Aerial Wolf Hunting is Cruel and Unjustifiable

I have seen many videos, I have read many articles from across the states including Alaska, and I am down right sick to my stomach over Aerial Wolf killing. There is no way to justify this other then Trophy Hunting and it is not right. The lower 48 states protect wolves, and acknowledge them as endangered species. But not in Alaska. There is the Airborn Hunting Act of 1972, and it states as follows:

AIRBORN HUNTING ACT OF 1972
This Act, Public Law 92-159, approved November 18, 1971 (85 Stat. 480) and subsequently amended by P.L. 92-502, approved October 28, 1972 (86 Stat. 905) added to the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 a new section 13 (16 U.S.C. 742j-l), which is commonly referred to as the Airborne Hunting Act or Shooting from Aircraft Act, prohibits shooting or attempting to shoot or harassing any bird, fish, or other animal from aircraft except for certain specified reasons, including protection of wildlife, livestock, and human life as authorized by a Federal or State issued license or permit. States authorized to issue permits are required to file reports with the Secretary of the Interior containing information on any permits issued.

There is one problem with this act, it has a loop hole. The loop hole is, predator control, allowing state or licensed hunters to shoot these helpless animals via airplane to protect land,water, wildlife,and domestic animals. I read some interesting articles in which I would like to share a brief quote from each piece which shares an important outlook on Aerial Wolf Hunting. These articles can be found on www.wolfsongnews.org .

Miss Samantha Henig, wrote on 9/02/2008: " Since 2003, Alaska has issued aerial wolf-hunting permits in select areas where moose and caribou populations are particularly endangered. The idea is that by killing the predators, the airborne gunmen can ramp up the number of moose and caribou that human hunters can take home for supper." The people who use this loop hole and sugar coat it to make it look like it is justified is wrong.

Mr.Mark Benjamin, wrote on 9/08/2008: " In early 2007, Palin's administration approved an initiative to pay a $150 bounty to hunters who killed a wolf from an airplane in certain areas, hacked off the left foreleg, and brought in the appendage. Ruling that the Palin administration didn't have the authority to offer payments, a state judge quickly put a halt to them but not to the shooting of wolves from aircraft."

Mr. Rick Steiner, from University of Alaska wrote on 9/07/2008: "Palin approved and expanded the state's aerial predator control program, where wolves are shot from aircraft and bears hunted from aircraft and killed upon landing. This year, her state biologists even dragged 14 newborn wolf pups from their den and, having already shot their parents, then shot each of the pups in the head at close range.Hundreds of wolves are killed each year by this antiquated state program that has no scientific justification whatsoever, but rather is designed to appease Palin's urban sport hunter supporters."

Dr.Brasch, a professor of mass communications at Bloomsburg University on 9/10/2008 wrote an brief article, which I located on the following site www.phoenixvillenews.com ,with more important insight about these wolf hunts. Dr. Brasch stated:"Killing wolves doesn't give hunters the excuse that they kill for meat or clothing. Wolves provide absolutely no meat value, and wolf coats are just not the fashion item for this season. Except when deliberately provoked, wolves don't attack humans. Even then, wolves try to avoid human contact. So, the killing of wolves serves only two purposes. The first is because Mighty Joe Hunter can get a trophy. Sarah Palin is a close ally of the Safari Club, which believes in killing animals and mounting their heads on cedar-paneled walls. The other reason is because wolves are her competitor-they hunt caribou and moose, the kind that Sarah Palin wants for her own dinner table."

One article I read, was off the Washington Independent, from Arthur Allen written on 9/11/08, hit the nail on the head with his interview with John Toppenberg from the Alaskan Wildlife Alliance. John Toppenberg stated "the 60,000 sq mile where the "Cull" takes place is used by "Fat-*** Trophy Hunters on all terrain vehicles not native people who need it for subsistence." Another direct quote from John Toppenberg is "The reality is much more gruesome," says Toppenberg. "They get hit with buckshot, it goes right through and their blood splatters all over the snow. These killings often execute the Alpha male, leaving behind the young who do not know where their den is.Then you have them going into rural villages and eating dogs," Toppenberg said. "You're creating wolf problems rather than solving them." Mr Toppenberg is referring to the You tube video displaying an actual Ariel hunt produced by the Defenders of Wildlife. I saw this video, it is down right disturbing, sad, and enough to make you sick.

