Conclusion  

     I have learned throughout my research that the mindset of certain people will never change.  Although we are more civilized then we were 150 years ago, there will always be those who feel they need to take matters into their own hands.  The government can make laws to stop these Hunting Contests, but someone will always try and sneak through the cracks, making excuses for their actions.

     I have not found the answer to my main question; why do these events take place?  Everyone has their own side to the story and it seems most of these people’s opinions will not change.  Killing animals is in the heart of far too many people.  No living thing should have to die to fill the pockets of those who killed them.  I will continue to wonder why these hunters feel the need to carry on these events and just how far they will go in the future.  Once a species is extinct, will the eyes of the hunters open or will they just move on to the next target?  Why can’t we learn from our past mistakes when people slaughtered large amounts of animal species?  Are we able to make advancements in technology, but not find a more ethical and humane way to deal with “problem” animal species?

     Now that I have had the opportunity to learn more about this topic, more questions come to mind.  When will departments of the government, who claim to be concerned about wildlife, become leaders, rather than feeling compelled to listen to the heartless opinions of these hunters?  How will the government fix their mistakes of allowing hunters to diminish the population of these species once the species become endangered?  Do these government officials and hunters have any clue what they are doing to the ecosystem when they are attempting to eradicate a species?

     It saddens me to think of a future without these beautiful creatures.  They may seem dangerous, they may be dangerous, but so are humans.  What does that say for our future?

                

     

http://www.ffc.org

Mako Sharks

     In 2001, a friend and I took a long road trip to one of my favorite states, California.  I had just graduated, bought a new car and couldn’t think of a better way to start the summer; in the California sun.  His family friend lived in Marina Del Rey and we were told that he had planned a special boat trip for us the first day we were there.  Unfortunately, it took about 10 minutes on the water for me to realize I apparently suffered from sea sickness.  Talk about a beautiful way to start a trip.

         

     After emerging from the cabin about an hour later, I was filled in on the trip details.  This wasn’t just a regular fishing trip; we were also out on the water to capture a Mako Shark.  Turns out, this was the time of year for the “Mako for Dollars Tournament”.  Lucky me!  Just when I thought the trip couldn’t get anymore terrifying, I found out that the main tools for this kind of capture were gaffs and a pistol; I was given the pistol.  A gaff is a long pole with a large hook attached to the end.  The gaff is inserted into the shark's gills, while the shark is still in the water, then pulled up through the top of the head.  A pistol is used as a last resort in case gaffing didn't do the trick.

youtube

    The Mako shark has a long, plump body and their average body is length is approximately 13 feet.  They are one of the largest and fastest shark species in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.  Makos are considered extremely dangerous and fishermen are advised to use caution because these fish will not hesitate to attack a person or a boat (California Fish and Wildlife).  Author Brian Handwerk states in a NatGeo article that "Each year there are about 50 to 70 confirmed shark attacks and 5 to 15 shark-attack fatalities around the world".

     Makos have been linked to numerous fatal and nonfatal attacks on humans.  With their aggressive behavior, immense speed and strength, they are considered a tremendous trophy for fishermen.  An impending attack is signaled by the Mako swimming in a figure eight pattern, while swimming, mouth open, towards their prey. The demand for the Makos flesh and their fins has decreased their population and with the added number of those getting caught in the nets of industrial fishermen, there is fear of the Mako becoming endangered (Marinebio).  There are only a few government regulations when it comes to Mako fishing and these only come into place when they feel the Makos are being over-fished.  Brian Handwerk with NatGeo also stated in his article that "Between 20 and 100 million sharks die each year due to fishing activity, according to data from the Florida Museum of Natural History's International Shark Attack File".  Sounds like over-fishing to me!

     Since Makos are considered a trophy game fish, the tournaments offering cash prizes for the largest Mako captured can have a extremely large turn out.  The thrill of the hunt and potential cash in their pockets brings participants from all around.  But this isn't ordinary fishing; it is brutal and unethical.  How can one take pleasure in gaffing a shark?  This method is used with every fisherman who is experienced in shark fishing, yet it isn't always effective.  When gaffing doesn't kill the shark, the use of the pistol comes in because pulling a live shark on your boat is obviously far too dangerous.

