GOP legislation seeks to restore year-round coyote hunting in Michigan

A coyote jumping | Environmental Protection Agency photo

Legislation was introduced last week seeking to reestablish year-round coyote hunting in Michigan.

Sponsored by state Rep. Greg Markkanen (R-Hancock), HB 5721 would allow an individual who holds a fur harvester’s license to hunt coyotes the entire year. 

According to Markkanen, the legislation was in response to restrictions, which were adopted by the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) in March, that limited open season on coyotes to July 15 through April 15.

“Allowing coyotes to run unchecked is simply not an option,” he said. “These predators don’t care about seasons or regulations; they’re a constant threat to our livestock, pets and even our children. We can’t afford to tiptoe around the issue. It’s time to face reality: we need to hunt coyotes year-round, no excuses, no exceptions.”

To date, there are no reports of attacks on people by coyotes in Michigan. However, Markkanen noted a recent attack on a sheep at Dearborn’s Greenfield Village, which was blamed on a coyote and said while hunters are still able to kill nuisance coyotes year-round on private land without a permit, the provision only covers certain situations, like emergency instances, which he said restricts “true management” of the coyote population. 

There have been efforts to allow hunting of gray wolves in the state, with the NRC currently weighing the issue.

Previous reports in 2016 about aggressive wolf incidents toward people turned out to be false, and appeared to be motivated by a desire to avoid high-priced reimbursements for beef cattle losses by expanding hunting options. That was precisely the result when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service delisted gray wolves during the Trump administration.

In its decision to limit coyote hunting to nine months of the year, the NRC cited several factors, including the lack of an increase in the coyote harvest since 2016, when the NRC initially voted to open it up year-round. It also noted that the three months in which hunting of coyotes is banned is the same time period that female coyotes typically have dependent young. 

“However, the coyote hunting season will still be one of the most liberal seasons in the state, open for nine months. Additionally, coyotes will still be able to be taken year-round on private land if a coyote is doing damage or physically present where it could imminently cause damage,” stated a Feb. 12 memo signed by half a dozen officials with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), including Sara Thompson, chief of the Wildlife Division and Jason Haines, chief of the Law Enforcement Division.

DNR Spokesperson John Pepin declined to comment for this story when asked by Michigan Advance.

“Coyote hunting plays a critical role in maintaining ecological balance and protecting our communities,” said Rep. Dave Prestin, (R-Cedar River), who also sponsored the legislation. “Coyotes are resilient predators whose populations can quickly grow unchecked, posing threats to livestock and pets. By supporting year-round coyote hunting, we uphold our responsibility to manage wildlife populations responsibly.”

The sheep attack in Dearborn, among dozens of coyote sightings in metro Detroit, prompted police officials there to contemplate an eight-day coyote hunt that was later called off after details were posted on Facebook. While state wildlife officials say coyotes are naturally timid and avoid people whenever possible, they are also highly adaptable and can survive in a variety of environments, including urban areas. 

The hunting restriction also prompted a pair of lawsuits against the NRC. The first was filed in Ingham County by the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC), which argued the restriction was not based on sound science.

“The record is unambiguous: the commission has not heard or cited any scientific literature or rationale justifying the closure,” said Amy Trotter, MUCC’s chief executive officer. “Meanwhile, there were hours of public testimony on the practical benefits of coyote hunting during the spring season, while being reinforced with cited literature.”

A second lawsuit was filed by the Michigan Trappers and Predator Callers (MTPCA) in Mackinac County.

Despite that, the DNR indicated in its Feb. 12 memo that its position to limit the coyote hunting season was not without support.

“Several trapping and hound hunting groups and individuals have requested the Department make this change to the coyote hunting season, due to public perception and potential future impacts to their hunting and trapping opportunities,” it stated, adding that they anticipated the main effect of the restriction would be “reduced recreational opportunity.”

Markkanen, however, insists the decision is political.

“Every member was appointed by Gov. [Gretchen] Whitmer, and the law says they have to use sound science,” he said. “Instead, they caved to political pressure from anti-hunting liberal activists. Their order is pure politics.”

The bill was initially referred to the House Natural Resources, Environment, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee, but was then moved into the Government Operations Committee, normally a repository for legislation unlikely to be taken up for consideration.

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