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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