coyote study

[Frogman]

Thought you guys might be interested . . .

"Geriann Albers, a West Virginia University graduate student who recently completed a study of coyotes' stomach contents, said deer accounted for 44 percent of the contents' volume, followed by small mammals at 12.5 percent, squirrels and chipmunks at 8.2 percent, fruits and seeds at 7.1 percent, grass and twigs at 7.1 percent, rabbits at 3.3 percent and livestock at 3.1 percent."

More deer than I would have guessed! 

Jim

[FinsnFur]

What was the remaining 14.7 % ?

[riverboss]

Very interesting Jim! Thats alot of deer, thanks  for the read.

[Hawks Feather]

What was the remaining 14.7 % ?

Don't ask. 

[possumal]

I'll bet you a dollar against a stale donut that if he made that study at different times of year, his results would have been different.  There is no question that coyotes feed heavy on fawns from the time they are dropped until winter, but then they have grown enough to be able to get away more readily.  The biologist who hunts with George Brint (Decoy heart inventor) down in Tennessee made a statement one time that an adult coyote will be responsible for the death of 5 deer a year on the average.  A lot of those are fawns but they still count. Our deer herds have expanded so rapidly that there are many more fawns for them to prey upon, so you know they will go for all that protein when it is available.  Coyote & Fawn, combined with fawn distress worked well this year, better than normally.

[Frogman]

possumal,

This was a several year long study.  I remember being asked by one of our local DNR game biologists who knew i called coyotes to bring any carcasses to him for use in the study.  I know lots of trappers also provided carcasses.

Jim

[Carolina Coyote]

This is one of the studies made in SC. cc

http://www.southcarolinasportsman.com/printer_friendly.php?id=1652

[Frogman]

Here is more info from the WVU coyote stomach content study . . .

April 28, 2012
Scientific confirmation
Studies show that coyotes eat a significant amount of deer
By John McCoy
Advertiser

Science has confirmed what West Virginia's hunters have long suspected: Coyotes eat a lot of deer.

A 20-month study of coyotes' dietary habits found that deer remains were found in nearly 60 percent of coyotes' stomach contents and manure samples.

Geriann Albers, the West Virginia University graduate student who coordinated the research, revealed her findings recently at a meeting of the Northeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. She didn't mince words.

"Coyotes in West Virginia are primarily consuming deer," Albers said.

Division of Natural Resources officials commissioned the study to try to determine what impact, if any, coyotes might be having on the state's whitetail herds. The findings appear to show at least some impact.

"Of course, we had no way of telling how much of those stomach contents were the result of predation," Albers explained. "There's probably a good bit of it, but coyotes also scavenge road kills, eat remains of deer gutted during hunting seasons, and scavenge the carcasses of deer that die of winterkill.

"Our findings would suggest that there's a need for further study to see how much predation actually is occurring."

The research that generated Albers' findings wasn't at all glamorous. Instead, it involved hundreds of hours' worth of grisly, smelly CSI-style detective work.

Researchers spent part of that time examining the stomach contents of road-killed coyotes and coyotes killed by hunters and trappers. That, believe it or not, was the most glamorous part.

They spent the rest of the time breaking down coyote manure samples and analyzing the contents.

Deer remains showed up in 59.5 percent of the 969 samples examined. Grass and twigs showed up in 39.7 percent, small mammals such as mice and voles in 19.3 percent, fruits and seeds in 18.4 percent, squirrels and chipmunks in 11.4 percent, birds in 4 percent and rabbits in 4 percent. The percentages add up to more than 100 percent because many samples contained more than one category of food items.

The study found that by volume, deer remains comprised nearly four times as much of coyotes' stomach contents and manure composition as small mammals, the second-ranked category.

Deer accounted for 44 percent of the volume, followed by small mammals at 12.5 percent, squirrels and chipmunks at 8.2 percent, fruits and seeds at 7.1 percent, grass and twigs at 7.1 percent, rabbits at 3.3 percent and livestock at 3.1 percent.

If nothing else, the study showed that coyotes are opportunistic feeders.

"They'll eat anything - and I mean anything," Albers said. "Their diets vary according to what is available."
For example, the study found that deer remains were only half as abundant in coyotes from West Virginia's southern coalfields, where deer populations aren't nearly as dense as in the rest of the state. Albers said that in the coalfields, coyotes ate deer far less often and ate plants and squirrels far more often.

