Enviros Urge Arizona Officials to Ban Dog Pack Hunting for Good

Environmental advocacy organizations are calling on Arizona officials to outlaw the use of dog packs in hunting, targeting species such as mountain lions, bears, and various endangered animals like Mexican wolves and jaguars. The Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity, along with several partnering groups, submitted a petition to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission advocating for the restriction of this practice, which they argue is unsporting and poses risks to wildlife and public safety.

“Hounding is unethical and goes against the principles of fair chase and responsible wildlife management,” stated Russ McSpadden, a conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity. The groups behind the petition argue that modern hunting technologies, including GPS collars, enable hunters to track dogs over long distances from vehicles, significantly disrupting natural ecosystems and threatening wildlife populations.

According to Arizona Game and Fish data, from 2020 to 2023, hunters utilizing dog packs killed 748 mountain lions and 323 bears. Given that the estimated population of mountain lions in the state is between 1,200 to 1,700, ecological concerns are increasing among conservationists.

The petition emphasizes the necessity for wildlife management policies that harmonize hunting practices with scientific understanding and ethical standards. Activists highlight that often, hound hunters lose control of their dogs, who can stray far beyond their sight while hunters monitor them remotely via technology.

Moreover, the groups pointed out that such hunting methods lead to potential harassment or harm to other wildlife, including rare species like jaguars and ocelots. There are recorded incidents where hunting dogs have attacked individuals recreating in public spaces, raising further concerns about the safety implications of this practice.

Traditionally, hunting with hounds required hunters to stay close enough to hear the dogs, but advancements in technology have altered the landscape significantly. Dogs can now pursue their prey for hours across rugged terrain, which the petitioners say subverts ethical hunting principles. The organizations also criticized the use of vehicles to keep pace with the dogs, noting that this practice violates state laws against using motor vehicles to hunt wildlife.

Current regulations in Arizona state that hunters must be present for the entirety of the hunt when dogs are used; however, the petition argues that the reliance on GPS technology effectively contradicts this requirement. Also concerning is the welfare of the hunting dogs themselves, as some are reportedly abandoned or mistreated by their owners.

Petitioners are convinced that enacting a ban on dog pack hunting aligns with broader social values, as many Arizonans, including hunters, advocate for ethical methods of wildlife management. “This petition provides an opportunity for Arizona to adopt humane hunting practices that honor both the significance of wildlife and the ethics of responsible hunting,” said R. Brent Lyles, executive director of the Mountain Lion Foundation. Sandy Bahr, director of the Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter, added that prompt action is necessary for the safety of the public and the preservation of wildlife.