SPENCER, Ind. (AP)- A growing coyote population and increased interest from hunters has flooded the market for coyote pelts, sending prices plummeting.

Hunters last year sold coyote pelts for $5 each, down from $11.60 in 2007.

It’s legal in Indiana to hunt and trap coyotes from Oct. 15 through Feb. 15. Hunters can work year-round with permission from the landowner. Many farmers hire hunters to help control coyote populations that threaten their livestock.

Indiana’s coyote population has increased steadily since the 1970s. Department of Natural Resources spokesman Phil Bloom says bow hunters counting wildlife reported seeing 28.2 coyotes per 1,000 hours of hunting in 2006, up from 24.3 coyotes in 2005.