I can see the usefulness of…

I can see the usefulness of having these pursuit dog activities kept separate from other uses of crown and private land. In my area dogs charging through the bush have ruined hunts for some people and have annoyed other land owners.

There is a larger question though. Why are people still training to hunt foxes and coyotes? Going back several generations hunters have been trying to clear out the coyotes so there will be more deer. Are there fewer coyotes? No. They respond to pressure by breeding faster. For all practical purposes hunting them is a waste of time.

So why are they being hunted in the wild? Is it just the thrill of the chase and then a kill for the dogs and/or the hunter. Is it just a blood sport then?

Foxes and coyotes and/or wolves have been part of the natural balance in Ontario for a long time. They don't drive down deer populations. Other factors are much more important. They are important for keeping the field mouse population from exploding and they are efficient scavengers.

It would be a benefit to Eastern wolves and the hybrid coyotes if hunting with dogs was outlawed. Many jurisdictions do not allow it.

What to do with the hound owners then? I guess giving them places to train and trial is better than having them killing the natural wildlife.

What are conditions REALLY like for the animals in train/trial pens? Do they ACTUALLY have places to recover and hide between sessions with up to HOW MANY hounds at one time?

I read the regulations and there are limits set but who enforces these limits? In theory the Ministry does but we know they are not present to see what really goes on. There is a suspicion that there is a lot of cruelty because many of the participants hate coyotes.

Opening more of these facilities will encourage more of this type of blood sport mentality and more negative attitude towards coyotes. It used to be that wolves were the scourge and were driven out of every place but now they are popular and are being reintroduced all over the world. Times change.

Letting these old style train and trial pens fade out and looking to replace them with something modern makes more sense. There must be jurisdictions in places like California where cruelty to animals is no longer tolerated. Train/trial set ups may exist that use AI inspired 'coyotes' to chase.
Worth looking into for sure before licensing more cruelty.