On May 20, the Oregon Senate Rules Committee adopted yet another amendment to remove opposition to a bill that would ban coyote contests. The amendment, which deletes the phrase “or other inducements,” was adopted and Senate Bill 723 passed the committee by a narrow 3 to 2 vote. The new language now prohibits anyone from “…conducting or participating in a contest, competition, tournament or derby that has objective of taking coyotes for prizes.” SB 723 is now headed to the Senate floor where it could receive a full vote at any time.
Take Action Today! Oregon sportsmen should call their state senator and ask them to vote NO on SB 723. Oregon members can find their state senator’s phone number by using the Sportsmen’s Alliance Legislative Action Center.
The original Senate Bill 723 was so broadly written that it would have banned hunting-dog field trials and many other popular outdoor activities. On April 4, SB 723 was amended to eliminate the broad language in the bill and regulate only coyote hunting contests. Even with that change sportsmen continued to oppose the bill, which could still penalize a friendly competition between two hunters. This latest amendment is an attempt by Oregon senators to further eliminate opposition to the bill, which only narrowly passed the Rules Committee. Unfortunately, anti-hunting groups such as the Humane Society of the United States continue to pressure legislators to pass the bill. Violators of the new law would face fines up to $2,000.
“The state already struggles to control coyote numbers,” said Bruce Tague, vice president of government affairs for Sportsmen’s Alliance. “The fact that two children were attacked by coyotes in the Portland suburbs just six short months ago apparently is not as important as taking the next step in banning hunting opportunities in Oregon.”
SB 723 is part of a national trend to by HSUS to eliminate coyote contests. Similar bans are being considered in Arizona, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Wisconsin.
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.