5 Reasons Why Coyotes Should Be Hunted

5 Reasons Why Coyotes Should Be Hunted

Why hunt coyotes?

People will justify any action if they feel it benefits them. People hunt coyotes to control their populations.

Money is an enticing reason to cull these animals, and so is keeping your hunting skills current.

People also hunt coyotes for many other reasons. But not everyone believes that coyote killing is humane.

Read on to find out many of the intricate details about the controversial practice of coyote hunts.

#1 Population Control

coyotes population control

Even though more than 400,000 coyotes are killed yearly, the interest in hunting them does not abate.

People debate that coyotes are helpful to the environment because they keep pests like rats and mice under control. Controlling small vermin is good for people and coyotes, but who controls the coyote population?

People have been hunting coyotes for over a century in the U.S. Hunters use various weapons and techniques to trap and kill their prey. Still, despite their efforts, the coyote population continues to expand.

Coyote populations abound in the U.S. and are now making their way to South America as their lives are constantly threatened.

Hunters argue that killing coyotes helps maintain their population levels throughout the U.S. Various States in the U.S. even hold regular competitions to see who can kill the most coyotes.

Hunters argue that they are delivering a service to the region by killing these animals, but the truth is that people enjoy hunting coyotes for the fun and the challenge.

#2 Extra Income

coyote huntings

Depending on which state you live in, coyote killing can be quite a lucrative business. Some States want help from hunters to kill coyotes in population control efforts and pay a reasonable sum for each one that hunters eliminate.

If you’re a hunter and want to earn an extra income, this seems a good enough reason why hunting coyotes is advantageous.

At one stage, South Carolina was paying $75 for each coyote killed. If you can bag five or ten of these animals in a day, $750 will pay for your hunting expenses and more besides.

Similarly, Utah was paying $50 per coyote head at one stage, so hunters can combine fun and earnings by killing coyotes throughout various U.S. states.

State bounties chop and change over the years, with some States having offered hunter’s rewards of up to $1,000 at one stage. Hunters can gain more incentives for why they should hunt coyotes when this type of bounty is on offer.

As mentioned in the previous section, many States also run competitions where hunters earn various prizes for killing coyotes. Cash prizes are in the region of $500 and more, or hunters can win trapping packages or rifles for bringing in the most of the largest coyotes.

Overall, why hunt coyotes revolve around fun and money, but you also gain multiple other benefits from this sport.

#3 Polishing Your Skills

Honing Your Skills

Hunters also get to polish their hunting skills when tracking, stalking, or waiting for a coyote. How you hunt coyotes depends on where you are pursuing these animals.

Hunting strategies differ between hunting coyotes in flat land, hilly regions, or heavily forested areas. Hunters will also take a different approach to hunt coyotes near farmlands.

Terrain and coyote behaviors vary depending on where they live, so hunters must use several strategies to bag their prey.

Calling strategies, decoys, binoculars, and weapon choices are just some of the considerations when polishing your coyote hunting skills in various regions.

Wherever you choose to hunt, it is wise to find out more about coyote behaviors in the area. Calling strategies involve listening for coyote calls in the quiet of the night, for example.

Once you hear coyote calls, you can determine whether they are nearby or far off and approximately how many coyotes are in the surroundings.

Also, your choice of weapon depends on where you hunt these animals. A rifle with a shorter barrel is better for tracking in wooded areas, for example, as there is less room to move.

You don’t want the gun barrel getting caught up in foliage just when you’re about to sight your weapon.

#4 Hunting All-Year-Round

Hunting All Year Rounds

Hunters have the opportunity to hunt coyotes throughout the year in the U.S. as these animals are not considered as game but as pests.

The only time you need special permits to kill coyotes is if you want to harvest their pelts or sell your kills.

Other than this, there are few limitations on when and how you can hunt coyotes, but always check State laws to ensure your hunt is legal.

Hunting all year round is another reason why hunting coyotes is beneficial. Hunters can use this opportunity to hone their skills in the off-season for bigger game but seldom take advantage of the time.

