Wildlife predator management is an inherently tricky balancing act: On one hand, predators like coyotes and mountain lions are key parts of ecosystems, and on the other, they can pose threats to livestock and crops. Federal agencies like the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) have many tools at their disposal to attempt to achieve this difficult balance, and one of the most controversial ones may be returning.
M-44s, devices that emit a lethal dose of sodium cyanide to kill predators, were banned under the Biden Administration, but it appears that Trump officials are attempting to revive their use.
What Are M-44s?
According to the BLM, M-44s are spring-loaded devices filled with sodium cyanide, a highly toxic substance, that are baited to attract predators. Essentially, wildlife management staff place the devices in the ground, and then when a fox or coyote bites them to get at the bait, the sodium cyanide goes into its mouth, and the animal dies soon after.
Wildlife Services under the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), a USDA agency responsible for wildlife management, works closely with multiple agencies, including the BLM. APHIS only uses M-44s “for control of coyotes, red and gray foxes, and wild or feral dogs that are vectors of communicable diseases or suspected of preying upon livestock, poultry, or federally designated threatened and endangered species,” a 2024 agency directive said.
Old vs. New Policy
In 2023, the BLM under the Biden Administration issued a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with APHIS. An MOU is a document that explains how two agencies will work together to accomplish goals. This MOU prohibited the use of M-44s on all 245 million acres of public land that the BLM manages. The ban was slated to last for 5 years.
The BLM cited potential safety concerns. “M-44 cyanide devices have been implicated in several incidents, including one in Idaho in 2017 when a family dog was killed and a child injured after accidentally triggering a device placed on public land 400 feet from their home. In another incident, a recreationist triggered an M-44 cyanide device while recreating on BLM-managed public land, resulting in long-term injury and ongoing health problems,” a press release read.
Several states, including Oregon, have entirely or partially banned the use of these devices.
On April 15, 2026, the BLM issued a new MOU with APHIS. The document instructs the Wildlife Services division of APHIS to “ensure that NEPA [National Environmental Policy Act] analysis includes the appropriate level of review of issues applicable to BLM-administered lands, including but not limited to … Pesticide use (including DRC-1339 and M-44s that deliver sodium cyanide) on lands administered by the BLM.”
NEPA is a landmark law that requires federal agencies to examine possible environmental impacts before they take action on permits, construction, and land management. Essentially, this MOU begins the long process to potentially revive the use of M-44s.
The Controversy
Many environmental and conservation groups oppose the use of M-44s. The Center for Biological Diversity, for example, has spent years advocating for a nationwide ban. The group describes them as “inhumane” and “one of the most horrifying methods the program [Wildlife Services] uses for its indiscriminate killing.”
“Any creature — or person — who pulls on the baited trigger can suffer torturous poisoning followed by a slow, agonizing death or severe injury,” it said. It argues that M-44s can kill non-target animals, like raccoons, opossums, skunks, and people’s pets.
Predator Defense, a wildlife conservation nonprofit, criticized the new MOU. “M-44s are indiscriminate killers and cannot be used safely. They are meant to kill coyotes, which any true conservation biologist can tell you is an exercise in futility, but they also kill endangered species, essential native predators, and countless beloved dogs, none of which can read warning signs,” it stated.
GJ reached out via email to the BLM and asked it to respond to these objections. The agency said that the MOU was not a carte blanche endorsement of the devices.
Rather, the MOU “identifies restricted‑use pesticides—including M‑44 devices—as tools that may be considered under existing law and environmental review. The MOU does not itself authorize or expand use of M‑44s; any proposed application requires advance notification to BLM, compliance with NEPA and other statutes, and must conform to all laws and regulations.
BLM will continue to evaluate proposals case‑by‑case and may prohibit or restrict such tools where warranted to protect public safety, pets, wildlife, and designated lands,” it explained.
GJ reached out to the USDA for comment, but did not hear back by the time of publication.
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