Coyote Cull planned for Larose Forest?

June 17, 2013 22d Comments

Ok folks, word on the street is that a well-orchestrated coyote hunt is planned for Larose Forest in Bourget.

Dare I say the word ‘cull’ or would that jinx things??

Anyhow, my sources tell me this ‘controlled hunt’ is scheduled for early this summer (possibly Canada Day long weekend) and involves at least 2 officials possibly from the MNR, as well as other concerned members from the community of Bourget.

A burgeoning coyote population has wreaked havoc on eastern Ontario over the last 10 years, and the fragile Larose Forest (home to self-sustaining populations of moose and deer) has been no exception.

This spring, for example, an orphaned deer fawn was discovered cowling under a Bourget resident’s porch, badly bleeding and injured from an apparent coyote attack. The doe was nowhere to be seen presumably killed by one of the hundreds of marauding yotes that call the eastern Ontario their home.

Although details remain sketchy, this organized coyote hunt will include well planned out drives of specific areas of the forest, with hopes of harvesting as many coyotes as possible. There will be several ‘shifts’ of hunters taking part and a handful of local residents, who have Ontario hunting credentials, were asked to assist in the hunt.

I have sent a request to the MNR for more information on this initiative and also to commend them on something that should have done long ago. With a bit of luck, similar organized coyote hunts could be planned for other areas within City limits, but I won’t hold my breath.

Any more information on this initiative please drop us a line!

Stay tuned for more updates….

Outdoorsguy

 

22 thoughts on “Coyote Cull planned for Larose Forest?”

  1. Interesting, but if they remove the coyotes from Larose, won’t other ones just move in
    and I’m not so sure I’d want to be in there hunting coyotes with a hundred other guys, or is it the MNR doing the shooting

    1. Iggy, it is my understanding that the MNR would take the lead but have also solicited help from local hunters.

      I am actually waiting to hear from the MNR on this as we speak..hopefully they can fill in the blanks for us. It’s not my intention to put a negative spin on this initiative or jeopardize it in any way…just hoping to open-up discussion and find out some more details.

      Outdoorsguy

  2. Great idea, its about time something was done about these things.

    I imagine it’ll be a shotgun hunt for safety reasons.

    There’ll probably be plenty of local shooters volunteering, but if they need any more, I’d be more than willing to volunteer.

  3. Hi Jeff;
    As you may know in past correspondence I am no ‘tree hugger’ and unlike many of my fellow hunters like to look at the science of any actions taken by pro or con hunters when it comes to drastic actions on various fronts.
    Wolves and coyotes are of particular interest to me because of my respect for the smartest wild mammal we have in Canada. At 1st blink I am very suspicious on any type of cull as there are a ton of studies over the years both for and against and the impact of throwing the ecological balance one way or another. Men are so smart they can be stupid.
    Have a look at the following information that a member of the Eastern Ontario Deer Management sent in to the group including Scott Smitters (biologist Kemptville). This is just one of dozens of scientific studies that are current and non-emotional on the subject. Keep objective and remember ‘we are a part of nature not its’ ruler’

    Interesting scientific article in a recent edition of the Canadian Field-Naturalist: May 12, 2011

    Double-litters in Coywolf, Canis latrans × lycaon, Packs Following the Death or Disappearance of a Resident Territorial Male
    Jonathan G. Way

    http://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/1082

    Abstract
    Previous research on a Cape Cod, Massachusetts study site documented the killing of a breeding male Coywolf (Canis latrans x lycaon; also called Eastern Coyote) and a subsequent increase in local pack density one year later. This study documents double-litters produced in two packs following the death or disappearance of the original breeding male.

    My interpretation and summary: Because Coyotes live in family packs like wolves, and because only the alpha pair breed, only one litter per year is produced per pack. If the alpha male is killed, all the other young males are free to create their own packs and breed, leading to a potential explosion in young the next year. Killing Coyotes is therefore not only mostly without benefit, it could even exacerbate the situation.

    Stew
    ————————————————————————
    So Jeff;
    Although not the last word on coyotes the science is there and building that unscientific perceptions that so many hunters have are in fact open to question with eagerness to tackle a problem that has as much to do with perception and herd mentality then taking the time to uncover scientific facts.
    I love your articles and respect your love of wilderness and as a journalist your ethics of digging for the truth.
    Controversy should make any of us dig for more information and choose the better path.
    Good Luck’
    Kevin

    1. Hi Kevin, thanks for the info. I have read all about pack behaviour of the eastern coyotes, and breading of alpha males etc.

      At face value, one might conclude then that harvesting the coyote at any level in our region would have no effect in controlling numbers, and as some have maintained, may even exacerbate the situation.

      The problem is a double-edged sword in our region. We try to control predator numbers which are evidently out of whack and I KNOW they are. Take the little bush behind my place. Ten years ago we had 25 – 30 whitetail living there fulltime with more than enough habitat to support them. Today there are only 2-3 deer using that same bush at any given time, and hunting is not even permitted there!

      Where did all the deer go?

      They were ALL killed or displaced by coyotes! I have seen it with my own two eyes and have documented it on trailcam over the years. There are many forests of eastern ON in the same boat.

      I also have a hard time believing that full-fledged ‘pack breading’ exists in and around the City of Ottawa. Perhaps in wide untouched wilderness areas but from what I’ve observed(& documented) our Urban coyotes tend to travel alone in very small working groups.

      So now that we have looked to science for the answer, what do can we do in Eastern Ontario (from a wildlife management perspective) to help control predator numbers?

      I say a safely organized controlled hunt of the problem areas is the answer, provided they is well planned out and under some guidance.

