Saving fawns from predators

[DRT]

Every winter we make a concerted effort to shoot predators with the goal of saving a few fawns in mind. That includes large boars as I know they can be as hard on new born fawns as anything
However the last few years I've made an effort to make sure there are as many dead pigs laying about come fawn dropping time so that the predators we don't kill have some easy meals and maybe miss a few fawns they would otherwise kill. I slice open the gut cavity and let em lay.
Not sure if that is a sound strategy but our herd numbers are improving and whether it's correlation or causation the pigs seem to get ate up.
Thoughts?

Gary

[okrattler]

Couldn't hurt anything to do that. But I've seen coyotes devour some pretty big animals in 3 or 4 days. I suppose it probably buys fawns some time in some cases though.

[Big Lee]

Sounds like a solid plan. We did something similar on my uncles place. The problem we encountered was he dang near became obsessed with killing predators that he forgot we also shoot deer. Lol. Wasn't a bad plan by no means.

[DUKFVR]

Anything helps.

[rladner]

The only downside to that plan is that it sounds like you are keeping your predator population nice an healthy as well . I know you are taking some out, but the ones you don't get seem to have an easy, healthy food supply

[JhuntsAlot]

Hmm, I wonder if this would promote more predator activity and have them stay on or close to your property knowing that there is an easy meal.

Do you use the downed hogs as bait and hunt over it?


J

[DRT]

The only downside to that plan is that it sounds like you are keeping your predator population nice an healthy as well . I know you are taking some out, but the ones you don't get seem to have an easy, healthy food supply

Yeah that thought has crossed my mind.

Hmm, I wonder if this would promote more predator activity and have them stay on or close to your property knowing that there is an easy meal.

Do you use the downed hogs as bait and hunt over it?


J

Sometimes. But we try to drop the carcasses in different spots so they don't get too wise to us.

Gary

[okrattler]

Start setting some foothold traps around the dead hogs. That tends to slow them down a lot.

[DRT]

Good idea.

Gary

[okrattler]

My buddies set some around a dead cow last Winter after they seen 8 eatin on it. Shot 2 coyotes when they first saw them,set footholds and caught the other 6.

[boh347]

Start setting some foothold traps around the dead hogs. That tends to slow them down a lot.

yup, dedicated trapping plan is the way to go.

[DRT]

Will order some asap. Have used leg holds in decades except the coon cuffs.

Gary

[30-30]

Combined with trapping and diligent shooting, you might be onto something. I would think providing easy food would tend to attract more predators to your place.

[Smart]

Sounds like a solid plan. This is a another reason we trap and shoot as many coons as we can even though they aren't in near the numbers we used to have. We like to hunt turkeys and coons like turkey eggs.... We try to do the same with skunks and foxes.

[DRT]

We have turkeys and quail. Coons, opossum and skunks all are on the hit list.

Gary