compared to the unregulated refuge. Over the next five years, the whitetail density increased, but declined after that period due to decreased food supplies and increased parasites. What do these studies prove? First, the studies took place in areas where deer habitat was not altered. Therefore, as fawn survivability increased along with the overall deer herd, the food base did not. The carrying capacity of the land could not keep up with the animals found within the research sites. That’s not the case on most managed properties today. Quality management programs supplement nutrition in addition to maximizing food plots. Savvy managers have at least 5 percent, if not more, of land cultivated in food-plot programs. Most of the better properties I’ve been on actually have an abundance of food to meet the demands of area deer as well as those migrating to the property during severe winter weather. Next, in several of the studies the predator removal program was only implemented for a short window of time, two years or less. After removal had concluded, coyote numbers began to rise because of predator dispersion and fawn survivability again decreased. One of the studies showed that any coyote removal program of less than six months in time had little effect. Solid results were only seen after nine months or more, and had to be continued to keep fawn survivability high. Short-term bursts of coyote control were only recommended for problem coyotes, particularly those preying on livestock or that had learned to prey on adult deer effectively. Finally, you won’t find a “one-size-fits-all” answer to predator management for optimum deer production. The MSU study clearly illustrated that properties managed with the greatest potential for habitat can achieve quality deer production with little or no predator management. If you have a chink in your plan and are short on habitat, coyotes can pressure your deer, particularly your annual fawn crop. They could be eating the next trophy on your property before it has a chance to grow. Most deer managers take a “no-tolerance” approach to coyotes. Greg Simons manages more than 300,000 acres for deer in Texas with his outfitting business Wildlife Systems and has managed properties for hunting for 20 years. As a biologist with a wildlife and fisheries science degree from Texas A&M University, Simons believes firmly in controlling predators on his property and has the data to prove it. Simons is managing nearly 200,000 acres in west Texas for mule deer and has implemented an intensive predator control program to increase fawn production. After six years the results are obvious and only affected by Mother Nature. “We track the fawn crop on our property and before we started managing the predators our fawn crop was less than twenty-five percent. After one year of predator control, fawn production jumped to eighty percent and has been averaging seventy percent or higher since,” explains Simons. “Last year we only had two inches of rain from January through August so we were in a severe drought, but we still managed to keep fawn production at fifty percent. I can only guess what it would have been without predator control, but I’m sure the percentage would have been much lower.” Currently, Wildlife Systems has multiple leased properties under intensive predator control, but Simons stresses that you can’t hope for miracles on a small property, especially if it is only surrounded by barbed wire. Regardless of your efforts you will continue to have coyotes unless your neighbors also implement a predator-management program. If you own a high-fenced property with net or woven wire fence, you might have better luck managing coyotes. From his experience Simons knows that coyotes prefer to slide under a net fence instead of going through it, leaving easy-to-find clues of their entrance. These slide areas are perfect locations for snares to catch the invaders. Simons stresses that once you commit to a predator management program you need to continue it through the duration of your deer management program regardless of the size of a property. If you stop controlling the predators the vacuum you create will quickly be filled by other coyotes. In a year or two you’ll be back to where you started, advises Simons. If you want to increase fawn production on your property, consider increasing the habitat base and following a stringent predator management control program. Even though people might never agree on coyote control as a whole, I think we can all agree that any fragile fawn or weak adult deer will become a snack if a coyote finds it. It’s your choice whether you want to decrease that opportunity by decreasing the coyote population.
