Predator Hunting Archives

15 03, 2024

Should Poison Be Used to Control Feral Hogs?

Clay Hanback2024-03-15T09:26:51-04:00March 15th, 2024|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Hunting News, Predator Hunting, sportsman channel|Comments Off on Should Poison Be Used to Control Feral Hogs?

Texas recently approved the use of a warfarin-based toxicant called Kaput in its ongoing battle (and seemingly futile) war to control wild hogs. This action has spurred renewed discussion on the research and developments surrounding feral hog toxicants. Should other Southern states try them to control their out-of-control swine herds? Alabama’s Wildlife and Freshwater Director Chuck Sykes said at the present time he is not sold on the idea that Kaput is the best solution to a difficult problem. “Based on the data we have now, I’m not in support of it. There are a lot of questions about the use of toxicants. We’ve been working with the USDA for more than five years on the use of sodium nitrite.” [...]

18 04, 2023

When Coyotes Kill the Most Fawns

Clay Hanback2023-04-18T14:22:07-04:00April 18th, 2023|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Science, Predator Hunting, whitetail deer|Comments Off on When Coyotes Kill the Most Fawns

Won't be long until the whitetail fawns start dropping, and to that end here's some new research. In South Carolina, researchers from Clemson University tracked the movements of 49 fawns and, separately, the movements of their mothers. Seventy percent of the fawns died before September, most of them eaten by coyotes. The 14 fawns that survived tended to have more aloof mothers who kept a greater distance from their fawns when apart, and who also visited the fawns mostly during daytime hours. The study found that does that visit their fawns at night, when coyotes are more much more active, dramatically increased their fawns’ chances of dying.

22 02, 2023

Are Bobcats Deer Predators?

Clay Hanback2023-02-20T13:50:15-05:00February 22nd, 2023|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Predator Hunting, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Are Bobcats Deer Predators?

In a word yes. But unlike the coyote, the bobcat is not a major killer of whitetail deer. A 6-year research project conducted in Texas found that bobcat scat contains much more deer during the month of June—the major fawning period-- than any other time of the year. This and other studies have concluded that while bobcats across their range do indeed prey on fawn deer in the spring, they are not a major predator, and only rarely kill adult deer.But a big male cat is an opportunistic eater of even big deer! A few years ago, John from North Carolina sent me this story. John was hunting the last day of deer season. A mature doe with 2 button bucks [...]

28 01, 2023

Beginner’s Guide To Coyote Hunting

Clay Hanback2023-01-25T07:40:54-05:00January 28th, 2023|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Management, Predator Hunting|2 Comments

When deer season closes here in Virginia, my friend Rick is not ready to hang up his camouflage just yet. “Hunting coyotes in the winter extends my time in woods,” he says. “I’m not the greatest caller, but coyotes are mating now, and some days they run to my calls. If I call in 3 or 4 dogs this month and shoot a couple, I’ll be happy.” Here’s a quick primer if you've never done it and want to try it. Do You Need a License? Many states consider Canis latrans a nuisance species, and no hunting license is required. In other places, you’ll need a general state hunting license for varmints. Read your regs and be legal. Where to [...]

24 05, 2022

New Science: What Kills Most Deer Fawns?

Clay Hanback2022-05-24T09:45:53-04:00May 24th, 2022|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Predator Hunting, whitetail deer|1 Comment

Most every scientific study conducted over the past 30 years has documented predation, largely by coyotes, as the leading cause of whitetail fawn mortality. This time of year, on websites and social media, you see unsettling images of coyotes prancing by trail cameras with spotted fawns dangling out their jaws. Outdoor television has aired countless shows focused on killing coyotes to save deer. I once filmed an episode of Big Deer TV on predators, the theme of which was to thin coyotes on your land to save a few fawns and help your deer herd. We’ve been conditioned to hate on the coyote. But wait a sec… “Predation may have less of an impact than we think,” writes Justin Dion in [...]