Why hunt Wolves?

[Gbro]

It was asked on my Wolf hunt progress thread why anyone would want to hunt wolves.
I will start out with my reason for applying.
Back before the federal protection was put on wolves they were regarded as vermin. Man had done everything he could to eradicate the wolf from this continent, if not this planet.
I as a young hunter was thrilled with the possibility of shooting a wolf and my hunting party did so every year or so and it was regarded as a great accomplishment to do so.
I felt cheated when the protection was put on wolves when there was no reason and I submit to anyone that the modern day hunter/trapper has nothing over the hunter/trapper from the past century's that pursued the Wolfe and was unable to eliminate them from the deep forest areas. Yes they were removed from the prairie and the high population areas of this country but I was raised in northern MN and they were not scares.
So to get a chance to once again hunt the most elusive animal in the forest is a wonderful thing IMO.
Who said a wolf cannot be eaten? What makes a bear more pallet able than a wolf. I have eaten bobcat, people eat snakes, why not a wolf?
The pelt is valuable, of course one wolf pelt isn't going to make anyone rich but I want a rug.

 

[tahunua001]

ok now I'll bite. back before the federal protection of wolves we had here in idaho, washington, montana and wyoming, our own little gray wolf. it was a lone hunter and very rarely ever formed packs. it rarely got above 80 pounds and was usually leery of humans. but we brought sheep which were an easy source of food and farmers killed them without hesitation to protect their livestock. this caused the indigenous gray wolf to be hunted nearly to extinction. then big government decided that we needed more gray wolves when it was obvious that the remaining coyotes were ineffective at weeding out the diseased animals that were starting to pop up everywhere so they decided that any gray wolf would do, they brought a bunch of McKenzie valley gray wolves from Canada and strangely enough a 120 pound wolf with a non existent mortality rate(due to adaptation to a harsher environment) that hunts in packs is actually proving to be detrimental to the local deer, elk, moose, and live stock populations.

oh and by the way, the indigenous wolves that were making a comeback with federal protection were finally listed as extinct after the canadian wolves killed them off. this is why I will always have a wolf tag in my pocket and why my state is allowing up to 10 wolf tags per year, per individual.

 

[Art Eatman]

Staying out of the anti-predator protection issue, my view is, "Why not?" As long as there is a huntable population, why not? The hides tan for really nice vests, jackets or coats. More importantly as a hunter, they are more of a challenge than other critters--which means that success gives a higher degree of satisfaction from having met a tougher challenge.

I'd rather have BossLady in a wolfskin coat from my own skill than have her wearing a diamond ring that only says, "I have money!" At least the coat is a useful thing, keeping her all warm and snuggly.

 

[Cowboy_mo]

Art speaks wisely! Plus, other than man, the wolf has few predators to keep the population in check.

 

[langenc]

And the various state DNRs can make some (in MI to be lots of em) bucks for the wildlife management programs.

 

[Buzzcook]

Basically if it's legal to hunt and you want to do so, that's all the reason you need.

As I've said in other threads, I think the people claiming wolves are zombies in fur coats, are being over reactive.
But just like any other predator, if the population needs to be controlled then by all means license it.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

So to get a chance to once again hunt the most elusive animal in the forest is a wonderful thing IMO.

LOL, they aren't that elusive. They appeared that way because their numbers were down so low, but otherwise like a lot of animals, they tend to avoid human interaction, but are a lot less elusive than cats.

Populations are being re-established and numbers are coming up. Hunting is being made legal again. People are seeing wolves enough to the point a bunch of the cries of fear and need for total eradication has been revived in some areas, even where they aren't being particularly troublesome.

So if the population is viable, sustaining, and legal to hunt, I can't see a reason not to do it for those who wish to do it, and usually in today's US if an animal is legal to hunt, then the population is viable and sustaining.

 

[shortwave]

Short answer...

...same reason we hunt any other predator. To keep the population 'in check'.

 

[Gbro]

Sorry Spy but you don't know the Northern Gray Wolf. I have had several very close encounters and they are elusive.
Ok, I will grant that a Cat is also.
I will also state that I truly believe that we need to be proactive in keeping wolves fearful of Man.
What would cause this Apex Preditor to have the fear of man as we witness in interactions?

