DNR’s Coyote Challenge to Get Underway Soon

Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division is once again sponsoring its annual Georgia Coyote Challenge.

Coyotes are breeding this time of year and there you may see them more often, especially if you live out in the county.

Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Melissa Cummings says the challenge is way to educate the public on coyote issues.

“The Coyote Challenge is something that our agency initiated last year,” Cummings said. “The basics are that people can take a coyote and then enter into a drawing for some prizes. It’s an opportunity to raise awareness that there is a solution for people who have problems with coyotes.”

Nuisance coyotes can be killed all year round but Cummings said the Coyote Challenge
emphasizes the utility of removing these non-native predators during the critical spring-summer period for landowners concerned about native wildlife.

“It’s certainly one of the animals that our office gets a lot of calls about,” she said. “And this is the time of year when coyotes are preying on native wildlife. So, it’s an opportunity to remove coyotes from the population.”

The Georgia Coyote Challenge will run from March 1 through August 31.

Cummings said participants may submit up to 10 coyotes, which constitutes 10 contest entries and there will be three drawings for prizes during the contest period.

Cummings says the Department of Natural Resources is offering a great prize any hunter or angler would want.

“One of our prizes that we offer is a lifetime license and we have sponsors providing the funds for us to do this. And so a lifetime license would allow a person to hunt and fish for the rest of their life without having to purchase another license. It’s a $750 deal,” Cummings said.

To enter, simply take a photo of the coyote you killed with your phone.

Then email that photo to [email protected].

Only coyotes taken in Georgia are eligible for the contest.

Road kills and rotting carcasses will not be accepted, nor will coyotes that have been ear-notched.