More than 1,000 coyotes have been slaughtered in Oregon’s ‘killing contests’ over the past 4 years
A coyote-killing “tournament” in Hines, Oregon, in 2019. The HSUS
Earlier this week, we led a coalition of organizations in submitting a petition to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission proposing a ban on killing contests in the state.
Wildlife killing contests are grisly events where participants compete to kill as many animals as possible for the chance to win cash and prizes. For instance, in Oregon’s Harney County Coyote Classic this year, as many as 300 coyotes were killed over a two-day period. More than 1,000 coyotes have been slaughtered in these contests in Oregon over the last four years.
During these events, participants may use electronic calling devices to attract coyotes into rifle range with sounds that mimic their prey or even coyote pups in distress. Because of the chaotic nature of the contests, animals may suffer gunshot injuries that can take days or weeks to succumb to, even indirectly due to starvation, predation or exposure. The carcasses of the animals killed in such contests are usually wasted. These contests promote gratuitous violence and send the message that killing is fun, animals are disposable, and life is cheap.
Animal advocates, conservation groups, scientists, veterinarians, land trusts and farmers have spoken in strong support of outlawing killing contests in Oregon. Former chair of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission Mike Finley backs the petition to end these cruel contests. A hunter himself, Finley has condemned killing contests, explaining that “killing large numbers of predators as part of an organized contest is inconsistent with science-based wildlife management and antithetical to the concepts of sportsmanship and fair chase.” Finley testified in support of legislation to prohibit these contests in Oregon and, since lawmakers have failed to listen, has joined those pressing the commission to do the right thing and ban the practice.
Increasingly across the nation, hunters and wildlife management professionals like Finley are plainly calling out these competitions as being unethical and serving no purpose. Tony Wasley, president of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and director of the Nevada Department of Wildlife, and also a hunter, recently stated that “killing contests are ethically upsetting for most members of society. Hunting should not be a competition as such behavior ultimately degrades the value of life and undermines respect for the animals being hunted.”
People who support the contests continue to try to vilify coyotes, foxes and other wildlife species in order to justify these killing sprees, but their sentiments are increasingly going against larger public opinion. A whopping 80% of Americans oppose killing contests, according to a January 2022 poll by the bipartisan firm Remington Research Group. Another poll found similarly strong support among Oregonians for a ban. A study by researchers at the Ohio State University showed that between 1978 and 2014, the public’s positive attitudes toward coyotes, the most frequent target of killing contests, grew by 47%, with the majority of respondents expressing positive attitudes toward coyotes. The researchers theorized that this increase in positive attitudes toward coyotes may indicate that Americans are growing more concerned for their welfare.
Other studies, including The Nature of Americans report, have found that Americans express broad interest in nature, believe connecting with nature is important and want to conserve wildlife species and their habitats. And a keystone study, the America’s Wildlife Values project, has documented a substantial shift in public attitudes away from a traditional view of wildlife—of human mastery and that wildlife should be managed for human benefit—and toward a mutualist view, or the belief that humans and wildlife should coexist and that the welfare of animals is important. The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies has underscored the need for wildlife agencies to appeal to a broader constituency to ensure that the agencies remain relevant in the future.
Allowing a very small minority of people to pilfer the public’s wildlife for prizes is against the principles of the public trust doctrine, which holds that government must protect wildlife for the benefit of all. This isn’t an issue of culture or differences in values between urban and rural residents, either. When it comes to wildlife, people—whether they live in urban, suburban or rural areas—do not support practices that they view as pointless, unsporting or wasteful. Wildlife killing contests are not rooted in tradition, and they are not subsistence hunting—they’re just a blood sport that makes a game of killing animals. That’s why eight states—Arizona, California, Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Vermont and Washington—have already outlawed the events.
Our campaigns and investigations across the nation have been shining a light on cruel killing contests. Thousands of people recently contacted the wildlife agencies in Oregon, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Virginia, asking them to prohibit killing contests too. The agencies would be wise to listen.
Follow Kitty Block on Twitter @HSUSKittyBlock.
Que barbárie! O ser “humano” é um ser decadente, que precisa de matar um animal inocente para se autoafirmar. Pra que isso?????
