At Friends of Animals, we’ve always understood that hunting is barbaric and entirely needless. The good news is, it’s an industry in freefall.
Despite this decline, wildlife killing contests, where participants compete to slaughter the most animals (typically species viewed as “pests”) for cash and prizes, are still quite common across the country—and not to mention, grossly inhumane.
After typing “killing contest” into the Facebook search bar, I was inundated dozens of fliers advertising the gory events or glorifying winners of past contests. It was sickening to see a photo of a 13-year old boy posing with a buck he’d massacred—he just won a Missouri “Youth Hunting Contest.” There are also announcements for a coyote contest at a Brandon, Minnesota liquor store. Participants must be available upon request to subject themselves to a polygraph test in this one—clearly, they’re concerned with fairness.
What isn’t fair: taking an animal’s life for entertainment.
Adding insult to injury, these derbies operate under the guise of “wildlife management,” enabling tormentors to believe their actions are justified. Of course that’s ludicrous.
Take coyotes—perhaps the single-most targeted species in these contests—for example. A recent study conducted by Snapshot USA actually found that in states and counties where coyote hunting is allowed, coyotes are more abundant. This underscores the sheer insanity fueling these contests.
Coyotes live in packs with complex social structures. When a coyote is killed, the pack takes this into account and reproduces at a higher rate. The coyote’s howl allows it to take census of surrounding coyote populations, and in turn, adjust the sizes of their packs accordingly.
Momentum for Change: Legislative Efforts to End Killing Contests
California became the first state to ban killing contests in 2014, and there have since been nine other states to follow suit. The buck doesn’t stop here, though: Illinois, New Hampshire, and New Jersey have all proposed bills to ban wildlife killing contests this year.
Additionally, there’s a proposed federal bill HR8492, the “Prohibit Wildlife Killing Contests Act of 2024,” which was introduced in the House. This would ban killing contests on public lands, marking a significant step in protecting America’s wildlife from senseless fundraisers.
What You Can Do to Help
On the federal level:
Contact your U.S. representatives and senators and ask them to support H.R. 8492. You can find your reps here: Find Your Representative | house.gov. You can find your senators here: U.S. Senate: Contacting U.S. Senators
On the state level:
Illinois Residents: Contact your state representatives and senators tell them to support SB0256. You can find their information here: Illinois General Assembly Home Page
New Hampshire Residents: Contact your state representatives and senators ask them to support HB589. Find your senators here: The New Hampshire State Senate. And your representatives here: The New Hampshire House of Representatives.
New Jersey Residents: Contact your state representatives and senators and ask them to support A1142. You can find your legislators here: NJ Legislature.