Contest mechanics violates prohibition against paying or accepting bounty, they argue

BY Mary Or13 Mar 2023

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Wildlife advocacy groups Coyote Watch Canada and Animal Justice have filed an application for investigation under Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights. The statute allows Ontarians to request an investigation for the violation of an environmental law.

In this case, the two groups requested the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry examine a coyote-hunting competition held by Chesher’s Outdoor Store in Belleville each year. Coyote Watch Canada and Animal Justice reported that every February, the hunting store awarded a cash prize worth thousands of dollars to participants who killed and brought in the largest coyotes. Both wildlife advocacy groups pointed out that this violated Ontario’s law against paying or accepting a bounty.

In January, the hunting store posted the rules for its coyote-hunting contest on its Facebook page, announcing that it would award approximately…