Minnesota’s wolf hunt ended January 3rd. Over 400 wolves are dead. They died for the price of a wolf tag. They died for trophy hunters insatiable desire to kill innocent animals for sport. They died for nothing.
The irony is Minnesota was supposed to be different. Their original wolf plan called for a five-year moratorium on wolf hunts. But the Minnesota legislature changed that in 2011, when it was clear wolves would be delisted in the Great Lakes.
“Minnesota statutes were amended in 2011 to change the state status of wolves to a small game species and provide the ability to authorize a season without a five-year waiting period.“….Minnesota voters for Animal Protection
The Minnesota DNR turned out to be no different from the rest of the fish and game agencies in the wolf states. They went forward with an unpopular wolf hunt in spite of what Minnesotans wanted.
Dr. Maureen Hackett, wolf advocate and founder of Howling for Wolves, summed up the situation.
So there you have it, 30% of Minnesota’s wolves wiped out, including over 400 killed in the hunts. That’s what “wolf management” looks like.
Let’s work to ensure this is Minnesota’s last wolf hunt.
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Opponents of MN Wolf Hunt Speak Out
Posted: Jan 03, 2013 8:02 PM ESTUpdated: Jan 03, 2013 8:02 PM EST
Minnesota’s controversial wolf hunt comes to a close Thursday. Last count by the DNR estimates 403 were tagged during the hunt and numbers are still coming in. But that’s already slightly over their target quota of 400. Numbers aside, not everyone is pleased with the states decision to hunt an animal just off of the endangered species list. Valley News Live shares one opponent to the hunt’s concerns.
READ MORE
http://www.valleynewslive.com/story/20499364/opponents-of-mn-wolf-hunt-speak-out
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Humane Society of the United States Intent To Sue USFWS and Ken Salazar Over Great Lakes Wolf Delisting
Top Photo: Gray wolf photo CNN
Bottom Photo: MPR File Photo/Derek Montgomery
Posted in: Wolf Wars, Minnesota wolves
Tags: 0ver 400 dead in hunts, wolf trapping torture, Minnesota DNR, Dr. Maureen Hackett, wolf persecution, Humane Society of the United States
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400 unique personalities, 400 iconic wolves who graced our world for a short time—-interrupted and destroyed for the joy of killing a top apex predator…for the trophy hunters to have a new ‘game’ animal. How dare they?!!
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What is going on in your societies? The American civilisation will not survive with that kind of people. It is easy to kill a wolve. Even a child is able to do that. Maybe there is place for a scientific program to control the numbers of the animal but to kill it for sheer pleasure is barbaric.
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I think this behaviour is disgusting! This animal is by far more important to its eco-structure than any cat or dog. What would the system do if we ( supporters of the wolf ) started exicuting family pets and holding them up on the internet on a single site, as trophies. Do you think the general public would accept that as acceptible behaviour. I don’t think so. It’s all discusting —– bloody disgusting! ! ! ! And you can quote me on that if you wish!
Yours, Matt McCrae (Scotland)
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These hunts make murderers out of humans. Trapping, torture and killing for a wolf tag is going to bring out the worst in people and cause more violence. All life is sacred. This has been a disgusting display of just how far humans will go when given the green light. Everything possible should be done to stop this.
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The killing has been immoral and disgraceful. As we focus on the terrible numbers of wolves killed, we need to ask ourselves another question: What about the “collateral damage”? How many other innocent animals besides wolves lose their lives. In his book The Wolf Almanac, author Robert H. Busch gives one illustration. A rabid wolf was discovered in Alberta in 1952. In a hysterical and knee jerk reaction. people sought to exterminate wolves by spreading poison in the woods. As a result 4,200 wolves were killed. However, they were not the only ones caught in the web of death. There were other victims–50,000 red foxes, 35,000 coyotes, 7,500 lynx, 1850 bears, 500 skunks, and 164 cougars–thosands of animals destroyed by human pananoia over one unfortunate sick wolf.
What about now? Are other animals also losing their lives as the wolf haters go to work with their traps and snares? Is anyone involved keeping track? Does anyone involved care? Probably not. As a culture we place very little value on animal life unless those animals give us something in return in dollars or use. Wild animals mostly give us their lives for sport–unless they are killed as a nuisance or a danger to some human interest.
