May 6, 2025
Hon. James Baldacci
Hon. Tiffany Roberts
Committee on Inland Fisheries & Wildlife
State of Maine
State House Station 3 / 2
Augusta, ME 04330
Dear Sen. Baldacci, Rep. Roberts:
As a former legislator and thirty years of submitting Maine Friends of Animals legislation, I have never had the impulse to write a committee about the disposition of one of our bills. I write now because of the outcry from our 1,200 Maine supporters, not necessarily because of the outcome, but because of a process that they felt was predisposed and unfair. Anyone witnessing the recent hearing and work session on LD 1293 “An Act to Prohibit Coyote-killing Contests in Maine” would not consider the legislative process worthwhile.
I understand making laws is not easy, pretty nor convenient, but this recent session seemed to have been unusually disorganized. To wit, the bill was originally lost in the Revisor’s Office, and ultimately required a clarification amendment that the committee refused to take up. In addition, and more troubling, the long standing practice of a two-week notice prior to the hearing date was in our case reduced to five days, putting considerable inconvenience on people who were going to testify, some from out of state, at the hearing or by Zoom. The opposition had their lobbyists in the building.
I also realize many legislators, especially Senators serve on multiple committees, but at our hearing half the members were not present. The members who were there never asked any relevant questions engaging the proponents’ points, but instead said nothing, asked an unsupportive question or asked the testier if he/she were from out of state. I, the lead testifier, was not asked one question even when the sponsor, Sen. Beebe-Center, encouraged committee members to do so, marking the disinterest from the onset, even though the vast majority of the public and majority of the hunters support a ban on killing contests.
Given that many members were unable to attend the hearing you would expect there would be more dialogue at the work session. What was particularly disturbing was thework (or lack thereof) by the Legislative Analyst who mentioned four organizations spoke in favor of the bill, and three organizations spoke in opposition. What she didn’t mention was the opposition had just ONE other person speak against the bill, while the proponents had a dozen state and national expert testifiers and 80 hearing, Zoom and written testimonies. She left the impression that it was an equally divided hearing when it was anything but.
Moreover, she is supposed to provide the issues each side had presented at the hearing. The opposition had one - deer in wintering habitat. The proponents had eight points clearly stated in its Fact Sheet and in the many expert testimonies, yet she listed only one. Less than a minute after the Legislative Analyst finished her very brief “analysis” of the bill, Sen. Baldacci, who was not even at the public hearing, submitted a motion of ONTP. Many who were following this bill and the proceedings for months were outraged, and our emails were flush with “biased” and “unfair”, and “This is what the legislative process is?!”
Just for the record, the premier national animal law organization, The Animal Legal Defense Fund, named Maine #1 in the nation for our animal welfare laws. We have been ‘around the block’ on legislation and have accepted losses, but other committees have treated us with respect and interest about what we were presenting. As an example, over the years, half of our bills have passed that came before the Judiciary Committee.
Our Maine Friends of Animals Legislative Committee held 14 meetings since we started to work on this bill exactly a year ago. We spent many hours every week preparing supporting documents, obtaining state and national endorsements, support and testimony, securing co-sponsors, researching opposition, connecting with legislators, and doing all the things necessary to pass controversial legislation like ending coyote killing contests. To see all that work unceremoniously dismissed without any consideration or interest does not encourage citizens to engage the legislative process, nor give them trust in it.
Sincerely,
Robert Fisk, Jr.
Founder and Executive Director
cc: Hon. Mattea Elisabeth Larsen Daughtry
Hon. Pinny Beebe-Center
Hon. Anne Carney
Hon. Sally Cluche
Your Action is Needed Now! January 2025
Here is how!
We are following up on our newsletter, which was recently mailed and is also available on-line, with the focus on our bill to prohibit coyote killing contests in Maine. Maine Friends of Animals has a long history with coyotes going back to snaring in 1999, and we have been preparing for the challenges of this legislation in the 132nd Legislature. To debunk the outdated notion from extreme hunting groups that there can be no changes in any hunting practice regardless of how inhumane, unnessary and unethical they are.
As we wait for our bill to be printed and sent to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, we want to alert you to our schedule to get “An Act to Prohibit Coyote Killing Contests” passed. We will send you periodic Action Alerts on the progress of the bill and how you can help at each point. This legislative action happens for only 4-6 months over a 24-month period, so it is a critical time when our supporters can really make a difference by informing the legislators and helping pass this much needed legislation.
Our MFOA volunteer ‘writers’ are already submitting letters to the five major Maine newspapers, some of which have been published recently. These ‘writers’ will also write legislators.
MFOA will soon be releasing a list of wildlife and conservation groups supporting this legislation.
Here is how YOU can help now!
Circulate our “Ethical Hunters Against Coyote Killing Contests” petition to hunters and the bill Fact Sheet to any who will listen. Email, post on social media, copy and distribute — please spread the word now so we can build momentum going into the legislative process.
