I had heard some complaints about this very thing but there is a new story coming out of Onslow county. One farmer in particular is loosing as many as 20 watermelons per night to coyotes. They have also eaten corn and other vegetables but prefer fruits and berries.

And they are coming closer to homes in these areas eating crops less than 200 feet away.

Why are these people not calling me? I GOT to get some advertising out there!

I have seen them eat corn in a field as well as watermelons but not enough for farmers to justify doing any kind of control. My dove field is planted on the back side of a 12 acre watermelon patch and there is fresh scat every time I go down there, one member even shot one this past Saturday while waiting for the dove hunt to begin. The other members wanted me to do some trapping on there until I pointed out that they are eating the deer that eat the sunflowers that we pay for so plans for that have been put on hold. Property is heavy with sign though, I'm sure I could catch a good number of them there. Figure I'll just wait until the neighborhood 300 yards away gives me a call.

Yeah, they are wrecking our deer herd here. But nobody seems to be worried about it but me. Where I hunt always had heavy numbers of deer in times past. I could go in most anytime I wanted, shoot two of my choosing and then count another 15 or 20 standing in the field on the way out to get the truck. But for the last three seasons I've seen scant few deer there. Only 12 this past season and no more than 7 the year before. three seasons ago, I killed 9 deer in there and 3 were taken by guest. The following season I took only three and last year only three. I didn't even look through my scope the whole month of December!

I use to sit in my stand and watch 6 or 8 little fawns playing around in front of me, keeping me entertained for hours. Now I'm lucky to see just a pair of fawns. In one season, I hauled over three tons of corn to feed the deer and it was a challenge to keep some on the ground. Last season, I carried less than a ton in there and some of that laid on the ground into February.

I'm getting the same story from other hunters in my area and all across the eastern part of the state. The deer are disappearing and us hunters are the only ones who have noticed it yet.

I'm planning to start my deer hunting in bow season this year and go ahead and stock my freezer early. Then when trapping season starts, I'm gonna dedicate myself to coyotes!

this is the first year ever on my familys produce farm that we had problems. I would say they destroyed 30% of our melons.

Coyote eating a watermelon kinda reminds of a joke . It wouldn't surprise me . I know that if I set under apple trees I'll catch coyote and there droppings will be full of apple . I see them eating sugar beats off my deer baits . Last year we setup deer camp out in the north woods for bow season opener . We took are young yellow lab and he thought eating acorns around camp was a good idea till he had to pass them . He didn't wish to eat them any more . I know fox love grapes . I bet them coyote mark there spots right on the melons . I'll make sure we wash are next one well

Reminds me of the old saying about a hound dog trying crap a peach pit. I have several persimmon patches that draw plenty of fur.

Liberal coyotes going vegan.

Vantassel's Latest Edition WD Inspection handbook does mention coyotes fondness for watermelons and other fruit and another biggie gnawing on irrigation lines.

Another interesting note coyotes are known to scale 5 foot cinder block fences in Arizona.

I have done some podcasts with Leon Melton and Reginald Murray out in Oklahoma frequently speak of coyotes in the warmer months, when fruit is available that it was very common for the coyote to develop a sweet tooth when this fruit is readily available. Those podcasts are referenced from the link below.

http://trapperrobb.com/nuisance-wildlife...oyote-trapping/