 

[i50sx]

Friends of mine hunt minn and up until they licensed them they would see them every season. Now that their hunted not as many sightings have been reported. They seem to be pretty flippin elusive.
But I didn't read that and haven't ever hunted them. Just going on his and others say so

 

[FrankenMauser]

Who said a wolf cannot be eaten? What makes a bear more pallet able than a wolf. I have eaten bobcat, people eat snakes, why not a wolf?

You've already got my response covered.

And... note my signature.

 

[Art Eatman]

Trouble is, that signature lumps two different viewpoints into the same group. Homo sap doesn't work that way.

 

[FrankenMauser]

Trouble is, that signature lumps two different viewpoints into the same group. Homo sap doesn't work that way.

I think that depends on what part of the world you're in. (And maybe some personal perspective.)

In the United States, you could argue that the most prominent restoration activists are anti-hunting. But, much of the funding and manpower comes from hunters and the agencies that manage hunting.

In much of Africa (Namibia and some of its neighbors, especially), the most prominent conservationists are the very PHs or ranchers that nearly exterminated the species. In Namibia, one of the largest ranches in the country was turned into conservation land by the owner, when he realized his family's previous 40+ years of over-grazing and "culling" of wildlife was having a significant, negative effect on the ecosystem. After settling the "war" he got himself into with the local tribes that were losing all their wildlife, the government talked him into being a mediator for meetings with tribes and ranchers considering conservation status for their land. (Can't remember his name right now, and my google-fu is failing. I'll post it if I remember.) He still runs some cattle on his ranch; but the future of the wildlife and tribesmen are his first priority.

Their efforts have been successful enough that most tribes have come around to the idea of protecting even the predators. Not only does it help balance the ecosystem; but if one of them becomes a threat (to the tribes or their livestock), they avoid killing it themselves. Instead, they "sell" it to a PH for a 'white hunter' to kill - benefiting the tribe financially and allowing them to avoid using as many resources from the land - and avoiding an outright slaughter.


Wolves in the U.S. are a different story. Most hunters and ranchers hate them. Antis want to save them. So, yea... It fits, in that case.

 

[Art Eatman]

I understand the Africa deal quite well. Mucho literature on the subject. But we're talking about wolves in the US.

Anyhow, as Descartes said, "Cogito, ergo venere."

 

[buck460XVR]

Wolves need to be hunted to retain their fear of man and to keep their numbers in check in areas where too many will become a threat to domestic livestock and pets. They do not need to be eliminated as once thought, nor are they the reason folks go home empty handed after a half arsed attempt at hunting deer. When I was a kid, Wisconsin still had a bounty on them. I would dream about what I would buy with all the money I was gonna make. It took almost 45 years after they removed the bounty that I saw my first wolf in the wild here in Wisconsin. I now have no real desire to pay the $110 required to apply for a permit and to get a kill permit if drawn. But for the reasons stated above, I'm glad some are.

 

[doofus47]

Effective Punctuation: example 1

I have eaten bobcat, people eat snakes,

Yeah, you really need to try this:

"I have eaten bobcat; people eat snakes,"

You scared the crap out of me for a second.

 

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

There is something about sitting down to a fine meal of Canis lupus that just doesn't appeal to my appetite. Perhaps with a few extra whiskeys before dinning I could reduce my Will Power to nonexistence and then give it a try._~~~~~~~~~~~~~na!!_

Why hunt them? I don't.

 

[anothernewb]

While I'm not exactly crazy about the thought of eating wolf, In know in a survival situation I'd eat it without worrying about it.

As far as hunting one, I can totally understand. A wolf is an apex predator and there is a certain aspect to it. I'll probably catch crap from people for this, but I understand the trophy hunting aspect. It's no different than going for a trophy fish, and as with anything, respect for the situation and the population means occasional hunting them will never get out of hand.

Wolves have recovered their territory well in MN over the last few years. There is a pack a few miles east of where I live in central MN which the DNR has opened up a couple permits for this year, as they are getting to significant numbers and have no fear of people.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Just two nights ago I saw a very interesing short documentary on this subject. It is not just the elk, and other game, wolves kill to eat that is causing problems. It are the animals the wolves harrass while trying to kill just one. Elk, in particular, are spooked and chased to often they work off their fat stores which allow them to survive cold, harsh winter conditions. If that fat is worn off, which happens when wolves are around, the elk do not survive the winter. That is what is reducing elk and deer populations and harming the genetic quality and reproduction rate of the survivors.
I favor total wolf eradication.

 

[markj]

Why not? What reason would anyone not want to hunt them? Them cute wolfies cause a lot of damage, it is why they were almost wiped out.