# 18,000 coyotes



## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

As many of you guys are aware, the Government of Saskatchewan posted a $20 bounty, effective Nov. 1, 2009 through to March 31, 2010.

Here are the latest figures. As of last week, nearly 18,000 yotes were taken. Sounds like a lot but in the average year, before the bounty, the yearly average of coyotes shot, snared, trapped, etc. in Saskatchewan was 21,000, so the bounty hasn't made a heck of a lot of difference.

Our MLA who's also our Minister of Agriculture -- and a friend of mine -- whose department is overseeing the program says he's hoping 30,000 yotes will be turned in by March 31. Maybe that figure will be hit but it appears doubtful.

From my perspective, the program hasn't been particularly effective. The government has paid out $360,000 in bounties for the roughly 18,000 yotes but yearly averages tell us those yotes would have been taken even without the bounty so there goes $360,000 of taxpayer money. A bounty sounds good if you want to make political points with livestock producers but it's not going to make one bit of difference.

A few weeks ago, I got a call from a farmer who told me yotes are creating havoc with his and his neighbors' livestock. Finally got a chance to go out yesterday morning, called in and whacked a mature male near a fellow's winter feedlot. Hell, cashing in a bounty was the least of my motivations. Like the majority of guys on Nodak I'm sure, we chase these critters for the fun and the challenge, bounties or fur prices be damned. (And you can bet I'll have access to his land whenever I want :beer: )

I still can't wrap my head around our government's thinking. Why pay a bounty to reduce a coyote population when there'd be plenty of guys from across the border who would love to come up here to hunt them -- and in the meantime, spend money for gas, hotels, restaurants, and so on that would help our rural communities.

I'm all in favor of opening the border to fellow yote hunters (although I wouldn't want to see too many kingcanadas, xdeanos, kdogs and vernums up here -- there'd be no yotes left for us locals ).

Who knows? Maybe when this program runs its course, our government will open the border and you guys can have at 'er. :sniper:

Good luck and shoot straight. Saskcoyote


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## kdog (Mar 13, 2007)

Sask,

I was worried sick about you, no stories (not even the kind involving sweaters :thumb: ), etc.

I seem to be suffering the same affliction with calling late season coyotes as everyone else. On an early road trip my buddy and I shot 20 (might have missed/educated a few also :roll: ), and on a later trip, my son and I got exactly 2 (and yes, educated just as many).

I think you are spot on about the wasted bounty funds. I would further speculate that some, possibly many, of the final total will have come from US coyotes. I say this based on what I have heard. If that is the case, it would only further errode the effectiveness of the bounty system.

Hopefully your friends making the decisions will forego the bounty system, and open things up for us "Aliens". I would love to come up there and get a few lessons from you.

KD


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## jonnyr7 (Jan 5, 2010)

What's the deal Americans can't hunt coyotes in Canada?


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## kdog (Mar 13, 2007)

Jonny,

In the Province of Saskatchewan you cannot hunt coyotes, in other parts of Canada you can.

KD


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## jonnyr7 (Jan 5, 2010)

oh ok, and i am assuming Sas is over run with em right?


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## kdog (Mar 13, 2007)

Jonny,

saskcoyote could answer that better than I, as it has been a few years since I hunted coyotes in Saskatchewan. It does appear though, based on their bounty system, that they need them thinned down.

KD


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

I used to hunt Ont. We would go after black bear in the spring where we hired the guy to place the baits. Then in the fall we went after Moose. They changed the moose hunting first so My fellow Americans just about stopped going there for that. Then they changed the bear hunting where even More of my fellow Americans stopped going there. The last straw was the gun law they passed where we had to pay a nice healthy fee and reguster our guns.
No thank you Ont., I can go the Maine to hunt bear and apply for a permit to hunt moose (same as Ont.) in one of our western states.

So how is Sak. different that would foster Americans wanting to go hunt a animal like a youte?

