Wyoming lawmakers faced fiery public outcry on Monday over an incident where a man ran down a wolf with a snowmobile, taped its mouth shut, and brought the injured animal into a bar last winter. Despite the outrage, ranching industry representatives defended the practice as a viable method for controlling predator numbers.
During a legislative committee meeting, public testimonies overwhelmingly opposed using vehicles to kill predators. Nonetheless, the committee voted unanimously to advance a bill that would introduce penalties for such actions, though only under specific conditions.
The bill, approved with a 10-0 vote, stipulates that drivers could face animal cruelty charges if the creature survives the impact but isn’t quickly killed. Failing to humanely euthanize the animal could result in a fine of up to $1,000 and a loss of state hunting and fishing privileges for three years. However, the bill does not delineate methods for killing the injured animal. Hunting predators with vehicles would remain largely legal under the proposed legislation, pending further discussion by the Wyoming Legislature this winter.
Wyoming has a storied history of culling predators to protect its substantial cattle and sheep populations. Jim Magagna, executive vice president of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, articulated the industry’s stance, emphasizing the importance of retaining tools for predator management. “We simply can’t afford as an industry to lose more of the tools that we may need,” Magagna said.
The bill also garnered support from the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation, with its public and governmental affairs director, Brett Moline, expressing approval. In contrast, a dozen individuals voiced their opposition during the limited half-hour public testimony session, some even joining via live video from outside Wyoming.
Denver-area wildlife photographer Bill Masure challenged the committee, asking, “Do you want to be known as the state that legalized running down animals for sport?” Glenda Meyer from Carlsbad, California, argued vehemently against the practice, stating, “This bill should read, ‘Do not run over anything, in any way, for any reason.’”
The fate of the wolf struck last winter has reignited debates over Wyoming’s predator policies, especially concerning wolves. Captured on camera lying on a bar floor in Sublette County, the incident led to calls for boycotting Wyoming’s $4.8 billion-a-year tourism industry, focusing on Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. Despite the outcry, tourism in Yellowstone is poised for one of its busiest summer seasons on record.
The man responsible for hitting the wolf received a $250 ticket for illegal possession of wildlife but faced no more severe charges. Investigations into the incident have stalled due to uncooperative witnesses. Sublette County Attorney Clayton Melinkovich confirmed the ongoing investigation but refrained from commenting further on its details.
How frequently wolves in Wyoming are deliberately struck by vehicles remains unknown, as such killings are not mandated to be reported. Documented instances like the Sublette County case are rare, bringing significant attention to Wyoming’s relatively lax wolf-killing policies compared to other states. In Wyoming, wolves can be killed without limitation in 85% of the state, excluding the Yellowstone region.
While openly defending the specific actions taken against the wolf remains uncommon, state officials show hesitancy in amending laws to prevent similar incidences in the future.
