The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - How many deer do coyote kill, and ratio of deer to coyote

FirstFreedom · August 9, 2006, 10:21 PM

Friend says that he reads that each coyote kills about forty (40) deer each year. I say that that is impossible; if true, there would be no deer left in less than one year, because there's not even that large of a ratio (40 to 1). He says no, there are many many times the number of deer vs. coyotes, them being herbivores vs. predator/carnivore. But when I hear them howling, it sounds like there are 15-25 coyotes just within 1 mile of me. Even if there are 600 deer (15x40) within 1 mile of me, the deer would all be killed in one year, and there's no way there's 600 deer within 1 mile. I'd be surprised if there were 100 deer within 1 mile; probably closer to 20 or 30. I say I'd be surprised if an average coyote killed 1/10th that amount (4) per year (and if so, probably all fawns - the ones that are killed by yotes). What say you? What the typical ratio of deer to coyote?

Here's some links to get started on the subject:

http://texnat.tamu.edu/symposia/coyote/p20.htm
http://www.gov.ns.ca/natr/wildlife/conserva/15-01-9.htm
http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/v...a=458&q=163663

August 9, 2006, 10:21 PM	#1
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	How many deer do coyote kill, and ratio of deer to coyote Friend says that he reads that each coyote kills about forty (40) deer each year. I say that that is impossible; if true, there would be no deer left in less than one year, because there's not even that large of a ratio (40 to 1). He says no, there are many many times the number of deer vs. coyotes, them being herbivores vs. predator/carnivore. But when I hear them howling, it sounds like there are 15-25 coyotes just within 1 mile of me. Even if there are 600 deer (15x40) within 1 mile of me, the deer would all be killed in one year, and there's no way there's 600 deer within 1 mile. I'd be surprised if there were 100 deer within 1 mile; probably closer to 20 or 30. I say I'd be surprised if an average coyote killed 1/10th that amount (4) per year (and if so, probably all fawns - the ones that are killed by yotes). What say you? What the typical ratio of deer to coyote? Here's some links to get started on the subject: http://texnat.tamu.edu/symposia/coyote/p20.htm http://www.gov.ns.ca/natr/wildlife/conserva/15-01-9.htm http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/v...a=458&q=163663