    May 29, 2011 1699
  • 29 May 2011
    Understanding the battle for survival will make you a better coyote hunter. by Randy Smith Besides the normal struggle for food and shelter, a coyote’s daily life is constantly fraught with territorial challenges, quarrels over dominance, environmental threats, disease, and hunter peril. Their survival is constantly challenged, but in spite of all the threats they have flourished. Coyote learn quickly and have long memories. Older coyotes are masters at survival and teach each other well. Because the coyote is so intelligent, it has a longer learning and maturity curve. Coyote have a relatively complex social life. The more you understand that social life, the better your chances. Life Cycle Tactics I normally begin serious calling in late September and in the past have enjoyed pretty good success, especially on young dogs. Shooting can be quite good through October. November brings an influx of big game and upland bird hunters and calling gets tougher. During those times I concentrate on areas not normally associated with pheasants or deer. Fringe dwellers are the coyotes that I have the best luck calling in late October. With no wary adult to supervise them, these sexually immature males are easy to call. They are often hungry and stressed because they have lost the support of the pack. They are also very curious, especially if they have not encountered a caller before. This is the period when distress calls work very well, and most dogs can be called into very close range. This is also the reason there are more coyote road kills in late fall. Young nomads often scavenge road kills and have not learned the dangers of such a practice. Their desire for an easy meal becomes their death warrant when they are suddenly surprised and bewildered by the lights of an approaching auto. Consequently it is a good strategy to set up over bait during this period. I do the bulk of my calling in January and February after the close of deer season. Stress is greatest during these months and I have traditionally had my best luck using distress calls, social howls and barks. The combination of distress calls with bait works very well. This is the time of year when I often get opportunistic shots early in the morning and late in the evening by just driving the back roads and catching individuals on open fields still trying to fill their bellies. Excellent calling can be had when it is snowing heavily, or the first clear day just after a snow. To me, this is the very best calling time. I have always had my best luck under these conditions. I’ve called dogs throughout the day with no apparent break in the action. Blizzards tend to force them to hole up, so they are out just after the storm to fill their bellies. Calling is especially good in protected wooded areas. Breeding Season Tactics Depending on the latitude, breeding season can begin by mid-January. Until the breeding season, I concentrate tactics around the coyote’s desire for food and comfort, or the lack of experience of juveniles. During the breeding season, the coyote population is in its greatest annual period of change. This is the season of the coyote wars. One or several males competing for a female may be challenging an area, and females coming into estrus are searching for a new mate. Researchers (KSU-1968), (Feldhamer, Thompson, Chapman -2003). (Sacks, Bannashch, Chomel, Bruno) contend that secondary or “Beta” females will come into estrus 12 to 17 days after the Alpha female. Since the Alpha pair has bonded, the Beta female must go out on her own to find a mate. Coyote social behavior and nature’s calling combine to cause an unusual amount of relocation, confrontation, pair bonding, and territorial challenge. This also extends the daylight hours that coyotes are active. A hunter is more likely to see more coyotes during the day throughout the breeding season. Breeding pairs can often be caught on open ground as late as mid-day, when the hunter is changing calling sites. Rather than wasting time and ammunition trying to gun down a running pair from the road, take note of these areas and the time the dogs are sighted. Set up for the following morning or next weekend. Chances are the pair will be there. Breeding pairs are establishing den area territories, so they keep a fairly predictable route. These open areas may well be challenging grounds and contain traffic from several different social levels including females in heat, independent males on the make, and Alpha pairs trying to confirm a territory. A great deal of territorial marking may be taking place and be drawing in the dogs. This is a time for aggressive calling using howlers, territorial challenges and the estrus chirp. I normally use a .243 for long range shots and for bucking the traditional windy conditions of the season. An advantage is that it’s normally not as cold in March and sitting in a blind or on a hillside is not uncomfortable. You can wait longer for something to develop. A good pair of binoculars is a must for observing game trails and activity. The disadvantage to breeding season is the weather is unpredictable. It can be warm and still, then a howling wind kicks in, or even a sudden shower or snow squall. Coyotes react differently to each weather situation and a caller can never be sure what those reactions might be. On the other hand, weather changes contribute to the unsettled nature of coyote society and can be an advantage to the caller. Use higher volume on a windy morning. Breeders may not respond as aggressively to traditional distress calls because they have territorial matters foremost on their mind. It may be necessary to go for the long shot off a well braced bipod. Many times my calls do nothing more than stop them for an easier shot opportunity. I’ll use a short bark on my howler to pull this off. If I do connect, I’ll leave him lay, stay in position and keep calling rather than disturb the area. This is also a period when you may run into bold packs that will eagerly cross open ground and come right into the call. They will aggressively defend territory and react boldly. This is driven by Alphas in a quest for territorial control, and pack support is utilized to reinforce their status. This trait can significantly improve calling success. Last season I called in five at one time the first weekend of April. This