DELAWARE - The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is considering multiple changes to the First State’s wildlife regulations, including making coyote hunting season year-round.
According to DNREC’s current regulations, coyote hunting is permitted from Sept. 1 through the end of February. Wildlife officials are now looking to extend that hunting window from the beginning of July to the end of June.
DNREC says coyotes are invasive to Delaware and were slow to range into the First State due to it being a peninsula. In fact, Delaware is recognized as the 49th state populated by coyotes, and Hawaii is the only state remaining without a coyote population.
“Hardly any animal in America is more adaptable to changing conditions,” DNREC says. “The coyote can live in deserts, swamps, tundra, grasslands and dense forests, from below sea level to high mountains. They have now learned to live in suburbs and cities.”
As WBOC has previously reported, coyote sightings have been on the rise in Delaware. DNREC says extending the hunting season for coyotes would allow for better management of the species and provide increased opportunities for hunters.
“Coyotes are a smart and adaptive invasive species, extending the season will allow hunters to better manage the population, and help prevent the negative impact coyotes can pose to local ecosystems and native wildlife,” a public comment submitted to DNREC reads.
But not everyone supports the proposed change, with some arguing the presence of coyotes in Delaware could help with destructive deer populations.
“My primary crops are corn, soybeans, and hay,” a farmer’s public comment to DNREC reads. These crops are significantly damaged every year by deer, in spite of my efforts[.] Since coyotes are known to be a predator of deer - especially young or injured - I strongly oppose the proposed rule to allow year-round hunting.”
Another proposed change in wildlife regulations would eliminate the requirement that hunters report a harvested coyote to the Division of Fish and Wildlife by the end of the next business day.
DNREC’s other proposed regulation changes include changes to youth hunting policies, Sunday gamebird hunting, and harvest reporting. DNREC is currently welcoming public input on the various changes until Friday, September 12.
A virtual public hearing on the various wildlife regulation changes, including coyote hunting, is also scheduled for tonight, Aug. 27, at 6 p.m. You can access that virtual hearing here.