WILDLIFE ENTHUSIASTS, your comments are urgently needed.

Two upcoming coyote killing contests, one this weekend, are taking place in Rock Springs, WY.  We believe these events are not hunting, they are a blood sport. Wyoming Untrapped’s highest priority is to address our archaic and indiscriminate trapping regulations as well as our wildlife management which allows the cruel and inhumane senseless killing of wildlife in the form of predator killing contests for money and prizes. These “management tools” are not based on a science foundation.

Wyoming Untrapped and The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF),  along with a coalition of other organizations sent a letter to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) urging them to enforce the required regulations for two upcoming coyote killing contests.

The first of these upcoming contests, the “Wyoming Coyote Classic,” is scheduled for this Saturday, Jan. 7—the second, “Wyoming Best of the Best” is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 4. In light of the impending dates, we need you to contact the BLM and politely urge them to hold these contests to the law.  See the suggested letter below to craft your comments.  Thank you to the ALDF for the recommended language for comments.
Please keep your message polite and respectful.  

To read the Press Release, click here.

To read the full coalition letter to the BLM, click here.

To read the JHNG: Mass Coyote Kills Take Heat by Mike Koshmrl.
http://bit.ly/2jeGQ7J

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PLEASE SHUT DOWN ILLEGAL COYOTE-KILLING CONTESTS IN WYOMING.

I am writing to encourage you to contact the promoters of two upcoming coyote killing contests and inform them of the need to obtain a Special Recreation Permit for their activities.  The “Wyoming Coyote Classic” and “Wyoming Best of the Best” contests are likely being held on public BLM land and I am concerned about the lack of federal oversight of these events.

It is inevitable that part of these contests will occur on BLM land due to the checkerboard pattern of lands in and around the Rock Springs area.  Furthermore, the contest sponsors have not restricted the event to private land and we believe BLM lands have been used for these contests in the past.

Despite this, the sponsors have not applied for, and the BLM has not granted, a Special Recreation Permit (SRP), as would be required for these events to take place on federal lands.  Special Recreation Permits are granted to ensure the protection of public resources that belong to all citizens of the U.S.  These contests certainly have an impact on our natural resources and therefore promoters should be required to apply for a SRP.

Please contact the promoters of the Wyoming Coyote Classic and the Best of the Best, and inform them their contests cannot go forward, as they do not have the required SRP or required liability insurance.    

Thank you.
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WHO TO CONTACT:

BLM Rock Springs Office:

– Kimberlee Foster, Field Manager, kfoster@blm.gov
– Tim Wakefield, High Desert District Manager, timothy_wakefield@blm.gov

Wyoming BLM Office:

– Mary Jo Rugwell, State Director, mrugwell@blm.gov
– Buddy Green, Deputy State Director, Resource Policy & Management, bwgreen@blm.gov
– Larry Claypool, Acting Associate State Director, lclaypoo@blm.gov
– Noelle Glines-Bovio, Outdoor Recreation Planner, nglinesbovio@blm.gov

“Coyote on Fresh Snow” in Wyoming by  Michael S. Cohen