e537 American Hunter - Maine Targets Coyotes to Bolster Deer Population

Maine Targets Coyotes to Bolster Deer Population

By NRA Staff Editor (RSS)

March 21, 2011

According to Maine Governor Paul Le Page, severe winters, poaching, car collisions and predation— namely coyotes—have resulted in a significant decline in the state's deer population in recent years. While other states attempt to control burgeoning whitetail numbers in urban areas, the "Pine Tree State" is attempting to bolster its population.

From Yahoo! News via Reuters:

The state now has an estimated 127,000 deer, officials said, down from 300,000 a decade ago. Bear likely number about 30,000, and there are about 20,000 coyote, according to the state's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Maine hunting organizations have been asking for a stronger herd-management plan for some time. Of the state's 1.2 million residents, some 146,000 are hunters, and another 30,000 hunters come from out of state each year.

Deer hunting provides an estimated 4.500 jobs, said Chandler Woodcock, commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The new program, which would allow hunters to lure coyotes with bait and hunt with dogs, is not a bounty, Woodcock said.

It would seem more logical, ethical and economically sound to allow responsible hunters to help bring the herd to a manageable number, but Kansas and other states have enlisted police "sharpshooters" in recent years to cull deer in overpopulated areas. Even though Maine hopes to have an opposite effect, it's great to see hunters getting a chance to help manage their area.

Tags:  ben o'brien,  blogs,  maine targets coyotes to bolster deer population,  whitetail blog,  whitetail hunting

Share |

Comments

ADD YOUR COMMENT

Enter your comments below, they will appear within 24 hours


Your Name


Your Email


Your Comment

7 Responses to Maine Targets Coyotes to Bolster Deer Population

Lucas wrote:
May 16, 2012

I am a Maine hunter and I think we should stop hunting deer for a year and the state should pay money for each coyote that is brought in. That would help with the money/food problem and people would go out and hunt coyotes harder for money.

George wrote:
December 28, 2011

YOU ALL MAKE NO SENSE ANTI-HUNTER GOOFS. Get a life. Alot of people use the meat as well it saves 100.00's of dollars and feeds many. Also creates and maintains many jobs as well. Lisences alone is a lot of money for the state. Maybe some of you should drive less and hit less deer or build less summer homes. Get real and think from all sides don't just talk to run your mouth you all sound silly.

Richard wrote:
November 30, 2011

There are so many more coyotes in Maine. Or at least as many as there are deer in this coyote populated state. Too many coyotes; new saying; if it's gray it's down.

radwjw wrote:
April 13, 2011

Bring back wolf to control coyote? Well consider that DNA studies of Maine coyote show average of 50% canine lupus in Maine coyotes; thought to be from breeding of western coyote with Canadian wolves. So we already have "wolves" in Maine. That is why the Maine coyote is so much bigger than any other coyote and demontrates pack hunting similar to wolves. Secondly, pure wolf introduction will decrease the Maine wolf-coyote hybrid, but guess what wolves eat? Deer. radwjw

Brian wrote:
April 10, 2011

Why doesn’t the Gov. think about stopping hunting for a season, there’s a fringing thought. I’m sure the hunters will survive one season without hunting. It’s not a necessity in life to hunt anymore, so all you hunters suck it up. Like Jane said introduce wolfs, the coyotes natural predator. Solve this problem the way nature intended. I can see the people in charge don’t want to look at other ways to deal with this issue. But then if they introduce wolf’s people will cry about that to. By the way, all you hunters who think I’m a hippy tree lover, think again. I can probably out shoot a majority of you and track and animal farther into the woods than most of you walk on a daily basis. I love the nature, and yes I would kill an animal if I had to in a survival situation. I don’t need to kill an animal to make myself feel like a man.

jane wrote:
April 10, 2011

natural predator of the coyote is the wolf maybe we should bring them back did you ever stop to think about that or do all you hunters just think about killing. so sick of hunters wanting to kill our wildlife.

WT wrote:
March 23, 2011

It may be that the coyotes have something to do with the herd, but the slob hunters who think "brown is down" and they're 'entitled' to do so are a bigger problem.
0