In hosting this petition, I'm following in the footsteps of others who've gone before--and I'm making a list of their petitions and the contests to which they've been opposed. Please take a look, and add your signatures: http://www.ss-slocum.info/home/all-anml/blog/prohibit-killing-contests Of course, this little list shows only the tip of the iceberg. Yesterday, I learned of events and petitions in Arizona and North Carolina. Awful events, good petitions. Tomorrow, I'll probably find more. Can you believe it? The contest organizer in Arizona felt he had to write out the rule this year: "no live-dog decoys." Apparently, if he didn't, the "contestants" would be putting their dogs out there to be attacked by predators--so their dogs would be attacked, so they could shoot the predators. That's an example of the low level to which these contests tend to sink. Something else I've noticed about the organizers and supporters of these contests: many of them are the gun shops that sell the expensive weapons, scopes and other attachments, ammunition, clothing, calls, and related and unrelated "cool" gear that contestants need to outfit themselves in "manly" style to be "predator hunters" before, during, and after these contests. Hopefully, their buddies will follow suit, and the numbers of contestants and the "fame" of the trophy holders will grow. (not). These contestants and their contestant wannabees are salivating over each day's deliveries to the local gun shop. "WTF, would you look at that scope!" "Whoa, dude!" It's some fine machinery. If you like that kind of thing. Precision actions, barrels, ammunition, sights, etc.. High-quality optics. Deadly firepower. The problem is, once you've got it, you need to *do* something with it. Yeah, the high-capacity mags, the extensions and all are cool at the range; but you need to get it out on the "highway!" Take out some "vermin." "Help out" some farmers. Get out there and be one of the guys who's "making a difference." And make sure people see what fine-looking machinery you're carryin'. That's the kind of thing these competitions come down to. And the sales seem to be doing well. So much for my attempt to sound like a marketing rep, pro-staff, "one of the guys," whatever. I'm going to get back, now, to nature, the earth, its plants and habitat, its prey and their predators. Creatures with lives and purposes. Humans (depending on one's religious point of view) with the role of brother, sister, guided spirit, good steward, or fellow passenger on spaceship earth. There's no rightful place in nature for these abominations; these killing contests; these mean displays of poor sportsmanship; these denials of responsible wildlife management. They have no rightful place in nature, and they have no rightful place in civil society. Please take a look at these good petitions, and add your signatures. Thank you.