MN coyote-killing contest deceptively labeled to "Save the Birds."

Post date: Feb 23, 2016 6:35:06 PM

Update, 12/25/2016, Petition to Prohibit Wildlife Killing Contests in Minnesota.

The "Save the Birds" Coyote Hunting Tournament is scheduled to take place 2/19/2016 - 2/20/2016 with orientation, weigh-ins, and post-tournament festivities in Marshall, MN. The event is sponsored by local chapters of the National Wild Turkey Foundation (NWTF), Pheasants Forever (PF), and Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA). It's also sponsored by the Marshall, MN Visitors' Bureau, and by several vendors donating cash and merchandise. Its $500 grand prize will go to the team that brings in the most and heaviest carcasses to the finish line at Brau Brothers' Brewing Company in the City of Marshall, Minnesota.

Direct sponsors:

  • Buffalo Ridge Gobblers MN Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF).
  • Marshall MN Convention & Visitors Bureau.
  • Lyon County Chapter of Pheasants Forever (PF).
  • Prairie Highlands Branch of the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA).
  • Brau Brothers' Brewing Company, Marshall MN.

Indirect sponsors:

Implied in the title "Save the Birds" is the false claim that killing coyotes in the indiscriminate way that they will be killed in this tournament has anything to do with the effective, responsible, or socially-acceptable practices of wildlife management, livestock-depredation control, or the protection of pets and public safety. It does not.

To the contrary, in the real cause to "Save the Birds," the parent organizations NWTF and PF are calling for habitat restoration, leaving a natural balance of predators and prey in place on the landscape (Hart 2016; Kennamer 2016; Pheasants Forever 2016).

Regardless of the scientific and political guidance of their national organizations and a broad consensus of wildlife-management professionals and scientists, the tournament organizers and sponsors here in Marshall, MN have chosen to perpetuate their preferred but outdated and discredited coyote-killing mythology--apparently just because it serves their special-interests. In other words, it's good for sales.

This event was the direct motivation for the Petition to Prohibit Wildlife-Killing Contests in Minnesota. Other motivations included events like this in other States, plus the Petitions against them, plus the general desire to protect wildlife from the excesses that are promoted in events like this. Events like this tend to promote killing in quantity, for "fun;" for no good purposes of wildlife management or livestock-depredation control, for no good purposes of protecting pets or the public safety; and for no good purposes of harvesting food or fur. Events like this tend to reward the taking of wildlife--by whatever means are most expedient for the contestants--with cash and merchandise prizes, and additionally with gambling proceeds: "charitable" and/or private.

Please oppose this wildlife-killing contest, these contests, these questionable and arguably unethical practices--and join us in signing this Petition to end them.

References:

Hart, David. 2016. "Coexist with Predators." National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF).

http://www.nwtf.org/conservation/article/coexist-predators.

Kennamer, James Earl. 2016. "Wild Turkeys and Predators: What's the Real Problem?" National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF).

http://www.nwtf.org/conservation/article/wild-turkeys-predators-problem.

Pheasants Forever. 2016. "Effects of Predators: Habitat Management Decreases Predation."

https://www.pheasantsforever.org/Habitat/Why-Habitat/Pheasant-Facts/Effects-of-Predators.aspx.

Flyer:

Announcement and registration form for the 2016 "Save the Birds" Coyote Hunting Tournament in Marshall, MN.

Tournament flyer and registration form from the event listing at CoyoteContests.org.