Article: The Effect of Coyotes on Deer Populations

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Tests have been done to confirm if coyotes affect whitetail deer populations. A study was organized and researched in Northern Alabama by Dr. Karl Miller[1] of the University of Georgia and Cory Van-Gilder[2], graduate of the University of Georgia, along with Dr. Grant Woods[3], graduate of Missouri State University, University of Georgia, and Clemson University. The study was performed on 2,000 acres where 22 coyotes and 10 bobcats were removed during fawning season. Resulting in a doubled fawn population.

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Later, Miller went on to conduct a second study in Southwest Georgia on 2 sections of land. One section of 11,000 acres, 23 coyotes and 3 bobcats were trapped and on another 7,000 acres no trapping was done. The results were staggering. In the trapped area 2 out of every 3 does had fawns opposed to the un-trapped area where only 1 out of 28 does had fawns.

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Dr. John C. Kilgo[4]at the U.S. Forest Service at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina conducted one of the largest studies concerning the affects of coyotes on whitetail deer. Sixty fawns were collared and observed. Within the first 6 weeks 73% (44) of the fawns died. Approximately 80% (35) were killed by coyotes, 13% (6) were killed by bobcat, and 7% (3) by unknown causes.

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“That tells me when coyotes are targeting fawns” Buxton states “when fawns hit the ground its game on for coyotes”. Ditchkoff agrees, saying, “coyotes might have learned to identify doe behaviors that indicate fawns are nearby. That’s not unheard of. In Alaska, they’ve documented that when a cow moose acts in a way that indicates a calf is nearby, brown bears start a systematic search to find the calf. They just hammer moose calves.”

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