http://www.abqjournal.com/519815/news/dead-coyotes-dumped-near-las-cruces.html
By Lauren Villagran / Journal Staff Writer – Las Cruces Bureau
PUBLISHED: Thursday, January 1, 2015
LAS CRUCES [New Mexico] – Nearly 40 dead coyotes dumped in the desert outskirts of Las Cruces, some with wood blocks in their mouths marked with the date they were killed, are the latest sign of the excesses of coyote-killing contests, say advocates who want to see the derbies banned.
At least 10 environmental groups are hoping to push legislation this session outlawing the contests in New Mexico, much as California did last month. They say the contests, which reward participants for the largest number killed or biggest animal shot, serve no legitimate wildlife management purpose.
Supporters of the contests say coyotes are akin to varmints and identify in online forums as “predator callers,” a reference to their use of hand or electronic calling to attract coyotes.
But a co-founder of a local coyote hunting club said wholesale dumping of coyotes is “very much frowned upon.”
The hunting of coyotes is unregulated in New Mexico, and the contests are legal. There are no limits to the number of animals that may be killed.
Wildlife advocates counted some 20 such contests around New Mexico in 2014 but say the number is understated because many are not publicized.
Advocates say they are in talks with two possible sponsors of a bill to ban the contests, one Democrat and one Republican. The legislation would mirror a House bill to ban the contests that failed in the 2013 legislative session by a 38-30 vote.
California is the first state to ban wildlife-killing contests, although some states such as Colorado place limits on the number of animals that can be taken.
“The animals are not being eaten or used in any way; they are just being killed, and they are being killed for sport,” said Kevin Bixby, executive director of the Southwest Environmental Center in Las Cruces. “It disrupts natural ecosystems and undermines the ability of coyotes to provide their ecological role in maintaining healthy systems, in regulating populations of prey animals like rodents and rabbits.”
Bixby recently counted 39 coyotes strewn around creosote, broken glass and tossed cardboard boxes used for target practice near the Las Cruces airport.
The mouths of the animals were stuffed open with wood or bullets inscribed with the date they were killed – Dec. 21 – a practice used in contests. A few had been skinned, but most were tossed to rot.
New Mexico Desert Dogs holds coyote-killing contests around Las Cruces and bills itself on a Facebook page as a “hunting club for those folks that have a passion, appreciation, fondness … for coyote hunting.”
A co-founder of the club who identified himself only as Ruben said the group was not behind the dumped carcasses. He defended coyote-killing contests as “a way for people to gather and share the same culture and love for the sport” and said such dumping – instead of burying the animals or donating pelts to apprentice taxidermists – is “a shame on the hunting community.”
“It is a sport,” he said in a telephone interview. “It takes precision and skill and timing and effort to go and harvest coyotes.”
The legislation the wildlife advocacy groups are backing would ban coyote-killing contests for material gain but would not prohibit killing coyotes that threaten property, such as livestock or pets.
“They are commercial events: killing animals for the purpose of entertainment, prizes and publicity,” said Guy Dicharry of the Los Lunas-based Wildlife Conservation and Advocacy Southwest. “You’re really out there trying to win. This is not focused on predator management. It’s random.”
Exposing the Big Game 
**A co-founder of the club who identified himself only as Ruben said the group was not behind the dumped carcasses. He defended coyote-killing contests as “a way for people to gather and share the same culture and love for the sport” and said such dumping – instead of burying the animals or donating pelts to apprentice taxidermists – is “a shame on the hunting community.”**
Oh, but the contests themselves make the hunting community look oh soooooooooooooooo upstanding.
Sure.
Tragic 😥
Even so, I’m glad he has condemned it. It is just so Goddamned wasteful. And where are they getting the same picture of the snarling wolf? It’s on every anti-wolf piece of propaganda everywhere!
Whenever and wherever men have engaged in the mindless slaughter of animals (including other men), they have often attempted to justify their acts by attributing the most vicious or revolting qualities to those they would destroy; and the less reason there is for the slaughter, the greater the campaign of vilification.
Farley Mowat, Never Cry Wolf
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New Mexico is dominated by the ignorant, antiquated, “good ol’ boy Livestock Industry, (just as in other western states), which has been sadistically torturing, maiming and killing so-called predators since the late 1860’s. This cowardly, spoiled industry receives federal subsidies to graze all over wilderness, national forests, BLM lands–even wildlife refuges–while demanding that coyotes,wolves, bears, prairie dogs, bobcats, mountain lions be “managed” (slaughtered) so cattle and sheep can graze everywhere on these public lands.
As a result, these once-pristine ecosystems are now denuded and trashed, with native wildlife in decline and suffering. As Climate Change worsens, these lands are becoming more crucial for native animals, but the destructive Livestock Industry (often hunter/rancher/trappers themselves) continues its assault.
Until animal groups really decide to take on this industry, nothing will change. We need to get the livestock off of our public lands–this will be a tremendous undertaking, but it is crucial in order to protect remaining wild ecosystems for the wildlife. Once ranchers are off public lands, many will go out of business. This industry has always been hateful towards coyotes, & other wildlife they consider to be “predators, ” but the Livestock Industry is the REAL Predator.