Annual coyote-killing contests are sparking controversy across the state, leading the Southwest Environmental Center and Animal Protection Voters to continue their efforts in banning them for good.

“Killing animals for fun and prizes is reprehensible and gives ethical hunters a black eye,” Kevin Bixby, executive director of the Southwest Environmental Center in Las Cruces, said in a press release. “Unfortunately, these activities are still legal in New Mexico, and put everyone in danger who wants to get outdoors and enjoy our great fall weather.”

Bixby is one of many activists who looked out across the public land where the bodies of 39 coyotes were dumped last December. He said the issue resonated with him deeply when a member stumbled across them and told him about it. The hunting group that claimed responsibility for the shootings, the New Mexico Desert Dogs, announced plans on Facebook for hunts to resume Sept. 18.

“It’s all pseudoscience, shooting coyotes because there are too many of them or that they will attack children and livestock,” he said. “But if you remove coyotes from the ecosystem, you have a problem.”

Over five New Mexico-wide and multi-state animal-killing contests have occurred since November 2013, according to a report by Wildlife Conservation Advocates Southwest. Coyotes are the main targets, but some contests involve hunting bobcats and foxes, which requires a valid license.

California recently became the first state to ban coyote-killing contests when prizes are offered as incentives, Bixby said. Semi-automatic firearms, gift cards to gun stores and large cash payouts are among the prizes listed in the report.

Phil Carter, wildlife campaign manager at Animal Protection Voters, said a contest sponsored by Gunhawk Firearms of Los Lunas in 2012 received local and international attention. The event brought the issues of public safety, ethical accountability and celebratory killing to the forefront, he said. Carter emphasized the negative impact the contests can have on the coyote population.

“It might be counterproductive to kill them off indiscriminately because other species have a compensatory breeding,” he said. “Basically, they will over-breed to fill the vacancies.”

Carter has worked with the Albuquerque-based organization for five years. Members have created a variety of legislative initiatives, from advocating against domestic horse slaughterhouses and animal abuse to funding and providing oversight in shelters.

Its most recent initiative was lobbying at the state capitol during the 60-day legislative session in February. State Sen. Mark Moores, R-Albuquerque, and Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, sponsored Senate Bill 253 to outlaw the contests. It passed the Senate with a bipartisan, 27-11 vote, but was tabled in the House Agriculture, Water and Wildlife Committee.

“There’s a lot of anger over a bill that had so much momentum and [was] so easily killed by a committee that represents a very limited sector of the population,” Carter said.

A panel discussion filmed by NMPBS for its show “New Mexico in Focus” addressed some of the arguments against the proposed bill as it was making its way through the legislature. Opponents say the contests can be considered humane for fundraising purposes and protecting the property rights of ranchers.

Jessica Johnson, chief legislative officer of Animal Protection Voters, said the next lobbying event will be scheduled during the 60-day session in 2017.

Johnson said she hopes to develop a presence in Santa Fe next year.

“We’re always happy to work with students who have interest in the state legislature and earning college credits, too.”

Bixby said he feels confident that the bill will pass in two to four years.

“There has been so much tension,” he said. “Time is ticking.”