Supervisors amend bounty program

VERONA — The Augusta County Board of Supervisors amended the county’s coyote bounty ordinance Wednesday to pay a lesser amount per coyote year round after hearing a county sheep farmer ask them to stop the program.

Under the amendment passed Wednesday, the county will pay hunters $50 per coyote killed year round instead of the $75 it has paid during whelping season.

Sheep farmer Leo Tammi, of Mount Sidney, spoke before the vote was taken, and said the program should be discontinued.

Tammi said the county’s program kills coyotes when it should be focused on killing the coyotes that are destroying farm livestock.

“This program does not target the problem coyotes,’’ Tammi said.

He asked that the $12,000 in the county’s budget for bounties be used to hire wildlife trappers who would work in removing problem coyotes.

Tammi said he loses 50 to 60 lambs a year, and said the losses do not just come from coyotes. He said vultures and bears also contribute to his losses.

Meanwhile, Riverheads Supervisor Nancy Sorrells told supervisors that one of the casualties of Gov. Timothy Kaine’s budget cuts Tuesday was state support for coyote control.

Sorrells presented a letter from Jason Carter, the animal science extension agent for Augusta County.

Carter has written 6th District Rep. Bob Goodlatte asking for his help in reinstating state funding for the coyote control program from both Gov. Kaine and the Virginia General Assembly.

Sorrells asked the board to consider suspending the coyote bounty until renewed state support could be garnered by the General Assembly in January. The board voted 4-1 against her request.