The suit targeted the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission for allowing liberal coyote hunting in red wolf territory, even at night, exacerbating the risk of protected and endangered red wolves being shot mistakenly. Accidental shootings of red wolves by coyote hunters have been documented in the eastern counties, and the suit aimed to eliminate the threat to the tenuous red wolf population.

However, the Wildlife Commission said the exploding coyote population is a nuisance and all tools — including nighttime hunting — were needed to combat the scourge of coyotes.

The lawsuit, brought by the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of the Red Wolf Coalition, Defenders of Wildlife and the Animal Welfare Institute, won a court-ordered injunction in May that halted all coyote hunting in Dare, Hyde, Beaufort, Tyrrell and Washington counties.

According to the agreement, daytime coyote hunting will be allowed on private lands only. Further, hunters wanting to shoot coyotes must obtain a special permit and report their kill afterward. In the rest of the state, coyote hunters may hunt any time of the day with artificial lights, and no special permit or reporting of kills will be required.