Thanks to all your efforts, House Bill 4075, the bill to ban coyote-killing contests, was approved by the full Oregon House of Representatives Tuesday on a vote of 42-16 (two absent). The bill now goes to the Oregon Senate for review by a Senate committee and then, if the committee approves, by the full 30-member Senate. If the Senate votes in favor, then the bill will need only a signature from Governor Kate Brown to become a law.
Here are two things you can do now to help this bill move forward and ensure more victories for animal welfare in the future:
If your representative voted in favor of the bill, say "thank you." To see how representatives voted, click here. If you don't know who your representative is or how to contact them, go here to find out. Be sure to tell your representative you are a "constituent" - meaning you live in their district.
Call or email your state senator to ask your senator to support the bill. If you don't know who your senator is or how to contact them, go here to find out. See our talking points below for ideas on what to say. Even just a sentence or two is fine. Again, be sure to say you are a "constituent" to let them know to you live in their district.
Talking Points
By making a game out of killing as many coyotes as possible, coyote-killing contests show a lack of appreciation, respect and compassion for wildlife. They glorify killing for the sake of killing.
Hunters who believe in accepted standards of ethical hunting also oppose coyote-killing contests because they are inconsistent with the ethical hunting principles of respect and appreciation for wildlife. See this testimony from the former chair of Oregon's Fish and Wildlife Commission.
Studies show that the indiscriminate killing of native carnivores such as coyotes will not protect farm animals and other wildlife. It can even lead to an increase in coyote numbers by disrupting stable family packs, causing more reproduction. A good article on this topic can be found here. The research also is summarized in this written testimony from our coalition.
This not an urban vs. rural issue. This is about the state of Oregon and how Oregonians value and treat the public’s wildlife. We can value hunting as a tradition and establish restrictions on practices such as coyote-killing contests that are cruel and unsporting.
Oregon’s wildlife belong to all of us, including the majority of Oregonians (90 percent) who do not hunt. (2019-21 ODFW Budget Overview, p. 23.)
A number of other states have already banned wildlife and/or coyote-killing contests: New Mexico, Arizona, Massachusetts, California, and Vermont.
A recent public opinion poll commissioned by Remington Research Group indicated a strong majority of Oregonians support legislation to ban coyote-killing contests across all regions of the state.
For more information from our coalition supporting the bill, including responses to frequently asked questions, go here.