Coyote hunt draws interest

BY ROBERT L. BAKER
Times-Shamrock Writer

Assisting in the weigh-in of a coyote brought in Sunday are, from left, George Fila, Dom Stivala, Butch Mislevy, Bill Kester and Frank Harris.

Assisting in the weigh-in of a coyote brought in Sunday are, from left, George Fila, Dom Stivala, Butch Mislevy, Bill Kester and Frank Harris.

The number of hunters was up but coyotes harvested down causing organizer Bill Kalinauskis this year not to worry about calling off the dogs at the 17th Annual District 9 Northeast Pennsylvania Trappers Association Coyote Hunt in Tunkhannock.

George Krzan was a big winner of $2,250 for bringing in the biggest coyote for the weekend at 46.6 pounds and the largest on Saturday at 41.1 pounds, both in Lackawanna County, where potential victims can breathe easier.

The 771 hunters brought in only 27 coyotes total, down from last year’s 48 which were taken in mostly subfreezing weather.

Sunday saw temperatures climb into the 40s making the kill a little more challenging, Kalinauskis said.

He scoffed at any suggestion that the coyote population was decimated by an increased number of hunts in the area.

“Not a chance,” he said. “We’re seeing evidence of plenty of them out there.”

This year’s hunt saw hunter, Michelle Cragle, 24, of Sweet Valley, to bring in a coyote Sunday which she shot in Tunkhannock Township using a 12-gauge shotgun.

Her father – veteran hunter Bob Cragle – brought in a coyote from Luzerne County late Friday, and she said it was always a thrill to hit target, but this, just for the record, was her third coyote in 12 years of hunting, but the first during a scheduled hunt.

In addition to Krzan, a big winner was scientific inquiry, as Kyle VanWhy, of the USDA wildlife services unit in Harrisburg, was taking blood samples for a study being conducted at Juniata College, and Olivia Plocinski, a senior at Delaware Valley College was also taking samples for a study on canine distemper virus.

The breakdown of county of harvest was: Luzerne (7), Lackawanna (6), Susquehanna (6), Bradford (4), Wyoming (2), Pike (1), and Wayne (1).

By day, each hunter’s name, coyote weight in pounds and county shot are as follows:

Friday: Mike Bonczek, 27.3 Pike; Bill Higgins, 37.35, Luzerne, Brett Ruhf, 30.45, Bradford; John Krzan, 46.6, Lackawanna; John Krzan, 46.55, Lackawanna; Ron Taylor, 36.4, Luzerne; Andrew Nevel, 40.55, Luzerne; Jeff Cragle, 32.8, Luzerne; Bob Cragle, 37.05, Luzerne; Mark Guidetti, 43.45, Lackawanna County.

Saturday: John Kwiatkowski, 27.8, Lackawanna; Randy Coolbaugh, 39.15, Bradford; John Krzan, 41.1, Lackawanna; Jim Yachymiak, 28.5, Susquehanna; Wyatt Yachymiak. 37.05, Susquehanna; Bruce Tewksbury, 35.95, Bradford; Drew Madill, 27.75, Wyoming; Corey Luther, 34.7, Susquehaanna; George Hobbs, 34.35, Wayne; Patrick Cramer, 36.35, Susquehanna; Phil Marsh, 33.7, Susquehanna; Eric Cornelius, 39.9, Susquehanna.

Sunday: Brian Masi, 39.35, Luzerne; Gerard Devine, 34.85, Bradford; Michelle Cragle, 34.85, Wyoming; Don Spencer, 41.75, Luzerne; and Victor Guydetti, 30, Lackawanna.

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