Virginia Counties with Coyote Bounties

cngerms

New member
I'm going to take a shot in the dark with this one...

Does anyone here have a list compiled of Virginia counties which pay coyote bounties?

OR

Would you, please, reply to this thread if your county pays a bounty or if you are CERTAIN of a specific county which pays? I'd like to initiate a list for future reference.

I'll start the ball rolling with the 2 counties I'm sure of...Augusta and Bath. I think Rockingham pays, too, but I'm not absolutely sure.
 
MTurbo,
You thinking of shipping some AZ dogs out here.....for a nominal fee, of course? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
F1
 
cngerms,
I don't know which counties are currently paying bounties. Most allocate a finite amount in their budget, and when that's paid out it can be over for the year. A bunch of folks have shot coyotes in counties without a bounty and taken them to counties with a bounty to be paid. Some of the counties are getting wise to that practice. I don't know what they intend to do to curb it though.
If you're interested in making a few bucks on shot coyotes. Better than collecting a county bounty, is collecting a bounty from some of the fox hunting groups in our areas. I've heard of as much as 125.00 being paid per dog!! I think the bounties are supposed to be for dogs shot on properties on which they fox hunt.
F1
 
MTurbo, in Augusta County, VA you only need to bring the animal to Animal Control and they clip the ear (cut out a notch) and you then receive a check in the mail at a later date. They require you fill out a form stating date, time, location, property owner's name or public land; just minor details for their tracking purposes. Sometimes you can call Animal Control after a kill and if an officer is near, they will meet you at a convenient location near the kill site or your home. It depends on what's convenient for them at the time.

Flyrod, Bath County began paying bounties ONLY to Bath County residents ($100 ea) in order to resolve cross-border claims of coyote kills. You have to show proof of your Bath Co. residency in order to collect. I'm guessing Bath Co. residents RARELY cross into other counties to hunt, because the coyote population in Bath is so high. The problem they experienced was hunters from counties other than Bath killing outside Bath Co. then bringing them in for Bath's high bounty. Bath pays the highest bounty of any county I know of. I concur with you on the limited bounty budgets. Augusta allocates $5K per year which limits bounties to 100 kills in the off-season ($50 ea Summer / $75 ea Winter). I don't believe they often run out of money as most coyote killers really don't want to handle or transport the mangy things in order to collect. Some of these dogs out here look like Hounds from He**. Most kills in my area are opportunity kills; not dedicated hunts by dedicated predator hunters.

Thanks for the info regarding the fox clubs, that is news to me which I'll have to investigate w/ my local clubs. One fox hunting club nearby does NOT pay, but there may be others.

Thanks guys for all the good info. Please keep it coming!
Jeff
 
Hey CnGerms Page County pays a bounty here I do not know all the details as far as how much $ the county allocates for this but it is $50.I shot one at the beginning of the month and took it to the Sheriffs office they took 3 pics of it(once he figured out how to use the digital camera he had /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif)and I filled out a paper for weight,sex,location and other stuff.The check is sent in the mail(wich I am told I will have to claim as income for taxes! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif)I told my wife I could quit my job because I am now getting paid to hunt..she didn't go fot it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angry-smiley-055.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif .
 
Thanks fitdjr! I've heard the same regarding income tax in Augusta County. It's so stupid! You'd think it would be a tax-deductible service, but that's our government. Here's what I found in the Page County code if you're interested...

§ 34-50. Killing of coyotes. [Added 5-18-2004 Editor's Note: The effective date of this ordinance, which added §§ 34-50 through 34-52 of this chapter of the Code, is 7-1-2004. ]

It shall be lawful for any person to kill coyotes within the boundaries of Page County at any time, provided that such person kills such coyotes on his own property, on property on which he is the lawful tenant in possession, or on property on which such person has the written permission of the owner or the lawful tenant in possession of the property to kill such coyote.

§ 34-51. Bounties for coyotes. [Added 5-18-2004] A. Provided there are still unexpended and unappropriated funds available in any given annual County budget for such purpose, there shall be a bounty in the amount of $50 paid to any person who meets the criteria set forth in this section who applies for such payment to the Board of Supervisors for each coyote killed within the boundaries of Page County; provided, however, prior to being entitled to such payment, such person shall furnish reasonable proof satisfactory to the Animal Control Officer and to the Board of Supervisors that: (1) The animal for which the bounty is being claimed is a coyote; and
(2) Such coyote was killed within 72 hours before the application was made for the bounty;
(3) Such coyote was killed in Page County; and
(4) Based on a sworn statement on a form furnished by the Animal Control Officer and signed by the applicant and the owner or tenant in possession of the property on which the coyote was killed, such coyote was killed either: (a) On the applicant's own property;
(b) On property which the applicant is the lawful tenant in possession; or
(c) On property in which such person has: [1] The written permission of the owner or lawful tenant in possession to kill such coyote; and
[2] Written acknowledgment of the owner or lawful tenant in possession that such coyote was killed on such owner's or tenant in possession's property.



B. The Animal Control Officer shall certify in writing his finding as to being satisfied with such proof to the Board of Supervisors prior to its action on the application for payment of the bounty.
C. The Animal Control Officer shall keep a written record of all applications made for a bounty, such record to include: (1) The name, address, and telephone number of the applicant.
(2) The type of animal, including a physical description thereof, which was killed, and the date and time killed.
(3) The name and address of the owner of the land on which the coyote was killed for which application for a bounty was made.
(4) A picture of the coyote killed for which application for a bounty was made.

