Fisher ?
- Thread starter joc
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Mike,
You really don't have to worry too much about hunters and trappers putting a dent in the population of coyotes.
It is very obvious that the coyote population continues to be on the rise as they can now be found in every county in New Jersey. We had none down here where I live ten years ago and now I can find them outside the front door, literally.
The take from trappers peaked at 171 statewide last year, which is a drop in the bucket compared to the estimated poulation of 5,000-10,000 thousand statewide. . There are still less than a thousand of us licensed trappers in New Jersey.
As for coyote pelts not being "worth a crap", that is not accurate. Last year coyote were number three in pelt value in NJ bringing $17.20 ahead of beaver which brought $16.26 per pelt and red fox at $11.30. Only otter at $30.83 and gray fox at $19.71 were ahead of coyote. These are very depressed prices compared to the 1970's but they have been improving.
Here is the summary table for 2009-2010.
http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/pdf/trapper_survey09-10.pdf
The trapping summaries, which include the demographics of the trapper and the takes are published each year. Take note of the success rates for snaring coyote:
2,243 trap-nights to snare one coyote. That translates to 0.04 coyotes for evey 100 traps set.
As for the coyote/fox permit firearm hunters, here is a sobering stat:
2,000 permits will be sold this year for the coyote/fox special permit season. New Jersey Fish and Wildlife fur bearer biologist Andy Burnett estimates 10 coyotes will be harvested during the permit season.
Here is a brief article.
http://nj1015.com/coyote-population-growing-in-new-jersey-audio/
Not a very high success rate. I shot my coyote last year in January and I consider myself very lucky to have had the opportunity. It was a very exciting hunt to say the least and I will remember ever minute of it as long as I am alive.
As for hunting and trapping coyotes or any other legal furbearer Mike, I don't know how I could ever adequately explain the desire to do this to a fellow hunter like yourself.
I am going into my 5th trapping season and my only regret is that I didn't start when I was much, much younger.
There is something very primal about stalking, tracking, patterning and taking furbearers that I suppose you will just have to experience for yourself.
For me, trapping also provides a greatly extended time in the quiet, winter woods looking intently for signs of animal activity on a level that 95% of the human poulation will never notice. I am hunting waterfowl, small game and deer from September to February on the weekends and actually into April if you include snow geese. Checking the trap line fills in all the weeknights up until March 15 each year.
Since legal and ethical trapping requires a check of the trap line once every twenty four hours, you are guaranteed a trip into the big woods every day, rain, snow or shine !
Scott
It's like caving,I've always said you'll never understand till you go.Hell Bill quit when he drug me out of a cave,he figured if thats what he's going to start finding he better quit right then.The problem for me with trapping coyotes is I like listening to them sing and everytime I kill one of the suckers they stop immdeiately,it really sucks.
Thanks for the good info and reads, Scott. I know exactly what you mean about just getting out there. It seems like the dent trappers put in the overall population is pretty moot to say the least. I guess they remind me a bit too much of my dog for me to ever kill one though. $17 doesnt seem like a lot to me and I doubt most Jerseyans do it for the cash. Im sure its more for the pleasures of the experience, as you mentioned, and to throw the hide up on a wall. I dont pass too much judgement on the issue and surely see your side. I wouldnt mind getting into some more bow hunting down the road, but my birds keep me pretty busy for now.
Hey Al,
If you recall, last year we had a discussion on deer drives and I was saying I've done a few with some neigbors ( roughly just 1/2 dozen of us) and that we did some scouting of the area and whatnot beforehand. You seemed pretty against drives in general and I now understand why. I saw more hunters this year than in a long time and most were jumping out of avis and budget rental vans, 30 or more hunters at a time... a pretty ridiculous sight to see. My groups much more into bow hunting and only partake in a small drive once a year to hopefully put some meat on the table and enjoy a stroll in the woods (as well as put our shotgun license to use which I need for bird too). The deer dont seem to stand a chance with all the outta-towners in packs of 30+. Just wanted to revisit the discussion and let you know I mostly agree with you on those big drives. The one good thing I see though, is that it seems like the youngsters do a lot of the shooting. I like seeing the youth in the woods so they can take a liking to the outdoors. I just wish theyd grow up maybe try a different hunting technique. Hope all is well.
