The County of St. Paul’s Coyote/Wolf Reduction Incentive Program is heading into its fifth season, which is anticipated to begin in November.
Last year, 1,600 coyotes were killed and turned in for a bounty, while 13 wolves were also hunted and brought in to the county’s public works department. The program began in the 2012 season as a way to help reduce predation on livestock, especially during calving season.
Although he can’t point to any one specific thing that would show the program’s success, County of St. Paul Assistant Agricultural Fieldman Keith Kornelsen says he has noticed as decrease in the amount of poison being given to farmers, which was another way the municipality worked to control coyote levels.
He says he has also heard through word of mouth that there appears to be fewer coyotes in the area. Kornelsen further adds that although the program was initially started to help farmers, the benefits have expanded beyond that, and appear to also be helping acreage owners keep their pets safe.
Over the past four year, there has been steady participation in the program. In 2012, 1,400 coyotes were killed, while in 2013 that number went down to 1,000. In 2014 the number was back up to 1,400, and last year’s bounty saw 1,600 coyotes nabbed.
The wolf bounty has only been in place for two years. The first year three animals were brought in, while 13 wolves were caught last year.
In the first couple years of the program, the bounty only began in January. That was changed in the 2013/14 season when it was expanded to begin in November. The value of a coyote pelt has also increased over the past few years, making hunting the animals more lucrative.
Hunters can get a good price for coyote pelts, says Kornelsen.
“There might be actually more people hunting them . . . because it’s worth it,” he says, adding, having the bounty make it even more worthwhile for hunters to go after the coyotes. The bounty for a coyote from the County of St. Paul has been $15 per animal in the past, and Kornelsen expects that number to remain the same.
When it comes to wolves, Kornelsen says he can’t be entirely sure where the animals are being hunted, but the hunters bringing the animals into the show mostly from the Lake Eliza/Stoney Lake area, the Lindberg area, and north near Mallaig.
The bounty on wolves with the County of St. Paul’s program is $75 per animal.
The bounty program ran from Nov. 1 to April 30, last year, which is also expected to stay the same. The program can end earlier if participation is high and the budget for the bounty runs out.
When a hunter catches a coyote, they must bring it to the County of St. Paul public works shop to claim the bounty. Staff will cut a front paw off the animal, and a cheque is mailed to the hunter. For wolves, staff members take a picture of the animals brought in.
Hunters who participate in the program must be County of St. Paul residents. Only 100 coyotes can be caught by one person in a season, and only 20 coyotes per week and be brought in by the same person. This helps reduce any abuse of the program, says Kornelsen.
