Saskatchewan’s coyote control program has killed 71,000 animals and paid landowners and hunters $1.5 million, according to final numbers.That surpassed agriculture minister Bob Bjornerud’s expectations and exceeded estimates provided during the program’s November 2009 to March 2010 run.Normally, hunting and trapping kills about 35,000 coyotes in Saskatchewan. In late March Bjornerud estimated about 30,000 had been killed under the province’s new pilot coyote control program.But many hunters didn’t apply for the $20 per coyote payment until the program ended, which led to a huge jump in the final numbers, he said.Hunters had to turn in all four paws from one animal to be eligible for the money.”The average number was about 14, 15 (coyotes) per applicant but I think the highest we had was about 90,” Bjornerud told reporters.Eighty percent of the province’s 296 rural municipalities participated.Officials will continue to watch the coyote population through the summer but Bjornerud said he didn’t intend to implement an ongoing control program.”Maybe 71,000 isn’t even a small percentage of the number of coyotes out there,” he said. “Part of our problem is we don’t know how many coyotes are out there.”The NDP opposition said the government spent too much money on the program when it could have used the money to keep funding Dutch elm disease and West Nile disease control programs.
Control program claims 71,000 coyotes
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