Don't know about coyote population, that varies by year and area. I do know hound guys are doing pretty well in my area this year though. Just another obstacle for those of us calling to work around. What frustrates me is when they release hounds on a track on state land, and in the course of following that track go through 5 different pieces of private property they don't have permission on. Most of the time the guys stay on the roadway, but the hounds run anywhere the track goes.
I really don't have a problem with them killing coyotes on land they have permission, but flushing them off private property with the hounds drives me nuts. Happened to places I hunt a few times this winter already.