Town hires federal sharpshooters to kill nuisance coyotes

FAR FROM HERE. WE WERE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT ACTUALLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LAST YEAR KILLED. NEARLY 64,000 COYOTES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. BUT THE HUNT WILL BE THE FIRST COMMUNITY HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS TO TAKE THIS STEP. VIDEO POSTED ONLINE RECENTLY SHOWS THREE COYOTES ON A GOLF COURSE IN HUNT TOWN. OFFICIALS SAY COYOTES HAVE ATTACKED AND KILLED THREE DOGS, UNLEASHES IN THE OFFICIALS HAVE POSTED SIGNS WARNING PEOPLE TO BE ON ALERT. HAVE YOU EVER FELT THREATENED? I HAVEN’T, BUT I KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE. SO NOW THE SELECTBOARD HAS VOTED THREE ZERO TO BRING IN SHARPSHOOTERS FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. THEY WILL SHOOT AND KILL AT LEAST SOME OF THE ESTIMATED 12 COYOTES IN THE HUNT. CERTAINLY A DIFFICULT DECISION. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR TONY BARLETTA SAYS TRAPPING AND RELOCATING PROBLEM COYOTES IS NOT ALLOWED UNDER STATE LAW. SO SOMETIME IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, THE SHARPSHOOTERS WILL STAKE OUT SOME PLACE WHERE THE COYOTES CONGREGATE, LIKE THE TOWN COMPOSTING SITE, THEN PICK THEM OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WITH RIFLES EQUIPPED WITH NIGHT VISION AND THERMAL IMAGING SCOPES. THE WILDLIFE OFFICIALS WILL KNOW WHAT THEY’RE DOING AND BE ABLE TO CONDUCT THIS IN A SAFE MANNER. THEY WON’T BE WALKING THROUGH BACKYARDS OR DOWN THE STREET. OH, MY GOD. THIS IS JUST SICKENING. FRANCINE TAMARA FAULKNER SAYS THE TOWN NEEDS TO DO MORE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COEXIST WITH COYOTES. SHE SAYS THE KILL PLAN RISK MAKING THE COYOTES EVEN MORE AGGRESSIVE BY PERHAPS KILLING OFF JUST THE OLDER ANIMALS. IT’S LIKE LEAVING TEENAGERS WITHOUT PARENTS. AND THOSE ARE THE WOLVES THAT TEND AND COYOTES THAT TEND TO GET INTO ROGUE BEHAVIOR. THE TOWN SAYS THIS KILL OPERATION WILL COST BETWEEN FIVE AND $10,000. THE TOWN HAS NOT YET DECIDED EXACTLY WHEN T

Town hires federal sharpshooters to kill nuisance coyotes

Updated: 9:49 PM EST Dec 8, 2022

The federal government last year killed nearly 64,000 coyotes across the country. Video posted online recently shows three coyotes on a golf course in Massachusetts. Officials say coyotes have attacked and killed three dogs on leashes and the officials have posted signs warning people to be on alert. So now a select board has voted 3-0 to bring in sharpshooters from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They will shoot and kill at least some of the estimated 12 coyotes in the area. The town says this kill operation will cost between five and $10,000.Watch the video above for the full story.

The federal government last year killed nearly 64,000 coyotes across the country.

Video posted online recently shows three coyotes on a golf course in Massachusetts. Officials say coyotes have attacked and killed three dogs on leashes and the officials have posted signs warning people to be on alert.

So now a select board has voted 3-0 to bring in sharpshooters from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They will shoot and kill at least some of the estimated 12 coyotes in the area.

The town says this kill operation will cost between five and $10,000.

Watch the video above for the full story.