ORIGINAL: laxdad
Sorry but I do have an opinion and it's based on the law. It's against the law to kill wolves. No different than any other type of poaching or other violations of law. I'm sure there are many "good old boys", who consider themselves as self appointed keepers of the forest and protectors of "their" deer but in my view, it's wrong.
Strange but this is the first instance of ambivalence towards lawbreaking that I've seen in this forum. In every instance from trespassing to poaching the comments have come down hard on the lawbreakers even to the point of suggesting that sentences were too lenient. I remember well the wolf and cougar kills of the 1940's and 50's by cattlemen that had an economic interest in protecting their livelihoods. Even they now support (to varying degrees) introduction and continuance of wolf populations.
Seems to me the economic interes of the ranchers would far outweigh the recreation interests of a few WI, "sportsmen(?).
By the way, has anyone in WI compared the predation rate of dogs and coyotes vs wolves? I'mbetting that information is available in your state and it's much worse than the wolves.
I basically agree. The law is put in place after more research than most hunters will ever do. I have also been on hunting leases where we had major problems with wild dogs. To me the efect a deer heard worst of all. I wouls also bet that here in New Mexico the Cougers take out as many as wolfs do. Most of the time they take out the weakest anyway and that is probably better for the gene pool.
my 2 cents