my opinion on the matter, I would just as soon see them scarce. My father and two brothers and I were hunting in the white mountains in AZ last year and found a spot with a large herd of elk, witnessed a spectacular display from less than 50 yards when two large bulls were having it out. There were no less than seven other bulls bugling in the area, it was one of my favorite days of hunting I have ever had. Shortly before shooting light was up, the wolves came. I heard the first wolf howl and the bugling instantly stopped. All the elk in the pastures we could see disappeared, and my Brother filled his tag with the last cow leaving the meadow. When we were field dressing it those wolves were close, and watching us. just inside the tree line. We caught a couple glimpses of them in the headlights. If I had been alone, I would not have felt safe. even as it was I felt uneasy. They might have been waiting for the gut pile but i doubt they would have waited so long if the trucks lights weren't on and the engine running with 4 of us out there working on that elk.
If I ever have the legal opportunity to shoot a wolf or more I sure will. There's a darn good reason our predecessors got rid of most of them. Do a little searching around if you don't believe wolves could be a danger to humans. There have been plenty of attacks and deaths, though no doubt most were before the internet. Thinking there haven't and never would be is just plain naive. Look in old journals and writings of pioneers and early settlers (especially in old Indian writings), you will find your evidence of attacks on humans there for sure. And What exactly would provoking entail? Them being hungry and you being alone? Your child slips away undetected seems like an easy meal for a single wolf let alone a pack. I recall just wandering out of camp or sneaking away on my own when I was as little as 6. If there were wolves around I would have been in serious danger. Personally I look at a pack of wolves as the most dangerous and effective large predators in the 48 states. how many mountain lions or black bears will attack a full grown healthy bull elk? It happens but rarely, and I would imagine most of the time when it does, it goes something like this;
http://www.fieldandstream.com/node/1000021419
I have seen footage of a wolf pack attacking one, more than once as a matter of fact. and successfully to boot.
The other problem I have with them is the pets and live stock issue. Sure the government compensates people for their losses but who pays the government? That's right you and me. So we paid for the pests to be put back and now are stuck with the bill for the damage they cause. It doesn't sit well with me. And then we have to try our best to scare them away without lethal force if they decide to attack our pets and live stock. At least that's what it used to be. it may be different now.
putting them back and repopulating was a mistake. and unfortunately one we will have to live with now.
9mmare said; As far as I know, there are no recorded incidents of wolves killing any humans in the US, ever. In packs or alone.
now you know;
http://www.wolfsongnews.org/news/Alaska_current_events_1753.html
and that's just these documentations, there may be more, and definitely more undocumented. the man who was killed might have been in Saskatchewan, but that is close enough for me. should that woman not have feared the wolf that attacked her?
I Also don't like the thought of the deer herds being decimated. We don't have deer populations running rampant in AZ like they do in other states. The last thing we need is wolves. I like hunting and I DON'T want to share it with wolves. Being a human I don't have to accept it and I will piss and moan until I get my way
.
But think about it this way, reintroducing natural predators and increasing their populations has become the latest popular thing. Why? The right to bear arms has become largely viewed as for sporting purposes, even though we at THR know that was a lot of nonsense and that was never the 2nd amendments intended purpose. If the "tree huggin nature nazi's" have there way, there would be no more hunting. it would all take its natural cycle and the predators would do their job. Where does that leave us? One more win for the anti's if there is no longer a need for "sporting purposes"
people need to look at the big picture and think more about true cause and effect.