 Al


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## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

Yo, jonnyr, when you say "...i am assuming Sask is over run with em right?" that's not necessarily the case. Yup, the population is probably higher than usual but I can't say we're over-run with them. From what I've seen this season, a guy still has to work at it (maybe they're just getting smarter  ). Ain't no free lunches in Saskatchewan.

alleyooper, I'm not sure I understand what you're saying. While I don't know anything about the Ontario moose hunting, I do now that anti-hunting forces put the run on spring bearing hunting in Ontario a couple years back. And yes, that darned import fee, costs $50 to bring firearms into Canada. Hell, when I take mine across the line for pheasants or prairie dogs, the import permit required by ATF doesn't cost a cent, just an hour or so of paperwork, etc. As for when guys like you and kdog can come up here and whack a few Canuck coyotes, maybe that won't be too far in the future. Maybe you'd be able to teach us guys a few of your tricks. :beer:


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

I see more coyotes in one week in Saskatchewan in the fall than I do the rest of the year in the states.

I'm sure it varies by areas but I would love to get a chance at hunting them if given the chance.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

Have you brought this quandry up to your friend/MLA? I'd give him the duty to try and turn the idea into reality. There is no reason why the us should not be able to go 200 miles to have a bit of fun. But then I'll need to get a passport. 

xdeano


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## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

Chris, your seeing limitless yotes sounds like my goose-hunting buddy who sees oodles of them when he scouts for honkers in October. Beats me where they all disappear to soon as deer season starts  . We have had more coyotes than usual the last couple years but as for how many, I don't know whether it's 5 %, 10 % or more, and it probably varies by region. A possible factor is the drop in fur prices, another could be (at least in our region) an increase in cattle production. According to our Ministry of Agriculture, the average number of yotes taken the last few years is 21,000 so it doesn't look like that'll increase by too much this year even with higher coyote populations and with the bounty.

Coincidentally, xdeano, I had the chance to talk to our Minister of Agriculture at a press conference this morning. However, the topic was the changes to the province's Crop Insurance program for 2010 (you guys who farm might want to take a look at CBC Saskatchewan's website) so we didn't discuss coyotes and bounties at all. However, I'll be chatting with the Minister in a couple weeks when I write a story on the coyote bounty program. I'll put in a plug for you guys. .

In the meantime, good luck and shoot straight (at your Yankee yotees). :beer: Saskcoyote


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

Might be a way for Canadians to make some money. Buy a few rifles put scopes on them then offer a service to USA hunters who come up there say 4 at a time for a week of youte hunting. You supply the rifles, scopes and shells. The hunter gets a chance to set the scope to his/her liking at a range then off to hunt with you and friends as guides.
Hunters just supply food clothing money and such.
Avoids the fuss of transporting rifles and shot guns across the boarder.

In Michigan we can get a $40.00 drivers licence good for 4 years to cross the boarder with out a pass port. Got to keep those Winsor & port Edwards gambling joints full and avoid the state and federal taxes on the winnings ya know.

 Al


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

a couple of thoughts here. bounties. i personally like them. we have a had a few here in recent years. money runs dry quick though. that money keeps fuel in my truck and does keep me out there more. yes, i am one of those poor boy types. what money i get does get funneled into my hunting and fishing. some of my finer items take an entire year to save up for. used to be that the furs ($)made up for it. not now. so that bounty does help keep guys like me on the dogs.
coyotes in canada. i greatly desire to hunt saskatchewan for both birds and coyotes. i want those pelts and calling in the dogs is a driving force in my life. a friend and i plan to hunt this coming fall, but the lack of coyote hunting opportunity will be cutting my stay short by at least a week. i don't have work from late oct. through the end of nov. each year (convenient, to say the least) so i do have the time. hunters staying an extra week or two would surely add tourism $$. i have heard the reasons why we don't get to hunt them and it is a little silly. other options exist there. now the question remains: if they let us hunt them in the future, will they let me collect bounty to pay for the gas!?  that's the spendy part!


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## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

alleyyooper, having American hunters coming into Canada and then using outfitters' rifles sound like one heck of a good idea. (Hey, I could try that one on my wife-- "Honey, I need to buy four more guns because some of the boys are coming up for a week of yote hunting  ) There could be one problem, however. In Canada, to carry a firearm I believe you have to have a PAL (Possession and Acquisition Licence) so that might prove to be a complication.

kingcanada, I agree, a $20 bounty would help with the gas money but, at least in my case, it's irrelevant. I love whacking 'em so the money is secondary. Even with fur prices at zippo and even if there was no bounty I'd still chase 'em. A bounty is just icing on the cake. BTW, where in Saskatchewan do you hunt your birds?


