Vermont Public | By Abagael Giles
Published June 17, 2026 at 4:15 PM EDT
- Bluesky
- Vermont Supreme Court upholds trapping, coyote hunting rules | Vermont Public
The Vermont Supreme Court has rejected a challenge by wildlife advocates to Vermont’s new regulations on trapping and on hunting coyotes with dogs.
The court ruled last week that the state Fish and Wildlife Board had satisfied the Vermont Legislature’s intent, despite objections from lawmakers.
In 2022, lawmakers adopted a temporary ban on hunting coyotes with hounds until the board could propose new regulations that reduce friction between coyote hunters, landowners and pets.
Namely, lawmakers charged the board with requiring that coyote hunters be able to “control” their dogs on hunts.
Lawmakers also called for stricter trapping regulations, including changing what kinds of traps are allowed and where they can be set, as well as for restrictions on how trappers can kill animals.
The state Fish and Wildlife Board responded in 2023 with rules that required coyote hunters to register their dogs, record where they hunt and outfit their dogs with GPS tracking collars.
But most lawmakers on the legislative committee that reviews regulations and wildlife advocates argued that using a GPS collar doesn’t count as control, because coyote hunters often let their dogs run a mile or more ahead of them in pursuit.
Lawmakers also took issue with how the board treated traps, objecting to exemptions for setbacks from trails for traps set in the water and under ice.
The Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules formally objected to the new regulations, arguing they were not sufficient to justify lifting the moratorium on hunting coyotes with hounds.
Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife adopted the rules anyway, lifting the moratorium. And in 2024, a coalition of four wildlife advocacy groups challenged the rules in court.
“At the end of the day, really, both the trapping and hounding rules don’t go far enough to protect people and their pets,” said Brenna Galdenzi, who leads Protect Our Wildlife, one of the groups that sued. Her organization would like to see recreational trapping and hunting coyotes with dogs banned in Vermont.
In addition to upholding the trapping and coyote hunting regulations, the court also said that if the legislative committee formally objects to a rule adopted by a state agency, that agency loses the privilege of deference from the courts if the regulation faces a legal challenge.
Galdenzi called this latter ruling a win.
“We didn’t get the rules that we wanted to be reevaluated or revisited, but the bigger picture, the equally important result of this ruling, is that LCAR has teeth,” she said. “It sets that precedent and kind of keeps state agencies like Vermont Fish and Wildlife in check in having to follow legislative mandate and legislative intent. That is important.”
Speaking for the Department of Fish and Wildlife, attorney Catherine Gjessing said the department was pleased with the court’s decision. And Commissioner Jason Batchelder said the department is excited to have Vermont’s first regulations on hunting coyotes on the books.
“I think that’s the beauty of this process,” Batchelder said. “The people who are trapping and the people who enjoy wildlife for its intrinsic value, I think they can all be proud of this rule.”
The new hunting and trapping rules are in effect now.
Corrected: June 18, 2026 at 11:53 AM EDT
This article has been updated to correct the year that the legal challenge to the rules began. It was 2024.