Sportsmens Alliance Foundationis responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Online comments may return when we have better tech tools for managing them. S.281 is currently under consideration by the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee. There have been some tense moments in the Committee on Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife in recent weeks as members worked toward a compromise. Otter trapping season now includes the entire month of March. But to be effective and enforceable, a single bill banning the waste of game animals must cover a lot of ground. Charles Storrow, a lobbyist hired by the Vermont Wildlife Coalition, also expressed displeasure with the compromise. endobj Act Now! M-F, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST. News + Opinion Measure the inside distance between the outer frames of the trap. A person who incidentally traps a dog or cat shall notify a Vermont State Game Warden or the department within 24 hours of discovering the animal. Carcasses shall be surrendered to authorized department staff at the time of tagging. He asked if I was filming, and I acknowledged that I was and explained to him the reasons for documenting his hound hunting activities were in support of S.281. Burlington School District Presents Detailed High School Plans, 3. "If we're going to have a wanton waste bill that basically stands for the principle that if you shoot a wild animal, you either have to use it for its food, pelt or taxidermy, then that should apply to all animals," Storrow said. A light may also be used to illuminate a raccoon once treed by a dog, or dogs, during the training season. Pelts shall be presented to authorized department staff for tagging. If it became law, it would be one of the strongest in the nation. Shoot a deer; eat the meat. Galdenzi thinks that even if the imperfect bill wouldn't have a significant impact on how coyotes are hunted today, it could eventually have a profound, positive effect on the state's hunting culture. Until then, both coyotes and human hunters help fill that niche, and we are grateful to them both for being here. The hounds also damaged her greenhouse. Ourevidenceof this crueltycommitted by hound hunters isnt the result of painstaking investigations in the field, its gathered by simply scrolling through Facebook groupswhere Vermont coyote hounders proudly share their kills. Many say they shoot the animals to control their numbers and to keep them wary of humans. stream Like most hunting bills, it is a divisive issue that has sparked debate between hunters and non-hunters. Coyote Hunting Spurs Debate Over Ethics And Ecology.

<>/Metadata 33 0 R/ViewerPreferences 34 0 R>> S.281 says a hunter cant go after a coyote with a dog unless they have a permit from the Fish & Wildlife commissioner.

It is illegal to participate in a coyote hunting competition for a prize. Take photos and videos and submit to us. Coyotes have virtually zero protections in the state of Vermont. A person shall not possess fur or skin of a fur-bearing animal that was taken illegally. In most cases, the fewer coyotes you kill, the fewer youll have. High-End Weed Breeder Dan Pomerantz Brings His West Coast Skills to the NEK, 3. Terenzini barked in retort. One Vermont hound hunter posted pictures of his hounds attacking a bleeding exhausted coyote and another photo of himself standing over the dead animal in a pool of blood. %PDF-1.7 Send us a messageor tweet us@vermontedition. Affluent, urban anti-hunters who can afford, enjoy and have access to reliable internet connections were overrepresented in this single hearing. Why dont we allow the hunting of coyotes? post your service, apartments On February 26th, 2022 I grabbed our cameras and headed to Addison County, where residents have reported multiple conflicts with coyote hunters who trespass and block roads. S.281 would ban the hunting of coyotes with hounds, while S.201 would ban the use of leghold traps for all game animals.

