On January 23, 2016

There is a planned "Varmint Roundup" scheduled in the Tucson, AZ area.  It is a planned killing contest with prizes and points awarded to hunters for killing Coyotes, Bobcats, Foxes and Mountain Lions.  It is being organized by Tucson Muledeer Foundation. With various local corporate sponsors such as Golden Eagle Distributors, Sportsman's Warehouse and  Holiday Inn Holidome, Tucson, AZ

I would like your help in stopping this horrific event from happening and encouraging our state representatives to ban these killing contests from continuing in Arizona.

Each signature matters!   We must ban killing contests in Arizona. 

Call the Corporate sponsors of these "Thrill Kills"

Golden Eagle Distributors (520) 884-5999

Sportsman's Warehouse (520) 887-4500

**** UPDATE:  AS OF 1/13/2016 ALL CORPORATE SPONSORS HAVE HAD THEIR NAMES REMOVED FROM THE TUCSONMDF.ORG WEBSITE! 

https://www.thedodo.com/coyote-killing-contests-impact-1145477691.html

Wildlife killing contests perpetuate a culture of violence and send the message to children that life has little value and that an entire species of animals is disposable.

Killing contests have nothing in common with fair chase or ethical hunting. Technology, baiting, and "calling" place wildlife at an even greater and unfair disadvantage. Killing predators, or any wild animal, as part of a 'contest' or 'derby' is ethically indefensible and ecologically reckless.

The importance of coyotes and other predators in maintaining order, stability, and productivity in ecosystems has been well documented in peer-reviewed scientific literature. Coyotes provide myriad ecosystem services that benefit humans including their control of smaller predators, rodents, and jackrabbits, which compete with domestic livestock for available forage. 

Any wildlife biologist will tell you that disrupting pack dynamics of coyotes and other predators can result in compensatory reproduction, which essentially means there's a breeding free-for-all among younger pack members when one or both alpha members are killed. If anyone is complaining about an over-population of coyotes, they can blame humans who kill for fun and entertainment. It's one thing if you have a known offender which has been taking cats, dogs, livestock, but it's not sound management to wipe out large numbers of predators who are crucial to maintaining balance in our ecosystem. 

Together we can make a difference!

Thank you,

Lara Edelman

Tucson, AZ