Hunting Competitions

"In contest kills, slaughtering animals is a game. Participants try to kill the largest, smallest or most animals for cash or other prizes. Contest kills most often target prairie dogs, coyotes and pigeons, and treat these living animals as disposable game pieces." Humane Society

    In many of these contests, animals are brought to the finish line to be counted and weighed to to determine the winner. Especially with larger animals such as coyotes and wolves - the weight of the animal is a substantial part of the contest. As for pigeon shoots, the birds are released from a large box and the aim is to shoot as many as possible in an allotted time. 

     Friends of Animals is an organization that works to protect animals and protest their rights. The program has been battling animal killing contests in New York, and a recent article from February describes the protest experience from the annual "Squirrel Slam" in Holley NY. The contest was named a "fundraiser" which rewarded children and adults for killing squirrels (award depended on the amount of animals and weight and size). The biggest problem with this competition explains Friends with Animals is that children are participating. The larger the number of squirrels they kill, the more familiar they will be with killing.. and soon enough they will move on to larger animals and hunt on a regular basis. The website stated that over 2,400 squirrels were killed by the 400 participants. 

"But Friends of Animals had a message of its own, one that extends far beyond Holley. It isn’t just trying to change the minds of participants in the gruesome event or members of the Holley, N.Y. Fire Department—FoA won’t be satisfied until legislation is passed that makes all animal killing contests banned throughout New York State so that no animals have to die needlessly." Friends of Animals

The following bills are promoting the protection of wildlife and the ban of wildlife competitions:

In New York Senate Bill # 4074 

TITLE OF BILL: "An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to making contests and competitions to take wildlife unlawful" NYgov

 Assembly Bill # 03661

"Provides that it shall be unlawful for any person to organize, conduct, promote or participate in any contest or competition where the objective of such contest or competition is to take the greatest number of wildlife." NYstate