by Cris Ritchie;hazardherald
FRANKFORT – Gov. Steve Beshear will likely sign into a law a bill filed by state
Rep. Fitz Steele and passed during the General Assembly's ongoing session
earlier this month.
Rep. Fitz Steele and passed during the General Assembly's ongoing session
earlier this month.
House Bill 60 was enrolled and delivered to the governor on March 11, and will
expand nighttime hunting of coyotes in Kentucky.
expand nighttime hunting of coyotes in Kentucky.
Steele said he filed the bill to help quell Kentucky's population of coyotes, an
animal which Steele noted has become a nuisance for landowners in the
state. Fish and Wildlife officials have said a precise population count has not
been conducted, but coyotes have been increasing in number for the past few
years.
animal which Steele noted has become a nuisance for landowners in the
state. Fish and Wildlife officials have said a precise population count has not
been conducted, but coyotes have been increasing in number for the past few
years.
"They're a big nuisance, from killing people's livestock to chickens and even to
their pets, and not counting the wildlife, the small game," Steele said of
Kentucky's coyote problem. "We need to weed them out as much as possible
their pets, and not counting the wildlife, the small game," Steele said of
Kentucky's coyote problem. "We need to weed them out as much as possible
."
Specifically, House Bill 60 will allow hunters to take coyotes at nighttime
without a light, but only with a shotgun, Steele said.
without a light, but only with a shotgun, Steele said.
The bill essentially cruised through the Kentucky House of Representatives
with a favorable vote of 99-1 before passing the Senate with a vote of 37-0.
with a favorable vote of 99-1 before passing the Senate with a vote of 37-0.
Officials with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife did not return calls
seeking comment on the bill last week, but the Fish and Wildlife Commission
did approve a measure during its quarterly meeting in March that would
establish a hunting season for coyotes from Feb. 1 through May 31, during
which lights or night-vision equipment can be used during the nighttime
hours. Though hunting would coyotes still be legal for the remainder of the
year, the use of lights or
night-vision equipment would not be allowed through June 1 and Jan. 30.
seeking comment on the bill last week, but the Fish and Wildlife Commission
did approve a measure during its quarterly meeting in March that would
establish a hunting season for coyotes from Feb. 1 through May 31, during
which lights or night-vision equipment can be used during the nighttime
hours. Though hunting would coyotes still be legal for the remainder of the
year, the use of lights or
night-vision equipment would not be allowed through June 1 and Jan. 30.
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