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Living In The Wild, Wild West

By Patrick

Gray wolves in the Northern Rockies are no longer listed as endangered.

One would think that, as a supporter of wolf re-introduction, I would be thrilled by that news. And I would be, if I thought it was the product of a candid assessment of the animals' recovery in the western United States instead of just another road sign in the back-and-forth political wrangling that is wolf politics. Delisting the animals has opened the door for states to begin licensing hunts for the animals, which the Governors of both Wyoming and Idaho have called a "priority."

On two occasions I have had the pleasure of a personal encounter with wolves, both times while working for the Forest Service. One time -- the first time -- I was able get within 30 feet of the animal. I wasn't being sneaky. It knew I was there, and just didn't care. I got to "hang out" with it for approximately 5 minutes while it picked around and fed from a dead cow elk. The second encounter occurred on a dirt road near the Salmon River, in Idaho. I was driving a Forest Service truck when I came upon the creature as it crossed the road. It looked at me, scampered up the bank, and then continued walking slowly along the hillside. I stopped the truck and watched until it was lost in the brush and trees.

On both occasions, I could have shot either animal dead. The first time, probably with a slingshot.

Based on my two small encounters, there would be little "sport" or chase in killing these animals. They will likely wise up quickly enough, but for now they simply are not a "good hunt." Both western Governors and their uneducated, hillbilly constituency, allege threats to livestock, pets, or even children. "We can't have dangerous predators running around," they say. It's bullshit, and at some level they all know it. People who are so passionate about hunting wolves feel that way because, frankly, they just want to shoot a wolf. There are no higher aesthetic stakes.

Ugg. I'm descending into bark mode.

I'm disappointed with today's delisting. It frees the western states to engage in activity (shooting wolves) that is in stark contrast to the purpose of the Endangered Species Act (restoring wolf populations), and that will allow farmers/ranchers/rednecks to continue pretending they actually live their Wild West fantasies.

We should all be more worried about giant pythons, anyway.

Full post as published by Nuts & Boalts on February 21, 2008 (boomark / email).