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

I personally hope we never see a bounty in ND ever ever again.

We already have enough dipsh*ts out there, just what we need is a little more "incentive" for the morons on sleds to be out there harassing the wildlife or for the morons that like to surround a section with five pickups and "push" the entire section. Id rather they all think coyotes aren't worth anything and stay the hell home. Yeah sure, they may be out there one or two weekends now, just for something to do, but tack a little extra money on that dog and they'll be out there every weekend pulling their slobbish crap. Not to mention, the bounty harbors that mentality of "well there must be to many and they must be a problem, so now its no holds barred". That same sort of mentality we see every spring during the snow goose conservation season. Harass the crap out of them (and everything else), shoot them and leave them lay, etc etc etc.

I don't make money shooting coyotes. Ive squared with that fact a while ago. And I don't expect to make money doing it, if I can cover my expenses I figure im doing real good. My "fur money" comes from the snares.


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

i have not yet hunted birds in canada. money issues have kept me out, but this coming year it looks like i can pull it off. house payment is gone, truck will be free and clear by then too. the "king canada" actually refers to the goose calls i make as a hobby. i am looking at 3 areas to hunt. one for little canadas, one for specks, and one for snows. huns and grouse will be wherever i can find them. the locations are proven areas for others i know, but input is always welcome. i will refrain from naming these places to avoid advertising them to the entire planet. that is kind of taboo around here anyway. pm's are a different story.
bbj, i understand your reservations about the bounty. we still have those problems here with or without the bounty anyway. i got hosed out of an entire area by 2 guys on atv's a few weeks ago. i was ****** at their actions to say the least. i wish i had a legitimate solution, but burden of proof negates most regulations or requirements you could place on the deal other, than having a landowner sign a slip verifying that illegal harvest methods were not used. my view is that i would rather see bounty paid out so that legitimate hunters get some benefit rather than pay someone to shoot them from the air, which screws all sport hunters. talk about unethical harassment.


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

Should have knowen there would be a law againest me useing one of your rifles while visiting there.

 Al


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## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

kingcanada, hope you make it up Saskatchewan way some day. Don't worry too much about giving away "secret spots". You see, Saskatchewan's a mighty big place so if you say "i'm heading to Kindersley to hunt honkers" that could put you in an area that would cover a couple thousand square miles or more. Same with Cabri,a friendly little town (awful big Canadas around Cabri -- 16, 18, 20 pounds and more if you get into the right flocks) where the "Cabri area" to hunt covers thousands of square miles. Then there's Lancer, Kyle, White Bear, all on the western side of the province and areas where I've hunted. Ditto for Foam Lake or Wadena for honkers, squealers and specs, and other places on the eastern part of Saskatchewan. Want snows? You could probably start around Weyburn area. That "area" could cover any number of towns around there with thousands of square miles to hunt as well. I don't know how it plays out around your neck of the woods but up here, naming a town only indicates a general area, not a "honey hole" so you really don't have to worrying about advertising to the world. As for coyote bounties picking up some of your gas costs, don't bank on it. Even if restrictions are lifted on out-of-province hunters, something tells me when the program expires March 31, it won't be renewed.

alleyyooper, the PALs aren't too big of a problem -- although I don't know the steps a non-resident would have to take to get one or some similar document to allow you to use firearms in Canada. To renew my PAL for another 5 years, it didn't cost me anything and all I had to do was answer a few questions and mail the application in. I don't have a problem with PALs, it helps keep the firearms out of the hands of a few crazies. What has really annoyed hunters and firearms owners was the legislation requiring the registration of long guns. The good news is our current government has pledged to eliminate the registry and legislation to that effect has passed two readings in Parliament. The third reading should be a formality and the registry will soon be gone. It's been a long, tough fight but victory is near. 

Good luck. :beer: Saskcoyote


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

i meant that nodak outdoors forum kinda frowns on naming spots, but you did mention one. wadena to quill lakes region is supposed to be good for snows, a certain river in the south central portion is known to be a mecca for specks and that is verified by some friends of mine. and anyone who has watched a zink video knows about the little canadas near paradise hill. i may cruise up and look around this summer. if i go, be on the look out for a cattail camo geo metro. no kidding. i bought is as an insurance total and resurrected it from the dead and painted it up to look like a marsh. sold it to a friend a few years ago and he has now worn it out. so i will reacquire it and rebuild it. cheap scouting at it's best!


