The Wyoming Game and Fish Department on Monday criticized a hunter’s ‘disrespectful’ actions several weeks after the individual allegedly ran down a wolf with a snowmobile and captured and later killed the animal.
But the agency did so without identifying the hunter or specifying his alleged deeds on Feb. 29 in Sublette County. They include duct-taping the wolf’s muzzle before transporting the animal to be shown off in a bar.
“The actions and behaviors of the individual involved in this case are not reflective of Wyoming’s values for wildlife,” Game and Fish Director Brian Nesvik declared in a statement. “The actions that came to light in this case were disrespectful to wildlife.
“These actions were not in keeping with conservation principles or ethical behavior. This incident casts a shadow over our state’s proven track record in successfully and responsibly managing our gray wolf population.”
The statement was in response to a flood of complaints after the man’s alleged actions began to circulate via social media.
But the statement does not change the fact that the hunter was cited only for misdemeanor possession and importation of a live wild mammal, carrying a $250 fine.
Animal cruelty charges were not possible, the agency explained, because of the way regulations are established in parts of the state, such as Sublette County, deemed “predator zones.”
In these zones, hunters can kill wolves and other predatory animals without hunting tags, as long as kills are reported. There are no safeguards against animal harassment or torture.
“The incident occurred in a part of the state where gray wolves are legally classified as predatory animals,” Game and Fish stated. “[They] are not managed by the department and animal cruelty laws, per Wyo. Stat. Ann. 6-3-1008 (a)(vii) do not apply to predatory animals.”
The cruelty aspect generated more publicity than Game and Fish would have liked, but it remains unclear whether Wyoming will alter its regulations.
It’s worth noting that wolves in Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park are off-limits to hunting.
–Generic gray wolf image courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service