Michigan coyote season fight

There is a fight going on in michigan over the length of coyote season
Im hopeing the trapping community can pitch in and help

Below i copied and pasted the info


Sportsman state and nation wide I am calling out to yall to help fellow sportsman. This week the Michigan NRC Commission voted 4-2 in favor of ending the year round coyote season.

Yes this is bad but what is in the back ground of the bigger picture is they ripped a giant hole into the Proposal G of 1996 and went against Sound Scientific data which protects all sportsman whom enjoy the outdoor opportunities in the state of Michigan for residents as well as non-residents abroad.

As a Director of the Predator Callers at Large I assure you we are currently working hard and tirelessly to put up a fight for all of our fellow hunters.

I am asking that anyone and everyone who can donate funds to our organization be it you are a Predator hunter or not this is not just about losing a 12 month season rather upholding a Law voted by the people and set into legislation in 1996.

Help us join in the fight to protect the rights we are promised and set a precedent for our neighboring states that we will not lie down or fall to our knees and surrender rather we will go down fighting on our feet!!!

Please don't feel like we are asking a lot donate what you can be it $1 or $1000 anything and everything is greatly appreciated

https://swipesimple.com/links/lnk_6...riB8Ohx_0X_qs8MpURhHzfC9lBC-Kic4VyHzXyUM

Information
NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION
Mark "David" Anthony
Bark River, MI 49855
anthonydave473@gmail.com
Appointed: 1/7/22
Term Expires: 12/31/25

Tom Baird, Chair
PO Box 837
Elk Rapids, MI 49629
517-290-6647
tombaird51@gmail.com
Appointed: 3/25/21
Term Expires: 12/31/24

Robin Michigiizhigookwe Clark
Sault Sainte Marie, MI 49783
michigiizhigookwe@gmail.com
Appointed: 1/1/24
Term Expires: 12/31/27

David Cozad
2037 Briar Drive
Bay City, MI 48706
989-529-1659
Appointed: 3/25/21
Term Expires: 12/31/24

Pete Eardley
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
616-970-4664
Appointed: 1/1/24
Term Expires: 12/31/27

David Nyberg
Marquette, MI 49855
906-250-6339
Appointed: 10/08/18
Reappointed: 2/2/23
Term Expires: 12/31/26

John W. Walters
600 Silver Pine Circle #8
Gaylord, MI 49735
231-313-0057
john.walters.8ft4wt@gmail.com
Appointed: 2/2/23
Term Expires: 12/31/26

this is big, we need them to follow the law, it's the only thing we have left if they can do this, they can do anything they want, this is coming from the governor's office.

Ttt

I was told the Michigan Houndsmen Assoc.was behind this.Not surprised.They always get what they want

Can you please provide a source ref the gov's office..?

Given the long history of politics getting involved in wildlife management decisions in the state I would like to hear the details behind where this proposal came from, etc vs what drove the prior decision to open the season for entire 12 months. Is it being driven from within the current administration or something else?

Does Michigan allow thermal night hunting? We have it here, specifically a coyote season but I know fox and cats are being shot too.

yes, fox and coyotes. cats not included

As mentioned, my gut tells me that the hounds men organization does not like the competition that the thermal hunters have put on the coyote population.

A picture was put up on one of our associations website and in the picture was a member of the Michigan Houndsmen Assoc.,I don't remember now if he was the president but the caption read he was behind it.They totally screwed our bobcat season to their liking now their playing with the coyote season.Our DNR swears they play no favorites but they always win,and we always lose.

Well coons can be taken at night here along with the coyotes. The houndsmen are tore up over that. Pics of 40-50 coons taken at night and they’re trying to get a two coon a night limit back. Something that just a few years ago they wanted to do away with, and did. We have a lot of yahoos around here that’ll shoot whatever moves and lights up their scope.

Including, I wouldn’t doubt, deer.

Protect the coyotes eliminate the deer Have more wolves migrate across the straits
If your on here you can google it yourselves

None of that is an issue here

Reason I am curious is I anticipate the same or similar from our houndsmen but coons are their concern. They tried to get it changed at a commission meeting but currently the war on turkey egg eaters has no friends of the raccoon. I’m constantly trying to keep furbearers managed as such and not be all reduced to varmint status. In the spirit of the night hunting season reducing pure coyote numbers I thought was good for everything including the balance of other furbearers. It’s morphing into foxes and bobcats now, many “claiming” they didn’t know they weren’t included. Now, just this morning I’m seeing night vision stuff for sale on a primarily deer hunting Facebook site. We just have a bunch of kids out there shooting anything. Those very late afternoons when the bucks come out in fields to join the does I’m afraid are going to be tempting for a lot of them that their main desire is a “ look at me” Facebook picture.

