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Wyoming Moves Closer to OK-ing Wolf-Whacking, But Only If You Immediately Kill It
This isn’t hunting.
BRP
Sep 11, 2024 at 7:37am ET
5 min read
By: Jonathon Klein
Earlier this year, the world became aware of a practice called “wolf-whacking.” It is the act of running down a wolf with a snowmobile, ATV, UTV, or other vehicle and running it over.
It’s a method of predator control that’s explicitly legal in the state of Wyoming. But the reason why it became a topic of worldwide discussion was that a local Wyoming resident didn’t immediately kill the animal he had run down. Instead, Cody Roberts of Daniel, Wyoming, ran the animal down, tied it up after it had been severely injured, brought it to a local bar, paraded it around, had patrons take pictures with the wounded animal, and then ultimately killed it behind said bar.
The only repercussion Roberts faced was a $250 fine.
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Roberts’ actions went viral, spreading wide and far. Countless organizations spoke out against his actions, as well as Wyoming’s predator statutes, including animal rights and hunting groups. The two made strange bedfellows as they’re often very much at odds with one another—look at the current fight for mountain lion hunting in Colorado—but both argued that the practice, and its legality, were cruel methods of take toward the animal.
After the outrage poured in, it looked as if the laws surrounding the practice would be changed. And, indeed, it may. But rather than outlaw wolf-whacking as a predator population control methodology, it’s looking as if Wyoming is moving toward allowing people to continue using vehicles to run the animals down, but adding a small caveat.
An ad-hoc working group was formed after the incident went viral with the direction to see what could be done to mitigate further incidents such as Roberts. With that directive, many believed that “wolf-whacking” would be outlawed given we have better predator population control methods that are far more ethical in how the animal is put down, i.e. high-powered rifles, state wildlife management techniques, and actual wolf hunting seasons with responsible hunters.
But the group met for the last time last week and in its proposed draft update to Wyoming’s law, not only did it not ban the practice, but said it was still absolutely OK to engage in. They did propose a change.
“Any person who intentionally injures or disables a predatory animal by use of an automotive vehicle, motor-propelled wheeled vehicle, or vehicle designed for travel over snow shall upon inflicting the injury or disability immediately use all reasonable efforts to kill the injured or disabled predatory animal,” the draft reads. So the wolf-whacking can continue, but the person who runs the animal down has to immediately kill it so it doesn’t suffer as in the case with Roberts.
But as a late-onset hunter, a snowmobiler, and just a human, this doesn’t feel like it goes far enough.
Though the draft legislation states that the person responsible must “use all reasonable efforts to kill the injured or disabled predatory animal” to end any suffering, the act of running the animal down and running it over, however, will inflict said suffering no matter what. Now, I’m still new to hunting, but one of the chief tenets that’s drilled into your brain as you’re learning how to hunt is that you do everything in your power for your method of take to not inflict suffering on the animal. To be ethical in your shot process so that it dies quickly.
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I’ve spent countless hours practicing my bow shots in my backyard, at varying ranges, angles, sitting, kneeling, standing on one foot, and with 80 pounds on my back. I know that when I release an arrow, it’s going to go exactly where I want and that animal should hopefully die quickly and cleanly.
Running it over doesn’t have good enough odds that the animal dies quickly like a rifle or a bow does, though. As in the case of Roberts’ actions, that wolf lived for quite some time, likely in a lot of pain, and that isn’t hunting. More than that, what the Wyoming working group’s action doesn’t just embolden others to do what Roberts did, but it also gives ammunition to anti-hunting groups who will use this to attempt to strip our hunting rights and privileges away. And not just for predator hunting, but for deer, elk, and everything in between.
That language is already baked into the Colorado mountain lion ban proposal.
Hunters are often portrayed in a similar light as Roberts was. Wanton killers who don’t care about the animal suffering and are only in it for the trophy and the killing, which just absolutely isn’t true.
We’re stewards of the land and animals. We clean up trails and the woods, we fund conservation projects and revive animal habitats. We protect our drinking waters from pollution and halt government sales of public lands that are enjoyed by all who recreate, not just hunters.
And that good work is all risked by lawmakers taking what already is bad optics and painting people like Roberts as hunters and seemingly throwing gasoline on the fire.
According to WyoFile, “The working group—a mix of lawmakers and non-elected government and private-sector officials—now passes the baton to the Legislature’s Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee. Members will meet at the end of the month, when they are scheduled to consider the recommended legislation at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 30 in Cheyenne.”
As for what happens next, there’s talk amongst lawmakers that the draft language could change once it hits the legislature. But from the scuttlebutt reported is that the proposal’s language could become more encompassing, though vaguer, removing language of vehicles, something that directly flies in the face of the state’s Fish and Game Department wants.
“If we remove this stuff related to vehicles, it would then include aircraft,” Wyoming Game and Fish Department Director Brian Nesvik said, as aerial hunting is legal in Wyoming. He added, “We don’t want to criminalize otherwise legal behavior.”
The likelihood of the draft proposal changing drastically doesn’t look certain, which will likely have reverberations throughout the West, and indeed the hunting community at large, even though this isn’t hunting. We’ll have to wait and see what occurs, but this isn’t a good look for anyone involved.
https://www.rideapart.com/news/732712/new-law-update-wyoming-wolf-whacking-hunting/
Unlicensed hunter jailed for 20 months after injuring fellow hunter
By
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September 11, 2024 3:55 PM
A 36-year-old man was sentenced to 20 months in prison and fined €7,000 for a tragic hunting incident in Żabbar that injured a fellow hunter.
Simon Camilleri, a public cleansing worker, sobbed as he admitted his role in the shooting accident that occurred while he was out snail-picking with his father on Monday morning.
