Advocates for the West Challenges Predator Derby

Advocates for the West filed a complaint on November 13, 2014 against the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s action authorizing an “Idaho Predator Hunt Derby” on public lands surrounding the town of Salmon.  Event organizers were granted a 5-year permit for an annual 3-day event which would include up to 500 participants. Entrants would be encouraged to spread out and scour 3 million acres of public lands, shooting predators (including skunks, weasels and fishers), and winning cash prizes for the biggest wolf and the most coyotes.

The BLM is not doing it’s job to protect sensitive species, wilderness study areas and the ecological health of the land. The wholesale removal of predators is known to have negative impacts for entire ecosystems. Even the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (which permits wolf hunting) does not support “contests or similar activities involving the taking of predators which may portray hunting in an unethical fashion, devalue the predator, and which may be offensive to the general public.”  Clearly, this is offensive, as the B.L.M. received over 100,000 negative comments from outraged citizens across the country.

Thanks to our lead partner Defenders of Wildlife for helping lead this case. We are also working with lawyers representing the Center for Biological Diversity, Western Watersheds Project and the Coyote Project.