H.357

Legislators have introduced a bill to ban wanton waste of wildlife in Vermont. It is critical that legislators hear from Vermont citizens who support this bill. 

Please copy and paste the following email addresses into the "to" field of an email and in the subject line write: Please support bill H.357, a ban on wanton waste. The most important thing is that legislators hear from you! 

Copy and paste these email addresses:

asheldon@leg.state.vt.us, plefebvre@leg.state.vt.us, TSquirrell@leg.state.vt.us, cbates@leg.state.vt.us, kdolan@leg.state.vt.us, rforguites@leg.state.vt.us, jmccullough@leg.state.vt.us, lmorgan@leg.state.vt.us, code@leg.state.vt.us, hsmith@leg.state.vt.us, tterenzini@leg.state.vt.us

This bill would not prohibit or curtail lawful hunting/trapping/fishing in Vermont or prevent landowners from protecting their property against wild animals causing damage. Instead, it prohibits unethical, wasteful practices that undermine efforts to promote appropriate hunting behavior. Read more about wanton waste here or read the bill here.

Why ban wanton waste?

A 2017 poll conducted by University of Vermont's Center for Rural Studies showed that 70.5% of Vermonters polled oppose wanton waste. Wasteful killing happens year-round in Vermont where crows, coyotes, and other animals are killed for “recreation” or used as live target practice. Their bodies are often riddled with spent lead shot and left to rot, threatening raptors and other wildlife, including bobcats and bald eagles, who scavenge on the carrion. This wasteful killing also occurs with deer, bears, and other “big game” species.