Ohio is facing a growing coyote crisis

By Dick Martin
Chillicothe Gazette

Some years ago I made a trip to South Dakota seeking pheasants, mule deer, ducks, prairie chickens, and rabbits. The trip was a good one and I made a fine bag, but on our first morning the friend I was hunting with made it very clear about one thing. "If you see a coyote, shoot it! Don't worry about losing a pheasant or a duck, shoot the coyote. We kill every one we see." As luck would have it, I saw one that very day, a big dog coyote that jumped out of knee high grass. It took four rounds of magnum 4's to put him down, but I got him and got a slap on the back and a "Well done," for my efforts, too.

A lot of people have that attitude about coyotes, and since they've multiplied so well in Ohio, maybe more of us should share that attitude. I personally believe, though without much proof, that they're making serious inroads into our small game population, not to mention other species. There's little question that they feed mainly on mice and other small rodents, since those are most available, but I'm quite sure that in the spring when they have pups, a baby or half grown cottontail is easy pickings and a good meal for the young.

In fact, while rabbits are plentiful in areas where there's good cover and thus hiding places, I think the population is down substantially in our area. In the past two weeks I've seen just one road killed rabbit, and dozens of raccoons, skunks and opossums. Last year dog hunters found fewer cottontails most days and those without often hunted hours to jump one or two. Great horned owls, foxes, and hawks get their share too, but I think coyotes get more.

...So, what can you do? Hunt or trap them, and have a good time seeking a challenging predator and making some money in process. Coyotes have no season or limit, so you can try for them anytime, unless other seasons interfere, and prime pelts are worth $15-20 at the local fur dealers.

Click here to read the entire story from the Chillicothe Gazette.