Mike
Hey Al,
If you recall, last year we had a discussion on deer drives and I was saying I've done a few with some neigbors ( roughly just 1/2 dozen of us) and that we did some scouting of the area and whatnot beforehand. You seemed pretty against drives in general and I now understand why. I saw more hunters this year than in a long time and most were jumping out of avis and budget rental vans, 30 or more hunters at a time... a pretty ridiculous sight to see. My groups much more into bow hunting and only partake in a small drive once a year to hopefully put some meat on the table and enjoy a stroll in the woods (as well as put our shotgun license to use which I need for bird too). The deer dont seem to stand a chance with all the outta-towners in packs of 30+. Just wanted to revisit the discussion and let you know I mostly agree with you on those big drives. The one good thing I see though, is that it seems like the youngsters do a lot of the shooting. I like seeing the youth in the woods so they can take a liking to the outdoors. I just wish theyd grow up maybe try a different hunting technique. Hope all is well.
Mike[/quote]
you didn't just say you bow hunt in a drive did you?I may be reading that wrong,never heard of a bow drive.Actually the small drives you spoke of I have never seen down here.I know of and have personally seen clubs down here put more then 200 drivers on a patch of woods at one time,I don't see any sport in it and all the screaming yo buck is annoying as all hell and they are quite dangerous to get caught in the middle of if your on the ground like I generally am since I'm not hunting.I know of at least on club in the area that most all of the guys are drunk or hungover when their in these drives and you cannot drive anywhere in the game reserve on six day season because they all park in the roads and just walk off into the woods with what are dirt but actual county roads blocked and then they want to argue with me because I don't have blaze orange on.I finally broke down after all these years and bought an orange beanie I keep in my pack now even though wearing anything but camo in the woods is against my religion and I have just started staying out of the woods altogether on six day.I still believe there is room for all of us in the woods but if you can't tell the difference between a man and a deer you obviously do not belong out there with a gun or a bow.No one should have to look like a neon sign and if everyone out there acted like they had some sense no one would have to.
If you recall, last year we had a discussion on deer drives and I was saying I've done a few with some neigbors ( roughly just 1/2 dozen of us) and that we did some scouting of the area and whatnot beforehand. You seemed pretty against drives in general and I now understand why. I saw more hunters this year than in a long time and most were jumping out of avis and budget rental vans, 30 or more hunters at a time... a pretty ridiculous sight to see. My groups much more into bow hunting and only partake in a small drive once a year to hopefully put some meat on the table and enjoy a stroll in the woods (as well as put our shotgun license to use which I need for bird too). The deer dont seem to stand a chance with all the outta-towners in packs of 30+. Just wanted to revisit the discussion and let you know I mostly agree with you on those big drives. The one good thing I see though, is that it seems like the youngsters do a lot of the shooting. I like seeing the youth in the woods so they can take a liking to the outdoors. I just wish theyd grow up maybe try a different hunting technique. Hope all is well.
Mike[/quote]
you didn't just say you bow hunt in a drive did you?I may be reading that wrong,never heard of a bow drive.Actually the small drives you spoke of I have never seen down here.I know of and have personally seen clubs down here put more then 200 drivers on a patch of woods at one time,I don't see any sport in it and all the screaming yo buck is annoying as all hell and they are quite dangerous to get caught in the middle of if your on the ground like I generally am since I'm not hunting.I know of at least on club in the area that most all of the guys are drunk or hungover when their in these drives and you cannot drive anywhere in the game reserve on six day season because they all park in the roads and just walk off into the woods with what are dirt but actual county roads blocked and then they want to argue with me because I don't have blaze orange on.I finally broke down after all these years and bought an orange beanie I keep in my pack now even though wearing anything but camo in the woods is against my religion and I have just started staying out of the woods altogether on six day.I still believe there is room for all of us in the woods but if you can't tell the difference between a man and a deer you obviously do not belong out there with a gun or a bow.No one should have to look like a neon sign and if everyone out there acted like they had some sense no one would have to.