Too many contests!!!

Steve,

Ask how many people on this forum agree with banning said name contests and stooping to the likes of HUUS and Fund for animals, I think you'll find your about the only one.
I don't bait bears and have no interest in it but I ardently support baiting. I don't trap but will passionally defend trapping because its the right thing to do. The antis win in little incremental victories and one day you wake up like CO, and find their going after predator hunting or shooting prarie dogs, or banning dove hunting in Michigan. Your comments about killing big game to feed coyotes astound me but to each their own, I guess; I don't think that statement makes anyone think your more respectful of the animals we hunt after you finished making it.
We'll agree on one thing coyotes deserve respect just like any animal we hunt and buddy there out in front of me to.
 
Dustballs if you are referring to me about going whichever way the majority is going, you better look again. I will go my way and am just offering my opion. For whatever it is worth. If you didn't like the posts about the world, you are more than welcome not to read them and quit whining about them.
 
4100fps,
Contests for big bucks arent' illegal in Wyoming. I agree that the general public doesn't need hunting contests rubbed in front of their face and I oppose even having dead coyotes in plain view of the public, contest or no contest. I also know trapping, bear baiting, and other hunting can also cause great distress for the general public and should be dealt in the same discreet manner. Most of the general public would cry like a baby if they ever saw a coyote in a trap right before the trapper dispatched the dog. [beeep] its half the reason I don't trap coyotes but I still ardently support our trapping and hunting heritage. Remember anti
's win incrementially.
To say that someone hunting coyotes in a contest can't respect the animals their hunting is nonsense.
 
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In my opinion, calling contests can be seen as good or bad. Just take your pick of which way to look at it. In one aspect, competitions are just that... Competitions. People get together to see who can bring the most fur to the table. On the other hand, like others have said before, the contests can also turn into nothing more than a congregation of bloodthirsty drifters trying to get in on a prize. I think we all need to remember that everybody has the same right to enter as the next guy, whether you're the expert or the apprentice to the sport. I'm sure there's many that begin their calling career because of a local contest. We all got to start somewhere.

Sure, coyotes may get smarter and catch on more, but that's the way its always going to be. Calling is growing and growing and growing...

Again, it all just depends on your own view. I'd probably be a bit more agitated if there were contests all the time in my area, so I understand where everybody's coming from.

Good thread!

Steven
 
Quote:To say that someone hunting coyotes in a contest can't respect the animals their hunting is nonsense.

That's a true statement, but it's also true that the perception is that those that hunt in contest where animals die are disrespectful to the animals they hunt.

You say that you support Bear baiting, and trapping even though you don't participate is nice. The difference is that People that Bear bait aren't having competitions doing it. Trappers aren't having competitions to see who can trap the most coyotes in an area for weekend.

It's not the fact that coyotes are being called in and killed that's the problem. It's the fact that it's a competition. So it's not really a little niche that we're loosing if they were curtailed. Competitions are a relatively knew thing, been around for a while but not at such a volume that we have today.
 
why not be satisfied with just merely being out in the high desert enjoying the scenery calling a dog here and there, why is it necessary to prove to others how great a caller you are?? is that really the point of hunting or being a sportsman?? the only thing that is being accomplished with contests is stroking people's ego.
 
Why not be satisfied with just merely keeping to yourself and not worrying about others and go be in the high desert enjoying the scenery calling a dog here and there. Why is it necessary to whine to others about what other people do?? is that really the point of being a keyboard jocky?? the only thing that is being accomplished with your whining is more people disliking you more.
 
Look at the post again. Excessive amount of calling contest. 1 or 2 here or there s not a big deal, but over 100 teams a weekend is too much. I am not against contest, but there needs to be some real thought put into how, when and how often. No they do not promote sportsmanship. they do focus people on the kill, same is true of anything competitive. While I am not saying we should get rid of contest I do realize they paint a horrible picture of hunting. While I enjoy seeing a stack of coyotes, the general public does not. I agree that if we are not careful the contest will have a very negative effect on our sport.

Areas we have hunted have seen numbers drop from 1 in 4 stands to around 1 in 16. Yes the rabbits are down and the yotes are down, but when there are 3-4 contest with over a 100 participants per contest, this starts to frustrate the locals, and others who travel to hunt once producing lands. Overall I feel that he contest are a negative thing for our sport, but I am not saying to ban them, but we need to watch how we do it.
 
