PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is facing criticism on Twitter for advocating that people kill more coyotes.
Noem’s tweet shows her standing with Democratic Sen. Troy Heinert, who is wearing a coyote fur coat. The tweet reads: “We need to kill more coyotes so everyone can have a coat like Senator Heinert’s. How cool is this?!?”
Responses ranged from calling Noem’s tweet “disgusting” to questioning if it was a parody.
South Dakota allows killing of coyotes year-round, except for in Custer State Park, which has a limited season. There aren’t any daily limits, shooting hours or restrictions on guns used to hunt coyotes, which ranchers consider pests.
Noem wants to improve pheasant habitat for hunting in South Dakota and is a strong supporter of the right to have guns.