Whenever you hunt coyotes, the moral standpoint ensures a clean kill, so the animal doesn’t suffer. Hunting throughout the year ensures you stay on top of your game, so you are more likely to make a clean kill.

#5 Deer And Fawn Populations

Coyete and Deers

Hunters believe that by controlling coyote populations they will control deer and fawn populations. Many coyote studies have been undertaken to find out whether they impact deer and fawn populations.

While some of these studies support that the killing of coyotes does ensure the maintenance of other wildlife numbers, others do not. Even if coyote culls help increase deer numbers, this increase may only last a season or two but then even out.

And studies are not clear that the coyote is the only culprit in reducing deer and fawn numbers because they only hunt for food rather than wipe out large numbers of game.

However, hunters are not deterred by these figures because they know why they hunt coyotes. Coyotes also target other small creatures such as turkeys and wild hares, which are also fair game for hunters.

Similarly, farmers also suffer massive livestock and financial losses due to coyote kills, giving hunters another good reason to hunt coyotes.

Arguments Against Coyote Hunt

ARGUMENTS AGAINST COYOTE HUNT

Why hunt coyotes include many reasons in favor of killing these creatures. However, there are also arguments against coyote culling, which also enjoys a lot of support.

People use and have used many techniques over the centuries to kill coyotes, including:

  • Shooting
  • Trapping
  • Poisoning
  • Hunting dogs
  • Various other cruel methods

Most of the reasons for hunting coyotes have been addressed earlier, the most popular one being population control. As also mentioned previously, the studies for and against coyote population control remain mixed.

Despite efforts to control the numbers of these animals, they continue to breed and expand their territory across Northern and Southern America. None of the techniques above are effective in maintaining coyote numbers for various reasons.

Killing territorial creatures like coyotes simply means that others will fill their place in short periods. Poisoning and trapping are cruel, as are many other inhumane techniques, which hunters should avoid as a matter of principle.

Instead of wantonly killing coyotes for fun, money, numbers control, safety, or any other reason – opponents against their killing have several arguments to support the position that killing coyotes is ineffective and cruel.

Killing Programs Are Not Effective

Hunters cannot target problem coyotes that kill pets, livestock, or wild game.

Because it is almost impossible to identify guilty coyotes, hunters randomly kill all coyotes in the region, which is ineffective.

Despite the argument that hunting controls coyote populations, this statement is false. Coyote populations are increasing partly due to hunting.

This increase is nature’s way of restoring breeding capabilities among surviving coyotes as pregnancy rates and litter sizes make up for losses.

Removal Programs Don’t Work

Removing coyotes is expensive and doesn’t work because coyotes are territorial. If these animals are transferred to another region, their instinct is to return to their territory, negating the move.

Also, coyotes work in pairs, and if pairs are removed, single ‘floaters’ replace them. Floaters often become nuisance coyotes, invading residential properties and digging through the garbage.

Hazing

HAZING coyotes

Hazing is a technique used to ensure coyotes retain their fear of people. When coyotes fear people, they are more likely to avoid built-up areas, ensuring the safety of people, their pets, and the coyotes.

Hazing limits undesirable coyote behaviors, activities, and the instinct to be close to human populations.

Hazing is the only reasonable way to keep coyotes from invading human territories as killing them is inhumane.

Obviously, hunters won’t agree with these viewpoints. Still, the fact remains that bounties, trapping, and other methods used to kill coyotes don’t work as their populations continue to grow along with their territories.

Conclusion

Hunters thrive on hunting game, and if they believe coyotes are killing farm animals or other wild game – coyotes become fair game.

Additionally, coyote hunting can be a lucrative sport. You earn extra cash while having a good time. Hunters also believe that killing coyotes helps reduce their numbers.

Scientific studies vary on whether this is true or otherwise, depending on where you look and the study’s variables. Whatever controls are established to maintain coyote populations, their numbers carry on expanding.

This growth questions the validity of the research. Organizations like the Humane Society also dispel the myth that coyote culling controls populations. Beyond this fact, they maintain that some killing techniques are cruel.

What is your take on this?

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