LANSING - Coyote and fox hunters may soon be able to shoot from on high.

A bill passed by the House would allow small game hunters to use the scaffolds and tree stands that are legal for deer hunters.

"There is a safety issue here," said co-sponsor Rep. Darwin Booher, R-Evart.

Shooting from a raised platform allows hunters to see more, Booher said. And bullets will end up in the ground if the hunter misses.

"Being a hunter myself, we used the stands for deer hunting," he said. "It gives you a sporting chance."

The population of coyotes has been increasing in the last five years, especially in southern Michigan, said Tony Hansen, a press officer for the Michigan United Conservation Clubs.

And the popularity of coyote hunting is increasing with it, he said.

Booher said, "I've never seen so many coyotes on my farm."

Allowing hunters to use platforms could help keep that population in check, he added.

Hunting for predators from tree stands hasn't been declared legal yet, he said. That's why a bill is needed.

To shoot coyotes and foxes, a hunter needs either a small game license or a fur harvester license.

The Department of Natural Resources opposes the bill, said assistant legislative liaison Daniel Eichinger, even though it supports the concept.

In 1996, a ballot proposition gave the Natural Resources Commission power to make such policy descisions, Eichinger said, "so that decision should be made by the NRC.

"We're very careful to safeguard that process," he said.

In June, the NRC will hold a public hearing to discuss whether to allow hunting predators from tree stands.

Hansen said, hunting from a platform offers several advantages. Being above the animal helps hide the hunter's scent, and it makes it easier for the hunter to see and aim.

It does cause some difficulty though, Hansen added.

Hunters who use calls to attract their prey might have a hard time on the platforms, he said. "The coyotes might get suspicious about why a rabbit is 15 feet in the air."