pstrongCheers/strong to Californiarsquo;s Fish and Game Commission who voted unanimously Feb. 5 to consider a ban on hunting contests such as this weekendrsquo;s secretive coyote drive in Modoc County, with one commissioner labelling such contests unethical./ppThe 4-0 vote launches a formal rule-making process, during which public comment will be solicited as the commission considers a ban on such contests in California./ppProject Coyote proposed the ban to the commission and director Camilla Fox told commissioners, ldquo;This is obviously not about sport of fair chase. Wildlife killing contests are conducted for profit, entertainment, prizes and simply, for the lsquo;funrsquo; of killing. No evidence exists showing that such indiscriminate killing contests control problem animals or serve any beneficial management function.rdquo;img alt=”” src=”/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/512px-Coyote_by_Rebecca_Richardson.jpg” style=”width: 250px; height: 375px; margin: 8px; float: right;” //ppThe killing contest planned in Modoc County (and surrounding counties as the contest is not geographically limited) in Northern California also poses a significant threat to the recovery of gray wolves in California. This region is where the gray wolf known as OR-7 (aka ldquo;Journeyrdquo;) has been known to range and coyote killing contests like the Adin Coyote Drive are a threat to his safety and the safety of any other un-collared wolves who may roam the area./ppFriends of Animals is currently working with legislators to make animal killing contests illegal in New York.nbsp;/ppLast year, Friends of Animals mobilized supporters and took to the streets to protest the ldquo;Squirrel Slamrdquo; killing contest in Holley, N.Y, disguised as a fundraiser for the fire department, and a href=”https://friendsofanimals.org/news/2013/april/squirrel-slam-video”released a mini documentary detailing its efforts/a. The video also draws attention to Senate Bill # 4074 and Assembly Bill # 03661 that would ban animal killing contests in New York.nbsp;/ppThis year the bloodbath is slated for Feb. 22, and a href=”https://www.facebook.com/events/602506446488072/” target=”_blank”Friends of Animals will lead a protest /afrom 4:30 to 6 p.m. outside the Holley Fire Department located at 7 Thomas St., where hunters will bring dead squirrels to be weighed to claim prizes./ppldquo;Animal killing contests like the shocking lsquo;Squirrel Slamrsquo; held in Holley, N.Y. for the past eight years have no place in a civilized society, therefore, I strongly support passage of Senate Bill # 4074 to outlaw these killing contests,rdquo; New York state Sen. Tony Avella said. ldquo;At Friends of Animalsrsquo; urging, this is the second year Irsquo;ve pressed the Holley Fire Department to cancel the controversial lsquo;Squirrel Slamrsquo; in favor of a less violent way of raising money. Children as young as 12 should not be encouraged to shoot squirrels to win prizes. That practice is similar to bounty hunting. Killing contests like the lsquo;Squirrel Slamrsquo; provide an incentive to children and adults to shoot many animals to win prizesmdash; a disturbing, irrational activity thatrsquo;s out-of-pace with New York culture and must end throughout the state.rdquo;/ppTo let commissioners know you oppose Californiarsquo;s wildlife killing contests, a href=”http://www.change.org/petitions/ca-dept-of-fish-wildlife-f-g-commission-stop-coyote-killing-contest” target=”_blank”sign this petition/a nbsp;or write to:nbsp;/ppDirector Charlton H. Bonham/ppCalifornia Department of Fish and Wildlife/pp1416 Ninth Street, 12th Floor/ppSacramento, CA 95814/ppa href=”mailto:director@wildlife.ca.gov”director@wildlife.ca.gov/a/ppnbsp;/ppCalifornia Fish and Game Commission/ppP.O. Box 944209/ppSacramento, CA 94244-2090/ppa href=”mailto:fgc@fgc.ca.gov”fgc@fgc.ca.gov/a/pdivnbsp;/div