demonstrated to me that some packs will remain together later than commonly believed. A good low chair or butt pad helps the hunter remain still for longer periods of time. A cover scent is practical in close, still conditions, but on open ground in breezy conditions I don’t bother. Breeding season is an excellent time to deploy the howler and an estrus “chirp” call. I use a high pitched howler to mimic juvenile males or females in heat. Whole family units may come in to defend territory. Single males may also frequent the area checking scent markings and challenging for territory. A howl from a perspective breeding female may be all the encouragement he needs to move in. I don’t recommend overusing the howler, especially later in the morning. At that time of day it is better to simply wait in ambush from the high ground until you see something and then try to entice with a high pitch bark or the good old distress cry. Late day singles may well be nomads looking for a meal at a time when they are less likely to encounter dominate aggressive packs. You can often tell which cry to try by watching the coyote’s body language. If he is advancing at a fairly brisk trot with head low, poking and prodding, digging and searching, a distress cry will probably encourage investigation rather than a territorial challenge. However, if he is moving cautiously with his head held high, frequent stops where he scans the area, moving to high ground and pausing to investigate, an estrus chirp or challenge bark will be more successful. This dog is either on the prowl for a territorial challenge or he is looking for a mate. An estrus “chirp” is a short, brisk vocalization best made with an open reed mouth call. It is a great attention getter and works similarly to a bark with a howler. It is higher pitched and sharper than a howler bark and often convinces a potential suitor or rival to come in for a look. The best location for breeding season is the back country where there is little human traffic in the early morning and plenty of food resources. This is a good time to wear wading boots and cross streams that may turn back other callers. Breeding season coyotes are going to frequent areas of less human traffic and a sound strategy is to go where others don’t and remain in the area later in the day. Large concentrations of rats, mice, and birds are good indicators, as are lambing and calving grounds. I’ve had very good luck recently by overlooking open ground over a mile stretch between lambing ground and good den sites. I like the sand hills where there are acres of farmland bordering good, well foliaged den areas. Winter crops are still short and ground cover is slight. Dogs often pass across these open fields on their way back to heavier cover after a night of foraging. Most of all, coyotes are more aggressive and preoccupied during breeding season. They are more likely to get involved with social activities and let their guard drop. Beginning callers should try their luck in the spring during breeding season before becoming too discouraged. Mistakes we all make are often countered by the natural aggression and confusion that develops during the coyote breeding season.
    3393 Posted by Chris Avena
  • Understanding the battle for survival will make you a better coyote hunter. by Randy Smith Besides the normal struggle for food and shelter, a coyote’s daily life is constantly fraught with territorial challenges, quarrels over dominance, environmental threats, disease, and hunter peril. Their survival is constantly challenged, but in spite of all the threats they have flourished. Coyote learn quickly and have long memories. Older coyotes are masters at survival and teach each other well. Because the coyote is so intelligent, it has a longer learning and maturity curve. Coyote have a relatively complex social life. The more you understand that social life, the better your chances. Life Cycle Tactics I normally begin serious calling in late September and in the past have enjoyed pretty good success, especially on young dogs. Shooting can be quite good through October. November brings an influx of big game and upland bird hunters and calling gets tougher. During those times I concentrate on areas not normally associated with pheasants or deer. Fringe dwellers are the coyotes that I have the best luck calling in late October. With no wary adult to supervise them, these sexually immature males are easy to call. They are often hungry and stressed because they have lost the support of the pack. They are also very curious, especially if they have not encountered a caller before. This is the period when distress calls work very well, and most dogs can be called into very close range. This is also the reason there are more coyote road kills in late fall. Young nomads often scavenge road kills and have not learned the dangers of such a practice. Their desire for an easy meal becomes their death warrant when they are suddenly surprised and bewildered by the lights of an approaching auto. Consequently it is a good strategy to set up over bait during this period. I do the bulk of my calling in January and February after the close of deer season. Stress is greatest during these months and I have traditionally had my best luck using distress calls, social howls and barks. The combination of distress calls with bait works very well. This is the time of year when I often get opportunistic shots early in the morning and late in the evening by just driving the back roads and catching individuals on open fields still trying to fill their bellies. Excellent calling can be had when it is snowing heavily, or the first clear day just after a snow. To me, this is the very best calling time. I have always had my best luck under these conditions. I’ve called dogs throughout the day with no apparent break in the action. Blizzards tend to force them to hole up, so they are out just after the storm to fill their bellies. Calling is especially good in protected wooded areas. Breeding Season Tactics Depending on the latitude, breeding season can begin by mid-January. Until the breeding season, I concentrate tactics around the coyote’s desire for food and comfort, or the lack of experience of juveniles. During the breeding season, the coyote population is in its greatest annual period of change. This is the season of the coyote wars. One or