Public Involvement in Coyote Management Decisions

In 1990, the Legislature passed a bill that would have allowed year-round hunting of coyotes (Canis latrans) in New York\u27s Northern Zone, as opposed to the current system of open and closed hunting seasons established annually by Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) regulation. The bill generated such controversy that it was withdrawn pending a study by DEC. The objectives of the study were to: (1) assess the role of the coyote in northern New York in relation to people, wildlife, and livestock; (2) provide adequate opportunity for citizens to express their opinions concerning coyotes; and (3) prepare a status report with coyote information and management recommendations