Schrecklich, wie brutale Menschen Tiere abschlachten … was sind das denn für physiopaten … wir müssen gegen die tierquäler kämpfen … wie kann ein Mensch so töten ohne Gefühl für ein Lebewesen … stop
Contest how sick is this. Why do people get pleasure out of this sort of thing. Grateful I’m not one of them or I’d be dead. Animals have a right to be here just as we do.
Yhea thinks so you would think other wise they came and start killing all your livestock for no other reason but for the joy of the kill
Exactly.
Michael… We encroach on every unch of their habitat without concern for their displacement or their survival, or the very survival of our shared eco-system.
I’m all for ranchers having to sacrifice a number of livestock as rental payment to lical wildlife for stealing their hunting grounds… who died and made us kings of everything we survey. It’s this same attitude that stole these lands from Native Americans. Human beings are thoughtless and careless unless we reel ourselves in with rules. These senseless contests are inhumane and inhuman and anyone participating should be ashamed of themselves!!
Well said!
They eat livestock cause there hungry not just to kill
I have a ranch, and I have had issues with coyotes stalking my livestock, however there’s a difference between defending my livestock and managing security on my ranch, vs pointless killing contests that lay waste to life.
This is not to protect livestock, this is simply bloodlust.
I respect life, and this is gross disrespect of it.
I totaly agree with you. This is sick. It needs to be stopped. I know oeople who have them for pets and they are wonderful.
It’s so sad that they make a contest out of killing an animal!
These animals bring destruction to our wild game herds they haft to be managed or they will be eating your little kitten or the neighbors dog or worse a little kids, get a clue
When I read this story, as a new resident to Oregon, I was totally shocked. In Oregon!? The states’ natural beauty and wildlife down the drain for me. For food, even for sport, but just to rack up killings is pretty sick and another reason for me to hate guns
Without hunting and trapping of wild predators, disease would flourish and major city streets would be more overran with more coyotes than they are now!
Jeffrey, that’s foolishness, study up & keep up, welcome to 2022, where facts are only a click away. Vermin and sick animals spread disease. These are the primary preferred staples in coyote diets. Without prey animals our world is subject to far more illness and disease. The more you kill coyotes, the more they breed, thus meaning your stealing life for nothing but to steal life. The more this happens the younger the pack. Young unparented packs tend to get into trouble. Leave them alone, let them mature and the relate pack size themselves. If you are being a lazy farmer, plan for losses. If you get a troublemaker ask an expert. Taking life does not equate to manhood or security. Maybe wash your hands after handling leaded bullets as lead is correlated with cognitive decline and violence.
No es justo que estos animalitos tengan que vivir así está violencia tiene que acabar es tan injusto no lo podemos permitir cómo es posible que se permitan este tipo de situaciones injustas e inhumanas
I am an Oregonian and where do I sign thus petition!?
Yes send the petition!!! Please!
Can u let me know where? I will start searching now
I totally agree. Senseless killings will upset the natural balance between wildlife hunted and hunting.
Makes me more and more every day sickened by what we are capable of doing
Killing contests? If I believed in evolution, which I do not, I’d say a bunch of hunters are acting like little boys in a game.
They’ve just taken us all back to the barbarians.
Killing contests, seriously? Grow the hell up!
I agree! It makes me sick to see wolves, coyotes and other animals hunted. They are sentient beings and deserve to live too.
Make sure you also ban fishing tournaments for prize money too!
Right?
Is it different than a fishing derby
every day I feel more ashamed of being a human. the only species that kills for fun, for cash, for glory. we’re the most intelligent beings on the planet, and we can’t even understand that those animals’ lives, which were brutally ended for the sake of fun and money, had the same value as ours. coyotes are living beings, they breathe, they eat, they play. they feel pain. I really hope that this slaughter will have an end.
Human beings are not the only species that kill for fun. There are many species of animals that kill just for fun, cats do it, in fact Coyotes do it as well, that is a hard fact.
I agree. This is a general reply to everyone: Humans are the worst when it comes to killing for no reason. Humans encroach on animal territory and then kill them for just surviving. Cattle ranching is destroying our lands, ecosystem, etc. If people would cut down on eating beef, then the ranching demands would be reduced helping to save the land for other living beings who were actually there first.
See if you can introduce a statewide ballot for the citizens to vote on to ban hunting contests for all wildlife.I may soon try that in my state, since passing legislation usually goes nowhere and when wildlife “commissions” pass rules, like they did in Arizong-there are tons of loopholes that don’t solve the issue the issue.
