Beginning n January, I actively engaged in an effort to discredit the practice of hunting contests in the state of Wisconsin by writing a letter to the editor and sending it to all Wisconsin newspapers. Here it is:
Juliee de la Terre
10567 Hyway A
Viola, WI 54664
608-632-2216
Dear Editor,
Every winter bobcats, coyotes, crows and many other animals are needlessly killed legally in Wisconsin. Most often they are eliminated in “Killing Contests.” Hunters assemble in groups, pay a fee and compete for cash prizes. Awards go to the shooters of the most coyotes, the biggest, the smallest etc.
No one is saying that predators taking livestock can’t be eliminated or that hunting itself is wrong. Killing Contests are unethical and serve no valid management purpose.These contests are state sanctioned animal genocide. Predators are valuable members of working ecosystems. Fox and coyotes can decrease Lymes disease by preying on the carrier…the white-footed mouse. Coyotes clean up animals that die from disease keeping disease in check. Richland County now has CWD positive deer. Predators remove these weak deer hopefully slowing the spread of the disease. Predators keep destructive rabbit and raccoon populations down.We need sound wildlife management laws. Unmitigated destruction of predators isn’t sound management.
What message is sent to young people when animals simply become target practice? Our Wisconsin hunting tradition rests on respect and the use of the kill.
As far as I see it, people that participate in these contests will also have no regard for any of the earth’s natural gifts. What’s missing is respect. Gratuitous killing has neither respect nor understanding of the life giving systems that we all rely on. Killing for sport is wrong.
Senator Fred Risser has introduced SB 30 to ban these contests.