Last year a hunters’ rights group in Idaho sparked outrage when it decided to hold the first predator killing contest targeting coyotes and wolves in decades, but it appears the group learned nothing after turning the town of Salmon into a battleground and is back seeking a permit to hold the event annually over the next several years.
The contest last year, sponsored by Idaho for Wildlife, awarded trophies and prize money for killing the largest wolf and most coyotes, among other things, and offered special prizes for a youth category for children between the ages of 10 and 14.
More offensive is that the contest kicked off on the 40th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act and marked the first time wolves were targeted in a predator derby since their reintroduction. While the group tried to claim it was just good old family fun, wildlife advocates called it out for what it really is – a reckless waste of life – and fought unsuccessfully to shut it down.
No wolves were killed last year, but 21 coyotes weren’t so lucky. Now, the group is back and is asking the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for a Special Recreation Permit that would allow it to hold more of these contests on public lands for the next five years, with the first one scheduled for January 2-4, 2015.
This time around, the scope of the contest could be expanded to include even more species, including skunks and weasels.
Now organizations including Project Coyote and Defenders of Wildlife are urging the BLM to deny the permit because, among other reasons, hosting a predator derby is an offensive misuse of our public lands, they could impact a host of species at a time when food is scarce and they are exactly the type of thing that drove predators like wolves to the brink in the first place.
These contests are also incompatible with the scientific principles that are, in theory, supposed to guide wildlife management decisions and defy the principles of ethical hunting. These events aren’t about managing wildlife or controlling predator populations, they’re about killing for fun and for the profit and entertainment of a few who decide to participate and they completely ignore the important role predators play in healthy ecosystems.
Tell the BLM to Shut This Down
While the BLM doesn’t regulate hunting, it can make sure these contests don’t take place on federal public land, which belongs to all of us. The agency will be accepting public input on the scope of what it should consider in its Environmental Assessment for a few more days until August 18. The agency will be considering how this contest will impact economic and social values, the impact on existing recreational uses, and how they would affect wildlife habitat and threatened species in the targeted area.
You can send a comment, with all of your contact info so its counted for the official record, to Liz Townley, Outdoor Recreation Planner, at blm_id_predatorhuntderby@blm.gov with the subject line: Re: DOI-BLM-ID-I000-2014-0002-EA.
Project Coyote is also offering talking points and keeping track of the letters we send; you can cc them on your email at: info@projectcoyote.org
Exposing the Big Game 
Reblogged this on Howling For Justice and commented:
BOYCOTT IDAHO!!!
I wrote this to the BLM representative; feel free to copy all or part of it in your letter to the BLM.
So “Idaho for Wildlife” (an oxymoron, I assure you) is gunning for another killing derby, but this time on public lands?
Currently, the issues identified to analyze in the EA include:
1. How would the proposed event impact economic and social values;
2. How would the proposed project impact existing recreational uses; and
3. How would the proposed action affect wildlife habitat and threatened species in the project area.
I would suggest Ms. Townley, several other issues to analyze in the EA including the following:
4. How would the proposed event affect the opinion of the general public regarding the role of the BLM as facilitators of wanton wildlife slaughter?
5. How would the proposed event affect the perception by the public of the management (or “mis-management”) of our public lands for “thrill killing” contests?
6. And specifically, how would the proposed project as stated, impact a species of wolf that does not currently reside in Idaho? Below is a quote from the International Wolf Center’s website regarding wolf subspecies:
“Subspecies of gray wolves in North America include the Arctic wolf (Canis lupus arctos), Northwestern wolf (Canis lupus occidentalis – also known as the Rocky Mountain or MacKenzie Valley wolf), Great Plains wolf (Canis lupus nubilus), Mexican wolf(Canis lupus baileyi) and the eastern timber wolf (Canis lupus lycaon), which is debated by some as a distinct species, the eastern wolf (Canis lycaon).”
No mention of “Canadian’ wolves listed in the description of the proposed action.
Why are our public lands, which belong to all of us – those who photograph and watch wildlife, who hike to enjoy the wilderness, be subjected to individuals toting guns and firing them at anything they believe to be a predator (including skunks, weasels, jackrabbits, raccoons and starlings)? Upwards of 500 hunters parading over environmentally sensitive areas gunning for recently recovered wolves, and who may possibly blast away at other wildlife not falling under the designation of “predatory”, like the very rare wolverine?
Further, killing for the sheer joy of killing is associated with sadism and brutality; senseless killing which parallels the psychopathology of murderers.
I am aware of one participant of last year’s killing derby who said he had shot and wounded coyotes, but did not “finish” them off because he had to get back in time to turn in his killed animals; this is completely unethical, barbaric, and cruel, to say the least!
For ALL the aforementioned reasons, the BLM should NOT encourage this killing mentality behavior, should NOT endorse a killing contest on public land, and should really take no role WHATSOEVER in allowing this sick, perverted, and senseless killing of our wildlife which amounts to nothing more than three days of “slaughter for fun”.
Thank you for considering my opinion regarding this matter.
I have a file for Idaho called Bat Sh– Crazy.
It must be overflowing.
Over the course of history since Jefferson and especially since the civil war the redneck-yokel-parochial crazies have drifted toward ID-MT-WY and other red states. It is a phenomenon in the old south and a few other states, reflected in the right and most red western states and the TEA Party. There has been a genetic drift of the crazies into certain states, political party (GOP), wildlife killing versus conservation sports associations and state wildlife agencies. This is not just shallow opinion and values differences but is more, a gut level visceral values outlook, a polarization drift, a genetic pooling of differences. So, make no mistake about it, we are in a war, not a polite discussion, to save wilderness and wildlife and a healthy ecology. There is just a standing up for conservation values and doing the bet fight possible. Compromise is now capitulation, a chipping away at what little is left.
It seems that in Idaho there are lots of lunatics, bloodthirsty perverts and murderers. So sad for the animals misfortunate enough to meet them….