What are your thoughts on coyote management in North Carolina?

The NCWRC is asking for public input on its Coyote Management Plan draft through Feb. 9, 2018.

NCWRC seeking public comments on coyote management

What do you think of regulations regarding hunting and trapping coyotes in North Carolina? One thing is certain –– coyotes are well-established throughout the state, and evidence exists that they are harmful to deer hunting and other wild game hunting to some extent.

Hunting and trapping these canines is legal, and the regulations are relatively liberal when compared to other animals across the state. But is it enough? Do you think the NCWRC and other organizations are doing all they can to help with the population of coyotes in the state?

While it’s frustrating to feel as though you’re helpless in a matter that’s governed by an agency that you have no control over, it’s even more frustrating to watch other hunters sit back and do nothing but complain about something that they could have an impact on if they’d only take the time to voice their opinion on the subject. That’s what the NCWRC is asking from residents right now, and they will receive comments from the public through Feb. 9 on its draft Coyote Management Plan.

The draft of the Coyote Management Plan is a 187-page plan that the agency put together in response to a request from the N.C. General Assembly to address the manner and degree which coyotes are having on residents, businesses, and animals that are native to North Carolina.

The Coyote Management Plan is not what the NCWRC will present to the General Assembly, but is a starting point that will be expanded upon with the help of public comments. This means you have a say in what may become new laws governing the hunting of coyotes.

It’s easy to sit back and say “well, they’d never go along with my ideas,” and then complain endlessly on social media and around hunting camp, but doing nothing more than that makes you part of the problem when you could be part of the solution instead.

Maybe you’re right. Maybe the NCWRC won’t propose your ideas to the General Assembly, or maybe they will and the General Assembly will shoot them down. But maybe not. And even if they do, your input may still spur conversation and helpful ideas that wouldn’t have come up without your ideas.

Plenty of hunters and trappers complain about firearms restrictions, short trapping seasons, and how the laws hurt our chances at getting a leg up on the coyote problem. Now is your chance to voice that opinion where it counts, and where it could make a difference.

Click here to check out the NCWRC’s Coyote Management Plan, then let them know your own ideas on improving coyote management in North Carolina by sending your comments to coyotemgtplan@ncwildlife.org, or mail them to N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, Coyote Mgmt. Plan, MSC 1722, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1722.

About Brian Cope 2726 Articles
Brian Cope is the editor of Carolina Sportsman. He has won numerous awards for his writing, photography, and videography. He is a retired Air Force combat communications technician, and has a B.A. in English Literature from the University of South Carolina. You can reach him at brianc@sportsmannetwork.com.