No pity for coyotes

The new $20 provincial bounty on coyotes has drawn some adverse reaction, but it isn’t contentious for people who are living with the explosion in the coyote population. Coyotes are all over the place. Farm cats have become an endangered species on some farms because the coyotes pick them off. The farm dog isn’t safe either. In the daylight, coyotes usually keep their distance from humans, although I’ve seen a few mangy specimens that had no fear. Like most people, I was surprised by the reports of a 19 year old woman killed this fall in Cape Breton by a pair of coyotes. For livestock owners, there’s no doubt that coyotes are deadly. Predation by coyotes is the number one reason why sheep production is not increasing in this province. Some say the coyote population is nature’s way to counterbalance the gopher population. Well, there are lots of areas where the gopher population hasn’t changed much and there are still a disconcerting number of coyotes. The $20 bounty won’t solve the problem, but it will provide a bit more incentive to hunters and trappers in the wake of depressed fur prices. More than anything, it’s a sign the government recognizes that there’s a coyote problem. I’m Kevin Hursh.