Letter - The other side of the wolf story

To the editor:

Governor Mark Dayton is contemplating signing a bill to legalize the hunting of timber wolves in Minnesota. An organization called “Howling For Wolves” has been running an ad on television showing wolves in a favorable light. Based on what this shows, it seems to be a reasonable request.

When one checks what happens to game populations where wolves have been re-introduced or allowed to multiply and run uncontrolled, an entirely different and more accurate picture is presented.

After the successful re-introduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park, wolves have multiplied to the point where they are no longer confined to the park but packs have spread into southwest Montana. They are affecting the populations of elk and deer to the extent that some of the outfitters in the area have had to close down their operations because of a lack of hunters.

The numbers of moose in Minnesota are also in a state of decline. Not too difficult to understand when you consider they are trying to survive in the same area as the 3,000 wolves that are hunting them.

Consider our growing population of coyotes. As the number of coyotes increased, the number of jack rabbits declined in direct relation. Coyotes are now such a problem that there is no closed season on them.

Wolves and coyotes are the consummate predators. They will attack, kill and eat anything from a mouse to a moose. It would be far better to control the Minnesota wolf population legally with a hunting season than to have hunters and farmers take matters into their own hands and use the “shoot, shovel and shut up” philosophy.

If Mark Dayton wants to run for another term, he should consider the vote of the 400,000 Minnesota deer hunters. Sign the bill, governor, not veto it.

Jim Beilke

Alexandria, MN

Tags: opinion, letters