This commentary is by John Gonter, a former longtime Burlington resident who has now moved to Farmington, Maine. He teaches cooking, foraging, fishing and hunter safety, and volunteers as an instructor with Vermont Fish and Wildlife and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
Some would have you believe that Vermont is at a turning point where change is needed in how wildlife is “managed.” They say that Vermont Fish and Wildlife should be administered “consistently” with other state departments. They argue that trapping, hounding and hunting over bait violate property rights and endanger people and pets. These “advocates” use angry and emotional rhetoric in meetings and on the internet to press their case. Somehow they ignore the truth that human development and our vehicles harm far more wildlife, people and pets than all hunting, hounding and trapping combined.
Bill S.258 is an effort to bureaucratize and move binding authority for fish and wildlife management of Vermont from the citizens of Vermont to the government. It is key to know that the legislative branch once held this authority. Due to the decline in expertise in fish and wildlife conservation within the legislature, the state gave the authority to private citizens on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife board who represent the interests of anglers, hunters and trappers within their county of residence. Know that the funding for the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife department is completely unique among government departments. The majority of the budget comes from federal funds based on excise taxes paid by anglers, hunters and shooters.
A key reason why Vermont has a private board is to keep government from controlling wildlife management that is funded by a subset of taxpayers. The private board best represents the interests of those who pay for most of the funding. It is important to understand the North American Wildlife model and how it supports the current management of fish and wildlife in Vermont.
Bill S.258 seeks to ban coyote hunting over bait and with dogs. These are two effective methods for coyote management at both the local and state level. While coyotes are intriguing animals, and have value to the Vermont biota, they are an invasive species that came to Vermont due to the extirpation of wolves and catamounts by humans. While their effect on valuable livestock may be limited, they prey on native species like gray squirrel, grouse, wild turkey, mice and voles. These are primary food sources for owls, hawks, fox, fisher and pine marten. Due to human development, all of these species suffer from habitat-related pressures. As a result, humans must actively manage wildlife to balance our impact. Coyotes continue to have healthy populations throughout the state, but farmers and land-owners need to be able to control coyote populations locally.
Do not support bill S.258. It is the most damaging proposed bill against anglers, hunters and trappers that the legislature has proposed in recent years. If you read the text of the bill, you will see language that mimics the terminology that “advocates” use in their PR. Phrases like “best science,” “non-consumptive use” and “co-existence with wildlife” do not belong in Vermont’s statutes. Bill S.258 would be a regression in the public/private management structure and laws that protect fish and wildlife management in Vermont. It is a Trojan horse that will take powers from citizens with expertise and give it back to the legislature who were previously honest in admitting their lack of knowledge in fish and wildlife management.
