butchlambert
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This email from Wyman was in response to the Project Coyote thing.
You know Butch, we have a lot of whack jobs out there who are as naïve as a five year old child. But I have been a student of coyote behavior for 60 years, engaged research on coyotes at the university level and as you know, hunted them professionally for over a decade. In fact, I still do a little hunting but it’s like quail hunters in that it’s about the ritual of hunting more so than the killing. As you know, I have maintained scientific records on all of my coyotes harvested in order to determine any physical or behavioral change that may have occurred during the six decades I’ve worked with these predators and my findings are interesting if not significant in the field of science.
I have railed against coyote hunting contests telling people that one day these contests are going to attract the attention of activists. Well, the day has come. Honestly, I am not in favor of any animal killing contests as it casts a dark shadow on the sport of traditional hunting. I guess I am a little old fashioned but to me hunting is between a person and his/her quarry, and if a kill is made, the animal should be treated with respect, even in death. Because of this, I find killing contests very distasteful.
So many use the excuse to support and engage in coyote killing contests as a way to “control” this heinous predator. In my decades of scientific research and citing other research endeavors, coyote are largely beneficial in their role in the ecosystem. Research by Dr. Dale Rollins at the Texas Tech Research Station near Roby, Texas has determined that coyotes are essential in maintaining healthy quail numbers by preying on skunks, armadillos and raccoons, three species that raid quail nests regularly. And with the increase in deer hunters using corn feeders to attract deer, raccoons, also ravenous consumers of corn, have increased in numbers far above the normal densities and carrying capacities in given regions.
For generations people have maligned the coyote as a blood thirsty killer, the same mindset that eventually drove the Texas wolf into extinction by the early 20th century. As for the wolf, they were killers of domestic livestock due to our elimination of their natural prey species, the buffalo, by the late 19th century. Unlike the coyote, wolves were true carnivores, requiring red meat to survive. Without question, a symbiotic relationship between livestock raisers and wolves was not possible. But the coyote is not a wolf, more so an omnivore as my own study published in the Journal of Range Management stated. Of course they will raid the chicken coup if given a chance and consume a few poodles and cats if the chance arises, but by and large, coyotes are not the devil in disguise that many people paint them to be.
Many might say that I am a wildlife activist and want all hunting stopped. I say the contrary as my notes over decades show I’ve harvested over 1,874 coyotes with a rifle alone, not counting steel traps and poison which total over 3000. But I study each animal to learn, if possible, subtle changes in their biology, and changes have indeed been recognized.
So I do take issue with the indiscriminate killing of any animal in the name of “contest” hunting for a couple of reasons. First it shows no respect for the creature and its role in our ecosystem, and two, no scientific knowledge is realized from such activities. In understanding the role of predators in our ecosystem opens an entire new level of appreciation for so many creatures once thought useless and dispensable. I believe ignorance is an affliction affecting too many people in the field today. Instead of respect for the animal it is just about killing, and I think that is not a healthy mindset and will feed ammo to the animal activists. We have to change the message and subsequently our image as outdoorsmen and women or the tradition of hunting will be facing an uphill battle sooner than later..
Now I’m getting off my pulpit and going to kill a grackle! They are invaders to Texas from South America and are serious predators to nesting dove!
Hugs to Charlotte my friend!
Wyman
You know Butch, we have a lot of whack jobs out there who are as naïve as a five year old child. But I have been a student of coyote behavior for 60 years, engaged research on coyotes at the university level and as you know, hunted them professionally for over a decade. In fact, I still do a little hunting but it’s like quail hunters in that it’s about the ritual of hunting more so than the killing. As you know, I have maintained scientific records on all of my coyotes harvested in order to determine any physical or behavioral change that may have occurred during the six decades I’ve worked with these predators and my findings are interesting if not significant in the field of science.
I have railed against coyote hunting contests telling people that one day these contests are going to attract the attention of activists. Well, the day has come. Honestly, I am not in favor of any animal killing contests as it casts a dark shadow on the sport of traditional hunting. I guess I am a little old fashioned but to me hunting is between a person and his/her quarry, and if a kill is made, the animal should be treated with respect, even in death. Because of this, I find killing contests very distasteful.
So many use the excuse to support and engage in coyote killing contests as a way to “control” this heinous predator. In my decades of scientific research and citing other research endeavors, coyote are largely beneficial in their role in the ecosystem. Research by Dr. Dale Rollins at the Texas Tech Research Station near Roby, Texas has determined that coyotes are essential in maintaining healthy quail numbers by preying on skunks, armadillos and raccoons, three species that raid quail nests regularly. And with the increase in deer hunters using corn feeders to attract deer, raccoons, also ravenous consumers of corn, have increased in numbers far above the normal densities and carrying capacities in given regions.
For generations people have maligned the coyote as a blood thirsty killer, the same mindset that eventually drove the Texas wolf into extinction by the early 20th century. As for the wolf, they were killers of domestic livestock due to our elimination of their natural prey species, the buffalo, by the late 19th century. Unlike the coyote, wolves were true carnivores, requiring red meat to survive. Without question, a symbiotic relationship between livestock raisers and wolves was not possible. But the coyote is not a wolf, more so an omnivore as my own study published in the Journal of Range Management stated. Of course they will raid the chicken coup if given a chance and consume a few poodles and cats if the chance arises, but by and large, coyotes are not the devil in disguise that many people paint them to be.
Many might say that I am a wildlife activist and want all hunting stopped. I say the contrary as my notes over decades show I’ve harvested over 1,874 coyotes with a rifle alone, not counting steel traps and poison which total over 3000. But I study each animal to learn, if possible, subtle changes in their biology, and changes have indeed been recognized.
So I do take issue with the indiscriminate killing of any animal in the name of “contest” hunting for a couple of reasons. First it shows no respect for the creature and its role in our ecosystem, and two, no scientific knowledge is realized from such activities. In understanding the role of predators in our ecosystem opens an entire new level of appreciation for so many creatures once thought useless and dispensable. I believe ignorance is an affliction affecting too many people in the field today. Instead of respect for the animal it is just about killing, and I think that is not a healthy mindset and will feed ammo to the animal activists. We have to change the message and subsequently our image as outdoorsmen and women or the tradition of hunting will be facing an uphill battle sooner than later..
Now I’m getting off my pulpit and going to kill a grackle! They are invaders to Texas from South America and are serious predators to nesting dove!
Hugs to Charlotte my friend!
Wyman