LETTER- Coyote article out of balance

Congratulations on your ridiculously sensationalized article on coyotes [April 16 cover: "Invasion of the doggy snatchers? Uptick in area coyote sightings has residents nervous"], complete with disgusting pictures. For a minute, I thought I had inadvertantly picked up one of those "huntin' and fishin'" magazines instead of the Hook. Other than the inescapable fact that most of the animals pictured were dead, they were some of the most beautiful creatures I have ever seen.

I have several dogs and cats and many head of livestock and yes,  would be devastated if God forbid, any were killed by a marauding band of coyotes. I feel for people that may have lost pets this way. However, after your article I feel people should be far more worried about over-zealous coyote hunters mistakenly shooting their dogs than an actual coyote attack.

Nature provides, no matter how badly or how many times we screw it up. The fact that yes, we have decimated the wolf population probably does have something to do with the migrating coyote population. The coyotes are here for a reason: there is an abundant natural food source for them.

Maybe all those tireless hunters that make the woods a war zone every fall in a relentless effort against our supposed fearful deer over-population could take a little rest and let the coyotes step in.

However, when I read such idiotic statements in your article saying we don't want the coyotes here because "They are going to eat our turkeys. It's a balance, and coyotes come in and decimate them," I know this will never happen. And since we clearly need all the turkeys for ourselves, I'm sure we hungry humans need all the deer too. I guess that's "balance."

Local farmers worried about the potential expense/heartache of losing livestock to predators would do well to follow the example of Peavine Hollow Farm in Free Union and  the massive goat farm in Advance Mills and employ Maremma livestock guardian dogs. Maybe that's just too simple– your article conveniently creates yet another excuse for small men with big guns to play war in the woods.When will we ever learn?

Judith Moore
Free Union

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