A research paper on trapping coyotes.
There are several different kinds of baits that are used to trap a coyote (Canis latrans). The type of bait used, often varies between the time of year, habitat, and region that you are trapping in. Coyotes maintain territories to sustain access to mates, food, space, and cover (Kenaga et al. 2013). Harrison and Harrison (1984) stated that coyotes’ prey mainly on White-tailed deer and small mammals. Coyotes are opportunistic scavengers, which mean that they eat dead animals when they find them (Ellins 2005). However, coyotes will attack young calves when they have just been birthed (Mitchell et al. 1973). I have come up with two baits to try and catch coyotes.
I hypothesize that one will be more effective at catching coyotes than the other. Precisely, I hypothesize that Kellen’s Gold Label Coyote Bait will have a higher capture rate (coyotes/day) than Fleming Coyote Bait #2.
LITERATURE CITED
Ellins S. R. 2005. Living with Coyotes. University of Texas Press pp. 53-68
Harrison, D. J., and J. A. Harrison. 1984. Foods of Adult Maine Coyotes and Their Known-Aged Pups. The Journal of Wildlife Management Vol. 48, No. 3, pp. 922-926
Kenaga B. A., R. A. Krebs, and W. B. Clapham, Jr. 2013. Coyote Land Use Inside and Outside Urban Parks. The American Midland Naturalist Vol. 170, No. 2, pp. 298-310
Mitchell B. R., M. M. Jaeger, and R. H. Barrett. 1973-2006. Coyote Depredation Management: Current Methods and Research Needs. Wildlife Society Bulletin Vol. 32, No. 4, pp. 1209-1218
There is one permit that is required in Tennessee, it is the Type 19 Trapping. Field work will begin 10 October through 8 November 2020 at M & N Farms, Stewart Co., Tennessee. For the first set, I will set 10 Duke 550 coil spring traps in coyote (Canis latrans) habitat. The traps will be no closer then 200m apart. The bait for each trap will be chosen at random (coin toss), with five traps baited with Hellen’s Gold Label Coyote Bait, and five traps baited with Fleming Coyote Bait #2. Both traps will also have coyote urine sprayed on them. The traps will be checked daily between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. Captured non-target species will be released; captured coyotes will be killed to prevent them from being recaptured. All captures will be noted along with what bait is used. On day ten and day twenty, all traps will be moved to new sites.
Number of coyotes captured per day in the traps baited with Hellen’s Gold Label Coyote Bait will be compared to the number captured per day in the traps baited with Fleming Coyote Bait #2 using the program Excel. A Fisher’s test will be used to determine whether or not the two samples contain equal variances, and the appropriate T-test will then be used, with an alpha level of 0.05, to compare capture success using the two baits.
