Letter: Bounty on Coyotes

The deer herd in Rio Blanco County is the lowest it has been in the last 50 years since my family has been processing game. I will admit there were too many deer in the ‘50s for the range to support along with cows, sheep and yes, wild horses.
I like a wild or domestic horse as good as anybody but not to the tune of starving everything else to death, including the horse. The deer have many enemies: bears, lions, bobcats, coyotes, automobiles, high fences, hunters, Mother Nature. Even elk will run them off of good feed.
Let’s get behind our local DOW officers to see if we can let the Western Slope decide what’s best for our deer herd. My idea is no more deer killing until the herd is somewhat restored. Good luck with that idea. If you would like to help restore the deer herd in Rio Blanco County, you can donate money to pay a bounty on coyotes – this money has to come from private resources as public resources cannot be used for a bounty.
As long as I remember the Town of Meeker and Rio Blanco County have relied on hunting season to get us through the winter months.
Gary and Becky Dunham and MGM have agreed to take care of the bounty money. Take your money or any help you can offer to them.
Thanks in advance,
Bryce W. Purkey
Meeker