I thought coyotes were open season everywhere in midwest

I see no reason why a coyote should be protected at any time of year, they are impossible to exterminate.

Hound hunters and night hunters dont seem to have any respect for the other forms of take, and I can attest to this, and I am an opportunist that doesnt forget a misconduct. And it's alright to exact restitution.....in the absence of witnesses.

Protecting coyotes……..cutting edge wildlife management.
They need protection don’t ya know.

Its a type of war over the use of a resource, lets define it better

Back in the late 70's, early 80's the trappers were at war with houndsmen over coons...The nice coon hunters would leave a .22 casing and a pool of blood, the not so nice ones would steal the coon & the trap.

Slide wire drowners were a Godsend back in those days.

"War over use of a resource" is the correct terminology as trapper les stated.

Respectfully, This is totally wrong. Please do not bunch all houndsman up. There are a few, there is also a few slob trappers, there are also gun poachers, a few archery poachers. There are also bow groups that press for laws against other groups. These are the cancer of the outdoors. Do not lay this at the feet of the majority of good hunters.

Plenty of dog guys chasing around these parts but it’s a free for all war on these things . Biggest problem here is conservation officers writing tickets for uncased guns in vehicle. Heck if your on a field road and shoot out of the truck what does it matter as long as the yote dies

I would be looking for the anti in sportsman's clothing selling this idea of not enough to go around or why it shouldn't just be open season year round of coyotes.
why they are pushing coyotes needing protection.

I think an anti is dressing up and playing sportsman to further an anti goal.

I was sitting there in a commission meeting when I heard “ it ain’t fair trappers can take as many coon as they want and we ( houndsmen speaking) can just take two. Now, just a short time later “ It ain’t fair hunters can kill all they want. We want the hunting limit back at two”. I believe it was out of the mouth of the same guy. I’m afraid many game decisions are being made in too much of a short term mentality. Who’s sqwauking the loudest. It seems some of the old wisdom and foresight is gone or maybe it never was there and I was to naive to know it. There seems to be one “ sportsmans group” that everyone else is aware of as often being a problem. There are guys that truly love their dogs, the hunt and the sport. What I’ve seen and seem to pop up are the ones that have night hunts and present each other four foot tall trophies for their dogs. First second and third place with just three guys entered.

Given that we are hearing the updated hunting closure dates of April thru July it does suggest that the hound association potentially impacted this position given that those dates specifically correspond to Michigan leash law dates. And there has been animosity between the hound association and trappers association as far back as I recall (and predator callers got thrown into the michigan trappers association along the way). But I still would like to know the facts of where this came to be rather than just speculation given that the council is suppose to manage based on science rather than just who is yelling the loudest. Does anyone know who and what was presented at the NRC meeting last week along lines of scientific data?

But it is funny to hear everyone from other places comment on coyote populations here

Response from the MUCC regarding the NRC vote

MUCC Coyote Closure Response


MIDNR Memorandum to NRC regarding furbearer regulations February 2024 - coyote hunting issue begins on page 6.

MIDNR NRC

I have known and know a lot of guys who both trap and hound hunt. United we stand. Divided we fall. Hunters and trappers should stand together against the animal rights scourge. Hopefully Michigan can keep it open season.

Keith

Thanks I had seen their response. Just wondered if there was anything else

I hope you understand it's because we can relate to state shenanigans involving dog groups, especially in Kentucky because it has been so prevalent.

This really isn't just a Michigan issue, because eventually it will bleed into other states with time.

Spent my late teenage years living & hunting in the Mitten, so not completely in the dark on things there...I'm going to contribute to the Michigan Trappers & Predator Callers organization war chest because coyote hunting is a big deal to a lot of us.

Oooooo I'm trying to not say anything on public forum about what I really feel lol. I have lived in a number of states, KY included, and yep its sorta a common theme. Even though in theory we are suppose to stand together there's too much bad history with the hound association. However, I'm not sure that I really am upset with the hound association on this one. More like the state politics

Gotcha, yep same here...We're on the same page....It does get old!

