buckpasser
Senior Member
I know this forum is normally more of a place to post about the actions of trapping. The sets we make, the critters we catch, the critters that beat us, etc. I thought I’d take a minute to post on the effects of trapping instead. As many of you know I’m a somewhat green trapper. I started many years ago, put it down, then dove back in heavy as a result of becoming a full time wildlife manager.
I’ve been intensely targeting nest predators on the plantation I manage for the past three seasons. I’ve been large predator trapping for the past two seasons. Today was the first day of my summer coyote campaign. As I cruised around the known coyote corridors searching for fresh sign, I noticed something very encouraging. There wasn’t much fresh sign! Sure, there are coyote tracks to be found, as there always will be on a couple thousand acre deer plantation in south GA, but then I noticed something else. Where there had been tons of coyote, coon and bobcat tracks three years ago, today there were more desirable varieties. Turkey tracks by the bushel, Tom, hen and poult. Rabbit and squirrel, plenty of deer, quail flushing off the sides of the trails, fawns wobbling behind Momma.
There are many “tools” I try to use to grow the property. Constant habitat improvement, planting, adding irrigation, burning, supplemental feeding, and purposely taking and leaving the right game animals by recommendation to our hunters. But, there is NO DOUBT in my mind that the place wouldn’t be what it’s becoming this soon without trapping. As I finished my sets in the baking heat, I realized that trapping had caused us to “trade tracks”.
When I got home this evening, I eased back behind the house to make sure no new coyotes had shown up here. There I found the first grey fox track I’ve seen around here in several years, but I didn’t find a single coyote track. I’ll take that trade!
I’ve been intensely targeting nest predators on the plantation I manage for the past three seasons. I’ve been large predator trapping for the past two seasons. Today was the first day of my summer coyote campaign. As I cruised around the known coyote corridors searching for fresh sign, I noticed something very encouraging. There wasn’t much fresh sign! Sure, there are coyote tracks to be found, as there always will be on a couple thousand acre deer plantation in south GA, but then I noticed something else. Where there had been tons of coyote, coon and bobcat tracks three years ago, today there were more desirable varieties. Turkey tracks by the bushel, Tom, hen and poult. Rabbit and squirrel, plenty of deer, quail flushing off the sides of the trails, fawns wobbling behind Momma.
There are many “tools” I try to use to grow the property. Constant habitat improvement, planting, adding irrigation, burning, supplemental feeding, and purposely taking and leaving the right game animals by recommendation to our hunters. But, there is NO DOUBT in my mind that the place wouldn’t be what it’s becoming this soon without trapping. As I finished my sets in the baking heat, I realized that trapping had caused us to “trade tracks”.
When I got home this evening, I eased back behind the house to make sure no new coyotes had shown up here. There I found the first grey fox track I’ve seen around here in several years, but I didn’t find a single coyote track. I’ll take that trade!