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Marcia…they’re already talking about going after the grizzlies. Salazar wants to delist them by 2014. We have to fight back and hard. When Congress passed the wolf delisting rider they weakened the ESA..now any protected species who becomes an inconvenience or lands in the cross hairs of the hunting cabal, is in danger. We have Obama to thank for this.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Not enough words left or strength to even speak … It has been recorded in History of the lives of wolves they are the teachers and path finders…. they share a medicine beyond any knowledge man will ever know. They mate for life and have a wisdom beyond our stars and universe… and have an enormous sense of family …these qualities make the Wolf very much like the human race. As humans, we also have an ability to be a part of society and yet still embody our individual dreams and ideas! So yes as Linda wrote above me they are all unique personalities, just as us unique.. individuals the … 400 lives of these wolves slaughtered and destoryed by people who have no Idea what they have done.. or the Karma that has yet to be seen as a result of this Cruel and Heartless behavior coming from humans …the wicked evil people who gain any pleasure from hurting or destroying the breathe of another living creature.. surely if there is a HELL he must already have arrived for his Earth Walk is So dark that there surely is no light left in his SOUL who would take pleasure in the Death of GOD”S HOLY creations our friends, and teachers of the Universe..OUR WOLVES A GIFT FROM ABOVE… BLessed wolves… the Great STar Nation … Sirius… as legend speaks of in History. A SAD TIME in our Universe for HUmans… NAture will always have the last Voice!
Ellen MCrae…MAy god have mercy on the dark souls who have taken the lives of these individual spirits and souls our BLESSED WOLVES
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PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT TO DO–TO STOP THE –FARMERS OF LIVESTOCK—AND TAKE BACK OUR LAND—-
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rat bastards, I hope everyone of them falls on their guns and shots themselves in the groin…
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This is a pure tragedy!
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Pure Tragedy indeed! what is the matter with these people? just destroy everything. am very sad.
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Reblogged this on Caliburnus Rises and commented:
Disgust me how many are still slaughtered in our so-called enlightened times. It really needs to stop altogether but sadly it won’t as long as people have blood-lust in their souls with ignorance.
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The Humane Society of the US has intended to sue for months. Are they or are they not going to sue? What’s there to think about?
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Sue, they filed the intent to sue in October, there is a sixty day waiting period…so the lawsuit should be going forward now.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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why would they do that killing a wolf I think these hunters are f… scared. If every one says they care for wolves lets light a candle for the wolves all year round I am going to do that till they come home
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What kind of system we have to allow legally to kill for trophy.
People who approve it or just keep quite about it, are as guilty, as primitive,cruel and narrow-minded hunters.
Animals have soul as we do; they feel happiness, pain, sadness, grief and most of all they are proud to be who they are. They don’t go around to kill for trophy to make them feel better about themselves.
They can’t talk about injustice for killing their friends, partners and children ( part of the the puck) so they can’t file the lawsuit, they can’t ask for protection. That is why hunters-mean cowards-feel free to kill.
Who made decision to allow this tragedy?
Lawmakers? they are the killers too.
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Ewa…they ignore the will of the people and do what they want. The state game agencies have total power over wildlife in the state. That’s why we battled so hard to keep wolves protected under the ESA. We knew what would happen if the fish and game agencies got a hold of them.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Darren…did you write What’s the Time Mr Wolf? That was so powerful, I’d love to post it on the blog, giving you full credit of course. Let me know. Thank you for your support and I’m sure the wolves would thank you if they could.
For the wolves, For thew wild ones,
Nabeki
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I did Nabeki, yes and I’m honoured that you think so. Of course you can repost it.
As for what you do and the educational content you post. I devour everything you write and save it to reread again. I also share a lot of what you write as well and people are interested in it.
Keep up the good fight for our children and protectors of nature and keep the faith!
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Thanks so much Darren, you warmed my heart. Your poem is very powerful and I can’t wait to post it. Thank you for supporting the wolves and HFJ. I try to tell it like it is and not sugar coat things. Also thanks for sharing the blog posts with others, education is the key. Most people in this country don’t even know we’re losing our wolves or how important wolves and other apex predators are to the ecosystem.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Beautiful. I posted a link to this poetry on our Facebook page. I believe that poetry reaches the hearts/minds/spirits of many and hope that others will follow suit and share. It takes a “click” and a “share” and a few words to reach 100’s and 1,000’s of others. ~Gerean Pflug, The Animal Spirits
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By the way, I have a load more on my site about Wolves. They’re one of my passions.
