Wolf hunting

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
Please help improve this article or section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.
This article has been tagged since January 2007.
Main article: Gray Wolf

Wolf hunting is the practice of hunting wolves, especially the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus). Wolves are hunted for sport, for their skins, to protect livestock, and to prevent attacks on people. In North America, wolf attacks on people occur less frequently than attacks by other predators, particularly grizzly bears, black bears, and coyotes. In Europe they are records of frequent attacks even in historical terms. Cases of wild, healthy wolves attacking or killing a human being are rare (McNay 2002).


Contents

[edit] In Central Asia

Wolves are hunted by a variety of methods across the world. Perhaps the most unusual is the Central Asian practice of hunting wolves with berkuts. The berkut is a type of Golden Eagle which Kirghiz people have traditionally used to hunt wolves. These eagles are so fast and powerful that they are capable of killing a fully grown wolf by diving at speed and striking the wolf on the back of the head or neck.

[edit] In Europe

The European wolf population has been severely reduced over the centuries. Despite small populations in Scandinavia, Norway allowed the hunting of a pack of nine wolves out of a total Scandinavian population of about one hundred in 2001. Attitudes of wolf hatred still persist, particularly in the North of Sweden, despite efforts to educate the population about the true, relatively harmless, nature of the wolf.

Several breeds of dog have been specially bred to hunt wolves or to protect livestock from wolf attacks. Russians have traditionally hunted wolves with a variety of specially bred dogs including the borzoi which looks, and hunts, like a greyhound. Other breeds bred for wolf hunting include the Irish Wolfhound and the Finnish Wolf hound.

[edit] In the United States

In the United States, all hunting of wolves was banned in the contiguous 48 States, where they are listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. But, do to rapid growth and successful conservation, they were taken off the Endangered Species list after 30 years.

[edit] History in the United States

Wolf hunting began as a solution to the decreasing amount of elk, deer, and other animals that people hunt and use for food. It primarily began in Alaska, and has slowly branched out from there to Wyoming and Idaho. (Patton) Currently in Alaska, there are only about 7,000 to 11,000 wolves. With so many wolves living in Alaska, the other populations of animals were dying off quickly. As a result of this, hunters living in the area were beginning to complain about this lack of “game” to hunt. Idaho and Wyoming, around the Northern Rockies region, are the home of many wolves. There wolves haven’t been harmed yet because they are under the protection of the Endangered Species Act. However, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is going to take the wolves off of the endangered species list. This could act will most likely lead to the death of many wolves living in that area. Idaho and Wyoming are planning to eliminate up to 75% of the wolf population currently living in the Clearwater National Forest district. Idaho currently contains 65 wolf packs. The people of Idaho are also planning to eliminate 54 of the 65 wolf packs currently living there. [1]

[edit] State Laws

Alaska voted in a state-wide referendum on November 7, 2000 to ban aerial hunting by private citizens. Governor Frank Murkowski, however, continues to permit the "land and shoot" practice in certain areas of the state, describing it as public participation in a predator control program. Permittees receive no money for participating in the program and are not reimbursed for the cost of fuel or aircraft maintenance.

Although the "land and shoot" practice is still in effect it has been altered so hunters may not land and shoot on the same day. They may use only airplanes, no helicopters are permitted as many hunters would fly in very close and kill multiple wolves at a time making wolf numbers drop too rapidly.
Currently, the Governor of Alaska is offering a $150 bounty for all four wolf legs brought in. The state has also given the incentive of 180 volunteer pilots as well as gunners due to the low number of wolves killed this previous winter. The left foreleg is to be used in scientific studies to find the age of wolves brought in. These studies will help the state set up policies for future predator control programs.

[edit] Methods

[edit] Aerial Hunting

Wolves may be shot from airplanes if it is part of a state management program which identifies a particular need to reduce wolf populations, as is the case in Alaska. There, where the aerial control program is designed to increase populations of moose and caribou for subsistence use, people who have obtained state predator control permits use fixed wing planes to spot and either shoot wolves, or land and shoot wolves.

[edit] Controversy

Aerial hunting is the main reason that people are fighting to put a ban on wolf hunting. Many people of Alaska see it as inhumane and barbaric slaughter of the wolves, and want it to stop. Since 2003, when aerial hunting first became legal, more than 550 wolves were killed. Just in 2006, there were more than 150 wolves killed.

[edit] For

Alaskans largely view wolf hunting as predator control, necessary to build and maintain moose and caribou. Many Alaskan residents rely on moose and caribou for all or most of their meat.

[edit] Against

There are many people who are trying to put a stop to the aerial shootings of wolves. One such group is called The Defenders of Wildlife. This group is based in Washington D.C. They are teaming up with the Anchorage Wildlife Alliance in a lawsuit against aerial hunting. Another group helping to put a stop to the aerial hunting’s is the called Alaskans for Wildlife. They have put many petitions into circulation in Alaska to try and put a stop to aerial hunting. [2]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ http://paws.laughingwolf.com/ P.A.W.S.
  2. ^ http://www.akwildlife.org/issues_campaigns/wolfhunting.php Alaska Wildlife Alliance

[edit] References

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../w/o/l/Wolf_hunting.html"