I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8492 

To prohibit wildlife killing contests on public lands, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 22, 2024 

Mr. COHEN (for himself, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. BUSH, Mr. CONNOLLY, Ms. 

DEGETTE, Mr. DOGGETT, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. 

HUFFMAN, Mr. LIEU, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Ms. MENG, Mr. NADLER, Ms. 

PORTER, Ms. STANSBURY, Ms. TITUS, and Ms. TLAIB) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, 

and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of 

such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To prohibit wildlife killing contests on public lands, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Prohibit Wildlife Kill5 ing Contests Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) Wildlife killing contests are organized 

2 events in which participants kill animals for cash, 

3 prizes, entertainment, or other inducements. Judg4 ing categories for wildlife killing contests include, 

5 but are not limited to, the number of animals killed, 

6 the weight or the sex of animals killed, a tiered point 

7 system by species killed, or the smallest or largest 

8 body or body part size of animals killed. 

9 (2) Wildlife killing contests often target eco10 logically important carnivores, including foxes, bob11 cats, and coyotes. 

12 (3) Scientific evidence does not support claims 

13 that wildlife killing contests permanently reduce pop14 ulations of targeted species, increase populations of 

15 deer or other game species, or prevent conflict be16 tween native carnivores, humans, pets, and livestock. 

17 (4) Because participants often wastefully dis18 card targeted wildlife, wildlife killing contests do not 

19 embody the hunting principles set forth by the 

20 North America Wildlife Conservation Model, which 

21 includes a requirement that wildlife only be killed for 

22 a legitimate purpose. As a result, numerous State 

23 agencies and officials have recognized that these 

24 contests can undermine public support for hunting 


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1 and damage the reputation of sportsmen and sports2 women who abide by traditional hunting ethics. 

3 (5) As of March 25, 2024, Arizona, California, 

4 Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, 

5 New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington have 

6 banned wildlife killing contests that target certain 

7 species. 

8 (6) Wildlife killing contests held on Federal 

9 lands undermine Federal wildlife management prac10 tices, public trust duties, and conservation ethics. 

11 SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON WILDLIFE KILLING CONTESTS. 

12 (a) PROHIBITIONS.— 

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para14 graph (2), it is unlawful for any person to organize, 

15 sponsor, conduct, or participate in a wildlife killing 

16 contest on public land. 

17 (2) EXCEPTIONS.—This subsection shall not 

18 apply to— 

19 (A) field trials; 

20 (B) wildlife killing contests that exclusively 

21 target ungulates or birds of the orders 

22 Galliformes or Anatidae; or 

23 (C) lethal control actions by State or Fed24 eral agencies that target wildlife classified as 


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1 invasive by the National Invasive Species Infor2 mation Center. 

3 (b) REGULATIONS.—Not later than one year after the 

4 date of enactment of this Act, each head of a public land 

5 management agency shall issue such regulations as are 

6 necessary to carry out this section. 

7 (c) EFFECT ON PREEMPTION.—This section shall not 

8 be construed to preempt or limit any requirement of any 

9 law or regulation of a State or political subdivision of a 

10 State that is more restrictive than the requirements of this 

11 section. 

12 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

13 (1) WILDLIFE KILLING CONTEST.—The term 

14 ‘‘wildlife killing contest’’ means an event in which 

15 participants kill wildlife for cash, prizes, or other in16 ducements regardless of value. 

17 (2) WILDLIFE.—The term ‘‘wildlife’’ means all 

18 animal life except for fish, shellfish, and crustaceans. 

19 (3) PUBLIC LAND.—The term ‘‘public land’’ 

20 means any land— 

21 (A) owned by the United States; and 

22 (B) managed by the head of a public land 

23 management agency. 

24 (4) PUBLIC LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCY.—The 

25 term ‘‘public land management agency’’ means the 


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1 National Park Service, the United States Fish and 

2 Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, 

3 the Bureau of Reclamation, or the United States 

4 Forest Service. 

5 (5) FIELD TRIAL.—The term ‘‘field trial’’ 

6 means a trial of sporting dogs under field conditions 

7 where dogs chase or pursue wild animals under spe8 cific rules of nationally or regionally recognized 

9 hunting dog associations. 

Æ 


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