Please stop these savage killings. These people are ruthless and cold blood animal killers. They disrupt the balance of nature all to recieve a certificate and or money. What a waste of God’s beautiful creation. I urge you to get a petition from all 50 States. The Fish and Wildlife are useless. They are easily paid off by special interest groups. There job is to protect not kill. Please start a petition today. Thank you!
No wrong…they coyote killed my cats and are to many of coyote. Also kills baby deer every year ruthless tearing apart.
You’ve obviously never had all 6 of your chickens killed in one night 3 of which only had their heads missing nothing else. Make no mistake those coyotes have killed ruthlessly but it’s just the way the world is. My daughter was given two ducks for her first birthday and they were both killed 3 months later but only one was eaten.
Pure outrage! Those killers need to be tracked down!
And ??
This is very sick!
This is a disgusting, senseless and inhumane practice that needs to stop.
An ever increasing growth in the Coyote population, especially in counties like harney county, have led to a dramatic decline in the antelope population. Coyotes will stand by and watch the fawns being born, and will kill and eat them as soon as they hit the ground, when they are most vulnerable. More coyotes, less antelope.
Sorry but the department of wildlife in Maryland canceled the deer hunting season post 9/11. Game biologists determined that the issue with the low deer population was due to the high coyote population prediction of newborn fawns becoming a meal of the coyotes
Coyotes are opportunistic, unrelenting predators. They kill household pets, they decimate young deer and other small animal populations. They thrive in suburban environments and reproduce in huge numbers.
They are quite simply vermin with no natural predators.
These facts weigh heavily into the decision of most, if not all states allowing unlimited harvesting of coyotes year around with no restrictions on how they are lured, trapped and shot.
Lose a cat, a dog or even a child to a coyote and I assert your opinion of these animals will change.
The killing contests don’t significantly diminish coyote populations.
I my opinion, there should be a price on their hides as there has been in many states in the past.
There are way too many of them. They need to have their numbers dramatically reduced.
That is exactly what people don’t understand and getting bitten by a rabid coyato is loads of fun. Most destructive 4 legged animal out there. Population needs to be maintain, controlled at a low levels.
I agree wholeheartedly, in Colorado were we live coyotes are known to kill calves, fawns, sheep, dogs, cats as well as young children.
If anything they should have more shooting days.
PS the same is true in Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota.
We’ll said, we’ll written. The only fact based logical response on this chain. Thank you, Gary.
There is a price out here in OR… you call the tribes, they pay you for the ceremonial hide. $50 usually.
Well said.there will always be coyotes, control is good.they then will become cautious savy animals .with a healthy fear of people. While I’m on it.if they kill the seal lions that are taking over the docks on the coast.the next generation will fear people as it should be. So much of this behavior is taught by the adult animals
I don’t disagree with many of your points, however as a rancher myself, and a hunter, I find it unethical and immoral to celebrate in a contest which amounts to nothing more than bloodlust.
You want a hunt? Go ahead. You wanna defend livestock go ahead, but there’s a big difference between hunting or ranch management, versus holding big contests where the goal is to get a high body count for prizes, not the same thing in my opinion whatsoever and it completely corrupts The hunting community and spirit.
Well said. It is just that a blood sport . I have no problem with ethical hunting as I myself enjoy hunting & the rewards it offers . This type of killing is BS . Most of the opinions are just that & are not rooted by actual facts that I have read here . I believe if people want to hunt coyote they should have that right regardless of somebody’s opinion, I myself don’t hunt them , however this type of events should be outlawed for numerous reasons . I could go on & on as to why .
They don’t want to hear that, they don’t understand how destructive these animals are. They need to watch a video of a coyote attack on their prey. Maybe then they would see things differently.
I live in Oregons biggest populated city. Leave for work usually at 0430 a.m. I see coyotes often!
I also see lost pet signs posted often.
There are youtube videos showing coyotes trying to eat house cats.
Maybe all the bleeding heart animal activists should watch?
What is man’s reason for killing tigers, lions,gorillas, elephants? ALL of these animals populations have been decimated under the name of SPORT. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF SOMEONE EATING ANY OF THESE ANIMALS?