     Many people will argue that this is a needed event because of how dangerous these fish are.  I can agree with their reasoning a bit, since sharks have been lead to violent human deaths, but the real question for me is why are these fisherman so brutal when it comes to finishing the job?  With this brutality, how are they any better then the shark?  The ocean is gigantic and we probably haven't even made a dent in our oceanic discoveries.  How would we handle new animal species that are much larger and more threatening then the Makos?

shark club

Warning: I picked pictures that are not too graphic, but they may be unsettling.

Oregon

Wolf and Coyote Contests

            

     For this next blog, I would like to discuss two other animals that are killed in these contests, Wolves and Coyotes.  If any of you have spoken to ranchers, you probably have heard about a common problem they face daily; their animals are being attacked and/or killed by wolves and coyotes.  I don’t know of any rancher who does not have some sort of a weapon in their possession to try to take care of this seemingly endless problem.  This is an understandable stress from ranchers, since their source of income is in jeopardy daily.  But where is the line drawn from protecting livestock to the mass killing of these creatures just because they are in range of your rifle?

Wolf Management

According to the National Park Service Yellowstone, "there were 95 wolves counted in the park, 34 in the northern range, and 61 in the interior as of December 2013".

     In Salmon, Idaho, an organization known as Idaho for Wildlife, holds a contest at the beginning of the year called Idaho For Wildlife's Predator Hunting Contest and Fur Rendezvous.  This event no longer has an entry fee, but as stated by coyote contest, they award a $1,000 prize for two separate categories: most wolves and most coyotes. Plus, since your'e never too young to shoot something, children as young as 10 years old are encouraged to participate in this "family event".

This is a video from the above contest that took place in January 2014, their first "killing derby".  It shows how the coyotes are weighed and how cash prizes and trophy winners are determined.  That year no wolves were found and shot.  Though it is not too graphic, please don't watch if it might be too much for you.

youtube

     A contest I found to be more unsettling then any I have read about takes place in San Angelo, Texas.  This contest is called the West Texas Big Bobcat Contest, but the name doesn't say it all.  Although the grand prize winner is determined by whoever shoots and brings back the biggest bobcat, they have one major rule.  According to coyote contest bobcat, in order for a participant to be in the running for the grand prize, they must also shoot "either 5 Grey Fox or 5 Coyotes (NO MIXING OF THE TWO!)".  They have a team entry fee of $200 which all pays into the grand prize and 3 jackpots.  The DFW Wildlife Coalition states that "bobcats do not attack people. In fact, bobcat attacks are virtually unknown".  According to numerous government sites, the bobcat population is somewhat of a question mark, probably because they are so introverted.  So why do the people in San Angelo feel the need to kill them?  And what is their rationality for killing the extra 5 animals?

Virginia

   

     According to the Humane Society of the US, "approximately 5,000 gray wolves are thought to remain in the lower 48 states" and they have been taken off the endangered list. These hunters seem to think they are doing the world a favor by eliminating these "beasts" but as Warren Cornwall points out in an article on wolves from NatGeo, "when more mature adults were killed, less seasoned adolescents move in and are more likely to prey on cows and sheep".  Wolves main food sources are ungulates, so when the mature adults are killed and unable to teach their young to hunt, the juveniles may turn to the easier prey; livestock and other domestic animals.

     Washington Fish and Game announced that "In the past 60 years, there have been two wolf-caused human fatalities in North America (Canada and Alaska)", and that wolf attacks on domestic dogs have been because "Wolves view dogs as competitors or territorial intruders".  Several states, such as Washington with House Bill 1258, are attempting to find ways to relocate the wolves into more "wolf popular" areas.  The coyote population still seems to be flourishing even with these events to eradicate the species. 

     So are these events really about helping control the animal population or we stuck in this mindset that we still have to prove we are the bigger, badder species?  This isn't just about saving the livestock.