Mountain Pursuit's Standards for Ethical Coyote Hunting

Coyote hunting for sport has become a lightning rod for anti-hunting activists in the United States.

A December, 2018 article in the Montana-based, online magazine Mountain Journal titled "A Death of Ethics: Is Hunting Destroying Itself" highlighted coyote killing contests, social media video posts showing coyotes run down by snowmobiles, and extrapolated this behavior to the broader ethics of all big and small game hunting. As the article title suggests, the author implies the questionable ethics associated with coyote hunting points to a larger ethical deficit amongst all hunting and hunters. 

In 2018, Project Coyote, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Northern California, filmed and produced an award-winning wildlife crime film, "Killing Games: Wildlife in the Crosshairs" which focuses on coyote and other predator hunting contests. 

Protecting the future of big game hunting, and standing steadfast and uncompromising on Fair Chase hunting ethics are key mandates for Mountain Pursuit.

Mountain Pursuit considers the ethical issues and disturbing coyote hunting social media, hunting contests and other images as a potential public perception threat to the future of big game hunting in the West. 

BACKGROUND

In the Western United States, coyotes are classified as predators or unprotected species, and coyote hunting regulations and restrictions are minimal. As as example, few states require any type of license, and no western state has a coyote hunting season or bag limit. See the chart below: 

FRAMING THE ISSUE

1. Regulations governing coyote hunting for sport largely treat coyotes as a lower-class wildlife.

Classifications such as "unprotected predator," "unprotected species," and "unprotected furbearer," open seasons, few licensing requirements and no bag limits all add up to position coyotes as lower class wildlife inline with rodents and vermin. 

2. Most coyote hunters practice Fair Chase ethics, and are astute and sensitive in posting hunting imagery. As well, coyote hunting is a challenging hunting endeavor, and consistently successful coyote hunters have spent years in the field developing their skill set.

Many successful, experienced coyote hunters and big game hunters respect coyotes as smart, tough, adaptable wildlife and challenging prey.

3. Graphic coyote hunting videos, stacks of dead coyotes killed during coyote hunting contests, and not following Fair Chase ethical standards by a relatively few number of coyote hunters are ammo for anti-hunting activists and pose a threat to all small and big game hunting. 

4. Uncontrolled coyote populations are a proven threat to mule deer, antelope, sage grouse and other big and small game species especially during the vulnerable late Spring, early Summer birthing and hatching periods.

5. Uncontrolled coyote populations are proven to damage sheep and cattle ranching operations. In response, many Western states and counties have Predator Control Boards or similar and hire contract hunters to cull coyote populations. 

MOUNTAIN PURSUIT'S STANDARDS FOR ETHICAL COYOTE HUNTING

1. Coyotes should be classified as "Predators" in state regulations in relation to coyote hunting for sport.

2. A "Predator Hunting License" should be required for resident and nonresident sport coyote hunters. Requirements for general big game hunting such as required hunter's safety courses and conservation stamp purchases should also be required for coyote hunting. 

3. Running down coyotes with ATVs, snowmobiles or any other vehicle should be a wildlife violation, and outlawed.

4. Shooting coyotes from an aircraft should not allowed.

5. Electronic calls should not be allowed.

6. Baiting should not be allowed. 

7. Use of artificial light (spotlighting) to hunt coyotes should not be allowed. Hunting at night is allowable, but not with the use of artificial light. 

8. A maximum firearm shot distance of 400 yards should be set and enforced. This shot distance restriction works to keep the Fair Chase balance between hunter and prey. More HERE.

9. Coyote hunting weapons should be limited to firearms with caliber of .22 or greater including shotguns, archery gear including crossbows, and black powder weapons. Airguns should not be allowed.

10. A daily bag limit of 5 coyotes should be set and enforced. 

11. Coyote hunting contests should be banned. 

12. These standards apply to both private and public lands for coyote hunting for sport. 

Note 1:
The above restrictions do not apply to coyote population control operations set by local or state Predator Control Boards and/or Wildlife agencies to protect game species and agricultural operations. 

Note 2:
The above restrictions do not apply to coyote trapping for furbearing. State regulations should clearly separate coyote hunting for sport from coyote trapping for furbearing. Coyote trapping for fur should be covered by applicable trapping regulations.