The southeastern states of Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina have been the outliers as it relates to Eastern state analysis of the impact of Coyotes on Deer Herds(less impact than the Wolves that historically lived side by side with deer for eons)..............While there is no doubt that for a short period of time after being born(2 to 3 weeks) that Fawns are susceptible to both Coyote and Black Bear predation, only South Carolina biologists have sighted(2011 Fawn Predation Study) 50% Coyote predation levels on fawns..............Conversely, The Pennsylvania Game Commission studied the effects of fawn predation back in 2001........ That study found about half of all fawns born each spring survived to see the fall hunting seasons............. Predators including coyotes, bears, bobcats and fishers were responsible for killing about 22 percent of the fawns that died...........Chris Rosenberry, head of the commission's deer management section, said the commission's fawn mortality study of 2001-02 revealed that black bears and coyotes, with about equal frequency, eat fawns in their first few weeks of life.............. Neither that work nor ongoing monitoring of the ratio of fawns to adult does in the annual hunter harvest suggests predators are affecting deer on a population scale.....................So it seems that the southeastern states, pushed by myopic hunter motivation to be able to "shoot deer as if they were in a peanut gallery" is behind this new 2015-17, two year southeastern Coyote/Fawn Study about to get underway in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.............Time to "infiltrate" state Game Commissions with folks from all walks of life,,,,,,,,,,,,,Not just hunting and Oil/Gas Interests so that we can begin to populate our woodlands with the suite of carnivores and hoofed browsers that will optimize the land community(as Aldo Leopold coined it)

http://thetandd.com/sports/outdoors/collaring-coyotes-study-in-s-c-georgia-alabama-to-focus/article_09797cd2-9ed6-11e4-8104-b3f012ff8763.html#.VLx-3UBL8SM.email

Study in S.C, Georgia, Alabama to focus on predation threat to deer fawns

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The states of Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina are working together to study coyotes.

The states are cooperating with researchers from the University of Georgia and Princeton University for what’s being called the largest study ever of the animals’ behavior in the Southeast.

In January and February of 2015 and 2016, professional wildlife trappers will be trapping and placing GPS collars on coyotes in Barbour, Bullock, Macon and Russell counties in Alabama. Once fitted with the collars, the coyotes will be released back into the wild and researchers will begin collecting data on the animals’ movements every four hours for the next two years.

Coyotes will also be collared in Georgia and South Carolina. Approximately 180 coyotes will be tracked in the three-state research area.

One objective of the study is to understand the predation threat coyotes pose to other wildlife including white-tailed fawns. Researchers will also study DNA samples from each of the collared coyotes to determine colonization routes for coyotes in the Southeast.

ADCNR’s Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division anticipates that the results of this study will help shape future wildlife management practices in Alabama.

“After collecting two years of data, this study should give us important information regarding the movement of coyotes in Alabama,” said Ray Metzler, acting WFF Wildlife Chief. “We will utilize the results to better understand how coyotes may be impacting other wildlife resources.”

In the event of harvesting a GPS-collared coyote, hunters and landowners should return the collar to the UGA return address printed on the collar.

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 http://triblive.com/sports/outdoors/6140522-74/deer-predators-commission

Pennsylvania--Study on table

(but not yet green-lighted)

 to examine predators' impact

 on deer