Dear Editor,
Let’s look at the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board and Department and tell me if it needs modernizing. And for those unaware, the Board is a 14-member volunteer group comprising hunters, trappers, hound hunters, and anglers from every county. The Board makes public policy decisions on our shared public wildlife without fair representation from the Vermont public.
There are a lot of double standards when it comes to Fish & Wildlife regulations. They tell us not to feed wildlife but allow hunters to set out bait piles to attract coyotes, bobcats, and other animals for sport, even on public land. They tell dog owners to keep their dogs leashed but allow hound hunters to unleash packs of hunting hounds that run miles away from the hunter in pursuit of bears, coyotes, bobcats, and other wildlife. This has created dangerous conflicts with landowners, motorists, and the general public.
Fish & Wildlife refuses to change the land-posting requirements, forcing landowners to file and pay a fee to their town yearly, walk their land, and post an approved sign every 400 feet. Other states have adopted a “Purple Paint” law that is a one-time, no-fee task. Vermont’s current draconian law makes it nearly impossible for Vermonters to post their land to keep hunters off legally. For an older person or someone with a physical disability, it’s even more challenging to post land. And for those who DO successfully post their land, packs of hunting hounds trespass every year since the hounds can’t read posted signs. Landowners have few rights and are held hostage to privileged special interest groups. Hunters should be required to ask permission before hunting someone’s private property. That would solve the problem!
Despite the science, Fish & Wildlife allows coyote hunting for sport, with no limit, all year, day and night. Coyotes maintain stable populations regardless of human intervention and are not a threat to native wildlife. Studies have shown that hunting them increases populations and fractures the fragile social pack hierarchy, which can create conflicts with humans.
They allow the use of steel jaw leghold, body-gripping, and drowning traps, even on public land. Traps are indiscriminate and are responsible for injuring/killing protected and endangered species, as well as dogs and cats. Why are they still legal?
They tout the importance of science but then ignore their science to accommodate their “customers” — license-holders. A great example is that their studies recently revealed that 100% of fishers, a vital predator species, were poisoned by rodenticides. Yet, they still allow these animals to be trapped for recreation without bag limits.
Please speak up for wildlife and hold those in power accountable to the people and our cherished wildlife, not privileged interests.
Dean Percival, New Haven