Past proposals have tried and failed to prevent wasteful practices without also "making people outlaws when they are still using most of the animal," Royar said. Except for the setting of traps as provided above, a person shall not interfere in any manner with dams, dens, or houses of beaver except upon prior written approval from the commissioner. "We thought it would be easy," recalled Brenna Galdenzi, the cofounder and president of Stowe-based Protect Our Wildlife. 2022 Live call-in discussion: Vermont lawmakers are considering a bill that would lead to more regulation of coyote hunting in the state. Burlington Council Grants Beta a 75-Year Lease at Airport, 2. Thats because under normal conditions, only the dominant (alpha) male and female in a coyote pack breed. Coyotes are also hunted with hounds. Chris Bradley, president of the Vermont Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, called that an "exceedingly gross exaggeration" meant to "inflame and mislead the public. Nowadays in Vermont, like most other states, coyotes can be hunted every day of the year with no bag limit. In January 2021, Senate bill 281 was introduced which would prohibit the use of hounds as a means to hunt coyotes. Well check it out and report the results. Vermont Family Forests info@familyforests.org, 14 School Street, Suite 202A | PO Box 254 | Bristol, VT 05443 | tel 802.453.7728, Colby Hill Ecological Project Research Reports. The committee then scheduled this hearing at the end of the day with less than 18 hours notice, said Lynn. O+2oKEEZ)* )w1B{Ee P6Ifo[ kPh^1DkTu|=IM7d1hvhS*z!OC6*!y$!qnY4i9rP6h7any[-*$JAAfDjlX9z/dl5rN*Wp)SfvK,!RxK;olEKitt-Yq9xX9**QIUA@q6W]b["LJ\jkdq State laws have reflected that view, with an open season that allows coyotes to be killed without limits. That means people who shoot Eastern coyotes which hunters can do day or night, all year, without limit may continue to do so, with no obligation to put their furry carcasses to any use. OK?" Contacts for committee members: Senator Becca Balint: bbalint@leg.state.vt.us (802) 257-4162 (Senate President Pro Tempore) "This is a very big step forward for Vermont's wildlife and ethical hunting," said Rep. Amy Sheldon (D-Middlebury), who sponsored the bill and chairs the committee. When one or both alphas are killed, other coyotes in the pack vie for dominance, breeding at younger ages, birthing many more pups, and often spreading into new territory. The House Committee on Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife approved a bill on Tuesday that would require most game animals taken in the state to be used for food or fur. But now, nearly four years later, lawmakers are closing in on that most elusive of quarry a compromise. The fur buyers license is available from Fish & Wildlife in Springfield (phone 802-289-0613). Latest coronavirus numbers -- WCAX continuing coverage, Leahy returns to hospital for 2nd hip operation. February 15, 2022 The hunter felt that coyotes were the reason he saw little evidence of rabbit or grouse in the forest. On VFFs lands, the day may come when mountain lions and wolves are once again top predators. Landowner permission is required to trap on all private property not owned by the trapper. The lack of fair chase, inherent cruelty resulting from pursuing prey dozens of miles, and the conflict created for private landowners by hound trespass have all been cited as reasons for S.281. PHOTO PUBLISHED ON FACEBOOK BY VERMONT COYOTE HOUNDER. By becoming a member of Sportsmen's Alliance youre taking an important step to help protect and promote our outdoor heritage.

All traps under ice will be marked with a tag visible above the ice. Sianay Chase Clifford Drops Out of U.S. House Race, 4. The permission agreement stipulates that the hunters agree NOT to hunt or trap black bear, bobcat, coyote, fisher, moose, raccoon, red and gray fox, and gray squirrel. The current language merely calls for an animal to be "processed for food" and says the "inedible or unusable parts or portions" can be discarded. The answer is no. home/garden A person may set a trap within 10 feet of the nearest point, above the water, of a beaver house or dam only from the 4th Saturday in October through the last day of February, all dates inclusive.

"Hopefully, a wiser steward and more effective steward in the future can take care of the coyote issues," McCullough said. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Is Hunting Still Part Of Vermont's Culture? Coyotes have virtually zero protections in the state of Vermont. Puppies are orphaned each year when their parent(s) are killed. They eat small rodents, plants, fruit, deer, snowshoe hare, cottontail rabbits, woodchucks, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and more. Lets remain vigilant and stand with the coyotes until they are safe from dog hunters in Vermont! Dozens of states already have such laws, and many hunting groups support them. Such tags shall remain affixed to the pelts until tanned. Vermont's Strategy? Alternatively, the animal can be "processed for its fur, hide or feathers" or "used for taxidermy." The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is also proposing stricter conditions and a regulated season on hunting coyotes with hounds, but that does not address the inherent cruelty associated with a sport that allows hunters to use multiple vehicles, GPS-collared packs of hounds, snowmobiles and bait to pursue one animal sometimes for dozens of miles until they can run no longer. % The skins of bobcat, otter and fisher legally taken may be possessed, transported, bought and sold only when tagged and marked as hereinafter provided. His pro-hunting group found an ally in Rep. Leland Morgan (R-Milton), who told his colleagues last month that many people felt that the original bill was "deceptive" and likely to make them distrustful of lawmakers. Vermont 4 0 obj Police, Firefighter Unions Back Kenney for Chittenden State's Attorney, 7. More Hunting. Many rural Vermonters regard coyotes as nuisance predators that threaten livestock and desirable game species such as deer. Scott signs bill limiting coyote hunting with dogs. Rep. Sheldon said she realized that lawmakers needed to step in with a wanton waste bill after the Fish & Wildlife Board refused to take up the issue in 2018, even after a retired game warden implored its members to do so. The hound ran past his owners truck and back onto posted lands, alongside a clear track left by a coyote fleeing the hound. "Coyote hounding is nothing more than a barbaric form of dogfighting," Kittell said. Before European settlement, their range lay west of the Mississippi River, but they expanded their range east as settlers cleared land and killed off large predators in the eastern US. Thanks for reading. It also clarifies that "generally accepted hunting or trapping practices," such as field dressing a kill and leaving the guts behind, are not considered waste. This was the same hounder I filmed standing in the road with his scoped rifle who later retrieved his hound that had come out of the woods where I had seen it cross earlier that morning.