This thread has some good points with some good discussion.
I think quality over quantity is always a good motto. This sport is growing and becoming more mainstream. Its certainly not like the good ol' days. Even in the last 5 years I have noticed significant changes. I think contests have a part in that but not all of it. As this sport grows in popularity the contests will also grow in numbers. Hopefully the organizers of these events will see the need to continue putting on quality well organized hunts. I have researched quite a few contests and some seem thrown together and others are well thought out. Some probably bring out the crazies and others bring out the dedicated predator hunter looking for a quality experience.
The focus of our hunts has always been the banquet portion where good food, discussion, techniques, seminar,
and camaraderie is key. The banquet prizes are usually better than the top team pay outs. We don't draw a huge crowd but its a quality crowd and a repeat crowd as well. Some of them even bring their wives. These guys would be hunting coyotes during the contest dates whether they were in the contest or not. That's the crowd our hunt has appealed to. If a contest continually attracts the rowdy crowd then organizers should take note and see what changes they might want to make. I'm not criticizing any other contests out there, I'm just sharing what has worked for us.

Let the discussion continue.....
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[/quote]Again, it all just depends on your own view. I'd probably be a bit more agitated if there were contests all the time in my area, so I understand where everybody's coming from.
Good thread!Steven[/quote]


Thanks for chiming in on this one. My point I was trying to get across. Contests are lot's of fun and so on. But 3 or 4 a year when you get 70+ entrants, kills the sport for those who just enjoy getting out and calling. But like you said, it's the way it's going and just like everything else, we will be talking about the good ole days.
 
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Maybe talking to the organizers of the contests would be beneficial. They might be willing to work with the people that are truly concerned with the regularity of the competitions. I'd think that the ones in charge share the same love for the sport, so they'd gladly be open to advice and opinions to make it better. Just a thought...

Steven
 
Originally Posted By: elksLook at the post again. Excessive amount of calling contest. 1 or 2 here or there s not a big deal, but over 100 teams a weekend is too much. I am not against contest, but there needs to be some real thought put into how, when and how often. No they do not promote sportsmanship. they do focus people on the kill, same is true of anything competitive. While I am not saying we should get rid of contest I do realize they paint a horrible picture of hunting. While I enjoy seeing a stack of coyotes, the general public does not. I agree that if we are not careful the contest will have a very negative effect on our sport.

Areas we have hunted have seen numbers drop from 1 in 4 stands to around 1 in 16. Yes the rabbits are down and the yotes are down, but when there are 3-4 contest with over a 100 participants per contest, this starts to frustrate the locals, and others who travel to hunt once producing lands. Overall I feel that he contest are a negative thing for our sport, but I am not saying to ban them, but we need to watch how we do it.

Very good points! I see you are just across the border so you feel the frustration from all the contests north of you too.
 
I think some are missing that coyote populations are down due to a whole bucket full of reasons. Look at the rabbit populations. The guy who shoots 975 coyotes a year out of the air. One of my main calling places in years past had thousands of antleope on it in the winter with a ton of coyotes. This year not one antelope and very very very few coyotes. I have had to go to different areas and find the rabbits and the antelope. But to say contests are ruining coyote hunting is way out of wack. The contests that I have entered dont advertise. The check in points are at private locations, most of the time a fur buyer takes all of the coyotes.
 
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I don't think anyone is saying that the contests are ruining coyote hunting. It is just one of the contributing factors these days making coyote hunting tougher. You are right the rabbits have cycled down and are just now starting to come back around. 5 years ago every location seemed like it had 10 rabbits on it. Last year and the year before it seemed like we hardly saw any, this year we are starting to see a few more and few more at night. Also 2 years ago when we had all the snow around wamsutter, there were several groups of guys that killed a ton of coyotes off snow machines, which took a heck of a toll on them.
 
I don't believe their is any difference in perception between contest hunting, and other hunting that isn't main stream. Like I said I believe modesty is the best way to deal with the public but just because I don't have time to sit and explain to every member of public why I hunt contests, and why I hunt coyotes period. Make no mistake people that want to make contests illegal have no intentions of stopping at contests when the succeed. I was watching a video at cabelas one day and right as the coyote meet his fate to one of Randy Anderson's bullets a lady walked by and I heard her tell her sig other something along the lines of thats disquisting. She (the public) couldn't tell the difference between that and a contest.
I'm not trying to promote contests to anyone and most everyone has made up thier mind on whether they will participate or not. I'm just saying don't try to tell me that I'm the reason that this sport is in trouble or I'm a root of the problems some are experiencing hunting coyotes.
 
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