I've never been to a Cabela's store. Reportedly this is a great place to shop for outdoors gear. A Cabela's is opening about an hour south of us in Springfield, Oregon soon. My wife and I will be tempted to check it out, except…
Predator Defense, an organization based in Eugene that we heartily support, is urging a boycott of Cabela's so long as the store sponsors cruel coyote-killing contests where these canines are shot just for fun.
Coyotes are an important part of natural ecosystems. Usually there's no reason to kill them. Killing tends to increase their numbers, anyway, because the breeding females respond with larger litters.
Here's an email that we got from Brooks Fahy, Executive Director of Predator Defense. I added the links and photos, and made a few minor edits. Read on.
Then: Boycott Cabela's.
January 26, 2011
Dear Friends of Predator Defense,
I just received this alert from a colleague in Idaho to boycott Cabela's Outfitters. The store continues to sponsor senseless coyote killing "derby" events like this Saturday near Boise, Idaho. Also, Cabela's hosts forums on its website that promote killing animals "for fun": https://forums.cabelas.com/showthread.php?t=18707
Last year in Idaho, it wasn't just coyotes that were the target, but also wolves and bobcats. This weekend, January 29th, the Boise Cabela's store is helping to sponsor the 1st Annual Idaho Coyote Classic, hosted by Idaho Varmint Hunters (IVH).
For those of you in Oregon, please note that Cabela's will open its first store in the state at the Gateway Mall in Springfield in Spring 2011. If you like coyotes and other predators or dislike predator-killing contests, Cabela's will be a powerful new entity to reckon with. We must try to convince Cabela's to rethink their promoting of predator killing contests, weapons, and hosting predator forums.
The Idaho Varmint Hunters (IVH) are linked to a well-known anti-predator group, Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife (SFW). Cabela's and SFW are "conservation partners" according to the Cabela's website. Here's a photo gallery link from IVH that prominently displays Cabela's banner: http://ivh.devstu.com/coyote-calling-2010/nnccc-2010-photo-gallery
TAKE ACTION
(1) BOYCOTT CABELA'S
I would encourage you to boycott Cabela's as I and many of my colleagues are doing. I'm urging my friends and relatives to do the same until Cabela's changes its position and attitude toward the senseless slaughter of predators. This is not hunting for food. For those of you who support ethical, responsible hunting for sport, this is not that either.
(2) MAKE A PHONE CALL
Corporate headquarters in Sidney, Nebraska – 308.254.5505. There are two people to ask for: Tommy Millner, CEO, and/or Joe Arterbun, Public Relations department. It's likely neither will be available so either leave a message with the secretary (or the recording) or ask to be called back. Be polite. Mention how important coyotes are to a healthy ecosystem and that these type of contest are unethical and blatantly cruel.
Thank you for your support.
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grow up
willbethel, wow — thanks for the profoundly wise comment. I guess my logic was so overwhelming, you couldn’t find anything to disagree with in this post. Good to know that you also apparently favor protecting coyotes.
Looks like the only thing we disagree on is whether I should grow up. Actually, I’m doing a great job at this, being eligible for Social Security.
Anti-Cabela’s!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If Cabela’s wants to sponsor coyote contests then I am ok with that. Go Cabela’s!
People have the real overpopulation problem with 80 million annual global net growth, but the economy is based on perpetual growth and more consumers constantly feeding debt.
Trophy hunters like to actively blame other species for the symptoms of human overload, which leads to cover stories about “pest control” and “conservation” when it’s really just a bunch of bored rednecks killing time by killing animals. Many wildlife serial killers are rural scumbags who use it as a form of entertainment. “I got me all these guns so I gotta do sump’tin with ’em!” A big pastime is posting snuff footage on YouTube. Many animals are undoubtedly dying for the sake of “kill shot” videos.
Thank you very much for making this clear to me. For years I thought Cabela’s was a great place that wouldn’t hurt an animals soul.(I was so naive) I had noticed and thought about the display of animals and thought it was just wrong. I will definitely try to take action and boycott this disgracful company that betrayed me!