KDWP keeps night-vision coyote season under review after experts, law enforcement and public raise conflicting evidence and concerns

The Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks provided a multi-part, informational briefing and public discussion on the department’s recreational night-vision (thermal) coyote hunting season.

John Beckman, the department’s newly named wildlife assistant director for research and surveys, summarized the biology and scientific literature on predator control. Beckman said coyotes are a native, widespread mid-latitude carnivore and that predator–prey dynamics are complex: removal of predators can produce variable responses in prey populations depending on scale, habitat and timing. He cited recent meta-analyses and long-term studies demonstrating that predator removal sometimes yields limited or temporary prey increases except in small, localized or endangered-population contexts. Beckman told commissioners the department’s near-term position is to…