Efforts to ban cruel coyote-killing contests have moved to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission. On December 16, the Commission will consider using its authority to ban these events, which award prizes for killing the most coyotes over a specific period of time.
Please write the Commissioners by December 1 at odfw.commission@odfw.oregon.gov and urge them to ban coyote-killing contests in Oregon. It's best to use your own words, even if it's just a few short sentences, but here are a few talking points you can use:
By making a game out of killing as many coyotes as possible, coyote-killing contests show a lack of appreciation, respect and compassion for wildlife.
By law, Oregon's wildlife belongs to all Oregonians. The Commission should not allow a small group of people to waste Oregon's wildlife for fun and competition.
Studies show that indiscriminate killing of coyotes is not necessary or effective to protect farm animals or other wildlife, which is what the promoters of these contests claim. It can even lead to more coyotes and more problems with coyotes by causing coyotes to have more offspring and to target larger animals (such as farm animals) for food because they have more pups to feed. Some good articles on this topic can be found here, here and here.
Eight states -- including five in the west (Washington, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Colorado) as well as Maryland, Vermont and Massachusetts -- have banned coyote killing contests, primarily through their state wildlife commissions. These states recognize the contests are cruel and unethical and serve no useful purpose.
In the last four years, at least 10 coyote-killing contests have been held in Oregon, and more than 1,000 coyotes have been killed in them.
This issue is before the Fish and Wildlife Commission because a coalition of 15 groups, including Humane Voters Oregon, submitted a "rulemaking petition" to the Commission October 3 asking it to adopt new administrative rules to ban coyote-killing contests. The Commission is required by law to consider the petition and to make a decision within 90 days. Advocates are taking the issue to the Commission after efforts to have the Oregon legislature ban coyote-killing contests came close to passing but fell just short due primarily to partisan politics.
Thank you for helping us ban coyote-killing contests in Oregon.