Monomoy Refuge to Allow Waterfowl Hunting, Scraps Coyote Plan

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

CHATHAM – The Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge is expanding recreational activities but will not include coyote hunting.

An original proposal included allowing recreational waterfowl hunting in waters west of South Monomoy Island and a coyote hunt program in 3,000 acres of upland on North and South Monomoy Islands.

Refuge Manager Matt Hillman said the coyote component was scrapped following a public comment period.

“The public was really not interested in that program,” Hillman said.

During the 35-day comment period, 48 comments were received and only one of which expressed an active interest in a coyote hunt program.

Hillman said there just wasn’t any support for coyote hunting.

The refuge also reached out to local sportsman clubs and outfitters for comment, but did not receive any positive or negative responses.

“It was kind of a two-fold decision: A. There wasn’t much interest, and, B. there was actually very strong opposition to any type of a recreational coyote hunt,” Hillman said.

Hillman said this is a nice example of the public comment process playing out.

“We are trying to provide an opportunity to the public that the public is interested in, which in this case does include waterfowl, but did not include coyotes,” he said.

Hillman said environmental benefits of coyote hunting at the refuge would have been unlikely.

The coyote hunt program, if implemented, would have only been open during the winter months. The refuge does have issues with coyotes degrading threatened and endangered shore birds during nesting season.

“Those concerns are in the spring and summer months, and the recreational coyote hunt program would not have occurred during that critical time period where we do need to actively control and target individual coyotes that are posing problems to our nesting wildlife,” Hillman said.

The winter coyote hunting also could have been a drawback as well.

It could have made coyotes more accustomed to hunters on the islands and made it easier to evade predator control staff during the bird nesting season.

About 4,000 acres of waters west of South Monomoy Island will be open to waterfowl hunting.

“That’s going to follow state seasons and bag limits,” Hillman said.

The season is open for a limited time from October 11 to 19 and then from November 27 through January 25.

The plan was developed as the National Wildlife Refuge System is seeking to expand recreational opportunities across the country, including hunting and fishing.

The Monomoy refuge changes went into effect at the end of August.

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