Monday, March 25, 2013

Utah offering cash reward for dead coyotes

A program in Utah is rewarding people $50 for every coyote they kill. The Predator Control Program, through the state Division of Wildlife Resources, aims to reduce coyote populations to protect mule deer. To qualify, participants only need to complete free online training and registration. Money for the bounties comes from the state Mule Deer Protection Act, which has allotted $500,000 in rewards for dead coyotes.

The program has received enthusiastic support from many local hunters, reports Grant Olsen of KSL in Salt Lake City. One hunter told Olsen he "believes the program has a positive impact on deer herds. Opponents argue that the bounty program has no effect on deer herds, causes ecological problems and is a waste of state resources."

"The bounty program represents one of the nation’s largest hunter-based efforts to manage predatory wildlife," reports Melena Ryzik of The New York Times. "Though no one knows how many coyotes there are in Utah, the law allows for as many as 10,000 animals to be killed. Six months into the collection, the remains of 5,988 coyotes had been turned in."

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