As trapping laws become more stringent across the country, predator populations continue to explode. Extremely adaptable and always on the prowl for an easy meal, coyotes wreak havoc on deer fawns and turkey poults. In fact, a study done by Daniel Harrison of the University of Maine’s Department of Ecology showed 90 percent of coyote pup scats collected during the month of June contained fawn matter.

Carnivorous scavengers, opportunistic coyotes like to key on the weak and the young. As this video shows, coyotes can be relentless in their pursuit. This flock of feeding birds was working its way toward me and my hunting partner this past spring, when a few young birds and one injured hen caught the attention of a toothy predator.

As hunters, summer (check your state game laws) can be a great time to hit the fields on predator patrol. Chasing summer yotes is not only big fun, but every predator harvested saves at least a few deer and game birds. As hunters we are conservationists, and it’s our responsibility to do our part to keep local predator populations in check.