Fair game

[YankeyMCC]

(snip)
They worry that residents - concerned about their pet's safety - will now be able to pay someone to kill a coyote for just passing through their yards. They say that making it easier for more people to kill coyotes will not help reduce the state's coyote population, roughly 10,000 strong, and may make matters worse.

Coyotes are adaptable, opportunistic animals, interested in the easy meals that suburban living often provides and in protecting their territory, according to biologists. When a coyote goes down, a new coyote will inevitably move into the area. With more open land at its disposal, a coyote may even breed more.

But what troubles Jonathan Way most is the apparent blood thirst that some people have for the coyote. Way, author of "Suburban Howls: Tracking the Eastern Coyote in Urban Mas sachusetts," said the state does not have a coyote problem, but rather a "people problem," and the new state regulations will not change that.

"I feel they're completely unnecessary and completely just catering to the hunting community - and to a minority of people who would specifically hunt coyotes at that," Way said. "And to me, it's just fascinating that supposedly one of the most liberal states in the country can make it easier to kill this social animal, this social wild dog."
(snip)

(snip)
Thomas O'Shea, assistant director for wildlife at the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, said the division extended the hunting season, now set to begin Oct. 13, to appease hunters, who have become more interested in killing coyotes in recent years.
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http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/09/09/fair_game/

I really have nothing against hunting. I learned a lot from hunters I knew growing up and many that I know are responsible, reasonable and thoughtful about the animals and overall ecology. But why are we 'appeasing hunters'? Why appease any group in the face of facts that should indicate we should Not appease them?

[luckyleftyme2]

1. what you may not know about coyotes

they will take your pets for food from your back yard.OF COURSE THEY GET MORE CATS THAN DOGS because cats run loose.
they also well attack a child.carry rabbies.hunt in packs. and deplete small game in any area they over populate.
some form of control needs to be put on them to keep them in check.

[YankeyMCC]

2. We haven't had to resort this this level of "control"

in Arlington where we occasionally have to deal with an in flux. Yes I know pets can be at risk but the answer lies in understanding the ecology you live in and accepting the risks and dealing with them in reasonable and effective manner. We keep watch for coyotes, keep a closer eye on pets when coyotes are in the area and active. Remove incentnives for them to come closer to homes, educate kids about what to do if they see them, etc..

Eventually they look elsewhere, sometimes they come back, usually there's no problems and we all get to live our lives.

Even experts on game management are saying these new rules are a bad idea.