{"id":18441,"date":"2015-01-04T06:59:04","date_gmt":"2015-01-04T13:59:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=18441"},"modified":"2026-02-22T06:36:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T12:36:57","slug":"there-are-consequences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/01\/04\/there-are-consequences\/","title":{"rendered":"There Are Consequences"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Coyote<\/p>\n

Two days ago, a\u00a0three-day Predator Hunting Contest and Fur Rendezvous in Idaho began and this “contest” will award prizes for the most wolves and coyotes killed. Money will be paid for the pelts and the black and white wolf pelts will fetch the highest dollar.<\/p>\n

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management did the right thing when they withdrew 3.1 million acres of BLM land that had been scheduled to be used in the “contest” but the U.S. Forest Service did not revoke the permit for the use of our public lands.<\/p>\n

Amy Atwood, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, said the group has a litigation strategy to prevent another derby but declined to go into details.<\/p>\n

It is time to stop the senseless killing of apex predators and to stop these “contests”, especially on public land.<\/p>\n

This isn’t hunting, not the kind I grew up respecting where the hunters provided food for their families, this is killing for nothing more than the sake of killing. These aren’t hunters they are just people with guns.<\/p>\n

We need our apex predators, they belong. These contests do not.<\/p>\n

Apex predators are essential for balance in nature. They cull out the old and weak and keep the elk and deer herds strong. By doing that they also prevent habitat destruction caused by over grazing.<\/p>\n

When the wolves were extirpated the Yellowstone ecosystem suffered, populations of elk grew beyond what the system could sustain. Hunters were allowed to kill more and more elk but still the population grew and then the elk were slaughtered by the park service.<\/p>\n

Other inhabitants of the Yellowstone ecosystem and beyond suffered because of the degraded habitat, they starved to death, or moved.<\/p>\n

Consequences.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Yellowstone ecosystem improved dramatically when wolves were reintroduced. That is a fact. And science, not superstition or ignorance, shows that we NEED these apex predators to maintain natural balance.<\/p>\n

A healthy balance.<\/strong><\/p>\n

See how Wolves Change Rivers in this video<\/a><\/span>. Granted the producer called elk deer and they show a European Badger instead of an American Badger but this video is powerful.<\/p>\n

Every day we have the opportunity to protest having these contests on federal land by signing petitions, writing our state and federal representatives, and supporting conservation groups.<\/p>\n

Our voices matter and they are getting stronger.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to view more of my Coyote photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This isn’t hunting, not the kind I grew up respecting where the hunters provided food for their families, this is killing for nothing more than the sake of killing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":169957,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[511,2152,100,26,99,2162],"tags":[733,4002,3981,4005,4035,4032],"class_list":["post-18441","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-conservation","category-coyotes","category-utah","category-wildlife","category-wildlife-ethics-wildlife-ethics","tag-canis-latrans","tag-coyote","tag-davis-county","tag-great-salt-lake","tag-nature-photography","tag-wildlife-photography"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-great-salt-lake-quote-mia-mcpherson-7931.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-4Nr","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6482,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/11\/02\/an-estimated-400000-coyotes-are-killed-a-year\/","url_meta":{"origin":18441,"position":0},"title":"An Estimated 400,000 Coyotes Are Killed A Year","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 2, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"For anyone interested in Coyote hunting reading this post you won't find any help as to where, when or how to do that on this blog, when I write about Coyote hunting is it about a Coyote HUNTING for its food. Got it?","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Coyote in its winter coat, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-winter-coat-mia-mcpherson-4208.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-winter-coat-mia-mcpherson-4208.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-winter-coat-mia-mcpherson-4208.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-winter-coat-mia-mcpherson-4208.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11662,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/12\/08\/coyote-in-a-whiteout\/","url_meta":{"origin":18441,"position":1},"title":"Coyote In A Whiteout","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 8, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"All of the snow we have now reminded me of being on Antelope Island State Park last January and photographing birds and Coyotes in near whiteout conditions.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Coyote in a whiteout, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-whiteout-mia-mcpherson-4878.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-whiteout-mia-mcpherson-4878.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-whiteout-mia-mcpherson-4878.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-whiteout-mia-mcpherson-4878.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14731,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/04\/10\/did-you-know-that-u-s-wildlife-services-kills-227-coyotes-a-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":18441,"position":2},"title":"Did you know that U.S. Wildlife Services kills 227 Coyotes a day?","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 10, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Do I think that Wildlife Services needs to be investigated? Yes, and the sooner the better.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Coyote sticking out its tongue, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-tongue-mia-mcpherson-8513.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-tongue-mia-mcpherson-8513.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-tongue-mia-mcpherson-8513.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-tongue-mia-mcpherson-8513.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6573,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/11\/13\/coyote-in-the-snow\/","url_meta":{"origin":18441,"position":3},"title":"Coyote In The Snow","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 13, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"While looking for birds to photograph I spotted a pair of Coyotes hunting and roaming through the snow-covered landscape together.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Wintry day Coyote, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/coyote-snow-utah-mia-mcpherson-9075.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/coyote-snow-utah-mia-mcpherson-9075.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/coyote-snow-utah-mia-mcpherson-9075.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/coyote-snow-utah-mia-mcpherson-9075.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14638,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/03\/28\/spring-wildflowers-and-coyotes-on-antelope-island\/","url_meta":{"origin":18441,"position":4},"title":"Spring Wildflowers And Coyotes On Antelope Island","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"On my last visit to Antelope Island State Park five days ago I noticed that some of the wildflowers have started to bloom including Gray's Biscuitroot and Redstem Filaree.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Coyote surrounded by Gray's Biscuitroot, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-grays-biscuitroot-mia-mcpherson-4741.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-grays-biscuitroot-mia-mcpherson-4741.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-grays-biscuitroot-mia-mcpherson-4741.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-grays-biscuitroot-mia-mcpherson-4741.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9264,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/08\/25\/coyote-aka-the-prairie-wolf\/","url_meta":{"origin":18441,"position":5},"title":"Coyote aka The Prairie Wolf","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 25, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"One of the nicknames for a Coyote is the \"Prairie Wolf\" and like wolves; they can be very efficient hunters.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Coyote portrait in low light from the causeway, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/coyote-portrait-mia-mcpherson-0696.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/coyote-portrait-mia-mcpherson-0696.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/coyote-portrait-mia-mcpherson-0696.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/coyote-portrait-mia-mcpherson-0696.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18441","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18441"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18441\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/169957"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18441"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18441"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18441"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}