On April 1 the Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife reporting that two coyotes were harvested during the 2014-2015 coyote hunting and trapping seasons. Both coyotes were shot in Sussex County near Milford. One was shot Sept. 26, 2014 over concerns for the safety of livestock and pets, and the other was shot with a crossbow Nov. 11 by a deer hunter.
“Having only two harvested coyotes reported during the new coyote hunting and trapping seasons was a bit of a surprise,” said David Saveikis, director of the Division of Fish & Wildlife. “It is unclear if these two coyotes taken are indicative of the coyote population size, or a lack of awareness of the harvest reporting requirement.”
It may be surprising that only two coyote harvests were reported during the 2014-2015 season. However, we shouldn’t lose sight of other data:
- I recently confirmed a coyote was found dead near Summit Bridge in March 2015.
- A coyote was harvested by a deer hunter on Jan. 23, 2014 near Hockessin.
- A coyote was found dead as roadkill near Rock Manor Golf Course in 2013.
- An adult coyote and a coyote pup were filmed at White Clay Creek State Park in 2012.
- A coyote was harvested with a bow near Middletown in November 2009.
- Several coyotes have been harvested by deer hunters in the Centreville area since 2009.
- A trapper caught two coyotes near St. Georges in 2008.
- Another coyote was killed by a vehicle near Middletown in 2008.
Although harvest numbers are low, it’s reasonable to believe that Delaware coyote population is growing. Because of the ability for coyotes to adapt and thrive in varied habitats (including urban and suburban settings), their ability to produce litters of an average of six to eight pups per year, and their secretive and elusive nature that leads them to frequently hunt and move about at dawn, dusk, and during nighttime hours, it’s difficult to truly know the size of Delaware’s coyote population.
Helping to control the population through legal hunting is necessary to prevent uncontrolled population growth. However, unlike many states, Delaware does not allow nighttime hunting for coyotes. It’s seems likely that the coyote harvest would be higher if nighttime hunting were allowed.