U.S. Bureau of Land Management Halts Use of 'Cyanide Bombs' to Kill Coyotes

The decision follows decades of safety concerns and public outcry, with other federal agencies and states still using the devices.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has stopped using spring-loaded traps that disperse cyanide powder to kill coyotes and other livestock predators, a practice wildlife advocates have tried to outlaw for decades due to safety concerns.
The M-44 ejector-devices, also known as 'cyanide bombs', have unintentionally killed thousands of pets and non-predator wildlife, including endangered species.
Other federal agencies, including the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service, already prohibit the devices, but the Forest Service and 10 states still use them in some form.
Public outcry over the devices grew after a family dog was killed in 2017 in Pocatello, Idaho, and a 14-year-old boy was injured after accidentally triggering a device placed on public land about 400 feet from their home.
Democratic Rep. Jared Huffman, of California, who is the lead sponsor of the bill that would outlaw use of M-44s on all state and federal lands, has named the current version 'Canyon's Law,' after the injured boy.