I don’t think there are many studies that show hunting helps control populations. Some of the most coyote infested areas I have hunted have had a chopper ran through them a month or two prior to me hunting them. They are one of the smartest animals you will hunt. They put the hurting on wildlife and livestock, there is absolutely no reason to feel bad for shooting one. Coyotes will eat calves and deer while they are still alive, your normal dog isn’t going to do that. They are predators.Considering trying out coyote hunting as a way to hunt through the off season, and work on predator calling in hopes it’ll help come bear season.
My hang up is, what the heck do you do with it afterwards? I’m not going to eat it (unless that’s a thing?) so it seems kinda wasteful. The fact that they’re dogs doesn’t help either. I get that they’re undomesticated…but they’re still a dog. Similar to how everyone was shooting the wild dogs in Afghanistan, just doesn’t feel right.
I’ve heard or read that they aren’t hunted/controlled enough, and their predation is part of what’s leading to the slow growth (or decline even) of the blacktail, turkey, and elk populations. Is there any data to show that hunting them actually makes a difference in reducing the overall coyote population, or helps recover deer/elk/turkey populations?