Hunters have long accused coyotes of killing large numbers of newly born fawns, but the study's findings didn't bear that out. In fact, the data revealed that coyotes feed most heavily on deer between January and April.

"Studies in other states have shown that during times when snow is deep, coyotes have an easier time preying on deer," Albers said. "Winter is also a time when deer die of winterkill, and they travel on roads to avoid deep snow and get hit by cars. Scavenging accounts for a good percentage of winter deer consumption stems from scavenging, but there's probably a lot of predation too."

During the January-April time period, deer showed up in more than 70 percent of coyotes' stomach contents and stool samples. Between May and August, which includes the fawn birthing period of May and June, only 55 percent of the samples contained deer remains.

"One of our more interesting findings was that the percentage dropped to just 38 percent between September and December," Albers said. "At first glance that seemed odd, because that period includes the hunting seasons. Between wounding loss and piles of offal left from field dressing, coyotes have a lot of opportunities to eat deer.

"We think the drop-off occurs because coyotes can take advantage of easier food sources during that time period. During our survey period, there were oodles of squirrels, and lots of fruits and nuts. It's easier for a coyote to eat a persimmon or kill a squirrel than it is to kill a deer or find a gut pile left by a hunter."

Another finding that defied conventional wisdom was the study's discovery that turkey remains and turkey eggshells didn't often show up in the stomach contents or scat samples.

Hunters have long believed that coyotes prey heavily on nesting hen turkeys and their eggs, but Albers said the data show just the opposite.

"Of the 4 percent of samples that contained bird remains, only half of those were from [ground-nesting] birds such as turkeys and grouse," she said. "We did find some shell fragments, but those were from turtle eggs. We found no evidence of bird shell fragments."

Still, Albers has no doubt that a coyote would eat those things if it had the opportunity.

"They will eat just anything. We saw remains of skunks and opossums - things you wouldn't think they would eat," she said.

One coyote took its eat-anything reputation seriously.

"It must have been a Dumpster diver," Albers said with a grin. "In its stomach we found the remnants of a Dairy Queen napkin, a Subway sandwich wrapper, a Taco Bell sauce packet and a commercial crab leg."

Reach John McCoy at johnmc...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1231.

Interesting!

Jim

[Fronek]

I think you would find besides different times of the year as far as stomach contents go it would also depend on geographic location. I think predation on deer is probably heavier in the northern tier states especially during the winter and have seen where coyotes will camp out where the deer are all winter.

[Coulter]

It's really too bad that these studies can't provide data on what percentage of those deer found in a coyotes stomach were actually killed by that coyote. We all know that coyotes are opportunistic scavengers as well as hunters. Unfortunately I think they get a bad rap on this whole deer killing thing. Surely, the vast majority of the deer found in the coyotes stomach was from that of a roadkill, or a hunter shot deer that was never recovered by the shooter, or even a bait pile left by hunters / trappers specifically placed to attract coyotes. I'm aware that they can and do take fawns and older deer as well. I just don't think that they do so in the numbers that these studies would suggest.

Pennsylvania has done similar studies and found that black bears account for more fawn mortality than does a coyote. You don't hear much about that side of the story though. The college my oldest daughter is attending has been conducting the same study for the last few years. I haven't heard much in the way of results or figures, but my guess is that its going to look the same as other studies.

Steve

[Carolina Coyote]

Steve if you look at the study done in SC they did document the number killed by the Coyotes, personally I think they account for far more than the study shows from the evidence I have found in the field, there has also been a study in Georgia, The Coyotes are a killing machine that's how they survive.  cc

[Coulter]

I don't doubt that coyotes are killing machines; however, I don't believe that is the key to their plentiful and expanding existence. They are one of the most capable animals when it comes to adapting to new habitat...be it farm fields or urban woodlots. They find their niche and they improvise. They are are opportunists, that's how we are able to call them in as hunters. They sense an opportunity for a free meal (cottontail distress for example) and they capitalize on it. Again, I'm not saying they don't kill deer, fawns or adults, I

The SC study is incomplete as of right now, so how can it possibly be conclusive?...

The final year of the study will be conducted in 2012. That will be going back to no control at all on coyotes to see if there is any carryover of the coyote removal or whether it goes right back to poor fawn survival.”

