Last December, the Commission expressed overwhelming opposition to cruel and wasteful wildlife killing contests and directed the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) staff to develop administrative rules to ban wildlife killing contests to the fullest extent of their authority. The resulting proposed rule would ban killing contests/derbies on public land for Oregon’s wildlife, including coyotes.
While the proposed rule would also place restrictions on these events on private property, we will need to close any potential loopholes and work closely with Oregon State Police to make sure the new rule is enforced.
TAKE ACTION
- Write to the Fish and Wildlife Commission at odfw.commission@odfw.oregon.gov and ask them to adopt the proposed rule, and/or
- Sign up to provide 2-minute testimony at the Fish and Wildlife Commission hearing on Friday, September 15th
Talking Points
- Please vote to adopt the proposed rule and ban wildlife killing contests or derbies on public lands, with restrictions on private lands to the fullest extent allowed by law.
- Oregon’s wildlife belongs to all its residents and allowing a small group of individuals to engage in wanton waste of a wildlife species as part of a contest neglects the state’s duty to protect the public’s wildlife, which are held and managed for the benefit and enjoyment of all Oregonians.
- A 2019 poll by the respected, bipartisan Remington Research Group found that a strong majority of Oregonians, in all of the state’s congressional districts, support public policy to ban wildlife killing contests.
- Science does not support indiscriminate, largescale, mass killing of coyotes as an effective means of reducing coyote populations, minimizing conflicts with pets or livestock, or increasing numbers of game species. It can even lead to an increase in coyote numbers by disrupting stable family packs and increasing their rate of reproduction.
- Eight states, including five in the west—Washington, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Colorado—as well as Maryland, Vermont and Massachusetts have banned wildlife killing contests, primarily through their state wildlife commissions.
- Wildlife killing contests are a violation of the state’s duty to protect wildlife for the benefit of all Oregonians.
- Wildlife killing contests are motivated by financial rewards and are grossly out of step with the principle of fair chase, modern, science-based wildlife management, and Oregon’s conservation centered values.
- Wildlife killing contests are cruel and undermine responsible sportsmanship, good stewardship, and respect for the public’s wildlife.
Thank you for your persistence and continued commitment to ensuring we end these cruel killing contests in Oregon.
