Georgia Urges Hunters To Kill Coyotes

ATLANTA, GA — Calling coyotes non-native predators, the state of Georgia has announced a contest encouraging hunters to kill as many of the animals as possible.

The Georgia Coyote Challenge, announced this week, runs from March to August. For each confirmed coyote kill, up to five each month, hunters earn an entry into a contest to win a free, lifetime hunting license in the state.

"Currently, scientific research suggests that removal of coyotes during the spring and summer is the most advantageous time to reduce the impact of predation on native wildlife," the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said on its website. "We want to encourage coyote removal efforts during this critical period."

According to the DNR, coyotes can be found in every county in Georgia and have a unique ability to live in a variety of habitats. Trapping and hunting them is legal and there is no closed season on their harvest.

The department describes coyotes as a nuisance animal, saying that increased sightings in recent years have caused concerns from homeowners for their property and safety.

While they tend to avoid danger, the DNR says, "problems sometimes do occur as these predators become increasingly tolerant of human interactions."

Small house pets, especially cats, young or small livestock and poultry are vulnerable to attack by coyotes.

Animal rights groups, however, call the Coyote Challenge wrong-headed and cruel.

"The Atlanta Coyote Project strongly rejects this wildlife-killing contest as both inhumane and unwise," that group said on its website. "For a state agency whose mission is to 'sustain, enhance, protect and conserve Georgia’s natural, historic and cultural resources' to sponsor such a program is reprehensible."

The group, which aims to educate the public about coyotes and teach ways to reduce problems while living near them, says there's no hard data that shows coyotes are a significant threat to the rest of Georgia's natural ecosystem.

It also calls the theory that encouraging more hunting will decrease the coyote population "highly suspect."

"More than likely, it will lead to an increase in coyote numbers over time as competition is reduced and a resurgence occurs," the group said.

The DNR says that scientific research suggests removal of coyotes during the spring and summer is the best time to reduce their impact on native wildlife. In Georgia, pup-rearing season for coyotes begins in March.

Hunters wanting to participate in the challenge must present the coyote carcasses at one of the DNR's game management offices.

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