      Outdoorsguy

  4. It’s about time. When they are done in Bourget, they should head out to Bells Corners. I was visiting a family in Westcliffe and they told me horror stories about coyotes right at their back fence. Several of their neighbour’s cats have been eaten.

  5. Kevin

    Is it possible that a cull would be beneficial in order to re-instill a fear of humans into the population? It seems to me that loss of fear is the problem.

  6. There was never a yote problem till tree huggers started buying land and stopped hunting. I say let yotes live and harass the treehuggers, let them eat a few of their beloved pets and it will be a allout cry for a mass slaughter! Let those people get their hands dirty for a change. And that’s how I feel.

    1. Chessy, I known Antis who would still put the rights of encroaching wild animals ahead of the rights of their own pets and even their children! I had one former colleague who had a black bear problem in her back yard, and she just wanted to bear to be left alone.

      So I asked her what she’d do if her dog was killed by the same bear of her child was attacked? She responded with..”Well, I would keep an eye on them and really, the bear was here first”

      Unfortunately that is the mentality we’re dealing with…some of these people are sick.

      Outdoorsguy

  7. I wasn’t able to glean much from the CFN website link… Maybe it’s just me…
    The comment about double litters when the alpha male is removed makes a bit of sense to me, but I can’t imagine that should the alpha male remain in charge of any pack, all the young males will just hang around waiting for him to pass in the hopes that they can take over. I’d think that many of the young males would “elope” to form their own group.

    I’m all for a cull. There are too many of them. I talked to one guy near Lanark that has had the tails chewed off his cattle by coyotes. My woods are absent of rabbits. I used to always be able to harvest a couple for the plate. Now you hardly even see a track in the fresh snow.

    I wish the hunters much luck, but safety is foremost. Should someone get hurt or killed, imagine the bad PR.

    1. Herman, that is right. We need it to be carried out professionally. Even one small mishap is all it would take for the Antis to be all over us!

      Outdoorsguy

  8. Interesting……I hope some sort of MNR records are kept of the effectiveness of the activity. To me, it’s kind of like pulling the dandelions out of half of your lawn. They’ll be back soon enough.

    However, it is a good short-term strategy if the aim is to reduce predation on a temporary or experimental basis.

    As soon as the cougar numbers are up sufficiently the coyotes will no longer be a major problem.

    .I wonder what Michael Runtz et. al. will have to say about this.

    1. Ahh Michel Runtz…he was actually one of my Profs when I was Carleton..nice guy and extremely knowledgeable. Yes, I would really like to know his thoughts on this, Maple!

      Outdoorsguy

    2. Maple, speaking of cougars…I just had another reported cougar sighting last week! Pretty close to town too!!

      Outdoorsguy

  9. Despite the coyote population around my house this has to be an up year for rabbits, they are everywhere. Any cat I have had, and there have been many, have had the instinct, and do kill. Whether it be rabbits, birds, partridge, or mice, that act of hunting makes them part of the food chain so if you don’t want them eaten, don’t let them out. Your house was built on what used to be wild and there’s nature out there, so take some responsibility for your pets. I don’t know about the effectiveness of culls, but it seems to me if you hunt the pests long enough you will eventually have an effect on the numbers. If nothing else you may put the fear back into them. I would suggest coming up with a better name for it. Antis don’t like the word ‘cull’. How about ‘an experimental harvest’.

    1. Yes johan, I agree that ‘cull’ does have a negative connotation so ‘experimental or controlled harvest’ sounds better to me!

      It’s funny, I also have piles of bunnies around..all progeny of Bionic Bunny I assume…hehe. Really, the cottontail numbers in my area are way up and I’m of the opinion that most coyotes are ignoring small game in areas where deer inhabit. I don’t think I’ve ever found evidence of yotes hunting rabbits in my area. I know they’ll take out a family pet though(happened twice on my road already)…and deer whenever they get the chance!

      Of course, we know from my trailcam images last winter, yotes do NOT consider racoons as prey! Too bad really…

      Outdoorsguy

  10. Thats interresting if the MNR is getting involved. I dont think a one time hunt would beneficial. Maybe a couple times a year for a few years and see what happens. It would also be nice if a survey was done before, during and after, for future use in other problem areas. Also maybe it will get more hunters interrested in hunting them on a more regular basis.

    1. Ok…NEWS UPDATE!!!

      I have been in contact now with four different MNR staff from Kemptville District(including MNR Law Enforcement) so far, and one fellow who used to live in Bourget, and NONE of them have even heard mention of this…

      So my search for more info continues….I’m beginning to think this may be more of a ‘loosely organized’ group of hunters involved, which makes me a tad nervous. My source still claims; however, that there is some jurisdiction heading this up but I’m not convinced.

      Keep you posted…

      Outdoorsguy
      P.S. btw..tomorrow I’m interviewing the guy who saw a cougar not far from here!
      (And Nooooo…he wasn’t in a Gatineau bar at the time!)

  11. about time , and jeff it just may perfect timing all the “antis” are busy saving the barn swallows under the bridge on jockvale road !!

    1. Good one matt, they were talking about those barn swallows on CHEZ 106 Doc & Woody Show this am, I just had to get my two cents in!

      As I was telling Doc when we were off the air. Ontario is the only place in the entire WORLD that considers the barn swallow to be threatened. They are not on the Canadian or World Species at Risk list..

      My guess is some dickie-birder naturalist mixed Barn Owl up with Barn Swallow..hehe..of course, the Barn Owl is endangered.

      Oh, the joy of dealing with tree-huggers…now a multi-million dollar project is put on hold…friggin nuts!

      Outdoorsguy

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