several males competing for a female may be challenging an area, and females coming into estrus are searching for a new mate. Researchers (KSU-1968), (Feldhamer, Thompson, Chapman -2003). (Sacks, Bannashch, Chomel, Bruno) contend that secondary or “Beta” females will come into estrus 12 to 17 days after the Alpha female. Since the Alpha pair has bonded, the Beta female must go out on her own to find a mate. Coyote social behavior and nature’s calling combine to cause an unusual amount of relocation, confrontation, pair bonding, and territorial challenge. This also extends the daylight hours that coyotes are active. A hunter is more likely to see more coyotes during the day throughout the breeding season. Breeding pairs can often be caught on open ground as late as mid-day, when the hunter is changing calling sites. Rather than wasting time and ammunition trying to gun down a running pair from the road, take note of these areas and the time the dogs are sighted. Set up for the following morning or next weekend. Chances are the pair will be there. Breeding pairs are establishing den area territories, so they keep a fairly predictable route. These open areas may well be challenging grounds and contain traffic from several different social levels including females in heat, independent males on the make, and Alpha pairs trying to confirm a territory. A great deal of territorial marking may be taking place and be drawing in the dogs. This is a time for aggressive calling using howlers, territorial challenges and the estrus chirp. I normally use a .243 for long range shots and for bucking the traditional windy conditions of the season. An advantage is that it’s normally not as cold in March and sitting in a blind or on a hillside is not uncomfortable. You can wait longer for something to develop. A good pair of binoculars is a must for observing game trails and activity. The disadvantage to breeding season is the weather is unpredictable. It can be warm and still, then a howling wind kicks in, or even a sudden shower or snow squall. Coyotes react differently to each weather situation and a caller can never be sure what those reactions might be. On the other hand, weather changes contribute to the unsettled nature of coyote society and can be an advantage to the caller. Use higher volume on a windy morning. Breeders may not respond as aggressively to traditional distress calls because they have territorial matters foremost on their mind. It may be necessary to go for the long shot off a well braced bipod. Many times my calls do nothing more than stop them for an easier shot opportunity. I’ll use a short bark on my howler to pull this off. If I do connect, I’ll leave him lay, stay in position and keep calling rather than disturb the area. This is also a period when you may run into bold packs that will eagerly cross open ground and come right into the call. They will aggressively defend territory and react boldly. This is driven by Alphas in a quest for territorial control, and pack support is utilized to reinforce their status. This trait can significantly improve calling success. Last season I called in five at one time the first weekend of April. This demonstrated to me that some packs will remain together later than commonly believed. A good low chair or butt pad helps the hunter remain still for longer periods of time. A cover scent is practical in close, still conditions, but on open ground in breezy conditions I don’t bother. Breeding season is an excellent time to deploy the howler and an estrus “chirp” call. I use a high pitched howler to mimic juvenile males or females in heat. Whole family units may come in to defend territory. Single males may also frequent the area checking scent markings and challenging for territory. A howl from a perspective breeding female may be all the encouragement he needs to move in. I don’t recommend overusing the howler, especially later in the morning. At that time of day it is better to simply wait in ambush from the high ground until you see something and then try to entice with a high pitch bark or the good old distress cry. Late day singles may well be nomads looking for a meal at a time when they are less likely to encounter dominate aggressive packs. You can often tell which cry to try by watching the coyote’s body language. If he is advancing at a fairly brisk trot with head low, poking and prodding, digging and searching, a distress cry will probably encourage investigation rather than a territorial challenge. However, if he is moving cautiously with his head held high, frequent stops where he scans the area, moving to high ground and pausing to investigate, an estrus chirp or challenge bark will be more successful. This dog is either on the prowl for a territorial challenge or he is looking for a mate. An estrus “chirp” is a short, brisk vocalization best made with an open reed mouth call. It is a great attention getter and works similarly to a bark with a howler. It is higher pitched and sharper than a howler bark and often convinces a potential suitor or rival to come in for a look. The best location for breeding season is the back country where there is little human traffic in the early morning and plenty of food resources. This is a good time to wear wading boots and cross streams that may turn back other callers. Breeding season coyotes are going to frequent areas of less human traffic and a sound strategy is to go where others don’t and remain in the area later in the day. Large concentrations of rats, mice, and birds are good indicators, as are lambing and calving grounds. I’ve had very good luck recently by overlooking open ground over a mile stretch between lambing ground and good den sites. I like the sand hills where there are acres of farmland bordering good, well foliaged den areas. Winter crops are still short and ground cover is slight. Dogs often pass across these open fields on their way back to heavier cover after a night of foraging. Most of all, coyotes are more aggressive and preoccupied during breeding season. They are more likely to get involved with social activities and let their guard drop. Beginning callers should try their luck in the spring during breeding season before becoming too discouraged. Mistakes we all make are often countered by the natural aggression and confusion that develops during the coyote breeding season.