Most people have no idea. I get it though, they look cuddly and just like a house dog. I don’t necessarily agree with a killing contest, but anyone at any point can use all of the hunting tactics mentioned on any day, to hunt coyotes in the same manor. No bag limit, electronic calls… But it’s that way for a reason. There are way too many and they destroy elk and deer populations. I think about 2/3 of fawns are killed off within the first two weeks of their life. By coyotes. And we have too many, then our deer populations dwindle. Which is exactly what’s happening in Oregon. Way too many cats, too many bear, and too many coyotes. Not one of these people petitioning has been outside to see it though. And they definitely haven’t seen a pack kill a deer. Otherwise they probably wouldn’t be opposed to the killing of coyotes. The article said that more people in America are expressing “positive attitudes” towards coyotes… They must be a little bit out of touch. So they shouldn’t have a say on the matter.
No need to watch a video. They are a predator . They do what nature has designed them to do . They serve an extremely important role in the ecosystem. If we didn’t have predators our elk , deer. Antelope & so on would become weak & disease ridden. I encourage you to do research on this subject.
I agree with you 100 percent, what about the farmers that lose there calves to coyotes, the chickens and other livestock. There has to be a control on the predators.
Where in md I live here and did not hear about that
Somebody with some common sense, are Deer and Elk population are down dramatically in Oregon and it is because we have 2 many laws protecting predators and people in the city’s with no clue wanting more laws wake up
Such shameful human behavior and poor sportsmanship. These animals are not providing food for families they are purely being hunted for sport. The coyote pack that resides on my land keeps the ecosystem in balance and mostly survive on rodents. People should contribute to their community instead of wasting time slaughtering innocent animals.
Not for sport. For varmint control.
What can be done?
A simple solution to this contest is for ODFWto develop a viable predator control program for the whole state that doesn’t rely on any holding of a vote, because as it stands now they don’t have one
It’s really sad 😭 for these animals!! They are already hunted openly year round in most states with out limit requirements, just for trying to survive!! And it sickens me that some people kill just for the joy of killing!! And the fact that you can be paid for that is pathetic!!!!
Reading about wildlife abuse like this, I’m ashamed to be an Oregonian.
If you are indeed an Oregonian…. please learn WHY this exists.
Call ODFW, and ask about the coyote population bloom (biggest in American recorded history), the impact on deer and elk herds, livestock, urban enclaves.
Learn first, form the opinion second.
This is just as bad as cruelty to domestic animals. These are animals too just wild animals. Put an end to these outlandish killing contest’s! and hunting period!! No need for it! Especially hunting poor helpless harmless deer.
Disgusting and disgraceful testimony to a sick society! 😪 i am ashamed of the animal use and abuse that goes on in this country! This breaks my ❤️ heart! End this!!! Let coyotes live in peace! “Animals Make Us Human!!
Stop this insanity of killing coyotes……they are part if the ecosystem. Leave the ecosystem alone. It was created to balance everything.
The ecosystem goes out of whack very often without human interference. Hunting helps to keep populations in check, and protect all the animal species. If we just stopped killing coyotes, the rabbit population would drop. So would livestock in the area. Then deer. Eventually the coyotes would run out of food and they would drop in numbers too. Humans are part of the ecosystem, and ethical hunting keeps the ecosystem healthy and thriving.
Stop the insanity of killing coyotes. They are part of the ecosystem. The ecosystem balances everything.
Real men don’t kill coyotes.
We let them kill all our livestock and children? Is that the answer?
Right they kill 1000’s of Coyotes to help the ranchers and the livelihood of the ranch animals…
The hunters doing this have mental and emotional problems that makes them feel superior and calm killing these animal. I am a vet and NRA member but will not hunt. Hunting other people in the military is much better than blowing away helpless animals with high powered rifles. These creeps are sick, enjoy killing and have no real care for wildlife. They are the ones that should be dragged and thrown in the back of a pickup, not the helpless animals.
People that care for nature, animals, wildlife, are sick of looking at these creeps and cowards. I owned land in Vermont, sold it. Everything is dead there, over hunted, poached, full of the same type of weirdos.
Hunters are not the reason your land was “overhunted” not are the hunters “weirdos”. If you understood what is going on there you would understand that their are to many prey animals taking advantage of easy kills. Maybe you should sit and watch a video of a pack of these animals taking on one deer and eating it alive. Our taking a newborn just as is being born… maybe then you’d change your views on this.
