Coyotes and mountain lions have been killed in Nevada for many years in a forlorn hope that their deaths will “create” more mule deer for sportsmen to kill. Many sportsmen believe, erroneously, that predators determine prey numbers instead of the other way round. In the past dozen years, the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners has spent over $5 million to kill these animals (and poison ravens to “create” sage grouse). Here are numbers reflecting the total annual kill of coyotes and mountain lions, statewide, from all causes for each year alongside NDOW’s official estimate of the mule deer population in this state. You can decide whether sportsmen are “out to lunch” on this issue.
Click NDOW Coyotes Lions Killed vs Mule Deer Numbers 2000 – 2013