A trapper’s services are being utilized in an attempt to eliminate the coyote problem plaguing a horse farm in northern Oxford Township.
The Michigan Trappers and Predator Callers Association (MTPCA) sent one of its members, Goodrich resident Trent Masterson, to the 22-acre farm at the northeast corner of Delano and Oakwood roads where, according to owners Dr. Bruce and Kallie Meyers, two horses fell victim to coyote aggression last month.
One horse, a 27-year-old Argentine thoroughbred mare, had to be euthanized following a Jan. 25 attack while another, a 7-year-old thoroughbred mare, was severely injured on a gate hinge five days later while running out of fear due to the presence of coyotes, according to the couple.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was unable to determine why the horse ran in the second incident or why the horse in the first incident fell to the ground, which happened prior to the attack.
But in a previous interview, Tim Payne, the DNR’s Southeast Michigan Wildlife Supervisor, said the biting perpetrated on the first horse could be consistent with either coyotes or dogs and it’s ‘within the realm of possibility? that when the horse fell, coyotes took advantage of the situation given their ‘opportunistic? nature.
?(Kallie) definitely has a serious issue with some coyotes there,? Masterson said. ‘They’re coming to the horse grave everyday, a couple times a day and urinating on it. (They’re) going up to the fence and marking their territory against Kallie’s (five) dogs. I see this a lot with dogs this time of year because this is the coyote breeding season. They’re very territorial (right now). They see her dogs as another pack. It’s just in their nature to be aggressive this time of year.?
Mike Schippa, vice president of the MTPCA’s executive board, put the couple in touch with Masterson, who visited their farm on Sunday and Monday.
‘I felt horrible for them when I got there,? said Masterson, 43. ‘They really have a serious problem.?
When he toured the Meyers? property, Masterson, who began trapping at the age of 10 and serves on the MTPCA board, found ‘only coyote tracks.?
‘That’s all I saw,? he said. ‘Other than squirrel and a skunk, there were only coyote tracks. There were no deer tracks. There were two trails coming under their back fence that were strictly made (by) coyotes.?
‘When I go walk a property and I see more coyote tracks than I see deer tracks, to me, that’s pretty alarming,? Masterson noted.
Masterson is very familiar with the area in which the Meyers live and he said it contains ‘a really high coyote population.?
‘A lot of it is because people don’t allow trappers around their farm animals,? he explained. ‘They just don’t let trappers trap and if you don’t control the coyotes, you’re going to have a boom-and-bust cycle where the coyotes are going to feed on the deer until the deer population is diminished and then the coyote population’s going to drop and the deer population’s going to come back.
‘What we’re going through right now, in my opinion, is a low-deer, high-coyote population. The coyote population has peaked and the deer population’s now crashed because they’ve killed their prey base. Now, they’re looking (at) other avenues to feed themselves so they don’t starve.?
Masterson set four traps called cable restraints on the Meyers? property. These traps hold animals, but do not kill them. When the trapper checks them, it is his responsibility to either dispatch the animal or release it if it’s not what he’s targeting.
Masterson is providing his services free of charge as part of the MTPCA’s Landowner Assistance program.
In a nutshell, it puts landowners who are having problems with fur-bearing animals in touch with local, licensed, ethical trappers who have the knowledge and experience to handle their issue.
‘I’ve got a list of (trappers) who are proficient at what they do,? said Schippa, who runs the Landowners Assistance Program and noted that of the MTPCA’s 1,265 members, about 200 are part of it.
The program is free to landowners and is mutually beneficial for them and trappers, according to Schippa. Landowners get rid of their problem wildlife, while trappers get places to pursue their sport and pelts to sell, he explained.
Landowners interested in utilizing this program can learn more by visiting www.mtpca.com. Schippa can be reached via e-mail at griffonhunter01@yahoo.com.
Masterson cautioned the Landowners Assistance Program has a limited number of trappers with a limited amount of resources. He doesn’t wish to see it abused because it’s free, so he encouraged people to use a professional animal control company whenever possible.
Kallie Meyers is optimistic about trapping being the solution to her coyote problems.
She said the DNR recommended the MTPCA to her and told her the group’s program is ‘highly effective.?
‘They have been able to manage problems in other areas,? Meyers said. ‘This is their sport. They’re helping out and doing something that they like to do, so it’s a win-win for everybody.?
