A bill that seeks to outlaw coyote killing contests in the state will be heard in the legislature during the current session.
If passed, Senate Bill 268 would make it illegal to organize, hold or participate in any “organized or sponsored competition with the objective of killing coyotes for prizes or entertainment.”
“I believe these contests serve no purpose other than killing for the sake of killing,” said bill sponsor Sen. Jeff Steinborn (D-36).
Steinborn sponsored a similar bill during the 2015 regular session, which passed the Senate 27-13 but died in the House.
Steinborn emphasized the bill does not prohibit coyote hunting or the right of citizens to protect their property from them.
“Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a person from protecting a person or property, unless otherwise prohibited by law,” reads the final sentence in the bill.
While supporters of the culls claim the contests help ranchers by controlling coyotes that would potentially kill livestock, proponents of the legislation say they have science on their side.
“There’s lots of scientific evidence that coyotes will regulate their own numbers if you leave them alone and allow them to establish a natural social structure,” said Dave Parsons, science advisor and wildlife biologist with Project Coyote in Albuquerque.
That natural social structure observed by researchers at Yellowstone National Park, includes small packs of animals with a male and female alpha pair, which Parsons said is typically the only pair that breeds.
If the alpha male or female is killed, the social hierarchy is upended, which results in the remaining members of the pack disbursing and breeding, effectively expanding the recently-culled coyote population.
Parsons said the best option is to leave coyote populations alone and use non-lethal tactics, including guard dogs and visual deterrents to keep them away.
Woods Houghton, Eddy County agriculture agent with the Eddy County Cooperative Extension Office, said in his experience he hasn’t seen the exclusive breeding habits mentioned by Parsons.
However, Parsons said that’s because the populations observed in the area are already affected by attempts at controlling numbers.
Houghton said while hunting coyotes is effective for population control, it’s not necessarily efficient.
“It’s not the best but it is a solution,” Houghton said. “Is it the right way to control a population? I can’t tell you. That’s a moral thing that people have to decide.”
Julio Leija of Carlsbad and Tony Torrez of Las Cruces organize coyote killing contests, often for a charitable cause in their communities.
Leija said the hunts help ranchers, but don’t negatively affect coyote numbers.
“Our hunts don’t put a dent in the population of coyotes in southeast New Mexico,” Leija said. “If there’s no population control, they’ll come into our communities and start feeding.”
Parsons contended that by killing off older coyotes, who are responsible for teaching the pups how and what to hunt, the naive, young animals are in fact more likely to hunt in urban areas and kill livestock.
James A. Schmidt II of Dragoon, Arizona, who has worked as a hunter for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and owns the World Championship Coyote Calling Contest, said he worries legislation like SB 268 will lead to laws that will restrict the rights of hunters.
“It’s an act to end hunting in New Mexico,” Schmidt said, who added that while he hunts coyotes, he believes they are “wonderful” and necessary animals.
Schmidt has written several editorials on his concerns.
The bill has yet to be heard by the Senate Conservation Committee.
Maddy Hayden may be reached at 575-628-5512, mahayden@currentargus.com and @Maddy_J_Hayden on Twitter.
