Premium
Does Removing Coyotes for Livestock Protection Benefit Free‐Ranging Ungulates?
Author(s) -
HARRINGTON JUSTIN L.,
CONOVER MICHAEL R.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the journal of wildlife management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.94
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1937-2817
pISSN - 0022-541X
DOI - 10.2193/2006-481
Subject(s) - odocoileus , canis , livestock , transect , geography , ecology , zoology , biology
We studied the effects of coyote ( Canis latrans ) control for livestock protection on native ungulates during 2003 and 2004 on 7 sites in Utah and Colorado, USA, totaling over 1,900 km 2 . We found no relationships between coyote control variables and offspring/female deer ratios. However, control effort (no. of hr spent aerial gunning for coyotes) and success (no. of coyotes taken) were positively correlated with numbers of mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ) and pronghorn ( Antilocapra americana ) observed per kilometer of transect. Our results suggest that coyote control for livestock protection may increase densities of mule deer and pronghorn in areas where it is conducted.