Wildlife Killing Contests Condemned by Kalamazoo County Commissioners

For many, it’s shocking to learn that wildlife killing contests happen every year in the state of Michigan. Even more concerning is that the largest killing contest in Michigan, the Great Lakes Region Predator Challenge, is held right here in Kalamazoo, sponsored by D & R Sports. The 2021 event was canceled due to COVID-19, and there is no date available on the event website for the 2022 challenge. Animal and wildlife advocates, including ethical hunters, would like to see this event remain dormant.

In these contests, participants compete for cash and prizes to see who can kill the most, the heaviest, or even the youngest or mangiest animals, in a specified period of time. Awarding prizes for the competitive and indiscriminate killing of animals is unethical and inconsistent with our current understanding of the important role each species plays in the ecosystem.

Wildlife killing contests are unsporting and cruel; a bloodsport akin to dogfighting or cockfighting. They violate the hunting principles of fair chase, which is the notion that the hunter should not have an unfair advantage over the animal and should respect animals and their habitats.

These events flout sportsmanship ethics and outdoor traditions, threatening the reputation of the hunting community. They promote violence and killing for killing’s sake and send a dangerous message to younger generations of hunters who are often encouraged to participate in these events. Some so-called “traditions” need to fade away.

The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation (NAMWC), which embraces the public trust doctrine, holds that wildlife belongs to everyone. Some of the basic tenets of this model state that the commercialization of wildlife should be eliminated, that animals should only be killed for legitimate, nonfrivolous reasons, and that science should guide wildlife conservation decisions. Indiscriminate killing of vital native carnivores for prizes and bragging rights violates these tenets. Killing contests are the very definition of casual killing.

Wildlife killing contests are also counterproductive to conservation purposes. They are not an effective method for managing wildlife, and. the best available science does not support the misguided belief that “reducing predators” will make farm animals safer or protect deer populations.

Specifically, persecution of coyotes disrupts their social structure, which, ironically, encourages more breeding and migration and in the end results in more coyotes. Furthermore, indiscriminate killing of native carnivores fails to target specific animals with whom there is a conflict, and can actually lead to an increase in conflicts with farm animals. Finally, coyotes play an important role in controlling rodent populations. Instead of killing rodents with poisons or cruel traps, allowing coyotes to live on the land provides us with a cost-effective, natural control alternative. It’s also important to note that it isn’t just coyotes being targeted in these events. Bobcat, fox, and other animals are often included.

In a post dated January 26th, 2020, the Great Lakes Region Predator Challenge Facebook page posted a photo of dozens of coyote carcasses hanging from wooden beams and piled in a heap in front of a Predator Challenge banner. The wet ground is dark red with blood. This wasteful decimation of Michigan’s vital wildlife, animals that feel fear and pain, is a stark reminder that Kalamazoo cannot truly call itself an animal-friendly community. There is plenty of work to be done.

Thankfully, on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, the Kalamazoo County Commission voted to pass a proclamation that publicly condemns wildlife killing contests, becoming the first municipality in Michigan to do so. This proclamation does not mean that these contests are illegal, but it sends a very clear message that Kalamazoo County is largely opposed to this bloodsport. It also helps encourage other communities to follow in our footsteps, as Washtenaw County did on July 7, 2021. As more communities step up for animals, a ban on wildlife killing contests in our state comes closer to being a reality.

And in another step in the right direction for Michigan’s wildlife, Representative Bill Sowerby introduced two bills in June, HB 5079 and HB 5078, which will require greater diversity on Michigan’s Wolf Management Advisory Council and the Michigan Wildlife Council. This is great news, as the new seats would require the input of a scientist and a representative from a non-consumptive conservation organization.

While there is still more work to be done, we are happy with the rapid progress of this movement and will continue to advocate for more protections for wildlife from unethical hunting practices. A special thanks goes to the Michigan staff and volunteers for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), and the many animal shelters, rescues, sanctuaries, wildlife rehabilitators, scientists, and advocates across Michigan whose dedication make this proclamation possible.

LEARN MORE Visit www.humanesociety.org/wildlifekillingcontests or contact the HSUS Michigan state director at Michigan@humanesociety.org.

TAKE ACTION You can contact the Michigan Natural Resources Commission at NRC@michigan.gov to ask them to ban cruel and unsporting wildlife killing contests.

Eight U.S. states have already done so--California, Vermont, New Mexico, Arizona, Massachusetts, Colorado, Washington, and Maryland--and Michigan should be next.