How heart breaking you should not kill to just kill EVER there is no purpose..kill for food kill to protect..it is sickening
Killing contests are inhumane and sadistic. Killing for fun is disturbing and completely out of control. In my opinion, anyone Killing for fun and pleasure, is mentally unbalanced. They are dangerous and cowardly for Killing an innocent and defenseless animal
It’s good to know that some states have become enlightened and are banning killing contests. I hope that information will go out to all states so that their residents can also make a stand against this cruel practice.
Nothing against ethical controlled hunting by responsible and trained hunters who actually eat or use what they kill This is not ethical nor is it controlled and these coyotes are slaughtered for entertainment and to win a toaster. How sick is that. These so called hunters should be ashamed of themselves.
It is absolutely ethical.
Unchecked, unprecedented coyote population bloom in the state.
They’re wiping out all our livestock. Too many varmints for our animal control to even impact, let alone control.
The hunt is for conservation of every other animal here, wild or domestic.
The western coyote population is vast and has to be kept in check. 10s of thousands of coyote pelts are auctioned off and sent overseas every year BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT to support fish and game projects among other things you may yourself enjoy. Individual trappers catch hundreds a year. It’s legal and it’s a business. Coyotes are classified as varmint and one only needs to carry a hunting license to kill one any time of the year. Coyotes pack hunt and kill pet dogs in Oregon, Washington, and the rest of the intermountain and pacific northwest. Their favorite prey are puppies and small dogs. I used to feel more sensitivity for them but after 10 years in Eastern Oregon I have lost several young dogs to coyote predation in broad daylight. Controlling the endless population of coyotes must be done. Like it or not. They attack children, dogs and even the elderly at times. https://youtu.be/aO1051tbsKI
So disgusting people killing animals fo fun 😭😭😭
They kill our children.
The world would do much better without us. Humans that do this crap just solidify that.
I am very concerned about “killing contests.” How do I go about making my voice heard to have this inhumane practice outlawed in Oregon?
Let them live, l don’t care if they infest us and our children if they play outside, better we die than kill them!
Well Liberals. Welcome to the real world.
My pup was slaughtered by a coyote. He was my child.
This is so EVIL. Please anyone who has written in the comments, concerned and sickened by this, and others who are outraged that haven’t commented. Please, please write, call, email Oregon’s government officials, city officials, anyone that would possibly hear what we have to say against this horrible evil. This must be stopped, I am not against hunting if you are hunting for food and you’re going to use the whole animal but hunting for sport and for a contest to kill as many lives as possible is just plain wrong. How in the world this is allowed in Oregon is beyond comprehension!? I thought we were a state of compassion. I thought we were an environmental caring state… Please I urge you just as I will look up what officials we can write+email to about this. Please I beg you- Do all that we can for the voiceless, these poor animals that are hunted down by the thousands for sport, for trophy money!! Help These poor helpless beings!!
Obviously you haven’t done your research. Coyotes are not natural to this state or even to this country. They have highly impacted the environment with a negative influence and have damaged a lot of land. As an avid hunter, it is necessary to take out these pests to ensure the lives of other animals. This is just another way go attack people based off belief.
Agreed
This article is full or loaded language. While some of it is true, most of it is based on sentiment and not science. Think of the rancher who has a flock of sheep. Coyotes are the number one killer of sheep and lambs. That is the ranchers livelihood. Furthermore, in rural areas, many people do not work during the winter due to weather (think construction). These people who are out of work are looking for extra money to make it through the winter. This is not just from prizes. The furs of these animals are sold, made into coats, gloves, etc., and usually sold to the people who argue against these contests. This provides income to people who otherwise are out of work and goods to those who want them. Also, unless you want coyotes to become immune to human contact, live in your neighborhoods, eating your dogs, cats, and occasionally children (Yes, it has happened), then there must be a reason for them to avoid us. I can understand not agreeing with making a competition out of it. But to say it is senseless, wasteful, and unethical is untrue. Coyotes are intelligent, wary, and difficult to hunt. It isn’t easy. And the high percentage of public sentiment against these practices correlates directly to those who have no practice knowledge of it. I know my words are wasted but I implore everyone to consider both sides of the argument.