In recent decades, images of coyote carcasses strung up like laundry or stacked like cordwood as a result of hunting contests have stoked public outrage. In such a forest, species that tend to live in young forest habitatlike snowshoe hare and ruffed grousewill likely become less abundant, at least until a major storm event blows open big holes in the forest canopy. "You're really trying to say, 'Look, utilize the animal that you take, in the best way that you possibly can.' "I just wish that the next time he comes in, you could be a little more civil to him," Terenzini told Sheldon. S.281 says a hunter cant go after a coyote with a dog unless they have a permit from the Fish & Wildlife commissioner. Politics. The video shown herewas shared by Vermont hounders who said their hounds chased the coyote for miles before the exhausted animal sought refuge near a home where it was shot. I was just outside of Shoreham, Vermont, less than a mile from the Lake Champlain shoreline when I came over a hill and saw a hound truck parked in the same direction but on the left side of the narrow dirt road. A person shall not set a trap between December 31 and the following fourth Saturday in October unless the trap is in the water, under the ice, or on a float in the water. Appointed last October, he raised eyebrows at a committee meeting in late January when he proposed adding "fertilizer" to the list of approved uses for killed animals. Wolf Patrol submitted written testimony to the Senate Natural Resources & Energy Committee, but we wanted to also take a look for ourselves at the growing problem hunting coyotes with hounds has created for Vermont landowners and the public opposed to the cruelty associated with the sport. Royar asked. On February 24 & 25, 2022 the committee heard testimony related to the bill, which is expected to be voted on the week of March 8. Pelts shall be presented to authorized department staff for tagging. Carcasses shall be surrendered to authorized department staff at the time of tagging. inCraftsbury, Vermont [where] a mother and her two young children witnessedhounds running down an injured coyote. Because of that, humans kill more than 400,000 coyotes across the country every year. ", Canis latrans were first documented in Vermont in the 1940s, though they've now established themselves throughout the Northeast. All rights reserved. Mikaela Lefrak joined VPR in summer 2021 as co-host and senior producer of 'Vermont Edition'. | Updated April 5, 2022 at 2:32 p.m. Published February 15, 2022 at 3:47 p.m. But its the use of hounds especially in winter time where most of the cruelty has been witnessed. "It just doesn't seem open and honest and fair to create a season on coyotes in this manner," Morgan argued.

