A mysterious coyote hunting competition that takes place annually in Sublette County is being scorned by some residents who say public funds shouldn’t go to wildlife killing contests.

The contest, which doesn’t have a name, took place on a weekend day in January this year. The 10 teams that took part in the competition killed more than 50 coyotes, said Hugh Steele, a member of Sublette County Predator Management District who has family ties to the competition.

A $200 contribution from the predator board helped fund payouts for teams that placed first, second and third in this year’s competition, Steele said.

The rules, he said, are simple: Coyotes must be killed on the day of the competition anywhere in Sublette County. Aircraft are not allowed. Dead coyotes must be turned in by 6 p.m.

“We count dogs to see who wins and then do the payout,” Steele said. “If there’s a tie, we’ll pick their biggest dogs and weigh them.”

A debate over the competition has played out in recent weeks in the letters to the editor section of the Pinedale Roundup.

Longtime Sublette County resident John Fandek wrote a letter that labeled the event an “annual blood bath” and “Sublette County’s version of the 17th century witch hunts.”

Read full JHN&G article:  Pinedale Coyote Kill Ignites Controversy

These senseless predator killing contests which occur across the state are often called coyote calling contests, predator hunts, or varmint hunts. Wyoming Untrapped believes these events are not hunting, they are a blood sport.

It’s time to say NO MORE to these wildlife killing contests!

To read the Letters to the Editor, and more: https://wyominguntrapped.org/blog/pinedale-coyote-killing-contest-fuels-outrage/

To report trapping incidents or predator killing contests, please call 307-201-2422, or email info@wyominguntrapped.org.

Photo: G. Scully.