By Peter Fimrite
The California Fish and Game Commission has banned predator killing contests, ending a fierce debate over the rural tradition, which invariably ended with a pile of blood-soaked coyote carcasses and a smiling gun slinger with a new belt buckle.
The 4 to 1 vote by the commission Wednesday marks the first prohibition in the country against the practice of giving out prizes for gunning down coyotes and other predators, which wildlife advocates say happens almost every month in California and nearby states.
“This ruling sets a trend for the nation,” said Camilla Fox, the executive director of Project Coyote, which petitioned the state to end the contests. “ Our hope is that other states will follow suit and ban wildlife killing contests. Such barbaric cruelty should not be accepted or tolerated in the 21st century or in a nation that has banned such practices as dog fighting and cock fighting.”
The ruling makes it illegal to offer a prize, inducement or reward for killing predators, including coyotes, foxes and bobcats. It does not, however, prevent hunters from simply shooting the predators on sight. Fox said she and other wildlife conservation groups now plan to push the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop rules limiting the hunting of predators and shifting the focus from management to stewardship.