More than $435,000 in claims of livestock loss have been submitted to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in the past seven years in Prince Edward County.

Those claims are due to an overpopulation of coyotes but the municipality is hoping to reduce both the number of animals and livestock losses through a $100 bounty. Council will vote on the idea next week but a crowd of approximately 120 people who gathered in Belleville Monday night heard how the program, if initiated, would operate.

Gary Davis, the chief building official and bylaw enforcement officer for Prince Edward County, told the crowd though the numbers are high it wasn’t until last year that council realized there is a coyote problem. Unfortunately, he said, the problem was recognized too late in the year.

“The livestock issue really started to resurface last year,” he said. “It was too late for the 2009 budget because council had already set it but we’re hoping to get it in the 2010 budget.”

In 2009, Davis said, the municipality recorded 142 claims though those claims represent close to 500 kills. Farmers who lose animals to coyotes must be able to present the carcass of their lost animal to receive compensation. If there’s no carcass they receive no money.

“We had one farmer who had a loss of 30 in his herd in two weeks but he couldn’t provide a carcass for one of them,” Davis said.

To combat the problem, the municipality — if council endorses a motion forwarded from the committee of the whole — will ask the Ministry of Natural Resources to allow a $100 bounty on coyotes. The municipality is prepared to set aside $30,000 for the program.

Davis said the municipality has already investigated ways to ensure the bounty is safe and will be regulated to ensure only hunters who have received permission from farmers to hunt on their property will be compensated for a kill. Hunters will have to register with the county and have signed proof from farmers that they are allowed to hunt on their property.

“The county has a high concern that coyotes will be brought in from Tyendinaga or Quinte West and money taken out of county coffers,” Davis said.

Prince Edward County farmer Gary Fox supported Davis’ claim that the coyotes are travelling and hunting in packs. He said he was trying to figure out why he was losing sheep to coyotes when he has a guard dog working in his farm and found the answer when snow fell and he could see tracks on the ground.

“I’ve had about six at a time come through my yard,” Fox said. “I’m losing some damn nice sheep. When I start losing pregnant ewes at this time of year….”

Along with shot size, choke restriction is a controversial subject when it comes to predator hunting. Some will tell you X-full others will tell you modified, but people with experience will tell you to pattern your gun until you find what you are looking for. There are a few variables in choke selection such as, type of terrain and or shot distances. Typical shot distance should have a lot to do with your choice of choke. If you are constantly hunting areas that will only present you with 20-30 yard shots, then you will want something that isn’t too restricted. When calling in tight cover you’re more likely only going to be presented with a quick shot. You are going to want to use an I.C.* or a MOD*, depending on how your gun patterns. While just the opposite for more open country, where you will have time to aim and take that longer shot, FULL* and X-FULL* chokes will usually provide you the tight patterns needed to stretch out those shot distances to the limit. On the down side, the tighter your pattern the more you are going to have to take time and aim instead of just instinctively swinging. Now, if changing chokes every other stand doesn’t sound appealing, run a good tight patterning choke for all situations. I recommend that you get to know your gun, practice your aiming and swinging until you are comfortable and confident. After a bit of shouldering and swinging on targets your shot gun will start to feel like an extension of your arm. Then, using those tight chokes on hard chargers shouldn’t be a problem. Just like anything else, with practice you will learn you and your guns limits. Also, remember all chokes are not designed for all shot types. Some can be a dangerous combination, such as steel shot through a tight choke that wasn’t designed for steel. Do some research and contact your choke manufacturer for more information. Remember, pattern your shotgun at all distances you intend to shoot, point of aim and patterns can and will change with different loads and distances. Choosing a choke manufacture is a whole different subject and is more of personal preference then which is better. I run a Truloc .650 extended turkey choke in my M1 and my partner Paul is running a .660. Both throw very consistent patterns at most ranges and with multiple loads.

* I.C. = Improved cylinder
* MOD = Modified
* FULL = Full
* X-FULL = Extra full

One of the most asked questions I have heard related to shotguns and predator hunting is “what shot size or load should I use?” I have heard of a few people who use bird shot and say they have fair success. Some people will swear to its effectiveness, and it will kill under the right circumstances but for those few, there will be many others that get off wounded. It will work in extremely close range but why limit yourself when you don’t need too? Along with bird shot a lot of people choose 0, 00, or 000 they are large enough and have enough energy to kill, but they don’t have enough shot to make them an ideal choice.

What you are looking for is a good compromise between shot size and pellet count. The idea is to hit them with enough pellets large enough to kill them quick. I recommend shot sizes in between # 4 BUCK and B.

The bigger the shot size the more energy it is going to have further down range but on the downside bigger also means less pellets and less pellets means less hits. The shot sizes I have recommended are between .24 – .17 cal. Those and everything in between are good choices. Just remember bigger = less and that the idea is to hit them with as many as you can especially and longer ranges. After you pass the 40 yard mark some of the smaller shot will start to loose its killing power, then the larger size shot will take the advantage.

There are a lot of choices out there. Some of these new lead alternatives are pushing the range of a shotgun further and further. When trying to pick a good load for your shotgun recommend buying as many different loads as you can and pattern them and give them a shake.

One of my favorite shotgun loads is Winchesters new Supreme Elite Xtended range HD Coyote. It is as hard hitting as they come and priced as good as anything in its class. Plus the shot is more consistently round then other shot, making it pattern more consistent. Packed with 56 .17 cal shot pellets, that’s about 15 more pellets per load then the average # 4 buckshot load, it is hard to beat! A few other perks that really throw it over the top against its competition are the fact that Its softer then comparable shot making it easier on you barrel and its Non Toxic.

