The purpose of a bounty is to encourage the hunting of whatever animal is overpopulated or causing damage. No one in their right mind would give someone a bounty for a coyote killed somewhere else!! That totally contradicts the whole point of a bounty. It was mentioned earlier, but every bounty I've been around has been rather guarded also. Most (altough some do) don't just let whoever collect a bounty. Here in Laramie county Wyoming, farmers and ranchers pay a predator fee when they have brand inspections done on stock. This money goes into a fund and is paid back out to people who turn in coyotes. Farmers and ranchers who have paid into the system are given first rights to it. Also if it is ever suspected you are cheating the system, you can forget about ever collecting it again. Although it does a good job of keeping the money going where it came from, the bounty agents have gotten greedy and power hungry (my opinion). State-wide and even federal bounties have occured years ago, but none that I currently know of. Your only chance of collecting a bounty would be to hunt in an area where there is a bounty and they allow anyone to collect it. Bounties seem to be viewed as a pot of gold to people who aren't around them. The truth is I always wonder if I am going to get paid, I have to wait a long time to get it (sometimes 6 monthes), and sometimes I don't get it. Depending on bounty agent, and their mood, you usually cannot keep the hide so you can't collect fur money and the bounty. I seldom get back in bounty what I have to pay into the system in tax on brand inspections. I guess I reap the benefits of having less coyotes bother my cows, but I would just as soon have a few more coyotes to hunt, and not have to pay the predator fee. Just letting everyone know the truth about most bounties. Good Luck!
