BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 10, 2026
There are few things that frustrate Maine deer hunters more than the eastern coyote. Hatred toward wild canine species stems from settlers who brought their beliefs about wolves to North America — the only place coyotes are found. One Maine hunter said, “If I see a coyote, I’m coyote hunting.” Coyotes’ existence throughout the state puts them at odds with deer hunters, who frequently blame the coyotes for killing deer they want. But the data is [sic] not clear enough to support these fears, as the state struggles year after year to achieve its deer harvest goals and insists coyotes are critical to maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Biologists believe there are between 10,000 and 12,000 coyotes in Maine, but admit that’s a rough estimate. And while the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife concedes that coyotes kill deer, it doesn’t consider coyotes a threat to game populations, especially given the abundance of deer in southern and central Maine.