Controversy Surrounds Use of Dog Packs in Arizona Hunting Practices
As Arizona grapples with wildlife conservation issues, the state’s Game and Fish Commission is contemplating a new regulation that could prohibit the use of dog packs in hunting. These packs, often equipped with GPS collars, are deployed to locate and corner large animals like mountain lions, effectively guiding hunters to their targets.
Russ McSpadden, a conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity, is among those spearheading the movement to end this practice. According to McSpadden, “In most cases, hound hunters allow their dog packs to run far beyond their direct control, with the hunter using GPS collars connected to a network of satellites to follow their dogs remotely with the aid of a smartphone or other handheld smart device to pursue and ‘take’ wildlife.” The petition, which can be read here, argues that such methods violate the principles of fair chase hunting and contravene regulations on electronic device usage for locating wildlife.
Beyond ethical concerns, McSpadden highlights ecological implications, noting that the dogs can mistakenly chase endangered species, including jaguars and ocelots. “We’re asking Arizona Game and Fish to consider the facts and the science and to prohibit hound hunting in Arizona, for a lot of reasons, but key one is to protect threatened and endangered species,” he stated. Evidence suggests that hound packs have distressed at least five of the last eight jaguars recorded in the area, with some jaguars disappearing post-encounters.
The proposed ban will be a topic of discussion at a public meeting in Phoenix, scheduled for Friday. The outcome could significantly alter hunting practices in Arizona.
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