Why I didn’t shoot the coyote behind my house

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 23, 2026

I’ve hunted coyotes and seen them in the woods while I’ve deer hunted. There are few things more unnerving than walking into your stand in the dark and hearing a nearby coyote howl. The one on my trail camera was just too close to my house. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s says: “people are less tolerant of coyotes than they are of any other furbearer species.” While I don’t want coyotes around, the more I questioned my gut reaction. Maybe it’s OK to have coyotes nearby if the result is a reduction in deer densities. I can’t guarantee that I won’t shoot a coyote if I see one while I’m out in the woods, but for right now, the one behind my house is safe. ~ Erin Merrill