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| sponsored by local chapters of the National Wild Turkey Foundation, Pheasants Forever, and Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA), and by the Marshall, MN Visitors' Bureau. |
Save the birds?
Was that the only excuse they could come up with to kill coyotes, save the birds? They must have figured out that the usual "coyotes will kill your pets" excuse has gotten old and now they want to pass themselves off as caring conservationists and to do that they'll claim killing coyotes will somehow SAVE THE BIRDS. So will there be a cat killing contest next because cats are one of the leading causes of native bird decline in the U.S.
Here is more info on this coyote killing contest:
Check out one of their rules PARTICIPANTS MAY HUNT ANYWHERE IN MN
This isn't a targeted kill to "save" another species (which is bad enough), this is widespread slaughter of a despised wild predator.
Let's get something straight for those that do not know otherwise. Killing coyotes DOES NOT SAVE NATIVE BIRD SPECIES!! Do coyotes eat birds? Yes! Coyotes eat many things including household trash, some bird species happen to be a very small part of a vast coyote diet. According to the urbancoyoteproject.com "rodents are the primary food source for coyotes in rural and urban areas alike. Studies show an increase in the rodent population when coyotes are removed. Scat analysis of urban coyotes show rodent consumption is 42%, fruit 23%, deer 22% and rabbit 18%."
As I touched on above these are the things destroying native bird species:
1. Climate Change
2. Loss of Habitat
3. Collisions; windows, cars, electrical wires
4. Cats
5. Poison; lead, pesticide, oil spills
Nowhere in any statistic on bird decline is coyote even mentioned as a cause.
Search as many articles as you wish and you'll never find "coyote" listed as a cause of bird decline.
Since this contest is being hosted by an individual in Marshall, MN and sponsored by pheasant and turkey hunting organizations, they are likely competing with the coyote for those birds but is there a shortage of pheasants and turkey to whine about? According to the DNR that would be a big NO!
When it comes to pheasants in particular, any cause in drop of population is attributed to a variety of factors such as habitat loss, cold, agriculture practices and drought. Even when it came to possible predators, coyotes are not on the list, the egg stealers and chick eaters are more commonly badgers, raccoons, and fox but they do not affect pheasants in such a negative way as to reduce their population significantly. If their numbers are dropping then it is time to stop hunting them. Let the wild predators eat!!
And if it is turkey they are concerned about, well they aren't at risk from coyotes either!
What this coyote killing contest is really about is a persons desire to kill things. I can't tell if the whole "save the birds" tag line is about mocking real conservationists or just an excuse they hope will fly with the public, probably a little of both, but one thing we know for sure is that Minnesota is fast becoming a very anti environment, anti wildlife state and unless people get together and demand the DNR not turn us into another Idaho or Wyoming, we're screwed!
Please sign the petition below:
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