Predator Proliferation Problems

HARPERC

HARPERC

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Just a thread to discuss how the proliferation of predators has affected your hunting.


We lost our hound and bait hunting here in Washington with results as predicted. Then wolves came in.......

@0 years ago we had the premier Shiras moose population in the world. Just talked with friends hunting deer, but saw no moose, tracks, or scat. I can't believe they are still selling moose tags. Likely to blame sportsmen when their all gone.
 
About 30ish years ago Oregon banned the use of hounds to hunt cougars. Since then the cougar population has grown over 6 times, about 6500 cougars in the state.
Mule deer and elk numbers are struggling here for a variety of other reasons but cougar predation is being ignored here as a primary effect.... the state even has a max quota on cougar kills thats stupid low and never gets met anyways so its easy to make certain assumptions about why....
 
Gday
Very important thread imo

We need a balanced ecosystem & predators are part of this no doubt as they are better than taking out the weak & sick way better than us humans on the whole

Then you get the pendulum to swing to far a you end up killing the eco system by them taking out to many of critters that depend on them keeping everything in check
Yes one complements the other all the way through & it’s really no different than farming & it’s basically the land carrying capacity that it you find that all the way from the grubs that chew the wood to the critters that eat them all the way to the apex predators it’s not that hard to work out in all reality but man alive showing this to the tree hugging or save everything brigades is the hard one

It’s us as custodians of the land not getting rapped up in the feel good $hit that so many do today that will ultimately save a species
You watch places like Kruger it’s a mess total mess & they need to act quickly before it gets too much worse but it’s showing big cracks already just like you guys above are seeing in your neck of the woods

Hope it changes for you guys but I fear not for a while yet
Cheers
 
Currently seeing bears in yard locally. Not a real change, the real change is those in control of wildlife refusing to respond to concerned citizens.


Just for thought compare size of bear to size of deer.
 
This was a cow elk I shot in central WY that we couldn't retrieve until the next morning. Literally nothing left after one night. I didn't see a single rabbit, prairie dog or squirrel during our entire hunt suggesting that the predator population there is VERY healthy.
 

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Steve coyotes will do that in one night, 4-8 coyotes will eat all that, they simply gorge and poop and gorge more. I have seen coyotes on a dead cow that can hardly run when they eat their fill, look like you stuck an air hose up there butt and turned it on! I am a coyote killing sob!
 
les said:
They are tough on our bird populations too!
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Yes they are. A large portion of the sage grouse decline is coyotes, and protecting the large predatory birds.

Bigger birds were a big part of the spotted owl mess.
 
Washington state has a predator problem. WDFW officers will tell you we have 3500ish cougars statewide…..they are full of crap 💩!! Based on my trail cam pics, in a finite area….I predict they are estimates are off by 3000-5000 easily. Now let’s talk bear numbers and Washington’s predator problem is out of control.

I will cut and paste a story from another hunting site when I have time. Me and my hunting buddy were stalked for 2-3 hours by a cougar while quartering his elk this year.

Enjoy a few pics from my most recent trail cam checks.
 

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HARPERC said:
Currently seeing bears in yard locally. Not a real change, the real change is those in control of wildlife refusing to respond to concerned citizens.


Just for thought compare size of bear to size of deer.
Click to expand...
I bet that never saw the light of day on left media. Could have been a child. I might have encouraged Smokey to leave.

The real problem is the bear is now educated where easy food is located. Right next to the swing sets.
 
What bothers me is either ignorance, incompetence, or malicious intent, the misinformation being disseminated by wildlife agencies is appalling. This bear has been consistently labeled the first west of the Pend O'reille river. The bears have routinely been crossing this boundary for nearly 40 years. And yes I can verify that first hand.


It's being speculated this bear wandered from Montana. Possible? But its also possible he was born and raised in the capture area.
 
Here is a female wolf with a fawn from this year.
 

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Had a bobcat walk under a stand of mine 10 or so years ago. It looked up at me and considered its next move. Clicked the safety off in case it started up the tree, but it ran off. If there is a next time, I won’t be so nice.

A few weeks ago I took a couple carcasses and gut piles to back of property with tractor after dark. Parked it under shed back at house a few minutes later, and the song dogs were already howling. So now I know how to attract them, at least. Need to pony up for the thermal and convince the boss that she is, in fact, perfectly capable of operating a green machine.
🙄
 
I watch a lot of “edge of the outback” on YouTube, think he has a few reviews of the “thermion” I think it’s called. Idk it’s all too expensive for me so I don’t pay that much attention.
If it’s if value to you check him out. Or I guess check him out to see if it’s if any value to you.
 
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