Before moving to Vermont, she was a journalist in New York City for 20 years. In these dynamic forest communities, coyotes add to wildlife species richness while performing some of the ecological tasks once performed by wolves and mountain lions. Every trap a trapper sets on lands they do not own is required to have their name and address permanently and legibly attached to the trap or engraved on the trap. This report was compiled by the Vermont Coyote Coexistence Coalition that documents not only the cruel and unethical hunting of coyotes with hounds, but also the complete disregard and disrespect shown towards coyotes in general. Trap a coyote; sell the pelt. The bill contains a number of exemptions, such as when an animal was wounded and couldn't be retrieved, was sick, or was taken "in defense of property." The houndsare relentless; theyinjure, maul,andbrutally kill their prey who is often left defenseless as seen here: Vermont coyote hounders have shared numerous photoslike thisdepictingtheirhounds running down an injured coyote to its death. On Wednesday, Governor Phil Scott signs two bills related to hunting in Vermont. Though the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources fields scattered reports of wolf and mountain lion sightings each year, there are no known resident populations of these large predators. By the late 1800s, settlers had extirpated (made locally extinct) both timber wolves and mountain lionsthis lands native large predators. Share this information with your legislators found. As I drove past the hound hunter with the rifle, he slowed down and raised his hand like he wanted to talk, so I pulled over and he reversed until he was in line with my drivers side window. ;f7.\S?m`jHsr37x3'n9v\2qj7e:QMm]`8jJeAv Senator Richard McCormack: rmccormack@leg.state.vt.us (802) 793-6417. If the agreement holds the bill still requires approval by the full House, Senate and governor it would mark a breakthrough in one of the longest and most polarizing wildlife management debates in the state. The hounds also damaged her greenhouse. Sheldon seemed stunned by the suggestion and asked Herrick to repeat himself. By doing so they add to the forests capacity for self-renewal. 255 So.

Since 2014, Seven Days has allowed readers to comment on all stories posted on our website. A central part of the debate is whether dogs should be used to hunt coyotes. Such tags shall remain affixed to the pelts until tanned. As a result,those lands are growing toward mature, climax forest habitat, interspersed with small, wind-created openings. 2022 Sportsmen's Alliance. Sportsmen need to contact committee members immediately and express strong opposition to Senate Bill 281. DNA analysis shows the eastern coyotes genetic makeup as 64% coyote, 13% gray wolf, 13% eastern wolf, and 10% domestic dog. A person shooting raccoons during the raccoon hunting season shall use a .22 caliber rimfire firearm or a shotgun with #2 shot or smaller. Share this information with your neighbors, friends, and family and ask them to join our efforts to ban hounding. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. With one exception: The bill, H.411, would exempt coyote hunters from the wanton waste rules. All of the evidence collected is from Vermont. The original bill would not have exempted coyotes, which hunting organizations took as an attempt to create a "de facto season" on the animals, said Mike Covey, president of the Vermont Traditions Coalition. During the moratorium, the Fish and Wildlife Board would write rules aimed at reducing conflicts between coyote hunters and landowners. endobj <> Hunting Champlain St. Ste. For example, some people have interpreted drafts of wanton waste bills as requiring hunters to use or consume all edible parts of an animal. Research overwhelmingly suggests that the best way to nurture healthy natural communities and wildlife populations is to restore and protect healthy habitat. Share this information with your legislators found hereand other elected officials and ask them if they will sponsor legislation to ban hounding. The fur during those months is denser and more valuable, so most trappers can sell the pelts of the coyotes they kill. A person shall not use toothed foothold traps or snares when trapping. That includes the type used and where theyre placed. A person who takes bobcats, otter or fisher during these seasons shall notify authorized department staff within 48 hours of the close of the season.

Furbearer Hunting & Trapping, Beaver, Otter, Mink, Fisher, Marten, Lynx, Wolf, Mountain Lion, Mink, Skunk, Red & Gray Fox, Raccoon, Coyote, Opossum, Weasel. Anyone dealing in pelts must have a valid fur buyers license. The second law, S.201, tasks the commissioner of Vermont Fish & Wildlife to come up with best practices when it comes to trapping. From December 17 to December 31, both dates inclusive, in order to minimize incidental bobcat harvest during the remainder of the fisher season, a person shall not set a body-gripping trap with a jaw spread over 6 inches measured inside the jaws (see Body-gripping Trap diagram) unless the trap is set 5 or more feet above the ground, or in the water. We allow hunting on VFF lands by written permission,a process that helps us connect directlywith hunters and share information back and forth. x\[oF~70@_b=\8E_;&D]E7{e8J#E-)wxQ'Q~w4OA7[w|1l~,a^\{;^'=%>K6C5A6ullStM,T-;u!>PEFO~|`W6^J-LJlbD(\SK+rsIKDi )O|Qd"%BkQK;!:q$LA!%2d\?^ MSl6Hh'fK3jji16 }gLA8p8ml+;\N%)3f Q,ZaV_)0|R&l LGdt-r#pLcvuG pedysf6o)

