Fawn Predation

[sharkhunter]

Ok so we know coyotes, bobcats and feral dogs are bad on a fawn crop but what about big raccoons and wild hogs. Our lease has a very high population of both. I’m leaning more towards a big male raccoon being more of a fawn predator than people think. After reading about raccoons being one of the main predators of fawns at deer farm fawning pens. Anybody have any first hand experiences on this ? Our fawns at our lease took a big hit last year. I hit the coyotes hard but think I might be missing another fawn predator (raccoon) that’s right in front of me.

Also I’m thinking the first three weeks a fawn is on the ground before he gets his legs under him is when it’s most likely to take place. My suspicion is larger coons in the 15 to 20 lb range. That’s a pretty good size predator and not much smaller than a young coyote. We lost almost 100% of our fawn crop last year so I’m looking at it from all angles.

[Rwc]

Following.

Rwc

[fish4food]

Wouldn’t hurt to ever take out any coons.

They kill the heck out of quail and turkey if you’ve got any.

[Leon County Slayer]

I’m probably wrong but of think in an open wolf environment cons wouldn’t be much of a threat. I’d focus more on bobcats myself

[deerwatcher51]

Hogs will not seek out fawns, but if they come across one, they will kill it and eat it.

[Drycreek3189]

I’m probably wrong but of think in an open wolf environment cons wouldn’t be much of a threat. I’d focus more on bobcats myself

What is an “open wolf environment” ?

[BTLowry]

I’m probably wrong but of think in an open wolf environment cons wouldn’t be much of a threat. I’d focus more on bobcats myself

Looks like when I try talk to text

[gtsticker]

Coyote and bobcat are the biggest threats. We kill every predator we can kill. Can’t hurt


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[Brute Killer]

I know a guy that claims coons would kill his kid goats. Not much difference between kids and fawns.
My brother said a caracara killed a fawn that had been living in his yard.

[Brute Killer]

Those coons will be a hell of a lot easier to catch than coyotes. The way you kill coyotes, you could probably wipe out all the coons on the place in a couple days.

[sharkhunter]

Those coons will be a hell of a lot easier to catch than coyotes. The way you kill coyotes, you could probably wipe out all the coons on the place in a couple days.

Oh I’ll put a hurting on them lol ! I probably killed 30 as bycatch last winter. I think I’m going to add them to my hit list this coming fall.

[doghouse]

I think fawns like Quail are the potato chip of all predators. Easy to catch and kill. I wouldn't be surprised if black headed buzzards and Mexican Eagles don't kill as many as any varmint.

[Redfeathers]

Fawn Predation

I know a guy that claims coons would kill his kid goats. Not much difference between kids and fawns.
My brother said a caracara killed a fawn that had been living in his yard.

^^Yup

Caracara do not hesitate to kill small kid goats, fawns or new lambs. They are smart and fly when approaching in a vehicle while most buzzards will hang out. Had one on a game camera at a water trough couple years ago.

[McClain]

I just don’t think coons are a major predator of fawns. I have trapped coons for years, have run coon hounds, and spotlighted coons via rivers and upland, and have never come across any evidence to suggest coons acted as a predator of larger animals except a few chickens/domestic waterfowl, etc. Perhaps some may take an occasional fawn, but I just don’t think they would make a major dent in the fawn population. I have a friend and had an uncle that bred and raised deer in high fence pastures where coons were plentiful, and they never had any problems with coons short of eating supplements.

Keep in mind that controlling coyotes during fall and winter (even culling heavily) may not have a big effect on fawn pressure. This is often due to transient populations of coyotes quickly moving in to replace residents that were removed.

[sharkhunter]

I just don’t think coons are a major predator of fawns. I have trapped coons for years, have run coon hounds, and spotlighted coons via rivers and upland, and have never come across any evidence to suggest coons acted as a predator of larger animals except a few chickens/domestic waterfowl, etc. Perhaps some may take an occasional fawn, but I just don’t think they would make a major dent in the fawn population. I have a friend and had an uncle that bred and raised deer in high fence pastures where coons were plentiful, and they never had any problems with coons short of eating supplements.

Keep in mind that controlling coyotes during fall and winter (even culling heavily) may not have a big effect on fawn pressure. This is often due to transient populations of coyotes quickly moving in to replace residents that were removed.

To be effective you have to trap right up to fawning time. Transients filter in really slow. I had traps in the dirt for 90 days prior to fawning and after catching the resident yotes the first month I worked on the transients. I went from catching 4 and 5 coyotes a week down to 1 every two weeks. I keep a really close watch on our lease roads checking tracks as it’s only 20 min from my house. After driving 15 miles of lease roads every week checking tracks we are good. I did not find a single coyote track in the last month. Those same roads had tracks every 20 ft it seemed last summer. Per the biologist I talked to I need to try and buy the fawns 3 weeks. After that the survival rate is really good. Funny thing is a lot of studies contradict each other with some stating heavy rains of 1 inch or more during fawning season as the biggest killer by far. Fawns can’t regulate body temps in the first month of life and up to 50% die of hypothermia. Sucks to be a fawn :-/