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Coyote (Canis latrans) Predation Research in Virginia

Coyote (Canis latrans) Predation Research in Virginia

Canis latrans Français : Un coyote en Arizona
Canis latrans Français : Un coyote en Arizona (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Over the past 30 years, coyotes have expanded their range dramatically. Whereas they originally only resided in the mid to western states of the U.S., today coyotes can be found throughout the eastern seaboard. As a top carnivore, biologists want to know what coyotes are eating.

Research of scats has revealed that 2/3 of coyote scats studied in 2011 contained deer. A similar percentage was found in bobcat scats. Black bear scats, however, revealed the presence of deer in only 36% of the scats. The scat study was limited to Virginia.

These findings show that scientists need to learn more about the cumulative effect of these predators on deer populations. Since deer are an important resource, learning more about the interactions of predation is particularly relevant to wildlife management officials.

Source: Bock, Bob. 2012. Coyote Research in Virginia. Wildlife Professional 6:3(Fall):74.

About the Author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a certified wildlife control operator who helps individuals, businesses, and agencies resolve wildlife damage issues through training, writing, expert witness, and research. His latest book is the Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook, 3rd edition. He can be contacted at wildlifecontrolconsultant at gmail dot com.

If you would like your publication, video, or product reviewed, please contact the author at the e-mail above.

Copyright

All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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Avoiding Deer Collisions

Avoiding Deer Collisions

English: A white-tailed deer
English: A white-tailed deer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

An article in the NebraskaLand magazine (November 2011, p.10) provided some helpful tips on avoiding collisions with deer. The material that follows has been adapted from that article.

Most Dangerous Months

The writers noted that data from State Farm Insurance says that November is the month most vehicles hit a deer, with more than 18% of all collisions occurring in that month. In fact a collision in November is 3 times more likely than a collision occurring between February 1 and August 31. October is the second most likely month and December is the third.

Tactics to Avoid Hitting Deer

Here are several tactics that may be helpful in preventing collisions with deer.

1. Be aware of posted deer crossing signs. Reduce your speed. Wear your seatbelt.

2. Be the most cautious between 6 and 9 PM, when deer are most active.

3. Deer travel in groups. Just because you missed the first one doesn’t mean there isn’t a second one) close behind.

4. Evidence shows deer whistles don’t work. Don’t rely on them.

5. Use high-beams whenever possible to give you a better chance of seeing the deer.

6. If a collision with a deer appears inevitable, resist the urge to swerve out-of-the-way. Doing so may cause a rollover or put you into oncoming traffic.

About the Author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a certified wildlife control operator who helps individuals, businesses, and agencies resolve wildlife damage issues through training, writing, expert witness, and research. His latest book is the Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook, 3rd edition. He can be contacted at stephenvantassel at Hotmail dot com.

Copyright

All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included.

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Critter Gitter Does It Frighten Wildlife?

Critter Gitter Does It Frighten Wildlife?

The Mule Deer is one of many species first nam...
The Mule Deer.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Critter Gitter is a motion and heat-activated audible frightening device that also employs flashing red lights to scare wildlife from a given location. The website’s home page crittergittersensor (dot) com  as of March 31, 2012, contains images of a raccoon, red fox, black bear, rabbit, white-tailed deer, and squirrel (not sure if gray or fox squirrel) suggesting to this writer that these animals would be frightened by this device. 

The search for an effective frightening device and/or repellent to drive or keep wildlife from a given location is one of the holy grails that wildlife damage managers seek. Anyone who discovers such a product would be heralded with fame as well as a great riches. While many products, touted to be effective are on the market, few ever receive rigorous testing under scientific conditions. Thankfully, Dr. Kurt VerCauteren and his colleagues tested the efficacy of Critter Gitter on elk and mule deer.

Verdict of Research

In a paper entitled, “Efficacy of an Animal-Activated Frightening Device on Urban Elk and Mule Deer” published in the Wildlife Society Bulletin 33:4(Winter, 2005):1282-1287, Kurt C. VerCauteren, John A. Shivik, and Michael J. Lavelle discuss their test findings on this product.

The test was rather simple. They took a bale of alfalfa (a favorite food of elk and mule deer) and placed it within sensor range of 1 or 2 Critter Gitters. This test scenario was repeated accompanied by untreated bales at a total of 5 sites near Estes Park, CO. They then assessed activity through use of video cameras and measured consumption of bales by visual estimation.

The results were that that the Critter Gitter did not protect the bales. They stated, “Variability in consumption amounts, though not significant, likely was due to the itinerant feeding habits of elk rather than effects of the device.” They further theorized that the animals could not even see the red lights.  The authors concluded by saying, “from elk and mule deer. However, because they failed to protect the hay, we speculate that they also would be ineffective in deterring elk or mule deer from feeding in gardens, golf courses, ornamental plantings, fertilized lawns, or other similar areas.”

Feedback

I would be interested in the experiences of users.

About the Author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a certified wildlife control professional and a Master NWCOA Instructor. His latest book is the Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook, 3rd edition. Stephen is available for trainings, lectures, writing, and consultation (including expert witness). You can contact him at stephenvantassel(at)hotmail(dot)com.

 

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