[They try to justify hunting to control deer population, while out the other side of their mouth they kill predators to “aid the deer population.”]

Ben Leblanc of Mapleton poses with one of many coyotes that he has eliminated over the years while reducing the pressure on the local deer population. (Courtesy of Bill Graves)

Coyote hunting aids deer population

Coyote hunting aids deer population

Bill Graves, Special to The County•March 24, 2023

I am not a big fan of coyotes. I am a believer in coyote hunting.

Regardless of the fact that the coyote-deer situation is natural predation, Aroostook’s harsh winters favor the predator, and in the end that notably affects the deer herd in certain areas. Anyone who has seen a pack of coy dogs relentlessly pursue a deer and down it, then begin feeding before the whitetail is dead, will share my support of varmint hunting.

Another…