Possible reasons for the hunting of Wolves
For years the wolf has been persecuted for crimes they may or may have not committed. These crimes being the killing and eating of livestock; while wolves will occasionally take the property of man, the Coyote is also responsible for these losses as well. Killing them is sometimes the solution, as long as the “problem wolf” is the killer and not some wolf passing through.
“Wolf management can be controversial, reflecting a wide range of public attitudes. We analyzed wolf management case histories representing a spectrum of approaches in Canada and the United States. During the early 20th century, wolves were considered undesirable. They were subject to persecution and were extirpated from large areas of their original range. (Musiani and Paquet)”
While killing the wolf may seem a good solution to keeping livestock safe, it does not eliminate the threat completely. Feral dogs, Cougars and Coyotes are known to kill livestock. Examination of the dead animal is one way to tell if a wolf is the culprit, as Cougars bite the back of the neck to kill, not the throat like a wolf. Sizing up the bite marks on the carcass is also a good way to see if a wolf or a dog killed the animal, since wolves are the larger canine it would make sense if the bites were larger than that of a dogs bite radius.
Killing the wolves should be the last option, since it isn’t easy to determine which particular wolf is killing livestock. Whole packs have been involved, but more than likely loners and the older variety are the culprits. Determining the culprit wolf would probably involve hours of tracking and surveillance, which no very many people have the time and patience for.
Guard dogs have been used for centuries to protect livestock, though they aren’t effective all the time. Wolves can easily kill a dog, or mate and have hybrid puppies. Most common though, is the dog not getting to the wolf in time before it kills livestock. (Hansen,...