    May 29, 2011 3393
  • 17 May 2011
    Hunters aiming to bag a gray wolf this year can once again buy a tag from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.   BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Hunters aiming to bag a gray wolf this year can once again buy a tag from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The state wildlife agency started selling tags for $11.50 Idaho residents Thursday, one day after the predators were taken off the endangered species list. Out-of-state hunters will have to shell out $186 for a wolf permit. The decision to delist puts wolves under state management, and Idaho officials are now setting quotas and rules for this season's wolf hunt. Hunters took the backcountry two years ago to hunt wolves after the predators were delisted the first time. Hunters killed 188 wolves during that first public hunt, short of the state limit of 220. Officials in Montana are also gearing up for a wolf hunt this fall.
    13406 Posted by Chris Avena
  • Hunters aiming to bag a gray wolf this year can once again buy a tag from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.   BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Hunters aiming to bag a gray wolf this year can once again buy a tag from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The state wildlife agency started selling tags for $11.50 Idaho residents Thursday, one day after the predators were taken off the endangered species list. Out-of-state hunters will have to shell out $186 for a wolf permit. The decision to delist puts wolves under state management, and Idaho officials are now setting quotas and rules for this season's wolf hunt. Hunters took the backcountry two years ago to hunt wolves after the predators were delisted the first time. Hunters killed 188 wolves during that first public hunt, short of the state limit of 220. Officials in Montana are also gearing up for a wolf hunt this fall.
    May 17, 2011 13406
  • 07 May 2011
    The state Game Commission meets in Albuquerque this week and will get an update on a temporary ban on trapping in parts of southwestern New Mexico where Mexican gray wolves have been reintroduced.  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The state Game Commission meets in Albuquerque this week and will get an update on a temporary ban on trapping in parts of southwestern New Mexico where Mexican gray wolves have been reintroduced. The commission meets Thursday at the University of New Mexico's Continuing Education Conference Center. The trapping ban on public lands was ordered last year by then Gov. Bill Richardson while researchers study what risk traps and snares pose to wolves. The commission also is to hear an update on rules governing the allocation of antelope hunting permits to private landowners in New Mexico. Some sportsmen contend that more antelope licenses should be available through the state's public lands hunting lottery system. The commission's membership has changed because of recent appointments by Republican Gov. Susana Martinez.
    1192 Posted by Chris Avena
  • The state Game Commission meets in Albuquerque this week and will get an update on a temporary ban on trapping in parts of southwestern New Mexico where Mexican gray wolves have been reintroduced.  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The state Game Commission meets in Albuquerque this week and will get an update on a temporary ban on trapping in parts of southwestern New Mexico where Mexican gray wolves have been reintroduced. The commission meets Thursday at the University of New Mexico's Continuing Education Conference Center. The trapping ban on public lands was ordered last year by then Gov. Bill Richardson while researchers study what risk traps and snares pose to wolves. The commission also is to hear an update on rules governing the allocation of antelope hunting permits to private landowners in New Mexico. Some sportsmen contend that more antelope licenses should be available through the state's public lands hunting lottery system. The commission's membership has changed because of recent appointments by Republican Gov. Susana Martinez.
    May 07, 2011 1192
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