There are a lot of variables that are not included in that document as well that I would like to hear more about. How did they determine that 80% of the 70% percent of fawn mortality was due to coyotes? How did the figure the 70% mortality rate in the first place? I'm not questioning the validity of their tests...I'd just like to know more about the methods of research. Especially when they say that "a coyote’s main diet is composed of small mammals (rats and mice), insects and a variety of vegetable matter including fruits".

I see a lot of deer in the woods while I'm out there too, that doesn't necessarily mean a coyote actually did the killing. He certainly did his share of eating in most cases though. Hunters leave a lot of deer in the woods that they have a difficult time tracking. It's also amazing how far a deer can and will go that has been mortally wounded by a vehicle...more coyote food.

Oh well..I didn't really jump into this post for any debate purposes. I was merely making my own observations based on 12 years as a Pennsylvania Conservation Officer, avid trapper and avid hunter .

Steve

[possumal]

Froggie, I have never thought that coyotes kill many new born fawns.  The mama deer does a pretty solid job of protecting the newborn, and they reportedly don't give off much odor for the first week or so.  It is when they grow a little and get out on their own more that they are vulnerable.  There are so many young deer available now, compared to just a few years ago.  It is a source of protein and they won't miss out on it.  Give coyotes a choice between mice and fawns, they'll take the fawn every time.  Like somebody mentioned, hunters leave a lot of dead deer in the woods, and they take advantage of that. 

[Carolina Coyote]

Steve, If you Goggle South Carolina Coyote study is still going and will be for years to come and you are right the studies so far are inconclusive, there have been studies where they put cameras on the Coyote den to document what they brought  to the den to feed their young, major source was Fawns. Not trying to start a debate as I went into that about using 22 rimfire to hunt Coyotes and a some people was all over me about my opinion that they should not be hunted with 22 rimfire but none every stated that was their gun of choice when going Coyote hunting, everyone is entitled to their opinion right or wrong. That is what I am beginning to see here in some of the comments, no facts just OPINIONS, in your years as Conservation Officer did you guys do a documented study or are your comments just your opinions just like Mr.know it all Possum Al's. cc

[Coulter]

I have assisted with deer mortality surveys in the late winter months. Most of the carcasses we encountered were actually preyed upon by dogs, not coyotes. Again the vast majority of the deaths were either caused by hunters or vehicle and left there to rot, or be preyed upon by scavengers...coyotes, dogs, oppossum-Als (just kidding, couldn't resist), crows, various raptors, etc. etc.

The PGC has done studies in conjunction with Penn State University, I was not involved with these particular studies, but what they found (I mentioned in my first post) is that black bears actually prey on fawns/deer more than a coyote does (in PA). The study also stated that small rodents are the main source of food for coyotes. And of course that will vary with the time of year. They also could not determine where the deer that were found in the coyotes stomach were originated from...coyote killed, hunter, vehicle, etc.

Of course South Carolina is much different than PA and the studies may reveal something completely different down there. I'd really like to hear more about the protocol of the SC studies and how their information is derived. I understand that coyotes bring food back to the den for the pups in the spring, some of which are likely killed by them. However, that is not necessarily the case in all situations. I see a lot of fawns killed on the highway every year. Or attacked by somebodies dog that they let run loose. Coyotes are opportunists, if they find a dead fawn they will surely bring it back to the den for their pups no matter how it died. I'm not saying that is the case 100% of the time, but again just because they brought a fawn back to the den doesn't necessarily mean they actually killed it.

Steve

[Coulter]

By the way, I’m not one to spew out random opinions or speculate on subjects I’m not really familiar with. So here’s some more food for thought so to speak…. This isn’t the study I was referring to earlier, but it’s similar to the SC study. And again, we’re 600+ miles apart, the coyotes are going to behave much differently in your neck of the woods…the same as they do from east to west.

Here are a couple of key FACTS that I found interesting…

“Additionally, because we were unable to determine if an item in the stomach was hunted or scavenged, we referred to all items as food items.”

It’s good to see they accounted for this FACT and didn’t just blame the coyote for killing all of the fawns.

