BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 31, 2023
There are few things that frustrate Maine deer hunters more than the eastern coyote. Coyotes are efficient predators that kill deer, hare and other animals, and also eat carrion, fruits and plants. Through the centuries, coyotes have often been vilified. Coyotes’ existence throughout the state puts them at odds with deer hunters, who frequently blame the coyotes for killing the deer that they want. But the data is not clear enough to support these fears, as the state struggles year after year to achieve its deer harvest goals and insists coyotes are critical to maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Coyotes that prey on deer help lower the population, which limits the spread of deer ticks and Lyme disease, suggested Geri Vistein, a conservation biologist and the director of The Coyote Center.