Coyote/Wolf Derby Canceled?

[RobertR]

The organized coyote and wolf hunt planed in Sanders county at Trout Creek has been canceled due to threats to the Harris family.
This is a statement they made by the Harris's in a comment in the Missoulian.

A long Night- We have decided not to hold the Great Montana Coyote and Wolf Hunt at the Lakeside Motel and Resort in Trout Creek, Montana! The reason behind canceling this event is not because of any great debate, discovering we were wrong or the other side was wrong or the bulling. The reason for canceling is because of the threats that have been received to my family and myself.

Law enforcement needs to get a handle on theses threats and prosecute them to show we will not cower to their tactics.

The tactics these predator huggers are using is getting very old fast. I think it's time we stand up to them and hold them accountable no matter the threat. I'll say it again were in for dark times as outdoorsman unless we stand up for ourselves.

 

[.280 Remington]

Who gives a hoot about the threats. Wolf lovers make lots of them. I've yet to see them follow through. Maybe if it was ISIS I'd be alarmed.

 

[RobertR]

280 this is about the third derby canceled this year. The one in Salmon Idaho they got the BLM shut down for no permit to have this type of function, plus death threats. Once these derby's are advertised the law suits and threats start immediately. You can take them as idol threats if you choose.

 

[Pinecricker]

A few years ago I took a reporter from NPR elk hunting. After the story he produced on our trip aired, I got several recurring death threats by telephone for a period of a few weeks. Unfortunately, law enforcement rarely does anything in these cases.

Several years ago, some animal rights arsonists / self proclaimed eco-terrorists, set fire to the property of a fur buyer here in Idaho. The feds never even opened an investigation of the incident.

Funny how there is such a double standard. A guy in Boundary County Idaho was prosecuted for killing a grizzly that was attacking his livestock. But, if some animals rights jerks commit an act of arson and nothing happens.

 

[Elkmagnet]

Cowering is exactly what they they are doing.
Letting these empty threats work is a great way to get more empty threats.

 

[johnp]

These kind of death threats can be quite upsetting.
About 8 years ago an outdoor writer for a local newspaper did a photograph and a small article of a successful father-son deer hunt of my dad and I . Dad was 80 years old and needless to say quite proud of our accomplishment . Well , a couple of weeks later , we each received letters explaining how evil we are , complete with death threats and " we know where you live " type stuff.
The most upsetting part of this was that my mother was the person who opened this letter, while alone and thinking she was about to be reading letter from a friend or relative .
The authorities were notified, but the letter of coarse, was untraceable.

 

[theRedneck]

Cowering is exactly what they they are doing.
Letting these empty threats work is a great way to get more empty threats.

I have to agree. They win. To hell with the anti's. They should hold a derby every month.

 

[Pagosa]

This bs really pisses me off. I know its not very Christian but this is where a concealed permit and a loaded 45 would stop most issues of harassment.

 

[have gun will travel]

It's BS the law doesn't do anything

 

[shoots-straight]

Hunting contests do more harm to our cause than they do in reducing predator populations.

Each and every time this crops up, groups like Defenders of Wildlife make fast cash off of them.

These groups will make the money that they use against us off of such contests.

Do you really need a contest to get out there and hunt?

 

[RobertR]

This whole thing of banning predator contest didn't happen over night. I believe California was the first and Colorado is not far behind and Arizona is next.

After doing some snooping around it looks like some of are own ranks are bringing upon the rest of us.
This is not the only web site but it's the worst one I found https://www.wildmesquite.org We must police our own and like it or not what we post for bragging rights pictures etc. is being used against us.

 

[have gun will travel]

I'm a believer in the NRAs stance don't give an inch! You start to bend and these fanatics will ban fishing tournaments next. Dont forget we as sportsman have rights too.

 

[jryoung]

We have a privilege, and that privilege depends on a non hunting population perceiving us to have a high regard for ethics, fair chase, steward ship of the land,and hunting for food.

 

[have gun will travel]

doesn't give them the right to bully us around. Or for us to be scared to participate. Truth is it's probably a pretty small number of people making these threats if we change because of threates they win. I don't see anything wrong with a derby. we need to make a stand divided we all loose.

 

[Oak]

Hunters seem to pick some curious issues to be passionate about. Too bad they are rarely the issues that will really make a difference in protecting our heritage for future generations.

 

[RobG]

This whole thing of banning predator contest didn't happen over night. I believe California was the first and Colorado is not far behind and Arizona is next.

After doing some snooping around it looks like some of are own ranks are bringing upon the rest of us.
This is not the only web site but it's the worst one I found https://www.wildmesquite.org We must police our own and like it or not what we post for bragging rights pictures etc. is being used against us.

Can you explain what you mean by our "own ranks are bringing upon the rest of us"?

 

[MontanaWild]

I say stand for what you believe. You start worrying about perception too much and they've won already. They are slowly changing your habits right then and there. If it's right then be proud of it. Trying to appear the correct way to anti's will never change their belief structure. They want ALL hunting gone despite how it's done. Obviously there are things that are over the top for anyone but there is absolutely nothing wrong if guys want to have a predator derby.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Hunters seem to pick some curious issues to be passionate about. Too bad they are rarely the issues that will really make a difference in protecting our heritage for future generations.

As a resident of the metropolis of Trout Creek, I must have been living under a rock. I didn't know there was a big event planned. Sorry to be so jaded but this wasn't about killing predators. This was about getting some business into the restaurant and bar. It's not like they would have killed anything anyway. The only guys out there with any regularity right now are cat hunters. We don't have many coyotes anyway and after driving all the convenient roads I'm sure 90% of the hunters would have returned to quaff beers and moan the demise of the elk herd at the fangs of the dreaded wolf. I wonder if Toby was invited?

 

[RobertR]

Can you explain what you mean by our "own ranks are bringing upon the rest of us"?

weather these pictures were (photoshopped) or not it don't make sportsman look good for what others do. http://www.wildmesquite.org/news/coyote-graveyard-discovered-near-las-cruces/122914

http://www.wildmesquite.org/node/715

. I'm not against killing predators because they need managed but what ever we kill I think we should do it with some class no mater what we hunt.

 

[BuzzH]

Hunters seem to pick some curious issues to be passionate about. Too bad they are rarely the issues that will really make a difference in protecting our heritage for future generations.

Every word of that post should be read, over and over again.

There are things going on at every legislative session, commission meeting, and by the various land and GF agencies that matter wayyyy more than a coyote contest.

Posts stating such are put up on this and other boards...and if you get 3 people to reply, you're doing well. If you get 1-2 people to write a letter or show up at a meeting you're hitting a home run.

The future of hunting is not going to live and die with a wolf/coyote contest held in Sanders County. If that's the best business model that the locals can come up with to bring business to town, they have some huge problems.