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Georgia’s ‘Coyote Challenge’ Draws Criticism

June 19th, 2018

The Georgia Coyote Challenge, which was launched in 2017 by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, encourages hunters to kill coyotes, take pictures of the carcasses and enter a contest to win a lifetime hunting license and other prizes.

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On Tuesday, a coalition of scientists and more than 25 wildlife protection organizations sent letters urging Gov. Nathan Deal, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Wildlife Resources Division to cancel the “Georgia Coyote Challenge.”

The challenge, which was launched in 2017 by the Georgia DNR, encourages hunters to kill coyotes, take pictures of the carcasses with their phones and enter a contest to win a lifetime hunting license and other prizes.

Participants can submit up to 10 photos in three separate drawings. This year, the challenge runs from March 1 to Aug. 31.

The reasoning behind the contest is explained on this year’s contest announcement, which features a quote attributed to John Bowers, WRD’s chief of game management.

“Negative interactions with coyotes are an ongoing issue for many citizens, from rural land managers to suburban homeowners,” Bowers said. “While many hunters, trappers and landowners already make use of the fact that coyotes can be taken year round, the Coyote Challenge emphasizes the utility of removing these non-native predators during the critical spring-summer period for landowners concerned about native wildlife.”

One of the letters sent to Deal argues that killing coyotes because they are a “non-native predator” is not a good justification because other prey species have adapted to their presence.

The letters argue that the Georgia Coyote Challenge is unethical and unscientific.

“Wildlife killing contests are antithetical to responsible hunting ethics that encourage respect for wildlife and their habitat and discourage non-frivolous use of wildlife,” Dr. Christopher Mowry, an associate professor of biology at Berry College, director of the Atlanta Coyote Project and Project Coyote Science Advisory Board member, said in a press release. “To better reflect modern scientific understanding of natural ecosystems and to better align with the view of Georgia residents that animals — including wildlife — should be treated humanely, we respectfully urge our state’s officials to cancel the Coyote Challenge and to consider prohibiting similar events.”