There’s been no indication that these plans were cancelled or moved, in fact, Gianforte threw his full support behind the hunt after a backlash arose against it, saying, “As good Montanans, we want to show good hospitality to people. What can be more fun than to sped an afternoon shooting the little rodents?”
To his point about Montanan hospitality, it’s true that prairie dogs are classified as “agricultural pests” and traditionally hunted to prevent damage to crops. However, according to the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the prairie dog population of Montana has also been listed as a species of concern, as their numbers have recently dwindled due to several threats, including disease.
Lindsay Sterling Krank, the director of the Humane Society’s Prairie Dog Coalition told the AP that more than 100 species depend upon the prairie dog for food and shelter (some of them live in the holes the rodents burrow then leave behind, how cute). “I would love to take Donald Trump Jr. out with a spotting scope and shoot the prairie dog with our cameras,” Krank told the AP. “Shooting a prairie dog colony [with a gun] is not a good conservation message.”
Krank added that April is nursing season for prairie dogs, so any pups who lose their mothers to sport will likely die of starvation.
Gianforte’s response to the Humane Society’s remarks was, “Clearly they’ve never shot a prairie dog. They don’t know how much fun it is.”
The election for the vacated Montana seat takes place May 25—do not let this asshole win, ok?