I’ve lived in Oregon all my life and this is inhumane to treat Wildlife like this. I live on the border of the Woods and out in the country. Coyotes run away from humans unless they are threatened. This is disgusting and cruel. That’s not even hunting that’s not even what you call a real Hunter. I’ll sign the petition
Wish it was 10,000! Not for fun, but better predator management. Hunters used to be able to keep them in check better, but with less and less access, opportunities are less and coyotes are out of control. Mix in a healthy bear population, and too many cougars and you get the pathetic deer numbers we have now in Oregon. Seeing 20 plus blacktail a day 20 years ago is now maybe half a dozen does if you hunt hard. May only have one opportunity at a buck all year. And now we have a healthy wolf population to feed too🙄
People getting triggered by ” Slaughtered, killing contest, 1,000″ These “poor animals”sweep through town at night taking your house cats out of your yard, and your little dogs right off the hiking trails in the middle of the day if not right next to you. They sweep through logging units as a pack at first light wiping out all the little fawns and calf elk. They are out of control here in Oregon.
My state also has coyote hunting competitions. We do this to control the coyote population. Much like Texas does with wild pigs, because of the damage that they do. Coyotes attack livestock and pets and create issues because of their Over population. The 80% is incorrect whether that’s on purpose or bad polling practices.
Good job. When you see what yokes really do, you’ll appreciate this too
It’s so sad that they make a contest out of killing an animal!
Not one of these commenter or the person who wrote it understands what is happening to the coyote population in Oregon.
Humans wiped out the wolf population, then imported multiple alien species, causing the biggest unchecked population bloom of coyotes in recorded history… wiping out livestock and pets. Yamhill County is insane numbers.
Tillamook county almost as bad, with nightly raids.
The contest is because the varmint problem is far bigger than animal control can handle.
Far be it for the “woke” crowd to actually learn the brunt of the issue before wailing on. Right?
Now that I know a contest exists….
Coyotes are overpopulated and they do more damage and disaster and you realize you need to see the whole picture before you judge
To those of you who accuse ranchers and ruralites of making up stories about coyotes doing evil deeds, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves. One has to only spend 30 seconds searching “coyote in the news” to see that coyotes do in fact inflict regular harm on pets, small children and the frail. https://youtu.be/aO1051tbsKI
Here is the thing . If a coyote kills your cat or your little dog or even bites you or one of your children is that ok? Coyotes multiply as fast as rabbits. 1000 killed in 4 years well guess what that was maybe a 1/4 of them if that and if you do away with the event then what ? You got your self a over populated state of coyotes. Now what?
All of you who say that coyotes are overabundant and killing their wildlife, biting humans including toddlers are all not doing enough to deal with the overpopulation problem of coyotes. Sign laws that help manage coyote families, and NOT by killing them! Humans are supposedly the smartest animals??? Why haven’t we found a solution to help coyotes not have to encroach on your ranch animals? Why aren’t there laws to help us all live without overpopulating? Humans take birth control, how about helping the coyotes find their own land and deal with their overpopulation in a human, respectful way???
“Humane”
YOU HUNTERS ARE STUPID IDIOTS!!!!!! COYOTES HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO LIVE THEIR LIVES IN PEACE!!!!!!! THEY HAVE FAMILIES, FEELINGS ,LIVES AND MORE!!!! THEY DON’T DESERVE TO BE MURDERED BY YOU STUPID HEARTLESS SAVAGE HUNTERS!!!!!! IT’S ONLY OK TO KILL ANIMALS IF U ARE GOING TO EAT THEM OR IF IT’S TO PROTECT YOURSELF, YOUR FAMILY OR YOUR ANIMALS!!!!!! HUNTERS, GO TO HECK!!!!!
Have we not considered the possibility that perhaps mass killing isn’t working? We’ve been knocking coyotes out by the thousands each year and it hasn’t exactly been keeping the population down like people say it will.
Coyotes reproduce more when they are killed off. There is no purpose for theses contests other than having license to kill for no reason. I can’t imagine anyone (but there are plenty of them) who would want to kill animals for no reason. But some humans are cruel and see no value in beings other than themselves.
Im from Burns grew up there. The blood sport of killing coyotes claimed as saving the cattle is a joke. My family has a ranch and my relatives that have ran it for over 100 years never kill coyotes. It’s not the true ranchers that are doing this. It’s the gun nut right wingers.
Some sell the hides maybe get 20 dollars for it. But there is plane at the airport and it’s contracted by the usda. The pilot and shooter fly around in a husky and shot coyotes all day. Just those two claim 40 a day.