End cruel wildlife killing contests in Massachusetts!
Wildlife killing contests are cruel and unsporting. Participants use calling devices to lure shy furbearer species like coyotes, foxes, and bobcats into the open by mimicking the sound of another coyote, or pup, in distress, only to shoot them with a high-powered rifle. Dependent pups may also be orphaned by killing contests, and left to die of exposure, starvation, or predation.
The mass killing of coyotes in these contests will not reduce their numbers, and can even increase them by disrupting their stable breeding structure.
Randomly killing coyotes will not prevent conflicts with people, pets, or livestock, and numerous scientific studies have shown that it will not increase numbers of game species like deer or turkeys. California, Vermont, New Mexico, and Arizona have now banned wildlife killing contests, and Massachusetts should be next.
Sign and urge the Massachusetts Fisheries & Wildlife Board to ban these gruesome wildlife killing contests!
Subject: Please end wildlife killing contests in Massachusetts
Dear Fisheries and Wildlife Board,
Wildlife killing contests are completely at odds with the ethics of hunting and the humane values of most Massachusetts residents. Studies show that indiscriminately killing coyotes will not protect livestock and will not increase game species. It is time for Massachusetts to join with other states like California, Vermont and New Mexico that have banned cruel, pointless and wasteful coyote killing contests.
Massachusetts residents have made it clear that we want a statewide ban on these gruesome events. Please approve the proposal to ban wildlife killing contests.
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