We’re grateful for your help in urging the Arizona Game and Fish (AZGF) Commission to pass a rule banning the organizing, participating in, and promoting of wildlife killing contests in the state. Hundreds of bobcats, coyotes, cougars, foxes, rabbits, badgers and other species are killed in these contests every year in Arizona.
The Commission will vote on whether to pass their proposed rule this Friday, June 21st.
IMPORTANT: While we strongly support the intent of the Commission’s proposed rule, there are problematic loopholes that would allow contest participants and organizers to circumvent the ban – allowing these cruel and senseless contests to continue despite the new law.
We need your help TODAY to urge the Commission to close these loopholes before Friday.
Attend the Commission’s meeting this Friday, June 21st
Please attend and ask the Commission to pass a modified rule. You can simply say, “I strongly support a rule to ban wildlife killing contests in Arizona. Please pass a loophole-free rule that effectively ends wildlife killing contests once and for all. I urge you to modify the proposed rule by: (1) adding ‘nongame animals’ to the rule so that animals like prairie dogs and rabbits are also protected; and (2) removing the term ‘participants must register or record entry and pay a fee’ so that contest organizers and participants cannot circumvent the ban by simply waiving registration and entry fees.”
What: AZGF Commission Meeting on Proposed Wildlife Killing Contest Rule
Date: Friday, June 21, 2019
Time: 9:00 A.M.
Where: 5000 W. Carefree Hwy., Phoenix, AZ 85086
Write a letter to your local newspaper
To raise awareness about the proposed rule and the need to close loopholes in the language, please write a brief letter (200 words or less) to the editor of your local media outlet. Your letter will help influence local citizens and AZGF Commission members. (Tips for writing letters to the editor here.)
In your letter, please emphasize your support for the rule with minor changes to the language to effectively ban wildlife killing contests in the state once and for all. The rule should be modified as follows: (1) add ‘nongame animals’ to the rule so that animals like prairie dogs and rabbits are also protected; and (2) remove the term ‘participants must register or record entry and pay a fee’ so that contest organizers and participants cannot circumvent the ban by simply waiving registration and entry fees.” You may also encourage readers to attend the June 21st meeting (details above). Additional talking points below. Read Project Coyote’s letter here for more details.
Talking Points
Background Information on the Rule:
- Earlier this year, the AZGF Commission proposed a rule to ban wildlife killing contests for predatory and furbearing animals.
- While the proposed rule is a step in the right direction, the language unfortunately has several loopholes that would allow these events to continue in Arizona.
- There is evidence that contest participants and predator hunting organizations believe the rule as written is lenient and will be easily circumvented. Additionally, there was at least one event held this year that would not be prohibited under the proposed rule as written because it was free to enter.
About Wildlife Killing Contests:
- Killing contests are barbaric events during which participants compete to kill the greatest number, the largest, or even the youngest of the target species. Hundreds of bobcats, coyotes, cougars, foxes, rabbits, and badgers are killed in these contests every year.
- Killing contests are a bloodsport like dogfighting.
- Killing contests tarnish the reputation of hunters.
- The public will no longer tolerate wildlife killing contests. Six city and county governments in Arizona have passed resolutions condemning the events. California, New Mexico and Vermont have passed bans on these events in recent years.
- There is no scientific evidence that indiscriminately killing wild animals reduces their populations, increases populations of game animals like deer, or protects livestock.
- Wild animals play an important ecological role in healthy ecosystems.
Learn more about wildlife killing contests here, the scientific reasons behind why killing coyotes doesn’t solve problems here and here, and the National Coalition to End Wildlife Killing Contests here.
Thank you for speaking up for the voiceless animals who need your help.
For Wild Nature,
Linda Bolon
Program Associate
Goodyear, AZ
Matt Francis
Program Associate
Prescott, AZ