ROCK COUNTY (WKOW) - A Rock County hunter is defending the practice of coyote killing contests, as a billboard campaign pushes for a ban in southern Wisconsin on the contests involving all wildlife.
Katie Murphy of Milton says she's participated in two dozen tavern-sponsored coyote tournaments and won one recently by killing the largest coyote of any participating hunter.
"It's for the camaraderie," Murphy says of the contests. "The hunting is done in a proper way."
Some taverns have Facebook page photos displaying dozens of coyote carcasses along with the contest hunters.
On a billboard sponsored by Julie Dybevik of Brodhead on Highway 14 near Janesville, a photo of a young coyote is coupled with a call for a ban on wildlife killing contests in Rock and Green Counties. There's also a Facebook page calling for the ban and displaying a contest photo with the many coyote carcasses at the feet of the smiling participants.
Dybevik declined comment to 27 News.
In 2019, then-State Senator Fred Risser pushed unsuccessful legislation to enact a statewide ban on wildlife killing contests.
“Wildlife killing contests are a cruel stain on Wisconsin’s long legacy of conservation," Risser said in 2019. "These contests lead to the indiscriminate killing of wildlife in order to win cash prizes, guns or belt buckles. Not only are questionable tactics used to attract and kill the animals, but often, the animals are not used for any purpose after they are killed and their carcasses are left to rot."
California and Vermont and a handful of other states have passed legislation similar to Risser's failed proposal.
But Murphy says she sells the pelts of the coyote she harvests during tournaments. Murphy says tournaments require the carcasses to be brought in and be weighed. And she says some hunters in the competitions will use taxidermy to mount trophy or unique coyote, as is done with other game. Murphy says some use the coyote meat.
Murphy uses dogs to track coyote in the contests, but says her dogs primarily roust the nocturnal, wild animal, and says she tries to quickly kill her targets.
Murphy concedes gift certificates and other prizes are awarded for the most coyote kills and the largest carcass, but says more money goes for other purposes.
"To donate money to organizations, schools, 4-H, FFA, other local organizations," Murphy says. "That's what the money goes for with all of those contests."
Murphy maintains contest kills contribute to keeping the coyote population in check, and livestock and farm pets safer from coyote in rural areas, a premise ban supporters reject, arguing traditional hunting serves any wildlife management needs. DNR wildlife specialist Shawn Rossler has yet to respond to a request for comment from 27 News.
Murphy says coyote tournaments during the early winter months of a year have become tradition. "We want to hang out with our friends," she says of contestant motivation.
More at WKOW 27 News