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Post by sRc on Mar 15, 2011 21:54:20 GMT -6
Why do coons seemingly "wash" their food? I've heard of the no-saliva-gland theory but not sure if that's true . . .
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Post by robertw on Mar 15, 2011 22:52:20 GMT -6
It is their nature to hunt in the water for aquatic food.
Coons sure don't wash their food when there in the cattle feed.
Basically just one more wildlife myth / misconception.
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Post by rln on Mar 16, 2011 6:15:34 GMT -6
On the subject of coon behavior:
On two large properties (5000 and 1650) in February I received calls to trap coons due to the large amount of coon sign and coon sightings during deer season Nov-Dec.
On both ocassions upon my arrival both land owners advised that the coon sign present in Nov - December seems to have disapeared in February.
On both properties the catch was all large (for MS) boar coon except for one female and one small coon with the female. The catch also was poor in number.
Now on another property (3660)the coon sign was massive however I could only trap beaver here as coon were out of season.
No reports of distemper, no dead coon everywhere.
Anyone have any insight into this.
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Post by 17HMR on Mar 16, 2011 6:43:34 GMT -6
Moving with the food or another trapper.....
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Post by redeagle on Mar 16, 2011 8:52:48 GMT -6
I had a pet coon as a kid growing up, and Racky would roll a chunk of food around in his paws as if going through the motion of washing, and there was no water source to actually wash the food in. It's just instinctive for them to do that. Why, I don't know.
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Post by trappnman on Mar 16, 2011 8:57:05 GMT -6
coon are more mobile that many believe.
the one constant, is denning areas.
they might not always be there, but they always will return. In good weather, coon sleep where they get tired. Many times over the years, I've dound sleeping coon, in corn, tall grass, curled up by a tree, culverts etc.
lots of old sign, but nothing new, usually indicated that the coon moved on because of either foods or weather or both.
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Post by adampotaczek on Mar 16, 2011 12:28:50 GMT -6
Catching more or all adults is usually a sign of distemper. Also if the population drops off fast after seeing a lot of sign. I will say as others have stated food plays a very large part in coon behavior.
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Post by robertw on Mar 16, 2011 18:40:11 GMT -6
rnations,
Your catch ratio is typical of your area. The females tend to stay awfully close to a denning area right after and during the "rut" / breeding season. The boars on the other hand are out covering as much ground as possible trying to find females.
I have fought this same problem for years when doing coon control in the south.
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cmr2
Demoman...
Posts: 115
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Post by cmr2 on Mar 27, 2011 4:26:27 GMT -6
Thats the same here on the woodlots ,being surronded by corn and beans ,a ton of sign till harvest than its like they disappear more like scatter to other areas ,last two seasons have been shut down early do to weather and fluffy snow ,the other thing is are there hounds man running thru ,that can take a lot out fast if a trapper/houndsman are working ahead of you
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Post by trappnman on Mar 27, 2011 9:23:57 GMT -6
I think part of it as well, is that coon sign is hard to read in one way- and thats in a short period of time, a few coon can lookk like 100 coon.
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Post by bblwi on Mar 27, 2011 15:56:30 GMT -6
Several of the elderly people I do building trapping on will call me when the cat food dish is empty and the water dish is dirty, they know the coons are back.
I wonder if they evolved with a lot of water based feeding and ate mussels and clams etc. that swishing them around would get the sand and mud out of or off the food? Just a thought.
Bryce
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