While some hunters say that coyote populations should be controlled to maintain deer populations in Massachusetts, numbers suggest the coyote population has little impact. New York and Oregon are considering laws on the issue as well. Several states have banned similar hunting contests, including California, Arizona, Vermont, and New Mexico. The agency said it was motivated to prohibit contests because 'public controversy over this issue has the potential to threaten predator hunting and undermine public support for hunting in general.' However, it would not affect other hunting of coyotes. The regulations would make it illegal for a person to 'organize, sponsor, promote, conduct, or participate' in a hunting contest for coyote, bobcat, red fox, gray fox, weasels, mink, skunk, river otter, muskrat, beaver, fisher, raccoon or opossum. 'The recommendation addresses public concerns that these hunting contests are unethical, contribute to the waste of animals, and incentivize indiscriminant killing of wildlife, inconsistent with the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation,' MassWildlife said on its website.Īfter holding several listening sessions across the state, MassWildlife has recommended that the Fisheries and Wildlife Board prohibit hunting contests for predators and furbearers, prohibit 'wanton waste' of all wildlife, and impose new reporting requirements on fox and coyote harvests. BOSTON – Motivated by public outcry, the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife has recommended banning hunting contests for coyotes.

Fox and coyote hunting