Working for Wolves

My wife Cathy and I spent a wonderful weekend in Ely, Minnesota. We volunteered at the International Wolf Center, spending an educational and satisfying two days cleaning out the wolf enclosures, hauling out last winter's straw and doing other chores. The retired pack enclosure got cedar chips and grass seed, some new fencing in the holding area, plus we got to hide bonedust meatballs in the Ambassador pack's enclosure. When the animals--the two gray wolves and two arctic wolves--were let back in, they trotted excitedly around the enclosure in search of treats. Fun to watch them sniff out the meatballs.

We got to observe the wolf curator, Lori Schimidt, give the animals their daily check and meds, plus got to see the animals closer than visitors to the center usually do.

The wolves were much more active than I'd seen on previous visits, moving around, quite visible. Shadow, the pack leader, started getting agitated with the intruders---us. He started to bark, then bark-howl. Lori said if you hear this in the woods you know you've really upset a wolf. The other animals rallied around their leader and chimed in. Shadow hopped onto the large rock in the enclosure and led the other three animals in howls and bark-howls. Position is important. The pack leader has to be up front or above the other animals to demonstrate his authority. When Shadow stopped the others ceased.

Minnesota has a population of over 3,300 wolves. We were the only state in the continental United States that didn't exterminate all it's wolves back in the early to mid twentieth century. They're fascinating animals. Great trip. Our second book deals with the wolves of northern Minnesota. ---Michael

A Sporting Chance

Elementary school government studies taught me that our elected officials were SERVANTS of the people. Is there anything in their oath of office that says differently? And yet these servants do not listen to us. Minnesotans voted several times against building a new Twins baseball stadium. And yet we’re getting one. And the taxpayers of ONE county (not all of Minnesota Twin territory, mind you) are helping to foot the bill.

In the past, Alaskan voters have voted twice to restrict aerial gunning of wolves and more than 42,000 registered Alaska voters have endorsed a ballot measure to restrict aerial gunning of wolves, yet their state officials are now pushing for even more extreme measures to kill more wolves. Alaska’s Governor Sarah Palin’s administration even announced plans to pay a $150 bounty for any wolf killed in specified management zones -- provided that the shooter lops off the legs and brings them in as proof. And there is still the possibility they may allow shooting of wolves from helicopters as well as fixed-wing aircraft. Alaska officials hope to kill up to 664 wolves before the aerial gunning season’s scheduled end on April 30 (more than 40 have been killed so far). Hundreds of wolves -- including pregnant mothers preparing to den -- could be gunned down and dismembered in the next five weeks.

I find it hard to believe that any true sportsman would approve of this. When you swoop down on a pack of wolves from a helicopter or an airplane and run them to exhaustion, it’s no better than a canned hunt. These people are bent on taking the "sport" out of "sportsman".