Controversial Coyote Hunting Contest Causes Environmental Groups to Speak Out

A coyote hunting contest occurred this weekend in northern California, and environmental groups are less than pleased. The contest, which was organized by Modoc County, Pit River Rod and Gun and Adin Supply Outfitters, has caused a public outcry as controversy surrounding the event continues to boil.

About 200 hunters took part in the contest this past weekend, each competing the take the most coyotes. The backers of the event said that it helped benefit the ranchers in the area, since coyotes kill about $4 million worth of livestock every year. While this may be true, though, environmental organizations are up in arms.

The environmental groups appealed to the state Fish and Wildlife organization, but the agency was unable to stop the hunt. Since the hunt was legal, it had no role in either organizing or administering the event.

Although coyotes are not endangered or protected from hunting, wolves are. The main concern with this hunt was the safety of OR-7, a tagged wolf that was located a mere 100 miles away from the hunting grounds. It wandered across Oregon and into California about a year ago, and is the first wolf to live in the state in nearly a century.

Amaroq Weiss, West Coast wolf organizer at the Center for Biological Diversity, spoke out in an interview with the Sacramento Bee. "Not only does this coyote hunt put OR-7 and other wolves at risk, but now it's also shaping up to be some kind of Wild West misadventure where the sheriff is thumbing his nose at federal laws," he said.

Nonetheless, the coyote hunting contest went forward as planned. Funds raised from the event were scheduled to be donated to the Coyote Drive, a non-profit organization that would use the money for the betterment of community events.