From: Eric Shuns To: Commissioners@MyFWC.com; Comm-Salter@santarosa.fl.gov; comm-goodin@santarosa.fl.gov; comm-williamson@santarosa.fl.gov; comm-cole@santarosa.fl.gov; comm-lynchard@santarosa.fl.gov; gaetz.don.web@flsenate.gov; peaden.durell.web@flsenate.gov; ray.sansom@myfloridahouse.gov; greg.evers@myfloridahouse.gov Cc: "help@endthehunt.org" Sent: Wednesday, August 5, 2009 3:42:04 PM Subject: Foxpen at Holt, Fla Gentleman - Hopefully the Florida game commission will stay in control of predator control, and not tree hugging anti hunter types. The coyote it a well conditioned, seasoned PREDATOR. I quote from the Florida fish and wildlife commission report on coyotes in Florida: Statewide trend: Expanding Threats to natives: Preys on various native species. Does not tolerate other canines in its range and may reduce local fox and bobcat populations, both by aggression and direct competition for food. Also a rabies vector. Species Account: Native of the western United States and likely entered Florida both from natural range expansion and human introductions. Introductions have occurred on numerous occasions since at least 1925, primarily for hunting with dogs. Well established in northwest Florida by the 1970s, and breeding populations were present in south-central Florida by the 1990s. Can be an agricultural pest, upon vegetables as well as livestock, and can prey upon numerous native species. Attempts to control coyote populations on a large scale have not been successful. Found in all counties except Dade and Monroe in 2000 (Main and Coates 2000). Coyotes continue to thrive and cause problems , even though there is a year round hunting season on them. Trapping them and putting them in these relatively large confined areas , is actually helping the predator problem. Allowing hounds to course them , inside the protective fencing , keeps the hounds safe from highway traffic and from straying onto others property. Thank you for your support of the Florida wildlife commision and the level headed thinkers of the state. ------ REPLY ------ Mr. Shuns, Obviously, you have not read the information on our website. As stated on the site, our issue is specifically with wildlife (fox) penning. We are in no way anti-hunting or anti-gun. We firmly believe in the right to bear arms and we completely understand the sport of hunting. There is a clear distinction between hunting and penning. Penning is neither a sport nor should it be considered hunting. It is essentially shooting fish in a barrel. Can you explain to us how sicking countless dogs on prey that is confined in a small penned enclosure is hunting? We do agree with you, however, on the predator control issue. Coyote introduction into this area has caused tremendous imbalance in our native species. We are not your typical "tree huggers" like you referred to us. We understand that coyotes do not belong in this area and therefore, when removed from these pens, they should be euthanized. However, just because they don't belong does not mean they should be treated inhumanely or chased until utter exhaustion by packs of dogs. Did you happen to read the quote you pulled from the FWC site? Why do you think there are populations of coyotes here in the first place? From the quote you provided below, "Introductions have occurred on numerous occasions since at least 1925, primarily for hunting with dogs." So, if FWC should "stay in control of predator control", wouldn't eliminating the "hunting with dogs" aspect do just that? If you are truly concerned with the coyote population, simply shoot them. At least the animal won't have to suffer from being constantly chased by dogs until it dies either of exhaustion or being mauled. For clarification, the fox pen in Holt is just that, a FOX pen. This is not a coyote pen as they are permitted only to house foxes. Since foxes are not a "seasoned PREDATOR" like the coyote, what is your justification for trapping foxes in other states, shipping them in small confined areas for hundreds of miles and then releasing them into a penned area? How is fox hunting providing any value to the sport of hunting? Again, believe what you want, but we are not here to take away your gun or tell you that you can't hunt anymore. We simply want to level the playing field for the animals. At least with hunting in the wild, the animals have a chance to get away. And since they are being shot, they don't have to go through extreme torture before they die. BTW - When the family moved to the Holt location, the fox pen had been closed for many years. As a matter of fact, it was never a permitted (by FWC) pen until March 2009. Sincerely, Help@EndTheHunt.org