Vermont Board Reviews Wildlife Hunting Petitions

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board held a hearing in Montpelier to consider proposals regarding bobcat and coyote regulations.

Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Hunting

Vermont Board Reviews Wildlife Hunting Petitions

Live Poll

Do you support restricting hunting and trapping of bobcats, coyotes, and other furbearing animals?

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board heard competing petitions during a public meeting to adjust state hunting and trapping rules. The proposals include expanding the bobcat trapping season and restricting year-round coyote hunting.

Why it matters

The petitions highlight a policy divide between trappers, who seek extended seasons for biological sampling, and conservationists concerned about habitat fragmentation and wildlife disease.

A pending petition requests to double the winter bobcat trapping season to a total length of 2 months. Other proposals submitted for review include implementing new bag limits for gray foxes and fishers.

The players

Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board

This state body is responsible for managing Vermont's wildlife resources and reviewing regulatory changes through public hearings.

Protect Our Wildlife

This is a conservation organization that petitioned for the implementation of specific bag limits on bobcats, gray foxes, and fishers.

Project Coyote

This is a wildlife advocacy group that submitted a request to restrict coyote hunting to a single closed season.

The details

Advocates presented their conflicting wildlife management rule changes before the board, which evaluates such petitions through public comment processes. Specific requests include shifting coyote hunting from a year-round activity to a system with one closed season.

Wednesday, October 14, 2026: The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board convened a public hearing in Montpelier.

Culture Shift

These petitions reflect a broader societal shift toward re-evaluating traditional outdoor activities in favor of wildlife conservation priorities. This ongoing dialogue marks a departure from historical wildlife management practices that previously favored unrestricted year-round harvest.

The potential implementation of these rule changes could directly alter the seasonal schedules and bag limits for hunters and trappers across the state. Residents interested in outdoor access and wildlife management should monitor future board meeting outcomes for final regulatory adjustments.

The takeaway

Wildlife management requires balancing the input of diverse stakeholder groups with scientific data on animal populations. Public hearings serve as the primary venue for citizens to influence the rules that govern the state's natural resources.