The South Carolina Senate should NOT pass the Hunting Bill H4943 that just passed the house without the removal of the "Coyote $1,000 Lottery"
The SCDNR has stated coyote's are out of control vermin because they kill young deer that COULD impact the population in the future. However, we all know really what they are concerned about is the coyote is naturally controlling the deer population so hunting season will be shortened because nature is controlling it instead of man. Yes the DNR revenue from the sale of deer hunting licenses, traps, and gear will be less in the future.
Furthermore to accept that it's ok for a state to create a money lottery to capture, tag, and release wild animals only to be sport hunted is barbaric thinking and a sick game. And then to fund it with our tax dollars is a crime.
In close high levels of human-caused mortality of top predators can jeopardize ecosystem health in several ways as smaller predators can become over-abundant (e.g., raccoons), herbivores can become over-abundant (e.g., rabbits, ungulates), disease risks can increase, (Science, 2014, 343:6167, 1241484).
Please stand with me to voice against the $1,000 reward for killing pre tagged coyotes in SC.
