Massachusetts Bans Wildlife Killing Contests

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Massachusetts has finally banned wildlife killing contests after much pressure from scientists, activists, and the general populous have spoken out about the contests. The vote will see wildlife killing contests in Cape Cop and Granby where participants compete to kill the most animals of various sizes in return for prizes nipped in the bud permanently.

These contests are some of the most despicable blood sports of them all because of the magnitude of animals killed. Participants are rewarded for their kills based on a points system allocated prior to participating but ultimately, the goal is to kill as many animals as possible. Often times, cruel and manipulative tactics are used to lure shy coyotes or foxes out of hiding only to be shot at close range such as the sounds of crying or distressed pups. These contests are at their core, wholly cruel and destructive to ecosystems that rely on a healthy balance of both predators and prey. However, with less predators around, deer and other game animals will become more abundant leading to more hunting opportunities outside of these contests. Ultimately, they're killing predators so that they can find more animals to kill as a result of these contests.

Often times, competitors will post photographs of themselves standing proudly in front of piles of dead animals they've shot making these contests especially disturbing. We have set a dangerous precedent on how we should view animals when we are witnessing contests like this where these animals are treated as nothing more than a few points towards a prize. Hundreds of these animals are slaughtered during these contests essentially creating an imbalance in the ecosystem. In fact, over 70 conservation scientists spoke out about these contests saying that there is absolutely no proof that they help to manage wildlife populations or minimize coyotes in the area. They actually can lead to an increased number of coyotes because of disruption to their pack structure. 

Massachusetts joins California, Vermont, New Mexico, and Arizona in taking a stand against these cruel wildlife killing contests. It's time to put these barbaric contests behind us, there is simply no justification for allowing them to continue aside from allowing people to fulfill their fantasies of killing and in these cases, killing as many animals as they possibly can. Congratulations Massachusetts on your commitment to ending these abhorrent contests and figuring out a more compassionate approach to dealing with these predatory animals.

HAPPY VEG