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## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

Camo-colored GEO Metro? I'll keep my eyes peeled. Actually, I don't spend any time traveling for goose hunting anymore. Used to head to the west side of the province to hunt but haven't done that for years. That's because since moving to this region, all my goose hunting is done within 10 miles of home. We start in September and hunt hard for a month. By then it's time for Montana pheasants, mule deer, whitetail and yotes so the late goose hunting is at a minimum.

(Pssst. If you're coming scouting this summer, you'll see a lot of nice scenery. If you're looking for geese, come in October, has something or other to do with an annual event called "migration". )

Good luck wherever you end up in Saskatchewan. :beer:


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

Sask,

I started to think about your numbers 18-21,000 coyotes in a year, and that's province wide. Saskatchewan is roughly 4 times the size of ND. I was wondering on average what we take here in ND over a given year with assorted methods. I really wish that our Game and Fish Department here would send out a survey to see how many coyotes are taken annually. It would give us an idea of population density and how well we are actually controlling the population, which probably insn't that great because they keep on expanding in numbers. I think I might give them a call on Monday and see i can squeeze some numbers out of them just for general discussion.

Thanks for providing new insight Sask.

xdeano


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## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

xdeano: It appears the reason the government can release a figure of 18,000 coyotes taken is because of the money it's paid out so the arithematic is pretty straightforward and it should be quite accurate. The government -- at least to my knowledge -- has never undertaken surveys for coyotes like it has done for other critters. For example, it'll conduct aerial surveys for big game animals like whitetails or moose but it would be just too expensive to do the same for coyotes, especially when yotes aren't a big revenue producer like deer, moose, elk, etc.

I'm just guessing but I believe the government relied a lot on sales at fur houses to come up with figures from other years in which it arrived at the figure of 21,000 coyotes taken on average. To sell furs in Saskatchewan, you need a trapping licence and for every hide you sell, you have to pay a royalty to the provincial government which is deducted right at the point of sale (maybe that's why my cheques are so small  ) so it's a pretty accurate method for tracking harvest numbers.

The 18,000 figure was the first release by government as to how its coyote-bounty program was progressing. With the program ending March 31, I'd suspect we should get the final results a few weeks after that date. It would be interesting to see how your ND coyote harvest compares to ours; that's if your wildlife department has any way of logging the numbers. Keep us posted.


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

i was talking about scouting the country in the summer, learning the countryside and road network, maybe finding a place to stay. i'll definitely plan on october as far as this migration thing is concerned.  
coyote surveys? they really don't care. game departments worship big game. and anything else that sucks in lots of revenue. you say you population is expanding. i wish ours would! i remember how good the red desert was a few years back. good enough to keep me from thinking about saskatchewan. it'll come back eventually. there are a few factors at play. some that can be dealt with, some that can't. the only good thing about the increase in the sport's popularity is that dog hunters are starting to have a voice in things. but i don't expect surveys anytime soon.


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## Snowgooser (Mar 28, 2008)

I asked one of the guys at Sask enviro the deal with non-res hunting coyotes. I can't remeber the guys name (started with an M, something like Mervin or Miron). He said that the cases of American hunters coming up in December and January hunting "coyotes" was resulting in headless deer carcasses. Before he hung up on me he told me that at the time there were many charges pending (this was the fall of 2005). He also asked me how I got his number and then hung up. I called back sometime later and the number went to automated menu about watershed development in Saskatchewan.


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

i read here that deer where the reason, but it was something about non res hunters disturbing deer areas where they weren't allowed to hunt deer. the poaching reason seems to be the same rationale as gun control. " punish the guys who don't break any laws even though we know it won't stop those that already do". i have a feeling that reasonable minds will eventually prevail. i just hope it does not take an eternity. :thumb:


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

Just keep in mind it is the rotten apples that spoil the whole barrel. As you go thru life you will see it isn't just in hunting that happens.

 Al


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

i am 38. i am fully and regretably aware of rotten apples spoiling the barrel. i can think of no better example than politicians. nuff said there. things eventually run in cycles though, those who pay close attention to history know that. i just hope that things "cycle" in our favor soon. :beer:


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