What kills coyotes to eat?

Coyotes are opportunistic omnivores that have adapted to living in a wide variety of habitats across North America. They are intelligent and resilient animals that will eat almost anything they can find or catch. When it comes to killing coyotes for food, there are a few key factors to consider.

What do coyotes eat?

Coyotes are adaptable predators and scavengers. Their diverse diet includes:

• Small mammals like rabbits, rodents, shrews, and squirrels
• Insects and invertebrates
• Reptiles and amphibians
• Fish
• Birds and their eggs
• Fruits, berries, and other plant material
• Carrion – dead animals
• Livestock such as sheep, calves, or poultry
• Pet food, unsecured garbage, compost piles
• Roadkill

Coyotes are opportunistic and will eat whatever is readily available. Their diet varies based on location, season, and food availability. In rural areas they tend to eat more small mammals and carrion. In urban and suburban areas they adapt to eating more human-provided foods.
Coyotes help control rodent and rabbit populations and can be an important part of a balanced ecosystem.

Hunting coyotes for food

In some areas, coyotes are legally hunted for their meat and fur. Coyote meat is said to have a flavor somewhere between pork and chicken, with a texture similar to beef. Their fur is thick and durable.

Some key considerations for hunting coyotes include:

• Check your local hunting regulations – in many areas coyote hunting is legal year-round with a standard hunting license.
• Use predator calls and decoys to attract coyotes within shooting range.
• Hunt at dawn or dusk when coyotes are most active.
• Choose an appropriate caliber rifle or shotgun to humanely kill the animal at close range.
• Aim for a clean shot through the heart/lung area.
• Practice ethical hunting – only take shots you know you can make to kill the animal quickly.
• Field dress and skin the carcass appropriately.
• Use precautions when handling carcasses to avoid exposure to any parasites or diseases.
• Butcher and prepare the meat carefully for cooking..

Trapping coyotes

Another method for obtaining coyotes is trapping. Trapping coyotes requires specific equipment and knowledge to be done legally and humanely. Considerations include:

• Familiarize yourself with local trapping laws and regulations.
• Use only approved traps designed to restrain coyotes without injuring them.
• Check traps frequently to avoid prolonged suffering of any animal caught.
• Use baits and lures designed to specifically attract coyotes like gland lures.
• Take care when releasing non-target animals accidentally caught.
• Kill trapped coyotes quickly and humanely.
• Follow guidelines for preparing pelts if saving the fur.

Because of the specialized equipment and knowledge needed, inexperienced trappers should complete a trapper education course before setting out traps.

Poisoning coyotes

Using poisons is a controversial method to kill coyotes. There are no poisons currently registered by the EPA for killing coyotes. However, some illegal poisons are used indiscriminately resulting in suffering and secondary poisoning of other wildlife. Considerations include:

• Poisoning coyotes is illegal in most states.
• Poisons can take days to kill the animal, causing extreme suffering.
• It is impossible to control what animals ingest the poison – pets or other wildlife could be impacted.
• Poisons may bioaccumulate in the coyote’s body and impact anything that eats it.
• Use of poisons is extremely inhumane and environmentally irresponsible.

For these reasons, most wildlife professionals condemn the use of poisons for predator control except in very limited, regulated cases targeting invasive species.

Other methods

There are a few other techniques sometimes used to kill coyotes, such as:

• Cyanide guns – eject cyanide into the coyote’s mouth causing death in 1-2 minutes. Controversial and banned in some states.
• Denning – killing pups inside the den. Discouraged due to inhumane treatment of pups.
• Aerial gunning – shooting from helicopter. Expensive and often ineffective.
• Snaring – constricting wire nooses. Can lead to suffering if not checked frequently.

All of these methods are controversial due to humaneness concerns and the risk of impacting non-target animals. Most wildlife professionals advocate hunting and trapping using best practices as the most humane options.

Reasons for killing coyotes

There are a variety of reasons people may look to kill coyotes. These include:

• Obtaining meat or fur.
• Controlling livestock predation.
• Protecting game animals for hunting.
• Selling coyotes to fur buyers.
• Protecting pets.
• Preventing habituation in urban areas.
• Pest control.

In many cases, non-lethal control methods like guard animals, fencing, or hazing can be equally or more effective while also being more ethical. The environmental role coyotes play in ecosystems should also be weighed when considering lethal control.

Is it legal to kill coyotes?

The legality of killing coyotes varies by state. Some key regulations include:

• In most states, coyotes are classified as nuisance, predator, or furbearer species with very few protections.
• Hunting or trapping coyotes is legal year-round in most states with appropriate licenses.
• Limits exist on allowable methods for killing coyotes such as poisons.
• Municipalities may have additional restrictions such as discharge laws.
• It is illegal to kill coyotes in national parks and some protected areas.
• Some states require mortality reporting of coyotes killed.

It is important to consult both state and local regulations before lethally taking coyotes. Even if legal, it is also important to use ethical hunting and trapping practices to avoid unnecessary suffering.

Conclusion

Coyotes are highly adaptable predators that will eat almost anything they can obtain. Hunting and trapping coyotes for meat or fur can be done legally and ethically in many states. However, the use of poisons and other inhumane methods to kill coyotes is highly controversial and counter to responsible wildlife management. Non-lethal methods should always be considered first before resorting to killing coyotes. With careful regulation and proper implementation, lethal control of coyotes can have its place in comprehensive predator management. The impacts on ecosystems, animal welfare, and ethics should be weighed carefully before using lethal control on this wild canine species.