H. B. 4446


(By Delegates Tucker, Proudfoot, Yeager,

Willis, Staton and Shelton)


[Introduced February 8, 2000; referred to the

Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources then Finance.]




A BILL to amend article two, chapter twenty of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section fifteen-a, relating to wildlife resources and providing procedures for hunting and trapping coyote for property damage caused by coyote; and authorizing county commissions to offer and pay bounties on coyote causing damage to personal property.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That article two, chapter twenty of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section fifteen-a, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 2. WILDLIFE RESOURCES.

ยง20-2-15a. Permit to kill or trap coyote causing damage to farm animals or pets; weapon restrictions; county commissions authorized to offer bounty on coyote.

(a) Whenever it appears that coyote are causing damage to farm animals or pets, the owner or lessee of the lands on which this damage is done may report the finding to the conservation officer or biologist of the county in which the lands are located or to the director. The director shall then investigate the reported damage and if found substantial, shall issue a permit to the owner or lessee to kill or trap one or more coyote in the manner prescribed by the director.
(b) In addition to the foregoing, the director shall establish procedures for the issuance of permits or other authorization necessary to control coyote causing property damage.
(c) All persons attempting to kill coyote pursuant to this section are subject to the same minimum caliber restrictions and other firearm restrictions and the same minimum bow poundage and other bow and arrow restrictions that apply when hunting similar animal species during the regular hunting seasons.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, the county commission of any county with substantial property damage or damage to farm animals or pets caused by coyote may offer and pay a bounty on coyote causing the damage. The county commission offering a bounty must cooperate with the director in determining when a bounty on coyote may be offered for damage to farm animals or pets and the manner in which coyote may be hunted and killed. A county commission may enact ordinances to approve the procedure for hunting or trapping coyote for a bounty, only if there is substantial damages to farm animals or pets in that county, as determined by the director.



NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide for hunting or trapping coyote as the result of damages to property or livestock by coyote. County commissions are authorized to offer bounties on coyote causing this damage.

This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.