News from the Coyote-Hunting Tournament, 2/20/2016

Post date: Feb 27, 2016 6:42:51 AM

The weigh-in ceremonies for the "Save the Birds" Coyote-Hunting Tournament took place as scheduled in Marshall, MN on 2/20/2016.

According to the 2/22/2016 Marshall Independent article "Hunt takes some heat but goes on" the weather wasn't favorable for predator hunting, so the 62 two-person teams only took ten coyotes combined. About seven of the coyote carcasses were "donated" to the tournament proceeds and sold to a fur buyer for an undisclosed sum. In other words, they were dumped in a trailer at the "finish line." Because it would have been a lot of work to skin and process them, without much to show for it--what with the exit wounds torn out of their fur, and the meat septic and tainted with lead.

The Petition itself was hardly mentioned; but some "uninformed" and "nasty" comments by animal advocates were featured--apparently because they "hurt people's feelings." The poor, under-appreciated tournament hunters got their feelings hurt. Or they wanted people in the community to know that all of their feelings should be hurt. It's hard to tell with these guys.

The coyote-killing mythology was bolstered for another year, and the science was ignored--at least on the surface. It's hard to tell with these guys. They'll stick to what they think is right, until maybe something changes one day, like someone they respect saying "improve the habitat and tolerate the predators." That might happen one day.

Southwestern MN landscape.