Commissioners Stalking Solution To Coyote Problem
Over/Under on how much local GovCo will end up spending in its pursuit to contain or eradicate coyote: I’ll put it at $365K and roll with the Over. In any event, county commissioners heard an update on the area’s burgeoning coyote trouble during their meeting this week. This from WCNC:
Over the past few months, there’s been a surge in coyote sightings around the Charlotte area. Family pets have been mauled, injured, and in a few cases, killed. A new website created by the county last week has already received 125 reports of coyotes spotted in neighborhoods.
…
A new state proposal to allow bow hunting of coyotes on Sunday nights on private land looks unlikely, at least in Charlotte. The city has a policy against bow hunting, and [Commissioner Jennifer] Roberts says it wouldn’t be feasible in the county either.
”Bow hunting is not really an option. It’s more dangerous than it is effective,” Roberts added.
North Carolina law allows hunting coyote all year long with guns during the day but not on Sundays because of Blue Laws. Charlotte’s city laws, however, does not allow residents to hunt coyote with guns.
Roberts says the coyotes would likely require a long-term management plan. She hopes the new website will at least allow the county to track where the packs of coyotes seem to be the most concentrated so neighbors can be alerted.
Ahem, ‘long-term management plan” being standard government-speak for insanely expensive and usually futile boondoggles. Right on cue at Tuesday night’s board meeting there were passing references to the possibility of developing a government program, plan, comprehensive strategy, whatever, to corral the coyote problem. Personally, I like Commissioner Neil Cooksey’s take on a solution.
“I’m kind of in the shoot first, ask-questions-later school of thought when it comes to coyotes,” Cooksey said. “And that’s what the law of NC says – there’s an open season on coyotes as long as you’re in a designated hunting zone. Unfortunately, the city of Charlotte doesn’t allow firearms to be used within the city limits.”
Mecklenburg Park and Recreation Wildlife Resources Manager Chris Matthews told commissioners that county staff and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission don’t have the budgets – at least not now, nudge-nudge – to handle large-scale trapping and removal of coyote. His suggestion for residents who encounter coyotes was to contact a licensed trapper or wildlife damage control agent.
Opined Commissioner Dumont Clarke of the coyote, “Unlike the feral cats and the geese, I don’t think this one’s going away.”
Perhaps he should take a stroll through the Department of Social Services parking lot, which is still ankle deep in geese poop. Here’s hoping the county has more luck getting rid of coyotes.
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