Michigan's coyote hunters are reeling as a new rule now bans their sport for three months each year, prompting a pair of conservation groups to take legal shots at the state's Natural Resources Commission. The Michigan United Conservation Clubs and the Michigan Trappers and Predator Callers Association have both filed lawsuits, alleging that the NRC's decision was politically driven and lacked scientific evidence, The Detroit News reports.
The NRC's move to shut down the hunt from April 16 to July 15, this cutback shaves three critical months off the previously year-round season; the Michigan Department of Natural Resources insists that the hiatus protects coyote pups during a critical dependency period, as stated in a memo that factored heavily into the commission's 4-2 ruling the decision that's now under fire from the groups, the news of which first broke in a MUCC release.
Amy Trotter, chief executive officer of the MUCC, accused the commission of ignoring data and bending to public perception, saying, “The record is unambiguous: the commission has not heard or cited any scientific literature or rationale justifying the closure,” Manistee News reported. Her organization, founded on the principle of science-based game management, views the lawsuit as a defense of Michigan's outdoor heritage, which they believe is under siege by the closure of the coyote hunting season, a stance echoed by both lawsuits, which now are set to play out in Ingham and Mackinac County courts respectively.
With this legal action, the MUCC and MTPCA underline their commitment to a heritage they assert is not just about hunting, but also about sound science and proper management of wildlife because as Mark Spencer, president of the MTPCA, stated "the stance taken with litigation clearly shows the trappers and predator callers of Michigan are firmly united behind the principles of science-based management", their legal gambit is a fight for the foundation of conservation in Michigan at a time when, as the DNR memo acknowledged, the full-year coyote hunting season initiated in 2016 did not increase harvests but rather raised concerns over perceptions and future management approaches Trotter told The Detroit News.
