A hunting group accused by advocates of holding coyote "killing contests" is coming to southern Arizona.
The Arizona Daily Star reports that the group called Predator Masters is holding a convention in the Tucson area Thursday through Saturday.
Animal protection advocates say the group's previous conventions have included daily predator hunts that amount to an "indiscriminate slaughter" of coyotes. Advocate Greg Hale says a Predator Masters hunt in New Mexico last year left nearly 40 coyote carcasses strewn out and rotting.
But Predator Masters spokesman Bob Lemons strongly objected to the "slaughter" and "killing contest" characterizations. He says the nonprofit, web-based group won't organize or direct the hunting activities of group members during the convention in Tucson.
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