Expanded deer, bear, coyote hunting considered

The clash between Connecticut’s wildlife and its densely populated suburbs and cities was on full display Friday as a legislative committee wrestled with a variety of hunting bills.

The trio of bills before the General Assembly’s Environment Committee would establish a first-ever night hunt for coyote, along with black bear hunting in Litchfield County and statewide Sunday bow hunting for deer.

During Friday’s public hearing, each bill drew a large following of opponents who disagreed with any expansion of hunting and supporters who cited a growing infringement of potentially dangerous animals into populated areas as justification for expanding hunting.

"As with the bear population, the coyote population has rapidly expanded throughout the state," said Richard Daniotte, president of the Connecticut Nuisance Wildlife Control Officers Association.

"Along with the control methods authorized to date, night (coyote) hunting would bring into play one more tool to control the population," Daniote said. “Our members receive many, many nuisance coyote complaints.”

Janine Wolfe, of Trumbull, said hunting is the “wrong tool” to control wildlife populations, including the proposed coyote night hunts.

"It’s the wrong tool for the job, and like any wrong tool, it is ineffective and will likely make the situation worse," Wolfe said. "We must learn to coexist. Prevention — not lethal control — is the best method for minimizing conflicts with coyotes."

Connecticut allows trapping and hunting of coyotes on private land, but not at night. Coyotes are nocturnal, and night hunters in other states often lie in wait in small structures for a coyote to approach.

Coyote night hunting is common in many states, including Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Pennsylvania.

Sightings rise

Coyote sightings have been on the rise statewide, and supply kits to scare the animals away are being distributed in Fairfield County towns.

In December, a coyote with a hunting trap on its leg was seen limping around New Canaan. In Stamford, a 12-year-old said a coyote followed her as she walked home from her bus stop in September.

Darien and Westport police have warned residents after several dogs were attacked by coyotes, leaving two of the dogs dead. In Old Lyme, a man was attacked by a coyote last year and was able to fight off the animal and drive to the hospital for treatment.

Bears are frequently spotted roaming suburban neighborhoods and even busy cities such as Milford. Deer have been a nuisance in Fairfield County back yards for years, often damaging expensive plants and vegetation and as home to ticks that carry Lyme Disease.

But what to do about encroaching wildlife in an expanding suburban network of leafy yards and office parks has proved elusive.

Susan Whalen, a deputy commissioner for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said there are an estimated 800 bears in Connecticut, and the population is growing by 10 percent a year.

Whalen said DEEP supports bear hunting by permit in Litchfield County to reduce the numbers.

Priscilla Feral, president of the Darien-based Friends of Animals, said education is key to dealing with large, predatory animals.

"Studies show that riskenhancing human behavior has been involved in at least half of documented attacks by cougars, coyotes and black bears in the last six decades,"’ Feral said.

Shesaid that behavior includes leaving children unattended, walking with an unleashed dog, engaging in outdoor activities at twilight and approaching a female bear with young cubs.

"Adapting human behavior through education is key," Feral said. "Lethal measures are not only inhumane, but ineffective. Killing some coyotes will trigger larger litters of pups and colonization behavior among the survivors.”

On the other hand, Chris Marino, secretary of the Northwest Connecticut Sportsman’s Council, said hunting is an effective tool to control all wildlife, including coyotes.

“As a management tool, this bill could be effective in addressing coyote predation on deer, as well as pets and livestock," Marino said.

"Another consideration regarding the coyote and other large, mammalian predators is that their numbers are so high now, that they stand alongside of deer as major tick carriers in the state," Marino said.

File photo / Hearst Connecticut Media A black bear made a visit to Fairfield this summer, and was captured by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection when it wandered into a heavily residential neighborhood.