“However, during winter there is a shift toward deer as the primary food item (Bixel 1995; Dibello et al. 1990; Patterson et al. 1998). For instance, Bixel (1995) working at Letterkenny Army Depot, Pennsylvania, found deer traces in 32.4%, 1.1%, 14.0%, of scats during spring, summer, and fall respectively. During winter, however, he found deer in 71.4% of coyote scats. Our winter study found deer traces in 62.2% of examined stomachs which further supports the notion that Pennsylvania coyotes switch from a heterogeneous, non-deer dominated diet during the food prolific Steinmann et al. - Feeding Habits of Coyotes 15 Table 1. Identified artifact sources (n = number of stomachs that contained artifacts identified from a distinct source) and frequency percentages for each item found in Pennsylvania coyote stomachs. An individual stomach may have identifiable artifacts from more than one source or may not contain any identifiable artifacts. Spring, summer, fall seasons to a primarily deer dominated diet during the winter season. Several factors could explain this diet shift. Obviously, during the winter season many of the previously abundant food items are absent because of inclement weather conditions.”

This seems to contradict the theory that coyotes prey heavily on fawns in the spring.  Wouldn’t the stomach contents reveal a deer consumption spike in the spring or summer as opposed to winter if that were the case?

Here’s a link to the results of the actual study for your perusal…enjoy.

http://www.lhup.edu/journal/Issue_1/Stewart_Ship.pdf

[Carolina Coyote]

Steve I read that and it emphasized that the study was done in the winter months, you not gonna see to many Fawns ( less than a month old) in the winter, the studies in SC was done during the Fawning season " April -May"  I would think the people doing the studies could recognize even on camera a newly born Fawn. The Coyote population has exploded in the South, 10 years ago you hardly every heard people talking about Coyotes that much, Deer hunting is big business with people from out of state because of the liberal game limits, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama  Wildlife Department are all concerned about the reduction in Deer herds, even with the studies being inconclusive  for some reason the Deer herds are dwindling and the opinion seems to be is pretty much the Coyotes are the smoking gun. We manage the Deer on out hunt property and past years we made it a point to kill 45-50 Does every year, this  year we are only taking what you want for table fare and so far only 9 Does have been taken may be a couple more before the seasons Closes, the numbers are just not there like it use to be. We don't have the Bear problem. CC

[Carolina Coyote]

Comment on one other study made in SC; cc


Coyotes may be cause of deer reduction
Study in South Carolina points to predators
By Paul A. Smith of the Journal Sentinel   
July 17, 2010

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Recent increases in predator populations and distribution across the U.S. have been implicated, at least in the minds of some, in reduced deer numbers.

In Wisconsin, for example, the burgeoning timber wolf population is often cited as a reason for below-goal whitetail numbers in the north and northeast parts of the state.

Certainly wolves kill and eat deer. But they are not alone.

And solid research to quantify the effects of predators is expensive and relatively rare.

A Wisconsin study is getting started this year to evaluate predator impacts on deer; results won't be known for two to three years.

But some interesting results were announced recently from a study in South Carolina.

Researchers working on the Savannah River Site, a 300,000-acre federal property, have found the wolf's smaller cousin - the coyote - may well be reducing the deer herd in that state.

Since coyotes appeared on the property in the 1980s, the number of whitetail fawns per adult doe has fallen from about 1 to about 0.5, said John Kilgo, research wildlife biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Forest Service, in New Ellenton, S.C.

"That's a substantial drop in deer recruitment," Kilgo said. "And though we evaluated all other possible causes, none are as likely as predation by coyote."

Kilgo and colleagues published results of the study in The Journal of Wildlife Management. The paper is titled "Can Coyotes Affect Deer Populations in Southeastern North America?"

Historically, coyotes were restricted to western North America, but during the last 20 to 30 years their range and numbers have expanded. They now live throughout North and Central America and along the East Coast from New Brunswick, Canada, to Florida.

The Savannah River Site in South Carolina is one of the few areas where deer and coyote populations have been studied in recent years. The study by Kilgo et al began in 2005; it will continue for several years.

Since hunting by humans is tightly controlled on the property, excellent historical data is available both on deer numbers and harvest.

Between 1997 and 2006, the deer population in the state of South Carolina decreased by 36%. The Savannah River Site mirrored the statewide decline.

But when hunter harvest was restricted on the property, the deer decline continued.

"Our models predicted the deer numbers would increase in response to less harvest," Kilgo said. "The old models didn't work anymore."

The researchers evaluated other possible causes for the deer decline, including disease, car/vehicle collisions and food and water availability. But none provided a link to the deer numbers.

