Oregon Public Broadcasting

A coyote hunting derby planned in southeast Oregon has raised the hackles of predator advocates. KLCC's Rachael McDonald reports.

Coyote derbies are not unusual in the western United States and in parts of New England. 

Brooks Fahy is Executive Director of Predator Defense. He says hatred of predators like coyotes is deeply ingrained.Fahy says contest hunts don't actually help reduce coyote populations.

Brooks Fahy: "It's kind of an innate built-in system called 'compensatory mortality' enable for them to compensate when they're being knocked down in an area.  So in actuality what these people are doing, the contest hunt organizers, is they're creating more coyotes and larger litters of coyote pups."

Fahy calls coyote derbies "bloodsport."

Hunter/organizer Jamie Roscoe denies the claim. He would not talk on tape, but says only licensed hunters are participating.

The derby is meant to honor his friend who died last year of cancer.  An Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesman says coyote derby hunts are not illegal.

Predator Defense and other organizations want Congress to ban the practice nationally.