Heath Wood
Without farmers, we wouldn't have a lot of things we take for granted every day. The food at our dinner table is one. However, we use many things in our daily lives, even our clothes, which would not be possible if it wasn't for farmers. When I think of how important they are in our lives, I can hear the voice of the great Paul Harvey in his famous 1978 speech at the Future Farmers Of America convention titled “So God Made A Farmer.”
Farmers are instrumental in our everyday lives, so it is no surprise that they can also be one of the most helpful tools for a hunter seeking to harvest more coyotes for management and entertainment purposes. Throughout the last 20 plus years of my predator hunting adventures, I have learned that even hanging out at the local farm and feed store can reap great benefits for taking more coyotes.
No matter if it is livestock farmers or a crop-only farmer, they both hold one thing that is vital for being able to call predators, that is, the land to hunt on. It took me several years to figure it out, but having various properties to hunt is vital in successfully calling predators all season long. Having an array of property to hunt on prevents over-hunting an area, causing coyotes to become somewhat leery of coming to a call or feeling pressured by seeing or smelling human presence more than they will tolerate. Having a good relationship with multiple farmers can provide all the hunting opportunities you will need while providing a service to them in return. That service being predator control.
I have been blessed to live in a small rural area of southern Missouri my entire life. During that time, I made many friends who were farmers and landowners seeking help controlling predators around their livestock or wildlife. It all started by venturing to my local farm and feed stores during the summer months to pass out my name to all the hay farmers. When farmers cut their hay during the summer, coyotes are known to follow the farmers around seeking a free meal. Unfortunately, when the hay is cut, many prey animals such as mice, moles, rabbits, and even small fawns don't make it. The good news for coyotes is that the list of prey in danger is all favorites on their survival food list. Knowing of this common occurrence, I would suggest to the farmers that they call me before or soon after cutting hay so that I could try to take out a few of the coyotes while they were attracted to one particular area on their farm.
Creating a friendly relationship with farmers and landowners will benefit you as a predator hunter throughout the year. Most of these farmers also were proud owners of livestock such as cattle, goats, and sheep. Throughout the year, these animals will have a period when they raise their young. Like attracting coyotes by cutting hay, nearby predators are in danger when animals are raising their young, looking for an easy meal.
During the cold winter months of the year, farmers who have baby calves being born are worried that coyotes would be a risk for their newborn livestock's survival rates. Coyotes looking for a meal to help keep them warm are usually in the same area as the new calves. Fortunately for me, the farmers would call me, searching for someone who could eliminate the risk of losing livestock. I would make a few stands on their farms and usually come out with a few coyotes each year.
The list of benefits that farmers can be to the predator hunter could go on and on. When predator hunters are looking for land to hunt on, they look for one thing when scouting. It sounds simple, but the hunter must make sure that there are coyotes in the area before going in to hunt. Most farmers and landowners either have crops or livestock raised as part of their yearly income. The simple fact that there is a significant food source available to predators at all times means that, most likely, coyotes will be nearby.
Agriculturalists can also be beneficial in doing scouting for the predator hunter. Farmers spend almost every day traveling across their property feeding livestock, making farm repairs, planting crops, and many other things that give them an awareness of what lives nearby. Merely asking the farmers periodically where they see coyotes or when and where they hear coyotes gives the hunter a one-step advantage of where to go when ready to hunt.
Another perk of having a relationship with farmers and landowners is that your name and skills are passed among them. If you have ever been around a farm store or feed supply, then you know that there is most likely a group gathered around sharing stories, sharing laughs, and even sharing farming tips. As long as you have been doing your part in helping out landowners with their predator control, your name will get passed around, and you will soon be getting calls to help at multiple different farms. It won't take long, and you will have various properties to hunt all year long.