Coyotes, however, are known to prey on deer, primarily fawns in the first two months of life.

Coyote numbers on the property are estimated at 4 or 5 per square mile. The next phase of the project includes removing coyotes from blocks of the property and evaluating any changes in deer numbers and recruitment.

As scientists are prone to do, study co-author Karl Miller of the University of Georgia said the data does not yet provide a cause-and-effect relationship between increasing coyote and decreasing deer numbers.

"What we have right now is a smoking gun," said Miller said. "Are coyotes important to deer numbers? Yes. But the next phase may allow us to say even more."

[Coulter]

I realize the study I posted was directed at the winter months; however, they also cited other studies if you look at the second quote I posted...

“However, during winter there is a shift toward deer as the primary food item (Bixel 1995; Dibello et al. 1990; Patterson et al. 1998). For instance, Bixel (1995) working at Letterkenny Army Depot, Pennsylvania, found deer traces in 32.4%, 1.1%, 14.0%, of scats during spring, summer, and fall respectively. During winter, however, he found deer in 71.4% of coyote scats. Our winter study found deer traces in 62.2% of examined stomachs which further supports the notion that Pennsylvania coyotes switch from a heterogeneous, non-deer dominated diet during the food prolific Steinmann et al. - Feeding Habits of Coyotes 15 Table 1. Identified artifact sources (n = number of stomachs that contained artifacts identified from a distinct source) and frequency percentages for each item found in Pennsylvania coyote stomachs. An individual stomach may have identifiable artifacts from more than one source or may not contain any identifiable artifacts. Spring, summer, fall seasons to a primarily deer dominated diet during the winter season. Several factors could explain this diet shift. Obviously, during the winter season many of the previously abundant food items are absent because of inclement weather conditions.”

So lets break that down...

The study found deer traces of deer in 32.4% in the spring, 1.1% in the summer, 14.0% in the fall,  During winter, however, he found deer in 71.4% of coyote scats. You are correct...there are no fawns in winter, so if the coyotes were killing the majority of the deer in the spring birthing season wouldn't it make sense for the numbers to reflect higher deer contents in the spring?

It goes on to provide supporting data from their own study...

Our winter study found deer traces in 62.2% of examined stomachs which further supports the notion that Pennsylvania coyotes switch from a heterogeneous, non-deer dominated diet during the food prolific Steinmann et al. -

And this comes directly from the comments that you posted...

As scientists are prone to do, study co-author Karl Miller of the University of Georgia said the data does not yet provide a cause-and-effect relationship between increasing coyote and decreasing deer numbers.

Sure it may show some relationship down the road when the study is complete. And I reiterate here I'm not questioning the validity of their study. I merely wanted to know more about how the study was being conducted. So far all I have seen are comments, opinions and speculation, and that is too be expected since the study is incomplete at this point. So how can anybody really point the finger at the coyote and say for absolute certainty that the coyotes are the problem and that's it, end of story. They can't, not yet anyways, not until that study is complete.  Which I suppose is the point I'm trying to make.

Anyways...I have an idea, Let's go get a lanyard filled with predator calls and go whack some coyotes That certainly won't HURT the deer polpulation anywhere.

Steve

[Carolina Coyote]

Hey I'm most always ready to go out and put the smack on Coyotes
I don't know if you have Google the term ( Coyote Studies in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama) if you want to see specifics data there will be page after page of all kinds of data, They have documenting their studies very well, there is plenty of documented evidence that Coyotes are having an impact on the Deer Herds in the South and if they have not in your part of the country yet its not a matter of if it is when? 

so if the coyotes were killing the majority of the deer in the spring birthing season wouldn't it make sense for the numbers to reflect higher deer contents in the spring?
Like I said look at the studies done in the south, they have it cover pretty well and  continuing studies are going on

And I reiterate here I'm not questioning the validity of their study. I merely wanted to know more about how the study was being conducted. So far all I have seen are comments, opinions and speculation, and that is too be expected since the study is incomplete at this point. So how can anybody really point the finger at the coyote and say for absolute certainty that the coyotes are the problem and that's it, end of story. They can't, not yet anyways, not until that study is complete.  Which I suppose is the point I'm trying to make.

Don't take me wrong as I do like you and enjoy your post but I don't think you have done enough reading on this topic.  cc