D. The total dollar amount of bounties to be paid under this chapter shall not exceed the sum of $2,000 within a given fiscal year; provided, however, that such limit may be increased in a given year by duly adopted resolution of the Board of Supervisors of Page County.


§ 34-52. Penalties for false claims. [Added 5-18-2004]

It shall be unlawful for any person to present a false claim or receive payment of a bounty on a false claim under this chapter. Violation of this section shall constitute a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by a fine or not more than $2,500 and confinement in jail for a period not to exceed 12 months, either or both.
 
Incidentally, it looks like Warren County has the exact same code as Page County; $50 each and a $2000/fiscal year cap.
 
The following is an interesting news article from February of this year. I hadn't realized Bath Co. recently reduced the bounty because they were paying out so much.

Bath supervisors renew coyote bounty
BY CHARLES GARRATT • STAFF WRITER


WARM SPRINGS - After spending $45,000 over the past six years on coyote bounties and hearing experts Tuesday say bounties don't help control the four-legged canine pest, the Bath County Board of Supervisors reduced the bounty from $100 to $50 and voted to begin paying out bounties from the $5,000 transferred to the program last month.

The $10,000 budgeted to the program for fiscal 2007- 08 was all claimed by trappers and hunters in the first six months of the fiscal year. Last month, the board transferred an additional $5,000 into the bounty budget and set a hearing for this month to discuss adjusting the bounty.

Before the hearing, the board heard from Chad Fox, supervisor of the USDA Virginia Wildlife Services Coyote Program. "Your bounty probably isn't doing what you intend it to," Fox told the board. "You can't kill enough of them (coyotes)" to seriously impact the population, he added. The report he gave to board members showed coyote populations are still increasing in the state.

Fox administers the program to help farmers suffering losses from coyote predation of livestock. Through his program farmers can receive onsite consulting on ways to deal with coyote problems and paid trappers will help eliminate problem coyotes from farms.

One handout provided by Fox listed two benefits and nine detriments or shortcomings of bounty programs. The two benefits were recognized by supervisors - providing an outward display of helping constituents and distribution of money to community members.

Supervisor Stuart Hall talked about some of his own experiences with coyotes on his farm and asked Fox directly, "It's (coyote bounty) not going to help control coyotes?"

Fox responded the program would not help.

Some citizens disagreed with the effectiveness of the program during and about changing the bounty. The Mountain Grove area has been helped by the bounties, said Mitchelltown resident Carl Chestnut. He said the farm he hunts and works on there lost three calves, two-and-a-half years ago. Since the bounty, it hasn't lost any. "This is helping," said Chestnut. "Let the bounty stay for another year."

Animal control officer Robbie Chestnut listed the county expenses for the program over the past six years. The numbers have grown each year since 2002, he said, and total $45,300.

Supervisor Richard Byrd offered a different perspective. "There is nothing we do that stops everything," Byrd said. "We never stopped crime. Just because we put money into a program doesn't mean we eradicate the problem."

The bounty program is "helping the people that get helped the least," Byrd said of the people in Mountain Grove. "It made those people feel like we helped them. I support the program."

Chairman Jon Trees recommended a bounty of $25. Hall offered a compromise of $50. The board voted 5-0 to set the bounty at $50 and change the language in the ordinance so the amount of the bounty and the budget line item for the program could be changed without a public hearing.
 
"It shall be lawful for any person to kill coyotes within the boundaries of Page County at any time,"

===========================================================
§ 29.1-521. Unlawful to hunt, trap, possess, sell or transport wild birds and wild animals except as permitted; exception; penalty.

A. The following shall be unlawful:

1. To hunt or kill any wild bird or wild animal, including any nuisance species, with a gun, firearm or other weapon on Sunday,
===========================================================

So much for the county ordinance language! "Any time" is any day but Sunday in VA! the word "including" needs to be changed to "except" in the VA Code! The VAFB, and the VAC NEED TO PULL THEIR COLLECTIVE HEADS OUT OF THEIR NETHER REGIONS, and get behind some legislation to change that statute's language! A few more coyotes and pigs(not to mention groundhogs /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif) would get taken care of if the statute were changed!!
F1
 
Thank you, Ron (kunas), and thanks to all contributors. I'm still doing my homework with this. Some counties just have pathetic websites and it's slowing down the process a bit.

Please keep the info coming if you can help.

Jeff
 
I know that I must have been transfered 1000 times last year trying to find out if Frederick County had a bounty. I am awaiting any further info this matter and I will be sure to check back often.
 
I LIVE IN CAMPBELL CO. THEY PAY 50 PER YOTE YOU HAVE TO TAKE THEM TO GAME OFFICE OR TO A GAME WARDEN AND THEY CUT THE TONGUE OUT SO YOU CANNOT TAKE IT TO ANOTHER COUNTY AND RECEIVE A BOUNTY
 
I just recieved my w-9 tax form from the county office I have to fill out and return /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif before I get my check.
 
Maybe try and contact the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries??? I don't know if they maintain such a list or not but it may be worth a call. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif I would like to see a published list myself (for all the counties in Va.) and I'm sure others would too. Good Luck
 
Back
Top