Here in VT we are having the same battle. They just passed a Bill s258 out of the Senate and looking like it will go to the Senate for a vote. This Bill will completely change our F&W board to allow anti hunting/trapping people on the board, will end Trapping and hound hunting coyote. Probably will end bear hound hunting next. Democrats have the majority in both house and senate. If we could only get people to vote! The only way we can change the environment right now is to get people to vote the democrats out of office. The anti's are well organized. One of the anti;s moved here a year ago i think from Wyoming his name is Rod Coronado and has a YouTube channel called Wolf Patrol. He has sunk whaling ships and blown up a mink research building in Michigan. He's spent something like 3 years in jail for some of his terrorist acts. I hope you guys can bring yourselves together to fit these people. I don't think there's anything we can do here but wait and see if this Bill goes to the floor for a vote. Good luck guys.

You're looking for a scientific reason from a dept.that now interprets wildlife management as social science?

actually i was looking for what legal routes would make the most sense

NRC Commissioner on the left and right. Hound hunter/president in the middle. Both these commissioners voted in favor of closing the season. This is in disregard to Proposal G. There is no scientific reason supporting the closure.

It's unfortunate when social pressure trumps over established science.

When I think of Vermont I think of fisher. Drove through there a few years back and it and New Hampshire were beautiful. It’s a shame that anywhere in the nation wildlife management is being decided by no nothing and no common sense politicians. When I look through old trapping and hunting publications I’m saddened to see places that have been “ lawed” out of existence. Those old pics of outdoorsmen with catches and large smiles are disappearing everywhere it seems. But, like you allude to. The problem is who’s being voted in some of these states making the anti decisions.

Plenty of dog guys chasing around these parts but it’s a free for all war on these things . Biggest problem here is conservation officers writing tickets for uncased guns in vehicle. Heck if your on a field road and shoot out of the truck what does it matter as long as the yote dies [/quote]

The problem I have with one fella is he sees my snare bait attraction way out on private land, and thinks he's got the right to walk in and look around where I am working. He knows I'll eventually corner him somewhere that he cant get away.

Another fellow, probably too old now to hound hunt, went around on the opener of cat season, and walked in on different cat trappers sets, looking for a cat track for his dogs, and admitted that to me. I felt that was unethical, so I threatened him in a couple of ways.

The problem I have with one fella is he sees my snare bait attraction way out on private land, and thinks he's got the right to walk in and look around where I am working. He knows I'll eventually corner him somewhere that he cant get away.

Another fellow, probably too old now to hound hunt, went around on the opener of cat season, and walked in on different cat trappers sets, looking for a cat track for his dogs, and admitted that to me. I felt that was unethical, so I threatened him in a couple of ways. [/quote]
You threatened an idiot , slob and a cheat, Not a houndsman.

Very possible, and he didnt take it very well.

Anyone can buy a dog, anyone can buy a trap, anyone can buy a license.

Guess you have to ask yourself who benefits from this ruling

That's the way it is here in Virginia too. Deer dog hunters run thru your property and if the dogs won't go thru that cutover they will, looking for their dog ya know. As unethical as dog hunters are, I'm betting their days are numbered. It's a shame too, because there really is room for all, if everyone abides by the rules.

What is a shame is that running hounds anymore almost relies on trespassing in most areas and with places being leased or family owned hunted they don’t want night time trespassing with packs of bawling dogs anymore. Years ago here there were zero deer or turkey and no one cared much if someone followed their dogs onto their property. Those days are about gone now. I don’t know what the answer is for them. Fenced in fox pens are around but coon and bear chasing is different. I’m hearing more and more complaints about night hunters/trespassers here.

Since most on here have the same issue but ask for answers to their own question In MICHIGAN the Governor appoints the head of the DNR and the 7 member NRC are also appointed by the Governor That in a way is science

This particular change isnt a huge concern by itselft but I'm more worried about what happens next at the drop of a hat--- just because. We are already getting the short end of the stick so to speak on trapping with a fraction of the days that hound hunters or callers get. Whats next?

Give an inch and they will take a mile. JMO

ttt

Looks like this decision is being challenged by a couple different groups. The Michigan United Conservation Clubs and Michigan Trappers and Predator Callers Association have filed appeals based on the fact that the decision was made without any scientific data to corroborate shortening the season.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/n...ver-shortened-coyote-season/73170632007/

yes that is right