Kentucky has a growing coyote problem that will need to be addressed, as huge numbers of the animals are roaming across most the state, leaving devastating in their wake, as they kill young farm animals and pets like dogs and cats.What's worse, is once they're through clearing out an area they are in, they move on to the next area and repeat the same.
Sponsoring a bill to deal with the situation is Rep. Fitz Steele, D-Hazard. Here's what he said about the issue:
“The coyote problem isn’t only in Eastern Kentucky, it’s statewide. It’s in the urban area, it’s in downtown Louisville, it’s in Lexington, it’s in Far Western Kentucky. They’ve taken over, killing the small game, the rabbits, the pheasants; and they’re a major problem.”
What House Bill 60 would do to hopefully thin the coyote population would be to allow coyotes to be hunted at night. Being a tough animal to hunt, it is thought it will be easier to find and kill them during those hours.
Hunters would be empowered to use night-vision equipment or spotlights to find them, with the exception of no lights being allowed during the deer hunting season.
One commercial outlet for those who may trap coyote is Asia, where the fur is many times used as part of coat designs. At this time a coyote pelt brings from $15 to $20 each.
The reason for the focus on night hunting is because the coyotes have adapted to interacting around human populations, and so while normally a day animal, now prefer to move and hunt mostly at night.
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