“Ethical Hunters Against Coyote Killing Contests” petition
The majority of Maine hunters believe this wanton killing of wildlife for a prize undermines the public’s view of hunting and does not represent their view of hunting ethics. This senseless killing gives all hunters a black eye. With that in mind, we have formed “Ethical Hunters Against Coyote Killing Contests”, BUT we must get those hunters to come forward! We need them to be part of our coalition in moving forward. Please send the petition and QR code below to any hunters you know who might be inclined to sign it; and then, even more important, have them circulate it in the hunting community.
Circulate Fact Sheet for Bill
Distribute the bill Fact Sheet and pass the word on the issues pertaining to “An Act to Prohibit Coyotes Killing Contests.” We need to spread the truth about these events and what they do.
“An Act to Prohibit Coyote Killing Contests in Maine” FACT SHEET
These killing events are a degradation of Maine’s wildlife, and disrespectful of our hunting traditions and ethics. These malicious killings do not align with Maine’s hunting traditions of sportsmanship and fair chase principles, nor the ethics and reverence for nature in general. Wanton killing of wildlife for a prize undermines the public’s view of hunting and gives all hunters a black eye. Rewarding the indiscriminate killing of as many animals as one can violates conservation ethics and its humane values. Glorifying killing for its own sake should not be what we want to teach our children.
There is no credible science supporting the indiscriminate killing of wildlife as an effective method for wildlife management. A strong body of science indicates that short-term hunts have no measurable impact on regulating coyote populations nor increasing deer populations. When reductions in coyote numbers are locally achieved, other coyotes simply move in to fill the area. Adults can increase their reproductive rates in response to increased hunting, as with killing contests, so populations rebound quickly. Habitat loss and severe winters are far more likely responsible for deer losses in the north country than coyote predation. These “derbies”, often held under the guise of “wildlife management”, but they have never had the official support of the Department of IF&W.
This is not anti-hunting legislation. Maine’s wildlife belongs to all state residents. This bill is about one very egregious hunting practice that has no place in Maine’s wildlife hunting or management. Those claiming this bill is about ending all hunting by animal rights groups is the typical false mantra claimed by the hunting lobby when its cannot defend its practices to the public and wants to change the focus. This endless “slippery slope” argument translates into everything is “anti-hunting” unless it is agreeable with those who hold onto the antiquated notion that we cannot change any hunting practice regardless of how cruel, useless or unethical it is? This bill addresses just one egregious “hunting” practice that is an outlier that does not represent traditional Maine hunters; and will continue to become a public relations problem for a sport that is already at all time low numbers.
Mass removal of a wildlife species from the environment impairs the ecological benefits these animals provide to both urban and rural communities. Predator and prey species are vital to a healthy ecosystem. With man’s eradication of wolves, coyotes are essential to control rodent and small mammal populations, cull sick and injured animals and eat wildlife that harbor ticks / Lyme disease. Coyotes are ecologically vital top carnivores in Eastern US biodiversity. Coyote killing contests impact and impair these ecological stabilities and the balance of nature. These are intelligent and highly adaptable animals living in deserts and city alleyways, and hence we should accept that reality and educate our communities about humane techniques for co-existence, and fostering greater understanding of this valuable species to nature and mankind.
Opposition to wildlife killing contests is growing rapidly. Polls show the vast majority of the public, including hunters, are against killing contests. This bill has been endorsed many state and national conservation and wildlife organizations. Ten states have banned wildlife killings contests: Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Mexico, Vermont, Washington, Oregon and New York. Five more states, including Maine, are submitting anti-killing contests legislation, and Congress has introduced the ‘Prohibit Wildlife Killing Contests Act’. With this national trend to end these blood sport activities, it is time for Maine to follow suit.
Coyotes are not a public safety issue. Healthy coyote families are typically wary of humans, and attacks are extremely rare. Coyotes in your yard can be easily dispersed with a yell, thrown stick or banging on a pot or pan. Irresponsible human behavior is most often the root cause of wildlife conflicts. There are many simple ways we can eliminate or reduce coyote interactions such as walking dogs with a leash, not leaving out pet food, securing garbage cans, keeping cats indoors (also protecting birds), eliminating artificial water sources, clearing brush, using motion lighting, and walking trails with a whistle. Healthy coyotes are not motivated to go after livestock, but issues can be mitigated with good husbandry practices and predator deterrent light sensors. Many farmers appreciate coyotes keeping rodents levels in check, and foxes, skunks and raccoons away from stock, and deer herds moving so they do less damage to plants and products.
Do these images reflect Maine’s hunting traditions and conservation ethics?
Help Us Fund a Successful Campaign
The extreme hunting lobby still clings to the antiquated notion that there can be no change to any hunting practice regardless of how inhumane, unnecessary and unethical it is. It is organized and well-funded by those who still don’t recognize these events are a black eye to hunting. We need to effectively debunk their position as we get our message out to legislators, hunters, press and the general public.
Our supporters respond most passionately to issues that are egregiously inhumane, and coyote killing contests certainly fall into that category. Your past contributions have always made a difference and they are equally important now. Please donate today to support this important legislation.
