Orphaned Coyote Pup

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Oh, the ways we humans find to amuse ourselves ...

I was dismayed to read an announcement at the Sportsman's Warehouse in Albuquerque this morning that $80 and a certain lack of maturity would get two people and their guns admission to a fun-filled weekend of holiday-season slaughter here in New Mexico. For 40 bucks apiece, you and a good friend could frolic for three fun-filled days over the weekend of Dec. 11, 12, and 13 trying to be the big guys able to kill the most coyotes. The winners, bless their malignant hearts, get to split a pot that is made up of the total in entry fees minus the store's costs prorated against the number of dead coyotes they manage to show up with. That should get you in ripe fever ready for the Holidays. ("I killed the most coyotes, I killed the most coyotes, I'm the big guy, tra, la, la, ..." sung to "Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly.) The notice did not indicate where this debacle was to occur; for that information one had to inquire at the checkout registers after joining up. As for me, I kind of like coyotes, along with most other living things, and I don't think it is "sporting" to compete to try to kill the most of any species. I am sure it brings bad kharma. I will probably say a quiet prayer for the coyotes and hope that they find some other place to hang out while the "sportsmen" have their demented fun. I will also hope the hunters' guns all jam. I have never been a big fan of the store but this morning will be my last visit to the Warehouse.