The California Fish and Game Commission Wildlife Resources Committee will reconsider a motion to amend state regulations concerning the number and time of year coyotes may be taken in the state.
At a Jan. 15 Wildlife Resources Committee meeting, the committee approved a motion recommending the commission “approve a future rulemaking to amend Section 472 to remove coyotes, in concert with a future rulemaking to maintain hunting opportunities.”
Under Section 472, coyotes and certain other nongame birds and mammals are authorized for take at any time of the year and in any number. Other covered species include weasels, skunks, opossum, moles and rodents.
The agenda for the Jan. 15 meeting did not clearly state that coyote limits were up for discussion, the California Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) said, and as a result, ranchers missed the opportunity to share their experiences with coyotes threatening their calves.
Shortly after the meeting, CCA penned a letter to the commission, urging it to re-refer the matter back to the Wildlife Resources Committee for further consideration so that ranchers’ voices could be heard.
“The Wildlife Resources Committee’s motion of January 15 risks significant harm to California’s livestock producers, but unfortunately insufficient notice precluded livestock producers’ perspectives from being adequately represented before the Committee,” the group wrote.
At a Feb. 12-13 meeting, the Fish and Game Commission co-chairs agreed to withdraw the motion and re-refer it back to the Wildlife Resources Committee for further discussion.
“Coyotes routinely prey upon calves on ranches throughout the state, and CCA strongly opposes any effort by the Fish and Game Commission to diminish ranchers’ ability to ensure the health and safety of the animals under their care,” CCA Vice President of Government Affairs Kirk Wilbur told WLJ in an email.
Wilbur continued that allowing ranchers to take coyotes only after they kill or attack calves is insufficient, and that ranchers must be allowed to proactively manage the predators.
“CCA appreciates that the commission has re-referred this issue to its Wildlife Resources Committee so that commissioners have the opportunity to hear from ranchers about the gravity and magnitude of this regulatory proposal,” he said.
The committee will next meet on May 15. CCA plans to submit comments to the committee prior to the meeting to strongly oppose any change to Section 472. CCA members are encouraged to attend the meeting in person or virtually to share support for the taking of coyotes at any time of the year and in any number. More details on the meeting will be available at fgc.ca.gov/Meetings/2025. — Anna Miller, WLJ managing editor
