AZGFD eyes ban on ‘predator hunting’ contests

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission voted during a meeting held in Yuma on Friday to begin the process of forming new rules to prohibit “predator hunting” contests within the state.

These competitions award prizes to winning teams for killing the most animals within a given time limit. These usually put coyotes in the crosshairs, but can include other larger predators including bobcats, mountain lions and foxes.

Animal advocate groups have opposed these kinds of events, and the Town Council of Dewey-Humboldt, southeast of Prescott, passed a resolution in November condemning such contests in response to one held somewhere in the area in December, though the exact location was unknown.

James Odenkirk, general counsel for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, said the state has historically followed what’s called the “North American model” of wildlife conservation.

This includes tenets such as discouraging commercial hunting and using scientific methods to manage wildlife populations, which are seen as a public resource, not privately owned.

Hunting is seen as a vital part of wildlife conservation, under this view, and “public support is another essential element of ensuring continues in this,” he added.

“So the question is, what authority does the commission have to regulate hunting activities which might undermine public support for hunting?”

He concluded that under the North American model and the related public trust doctrine, the commission does have authority to restrict hunting methods or behavior that are unpopular with the public, even if they don’t have a direct effect on conservation.

Opinions are mixed as to whether these kinds of “predator hunts” are beneficial for conservation, but Commissioner Kurt Davis said they violate the North American model, since they include cash or other prizes for top finishers and don’t represent a scientific approach to management.

Davis read a seven-minute motion after the commission met in executive session for legal advice on the matter, which he said was needed for “context.”

“While the hunting of coyotes and other fur-bearers is permitted year-round in Arizona, and the department at times removes predators from a specific location to help undulant fawns survive, I believe there’s a clear disconnect between those legitimate purposes and an illegitimate purpose that links economic gain to the number of predators a person can kill,” he said.

He continued that the commission has changed its regulations in response to technology and other trends.

“Taking game over bait and using drones or cameras to locate wildlife are just a couple of examples of our commission taking action to more strongly align our rules with the model.”

His motion to have Game and Fish staff begin the rule-making process for regulations on predator hunting contests was approved 5-0.

Before the vote, two members of the Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club spoke in favor of pursuing such a ban. One, Pat Headington, said the commission would have to deal with other issues such as that of a former Yuma business that raised pheasants, then placed them within a fenced area and allowed hunters to come in and shoot at them.

“The challenge we all are going to face is those that aren’t educated -are going to look at that and consider that hunting,” Headington said.

John Fugate, another member of the club, praised the commission for taking the lead on the issue, but said it might still meet some opposition at the Capitol in Phoenix.

“It’s easier to deal with you five, than going down there and dealing with the Legislature. So getting ahead of that curve is really, really, really an important thing, based on my experiences in the past.

“Having said that, even if you come up with something we all have consensus on, that doesn’t mean there isn’t something that’s going to be brought forth by them, somebody, that we have to deal with,” Fugate said.

The commission’s meeting was held at the Holiday Inn near Pacific Avenue and 16th Street. As a statewide body, it holds several meetings a year outside of the department headquarters in Phoenix. The commission last met in Yuma a year ago, in February 2018. Also on Friday’s agenda: • Two hearings on revocations of licenses for Game and Fish violations, both from Navajo County.

• A briefing from Wildlife Regional Specialist Supervisor Joel Diamond on efforts statewide to protect bat populations while enhancing human safety.