If the cost of some of the non lead shot is a factor, I recommend Winchester Supreme # 4 buck shot. It is jam packed with 41 pellets that are .24 cal. A proven coyote stopper.

Here is a clip from a hunt on 9-20-09

Me and My partner Paul Melching went out here locally for a quick morning hunt. Ended up calling 5 fox on as many stands.

Hope you enjoy,

Central AZ Grey Fox from On Stand Productions on Vimeo.

Seeing rk’s success this morning got me all fired up to head out this evening. I headed out to an area I haven’t been in awhile and didn’t do to bad. I did 3 stands and called fox on each stand. On the second stand I took my rifle with me even though I had an over whelming feeling that I should carry the shotgun, I really need to start listening to those feelings, if I had I could have easily shot everything that came in tonight. On each stand I started out with baby cottontail and moved into screamin grey.

I just finished a quick edit on this one and thought you all might enjoy it. As always I am open to all feedback.

thanks for looking!

A good friend of mine recently started a new website. I believe it will turn into something special.
Take a look and join up!
The National Predator Hunters Association

thenhpa.com

Well, it has been a long hard summer and I am glad it is almost over. With Cat and Fox season open, we decided we had waited long enough. Right now the fur is not worth the cost of a bullet, but it is a great time to get out there and just have a good time. We made a short trip for a half days hunt last Sunday; It was a pretty decent time. We did not hunt to hard, just trying to get back into the swing of things. Ended up seeing 7 coyotes, but only managed to get one dead. Also seen a lot of Antelope, a few Mule Deer bucks and a nice husky LION.  We were glad to lay our eyes on one but, it just made us sick, this new Lion season is a waste of ink, and I am pretty disgusted that it was passed. Anyway, It was nice to get out of town to some cooler weather and we all had a great time. I am going to try to start posting more often since the season has started, and I will do my best to post a video or a new sound every month, that’s the plan anyway. Here is a clip of a coyote we called and killed on this hunt. If the shooter looks familiar, he is the former president of the APC (Arizona Predator Callers).

Untitled from Clint Martin on Vimeo.

From NRA website.
This week, the Arizona Senate passed two important pro-gun bills (Senate Bill 1113 and Senate Bill 1243). Both bills now head to the House where they await a committee assignment.

SB1113 was passed yesterday by an 18-10 vote (with two not voting). Introduced by State Senator Jack Harper (R-4), SB1113 would give concealed carry permit holders the right to take concealed handguns into restaurants that serve alcohol, provided they are not consuming.

SB1243 was passed on Monday by a 21-7 vote (with two not voting). Sponsored by State Senator Russell Pearce (R-18), SB1243 would clarify the statutory definition of defensive display of a firearm. This clarification of defensive display of a firearm is a valuable addition to your right to self-defense.

Prescott Valley police and a state wildlife officer were able to track and kill a potentially rabid bobcat Wednesday after it attacked two people in Prescott Valley. Officials hope it was the same bobcat that attacked a dog about an hour earlier, especially since it had blood on it before the second attack. It was the latest in a string of odd rabid wild mammal attacks against people in northern Arizona in recent months.
“People should really keep their eyes open and be careful if they’re hiking outdoors and take precautions to protect themselves, especially if they see a wild animal,” Arizona Game and Fish Department Wildlife Manager Scott Poppenberger said.
State lab officials said they will test the bobcat today for rabies, related Zen Mocarski of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
The dog attack occurred in a PV yard near Lynx Creek at about 3 p.m., Poppenberger said. The dog’s caretaker was able to break up the fight and get the dog indoors before calling for help.
Poppenberger was investigating that attack when another bobcat attack call came in at about 3:50 p.m. from about a mile downstream.
Christina Montonati, 13, said she was having fun with her mother and two sisters at a rope swing along Lynx Creek near Stoneridge Drive when the bobcat lunged at her, scratching and biting her lower right leg.
Her mother Lisa grabbed the full-grown, 40-pound male bobcat by the neck as it rolled over and bit her on both arms.
“I started screaming and I threw rocks at its face,” said Christina’s sister Talisa, who called 911 as the bobcat ran off.
Poppenberger and PV police found the bobcat within 10 minutes, and it continued to be abnormally aggressive.
“It came after the two officers and fortunately they were able to euthanize it,” Poppenberger said.
The mother and daughter received treatment at Yavapai Regional Medical Center East, and will have to get rabies shots if tests show the bobcat was rabid. So will the dog.
The latest attack comes on the heels of another bobcat attack at several businesses in Cottonwood on March 24.
Two foxes attacked hikers in the Granite Mountain Recreation Area just west of Prescott in November and February. One man beat a fox to death with his walking stick, while a female victim had to jog about a mile back to her vehicle with the fox’s jaws latched onto her arm before forcing it into her vehicle’s trunk. That was a strange enough incident to get her a spot on the David Letterman show.
In neighboring Coconino County, people have come across nine rabid foxes in the Flagstaff area since November, with another two in the Sedona area. Most recently, a fox on Mt. Elden near Flagstaff tried to attack three people and their pets.
Those incidents led the Coconino County Board of Supervisors to institute a three-month-long rabies quarantine and vaccination baiting program April 4.
The state recorded a record 176 rabid animals last year, with 11 in Yavapai County. More than half of the animals (89) were bats.
Arizona Department of Health Services officials say they’re on track to set another record this year. At least 48 cases are confirmed so far, with four in Yavapai County.
State Veterinarian Elisabeth Lawaczeck attributes the record-breaking numbers to at least two factors: an increasing human population and the cyclical nature of rabies.