A signed affidavit attesting to having a prior trapping license. All content A person shall not disturb or destroy a beaver or muskrat den or place a trap on or in the den, or in the entrance to the den. Copyright 2022 WCAX. The Senate Natural Resources & Energy Committee has heard testimony from all sides with many supporters of the bill identifying as hunters themselves, but who consider modern hound hunting practices to be highly unethical. Over the next hour, multiple trucks some with hounds were jockeying alongside the roads trying to place themselves in line for a shot, once the pursued coyote crossed the road the hunters were watching from their trucks. Trapping is highly regulated, with a season that starts in late October and runs through December. The antennas from their handheld GPS receivers could be seen in their hands and the hound hunter I spoke too, had his uncased rifle snugly tucked next to his right leg inside the cab of his truck where he could access it quickly. We celebrate them, and deeply appreciate their presence. The measurement is still the MAXIMUM distance as shown in this picture: Trapping License Required of Wildlife Control Trapper, A previous or current trapping license from any state or Canadian province; or, A certificate showing satisfactory completion of a trapper education course, in any state or Canadian province; or. Since beginning our investigation of coyote hound hunting practices in Vermont, Wolf Patrol has discovered that the practice is quite common in the winter months when no other big game seasons are open. ", The original print version of this article was headlined "Coyote Loophole? Trapping, coyote bills advance out of Vt. Senate, Activists take aim at coyote hunting in Vermont. With climate change, these powerful storm events are becoming increasingly common. Find out what issues our Government Affairs department is currently battling to protect your outdoor heritage. In a telling concession, however, Storrow said his group was "not going to let perfect be the enemy of good" and urged the legislation to proceed regardless. Fish & Wildlife Department publications refer to coyotes as "one of the least understood and most maligned creatures of the state.". S. 281 would prohibit the use of hounds to hunt coyotes, with a proposed amendment authorizing state game wardens to issue one-time only depredation permits where hounds could be used to hunt coyotes that pose a threat to life or property on private lands. The addition of one or more bars to the inside of the frame does not change the way these traps are measured. Were glad for the opportunity to offer our perspectives. Hunting coyotes with hounds has grown in the Northeastern part of the United States in pace with the coyotes firm establishment as an apex predator where once wolves and mountain lions also roamed. To criticize, correct or praise our reporting, please send us a letter to the editor. Da Capo Publishing, Inc. One Vermont coyote hounder joked about shooting coyotes off a bait pile from his window. 4828 and who desires to keep the pelt shall notify authorized department staff within 84 hours of the taking. The idea behind the bill seemed simple enough: Require hunters to use the animals they kill. Not all are pleased with the compromise. Senator Chris Bray: cbray@leg.state.vt.us (802) 453-3444 (Committee Chairman) {Warning: it is graphic.}. | Bill would require Vermont hunters to eat, skin or mount prey except for Canis latrans", Tags: Politics, hunting, wanton waste, coyotes, Canis latrans, Burlington Council Grants Beta a 75-Year Lease at Airport, Burlington School District Presents Detailed High School Plans, Sianay Chase Clifford Drops Out of U.S. House Race. Burlington, VT 05401, French Students Run Montpelier Crpe Cart to Raise Money for School Trip, From the Publisher: Four Memorial Services and a Wedding, "This is a very big step forward for Vermont's wildlife and ethical hunting. A third bill, S.129, would open up the Fish & Wildlife Board to nonhunters and limit its powers. At another point, Sheldon challenged Herrick's characterization that there was no season on coyote hunting. New Vermont Law Eases Process for Changing Gender on Birth Certificates, 6. A person shall not take a fur-bearing animal from its den by cutting, digging, smoking, by the use of chemicals, or by the use of mechanical devices. "If somebody eats the tongue or the eyeballs or the liver, does that mean everybody has to eat the tongue, the eyeballs and the liver to meet that regulation?" A Vermont Drug Company's Failure to Maintain Standards Led to Recalls and Its Demise, 7. A light may be used to illuminate and shoot a raccoon once treed by a dog, or dogs, during the raccoon hunting season. 3 0 obj Renters' Prison: How a Merciless Market of Unchecked Rent Hikes Traps Vermont Tenants, 2. While some senators feigned concern about the situation, the committees decision to fast-track the bill this week sends the message that the views of rural Vermonters and hunters who support scientific wildlife management but suffer under the states poor infrastructure were never really considered at all..

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