We did it! The ban on coyote killing contests (H.636) in Vermont is a done deal!
It was a long, hard, fight but we never stopped despite powerful opposition, including paid lobbyists at the Statehouse.
Wildlife Killing Contests in Vermont
Vermont still allows wildlife killing contests for crows, squirrels, rabbits, and other wild animals. Killing wildlife for prizes sends a dangerous message to youth hunters. It's actually used as a way to indoctrinate children into hunting. We need to prohibit all killing contests so please write your legislators today and ask them sponsor a bill that mirrors New York State's law HERE.
POW email to Fish & Wildlife Commissioner concerning coyote killing contests | 12.24.17
They have not responded as of Jan. 3, 2018
Dear Louis,
I'm sure you're aware that a statewide coyote killing contest is scheduled for the month of February with a gun being awarded to the contestant with the highest accrued weight, which incentivizes killing as many coyotes as one can. What is equally alarming are the comments from Vermont coyote killers (I won't refer to them as hunters) on VCCC's Facebook page. I've attached a sampling that was provided to me from yesterday (contains profane language.)
You often say that it's just "a few bad apples" that we're dealing with, but that is not the case. The loathing towards coyotes and the gross misunderstanding towards them in general, including their impact on the deer herd and the compensatory reproductive response to unregulated killing, is glaringly clear on social media.
I know that VT residents have emailed you to ask why the Department has not taken a proactive approach in responding to a culture that is so deeply entrenched in hatred towards these animals. It seems that you're unwilling to address this issue and so it continues to fester and these "hunters" are emboldened to continue killing every coyote they see. An educational/outreach program, starting with youngsters, would help Vermont defuse this violent underbelly of VT's hunting culture. This outreach may take years, decades, to make a difference, but it must be done. To continue to allow people to bash coyote puppies with tree branches and brag about it on Facebook and turn a blind eye to young men who are right now rallying their buddies to kill as many coyotes as they can to win a gun, will only turn the general public against hunting in general. As of yesterday evening, POW has had two landowners, one in Bristol and the other in Wolcott, ask for help posting their land in protest of this statewide killing contest.
It should not be the sole responsibility of wildlife advocacy organizations like VCCC, POW, HSUS, GMAD, or any other group, to take the lead on educating the public on coyotes - it should come from your Department. This should be an area of common ground and yet we continue to receive push back. Your Department seems to be going against its own adherence to the NAM that dictates that wildlife should only be killed for a legitimate purpose. Many of these coyotes will end up being left to rot in the woods - carcasses shot up with bullet holes don't pull in much money at fur auctions. Even those pelts that are prime aren't pulling in much money with the degraded fur market.
I look forward to hearing back when your schedule allows.
Brenna
Brenna Galdenzi
President
Protect Our Wildlife POW
Social Media Comments about Coyote Hunting
