Nova Scotia's coyote bounty is back for a second year. Janet Kessler/AP

The Nova Scotia government is bringing back the coyote bounty.

The provincial government will pay $20 per pelt — the same bounty last year saw 2,600 pelts be turned in.

The bounty was worth about $50,000 to the more than 300 trappers who turned them in over a five and half month period.

The program is part of the province's plan to control aggressive coyotes.

There have been numerous reports of aggressive coyotes since October 2009, when a Toronto hiker was killed in Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

The pelt bounty drew criticism last year from conservation groups who said it would not solve the problem.

"The pelt incentive is one of the four aspects of our program and it's too early to tell, really, after only a few months of the program operating," said Natural Resources Minister Charlie Parker.

The four steps include hiring a biologist to focus on human-wildlife conflict, training more trappers, providing a pelt incentive and increasing education about dealing with the animals.

"We're going to continue it for a bit longer, look at all aspects of the program and review it at the end of the period," he said.

The program will run Oct. 15 to March 31.