As a lifelong Wyoming hunter, I, like so many others I’ve spoken to since, was totally disgusted when I first read the news stories and saw the images of the torture and killing of a young wolf in Daniel (Sublette County). I was overwhelmed with outrage over the disturbing way this seriously injured animal was paraded around. Was there nothing we could do to stop this kind of torturous cruelty?

The realization that Wyoming citizens had to stand up to defend our reputation of decency and respect for wildlife spurred the creation of the Wyoming Wildlife Coalition.

WWC is bringing Wyoming people together from different fields to create wildlife solutions on issues where unity can be achieved. We are hunters, ranchers, wildlife organizations, animal advocates and citizens who seek to draw the line on wildlife cruelty and want to stop the unethical and unsportsmanlike practice of running down and killing wildlife and predators, with motorized vehicles.

A poll conducted in April showed 71% of likely voters in Wyoming believe the actions taken against the wolf in Daniel were acts of animal cruelty, and 73% do not believe a snowmobile should be used to strike, injure, or kill wildlife, including predators.

These numbers are striking. While Wyoming voters clearly stand against animal cruelty and the unethical practice of running down and killing wildlife, Wyoming laws lag. It’s time for the Legislature to take action.

The Wyoming Draws the Line campaign was started to address the wolf torture incident in Daniel. Our coalition’s members, like so many others in Wyoming, believe more must be done to stop animal cruelty by outlawing heinous acts like this and ensuring adequate penalties are imposed when necessary. 

We have a collective obligation to manage all wildlife in Wyoming for the benefit of all our people. This poll clearly shows that Wyoming citizens want unethical and torturous practices outlawed in our state, and WWC is working to that end. 

Fair Chase, as defined by the Boone and Crockett Club, is the ethical, sportsmanlike and lawful pursuit and taking of any free-ranging wild game animal in a manner that does not give the hunter an improper or unfair advantage over the game animals. As a hunter, this principle of fair chase is key to maintaining the integrity of the sport I so dearly love. Indeed, most hunters agree.

“The alleged events cannot and should not be considered hunting or wildlife management,” the Boone and Crockett Club said in a statement about the Daniel incident. “Respect for wildlife is at the heart of what we do as hunters and conservationists and it’s clear that respect was absent from this situation. The Club has long supported professional wildlife management by state fish and wildlife agencies — including the ethical, regulated hunting of game species — as the most effective way to ensure sustainable populations of wildlife. When we have these laws and regulations in place, it builds value for wildlife and those who violate the laws can be held accountable for their actions. Until wolves are managed within this system throughout their range, we will continue to have conflicts and loss of ethical behavior.”

This statement alludes to another concern I have as a Wyoming hunter: the potential loss of our state’s ability to manage our wildlife to the highest possible standards. The Daniel incident catalyzed many national groups to call for federal intervention.

Wyoming must act soon to hold this off. We do not condone wildlife cruelty and torture, and we never thought we would need a law to spell it out. But past and recent events make it clear we need to explicitly draw the line.

And finally, I want to take a moment to address reports of death threats being leveled against our private citizens and government officials over the wolf torture case. There is an old saying: you cannot control the behavior of others, but you can always choose how you respond to it.

Yet these threats, many of which may be coming from out of state, are despicable, and Wyoming’s response matters. We should calmly continue our work to outlaw wildlife cruelty and in doing so, show that decency and kindness are always values Wyomingites care about. WWC intends to do just that.

I look forward to the work ahead as we travel across Wyoming growing our coalition, meeting with our neighbors and speaking out against wildlife cruelty. I hope you will join us in our work to remove this shadow over Wyoming’s reputation with pragmatic changes to our laws.

Jim Laybourn is a Wyoming hunter living in Dubois, Wyoming. The Wyoming Wildlife Coalition can be found at www.wyomingwildlifecoalition.org.

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