Coyotes that kill livestock, and Columbian ground squirrels that eat crops could be killed by ranchers and farmers under a bill given a hearing Wednesday by the House Natural Resources Committee.

Supporters of HB1282, sponsored by Steve Fuhrman, R-Kettle Falls, say coyotes are a threat to cattle and the ground squirrels destroy alfalfa, grain and other crops.

Under current law, a person must have a hunting license to kill the animals. The wildlife killed remains the property of the state, and the person who kills the animals must immediately contact the Department of Fish and Wildlife, so it can dispose of the remains.

Fuhrman’s bill allows farmers to kill threatening animals without a hunting license and without consulting the department.

“Ground squirrels are the driving force of this bill,” said Fuhrman. “If you don’t poison them, they can take over an entire alfalfa field.”

Kent Lebsack of the Washington Cattlemen’s Association said cattlemen support the bill because of the damage coyotes do to cattle.

Lebsack estimated that in 1992 and 1993, coyotes caused several million dollars worth of damage to cattle.