Two hunters accidentally shoot each other in Żabbar field
Camilleri spotted a turtle dove in the fields of Triq Anard and immediately grabbed his father’s shotgun to fire at it. Unbeknownst to him, another hunter was nearby, and the pellets from his shot injured the victim slightly.
Camilleri repeatedly apologised in court for his actions, claiming that he had no intention of causing harm to anyone. His lawyer, Yanika Barbara Sant, emphasised that her client thought he was alone in the field and had acted rashly, resulting in a tragic chain of events.
Camilleri was charged with a number of offences in court, including hunting without a valid licence, illegal possession of a firearm, and causing injury through negligence.
The case also revealed Camilleri’s history of illegal hunting activities. He was banned from hunting for life in 2013, and by 2020, he had already been fined significantly for hunting during a closed season. Despite his prior convictions, the court noted Camilleri’s full cooperation with authorities during the investigation and genuine remorse for his actions.
The prosecution acknowledged Camilleri’s cooperation while emphasising his previous criminal record, indicating that this was not an isolated incident. Despite this, the prosecution did not seek the harshest punishment, allowing for a more lenient sentence.
Camilleri’s grief was palpable in the courtroom, as he sobbed repeatedly, pleading with the magistrate for mercy. His elderly mother, who was present in court, defended him, noting that her son had also been injured by the other hunter during the incident.
In his defence, Camilleri claimed that he had no intention of hunting that morning and was simply out with his father picking snails. However, when he saw the turtle dove, he acted without thinking, resulting in the tragic shooting.
His lawyer insisted that the shotgun belonged to Camilleri’s father and that the incident was completely unplanned. Camilleri’s emotional state throughout the hearing reflected his deep regret, which was exacerbated by his concern about missing his sister’s upcoming wedding due to his imprisonment.
Magistrate Lara Lanfranco, who presided over the case, ultimately sentenced Camilleri to 20 months of effective imprisonment and imposed a €7,000 fine, which he could pay in monthly installments.
The court also ordered the confiscation of the shotgun and a two-year restraining order against Camilleri, prohibiting him from contacting the victim.
Camilleri, though visibly shaken by the sentence, appeared to accept his fate, expressing a final wish for rehabilitation options for hunting addiction before being led out of the courtroom.
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Hunters accidentally shoot each other while firing at same bird
Monday, 9 September 2024, 16:55Last update: about 1 day ago
Two hunters accidentally shot each other while in neighbouring fields in Zabbar on Monday morning.
The incident happened on Triq San Anard, Zabbar, when the two men, who were in adjacent fields, fired at the same turtle dove and accidentally sprayed each other with lead pellets, a police spokesperson said.
The 36-year-old Zabbar resident was taken to Mater Dei Hospital for treatment, whilst the other man, 35-year-old from Gharghur, was taken to a health centre for treatment, with both suffering light injuries in the incident.
It was thought initially that the men had been involved in an argument and fired at each other with their shotguns, however, further police investigations resulted that this was an accident.
The police will still be investigating the case.
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Colorado’s wolf reintroduction faces new setback as male dies after capture
Endangered Wild Dog Puppies Playing with Mom Are So Reminiscent of Domestic Pups
Diana Logan
Mon, September 9, 2024 at 9:43 AM PDT
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/endangered-wild-dog-puppies-playing-164317551.html
3 min read8
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The first time I ever saw a dingo I was completely shocked. They looked no different, to my estimation, than the kind of mixed-breed mutts I was used to coming across in the pound. And that made perfect sense, for dingos—though wild dogs and actually quite dangerous—are descended from previously domesticated dogs thousands upon thousands of years.
But I was also interested to see the videos of these African Painted Dog pups playing on the Savannah. African Painted Dogs have always been a wild animal, and in fact bear little relation to their domesticated (very distant cousins) despite the use of the name “dog.” However, you’d never know it to watch this pack of pups playing with their mom.
In this video, a pack of eight African Painted Dog puppies gambol and vocalize on a dirt road, while adults in their group look on. They have giant black splotches of coloration all over their light bodies and comically huge, adorably rounded ears.
But don’t let their adorable faces fool you—these little fur ball are actually savage and vicious hunters, who use their incredible stamina, mouth full of sharp teeth and cooperative hunting methods to bring down game far larger than they are.
A Common Name, An Uncommon Ancestry
The name of this species is one of some degree of controversy. They are most often called African Wild Dogs, though conservation groups say that the term makes them sound as if they are domestic dogs who are stray or feral, rather than actual wild creatures who have as much right to the land as any other. Others call them African Painted Wolves. African Painted Dogs are extremely endangered due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
They are the only surviving member of the genus Lycaon, and broke off from the rest of the canine family over two and a half million years ago. (Compare this to wolves and even coyotes, who like, domesticated dogs, are part of the genus Canis.) Their far remove from more familiar, American canines make these an animal more suited to zoos and far-off savannahs than as pets.
All About African Painted Dogs
Behaviorally, African Painted Dogs are not suited to domestication or taming, as they are extremely aggressive and adapted to run great distances in pursuit of their large antelope prey. All of their teeth are sharp, and they hunt in large packs dominated by a male and female breeding pair. Young females go off to join their own packs, which is an unusual structure in pack animals.
Their painted coats are made entirely of bristle hair, which becomes sparser and sparser as they age, until they are mostly hairless. They communicate through body language like tail movements and also a range of vocalizations, including a “sneeze” sound used during hunting to confer with the rest of the pack.
African Painted Dogs eat primarily antelope, impala, wildebeest, kudu, gazelle and sometimes warthogs. They compete with lions for their food, and lions will kill African Painted Dogs they perceive to be encroaching on their food source. They are also often the victims of having their kills stolen by hyenas. But the biggest threat to this species’ survival is habitat loss.
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