The idea behind the bill seemed simple enough: Require hunters to use the animals they kill. Shoot a deer; eat the meat. Trap a coyote; sell the pelt. Bag a bobcat; mount it for your man cave.

A "wanton waste" law, in essence, would prohibit hunters from killing animals for no reason. Dozens of states already have such laws, and many hunting groups support them.

So, in 2018, when animal rights groups proposed such a ban for Vermont, activists were optimistic that lawmakers would get behind an effort that, according to a University of Vermont poll, enjoyed strong public support.

"We thought it would be easy," recalled Brenna Galdenzi, the cofounder and president of Stowe-based Protect Our Wildlife.

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