The other interesting topic in this article from Arthur Allen as he states:"The Alaskans in 1996 and 2000 were favoring ballot initiatives to end this Ariel Hunting. Lt Governor Sean Parnell put this issue on the ballot, but the republicans turned out in record numbers ensuring majority of the vote. The act to end this hunting failed August 26th by 44 %." It is also stated in Allen's article, that "Palin's government spent $400,000 to prove this Ariel hunting is humane." Couldn't that $400,000 been used to help feed the poor people instead of trying to justify killing a wolf? I have to ask that. Allen also writes, "many hunters are against this Ariel Killing calling it " Cruel and Unfair."

Now with all this being said from Mr Toppenberg from the Alaskan Wildlife Alliance, he states clearly to me anyways, the hunters are creating the problem, unlike the Governor Palin claims, it is about Controlling wolf population, allowing more moose and caribou for the people. Yet as stated by the article by Arthur Allen, I will quote his writing, that" Palin "intensified the "cull." She pushed to offer a bounty to hunters who brought in a left wolf paw (lopped off with a chain saw) and extended the kill order to grizzly and black bears - including sows and their cubs. Before a state court ruled the practice illegal, she offered a bounty of $150 for every slain wolf." Now with this bounty in place, lets do some math. If they kill 1500 wolves and get the bounty of $150 the taxpayers get $225,000. The figures go up as you increase the kills. I have no words but Wow and Hmm, in state of disgust right now.

We all have a basic idea of the Wolf. There are interesting facts on the wolf to be found at www.wolfsongalaska.org/wolf-facts.html . Facts about the wolf stated in that website are: besides hunting in packs, each wolf will care for the young in their pack. Their hunting rate is low on success. It is stated that they hunt the sick, weak, crippled, old and young animals. The facts of humans being attacked by wolves is rare. The wolf is said to be docile with a strong aversion to fighting. It is also stated that the wolf only hunts for food and survival, mainly going for the most vulnerable and easiest animal. Does not sound like a big moose or caribou to me, unless they are sick and frail.

Much like our domestic canine friends, wolves have their own personalities. They will howl, bark, yap, whimper when hurt, and growl. They play with one another, and socialize much like our domestic friends do at the local dog park when interacting with other dogs. When they have a litter of pups, the pups act exactly like our own canine friends pups. They want love and attention as much like our domestic friends do. They show many emotions of love, friendship, nurturing, hurt and sorrow like humans and our domesticated animals. The wolf and their pups play, run, tumble, rest, and bond while living in their pack. There is a vast world of research on how these animals live, act and exist, trying to do so peacefully.

I am writing this because I was never aware of such a disturbing hunt taking place and people need to know. Many forums read of how unaware people were, and I must say I was unaware also. I still, can not get out of my visions, the video of a poor wolf running scared while being chased by a plane, a man stood out the side taking aim and firing at the defenseless animal. When it was hit, the animal tried to lick his back end as he ran faster until he collapsed. My heart breaks, I cried, I will feel this way each time I look into my own dogs eye. How selfless, cruel, inhumane, can a human be? We need to help these poor animals. If they are such a big threat, why are the other 48 states not following the same? Is it because we go to the grocery store and buy our meat? I can buy buffalo meat at my butcher as well as venison. Is it that they do not want to compete with the wolf for their love of caribou or moose meat? I am not sure. The wolves can not speak for themselves. They need us to do that for them. I do not know how anyone, can not help but to feel the pain of this animal or cry while watching this senseless killing happen. Take a stand and do something. The wolf is a beautiful animal, just like your own pet. You would speak for them, won't you speak for the wolf as well? Thank you for your time in reading my article.