Meyers noted surrounding property owners have expressed interest in having coyote trapping done on their land as well. ‘There’s quite a few neighbors that are adding themselves to the list,? she said.
Immediately following the second horse incident, Meyers moved all of her horses off her farm to safe locations.
She continues to find ‘new (coyote) tracks everyday? on her land.
‘It’s a coyote highway. There’s literally a highway back there,? Meyers said. ‘You go back there and there’s set trails like it’s a hiking path for the coyotes.?
Given there’s been some speculation the coyotes on the Meyers? property might be a crossbreed ? or hybrid ? of coyote and wolf because they appear to be larger than normal, Masterson said he plans to have any coyotes he traps there genetically tested by the DNR. He said every coyote trapped will be weighed and ‘if something looks out of the ordinary, we’re going to have it tested.?
‘We catch a lot of big coyotes around here,? Masterson explained. ‘To me, they’ve always just been coyotes . . . I know DNA testing has been done in metro Detroit and has proven that there is wolf ancestry in the coyotes in metro Detroit. I know that . . . I have taken coyotes doing (animal) control work around metro Detroit (and) some were just exceptionally large (with) like the head of a dog. Just a really large head, shorter stubby ears. But I haven’t actually seen (any) DNA tests or had a biologist tell me that’s for sure (a coyote-wolf crossbreed). It could just be an exceptionally large coyote.?
All the media attention that’s been given to the Meyers? plight has resulted in more inquiries for trappers? services.
‘Normally, I’ll get eight or nine calls a week this time of year,? said Schippa, but the situation at the Meyers farm has increased that to ‘at least? three or four calls a day.
‘If I check my e-mails, there’s probably more than that today,? he said. ‘There’s a lot of people that have read this story and they’re kind of worried.?
The calls are mostly from pet owners who have spotted coyotes on their property or in their neighborhood and now, they’re worried about the wild canine predators injuring or killing their four-legged companions.
Outside of Oxford, Masterson noted he’s currently got traps set for coyotes in Clarkston, White Lake and Davison.
‘I’m dealing with coyote problems all over the place right now,? said Masterson, who not only traps for sport, but also does it as part of his business, Animal Control Specialists, the focus of which is trapping beavers and coyotes.
Schippa, who’s been trapping since 1968, noted coyotes are currently in the midst of their breeding season, so they’re ‘really aggressive? and therefore can be more of a danger to outdoor pets, particularly on properties where they hunt for food.
‘When the breeding season comes in, they’re very territorial,? he explained. ?(Breeding season) normally starts the end of January and will go through the first part of March. They’re only able to breed for a couple months out of the year. Most people don’t know that.?
Small pets are particularly vulnerable to coyote attacks, but if a person thinks their dog is big enough to handle one of these wild canine predators, think again.
?(Coyotes) kill for a living,? Schippa said. ‘There’s not too many dogs that could defend themselves, even large dogs.?
Schippa said coyotes are known to feed on larger animals, like deer and cattle, while they’re giving birth. They’ll feed on both the newborns and the mothers while they’re lying on the ground. ‘Coyotes are the Number One killer of fawns,? he noted.
Michigan allows the trapping of coyotes from Oct. 15 through March 1. There is no bag limit. Trapping them requires a base hunting license ($11) and a fur harvester license ($15).
Most coyote pelts in Michigan sell for an average of $20 to $25, according to Schippa. He noted a top-grade one can fetch $35 to $40. ‘That’s a really nice pelt,? he said.
Schippa said the MTPCA typically tries to set up Landowner Assistance trappings during the fall. ‘That’s when the fur is prime,? he explained. ‘That’s when the leather (i.e. the skin) thickens and the fur thickens, so that gives it more value. That’s when it’s worth some money to be sold commercially for coats and gloves and mittens, stuff like that.?
So, what is coyote fur used for?
Schippa said coyote fur from Michigan is ‘primarily? used to make the trim around the hoods of parkas used in places with Arctic climates like Canada, Russia and Scandinavia. He said it’s used because, unlike faux fur, coyote fur won’t freeze and it doesn’t hold moisture, so it won’t get a buildup of ice.
‘They haven’t come up with a man-made product that’s able to that,? Schippa said.