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Darren…I will take some time and explore your site, it looks very eclectic!!
For the wolves, For thew wild ones,
Nabeki
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400. How dare they. It has just been announced that the Vietnam Java Rhino has become extinct!!! We must take back our planet before they destroy all of our wildlife!! MAY THESE BLOODTHIRSTY VAMPIRE PERVERTS DIE AND ROT IN HELL!!
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“It has just been announced that the Vietnam Java Rhino has become extinct!!!” <– It is tragic to think that this creature is now gone forever. This breaks my heart. The loss of our biodiversity is, in my mind, one of humanity's greatest crimes against Nature. When will humans in general learn to stop killing wildlife, and to instead protect it? Costa Rica and Botswana are banning sport-hunting, when will America finally do the same?
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the dnr conservation officer said this was to control deprivation, but the same time the wolf hunt was approved so was a grazing bill that will open up more of our precious public land to cattle grazing. so they are killing the wolves to let farmers feed their cattle on our public land this also pollutes the land with their waste. it will run off into our streams and lakes- and our lakes have enough problems already. tell governor dayton – franken and klobuchar you want the wolves and our public land returned – and tell them to stop abusing their power – vote them all out of office.
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Thomas, same thing is happening with wild horses. They are rounded up and “adopted” out, or stockpiled on private lands at great expense and with extremely limited public access to check on their welfare, or sold at auction to kill-buyers who ship them to Mexico or Canada for slaughter (the last provision is illegal except for wild horses declared “stray” — don’t get me started). BLM is the agency doing this fine work. Anyway, those same public lands that supposedly couldn’t support wild horses suddenly become available for livestock leases — welfare ranchers who pay $1.35 a month for each cow/calf combo (2012 figure; probably same for 2013). Quite a deal, eh? Probably couldn’t feed a gerbil for that.
So the Minnesota conservation officer says the wolf kill is to control depredation on elk? deer? cattle? all? So in other words, a little proactive killing to make sure there are more wild ungulates for hunters to kill and more domestic ungulates (cattle, sheep, goats) for ranchers to slaughter and profit from. Very sad and infuriating.
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Thomas….Franken and Klobuchar need to be removed from office. They are wolf haters, the two of them. Read this:
N.
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N – i know that franken and klobuchar are against wolves – that is why every post i put in usually expresses this fact and governor dayton also is included – seeing that he is the one that voted it into law. they are controlled by the special interest groups, i.e. the biggest being ranchers and deer hunter assoc. – they are puppets and need to be removed. people don’t want to look at how corrupt the politicians are now, it’s frightening and we are ignoring it – big business is controlling every facet of our lives now. sorry to rant but it’s scary..
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At this rate the wolves will be gone in three years. Look at all the damage that has been done in just a few months’ time. Hard to believe this is happening in today’s world – the concept of “hunting” certainly has been abused, or we have grossly overestimated the integrity of humanity. This mistake needs to be rectified before another stupid go-round next year. I hope wolves are relisted as soon as possible, and a dumb mistake like this is never repeated. But we don’t seem to have the capacity to learn from our mistakes, and it is a terrible thing that humans have control of what we have so little or only a one-sided understanding of. So sad.
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Quote: “It is a mistake to see issues of human and animal exploitation as mutually exclusive. On the contrary, all exploitation is inextricably intertwined. All exploitation is a manifestation of violence. All discrimination is a manifestation of violence. As long as we tolerate violence of any sort, there will be violence of every sort.” ~Gary Francione
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This is such a great statement – sums it up exactly.
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How profound the animal spirits…
For the wolves. For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Nabeki,
Trophy (disambiguation).
So True.
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In 1981, I was a school bus driver, in rural northern Nevada. I would see a band of wild mustangs, as I drove past their watering hole. I felt honored to even see them. Now their place for water is an up-scale sub-division with a golf course. The mustangs long gone.
In 2003 to 2005 I volunteered as a tour guide at a wolf sanctuary. The main mission of the sanctuary was to educate the public of the plight of wolves. My tonsils have been tickled by more than one wolf! I love wolves, they are my kindred Spirits. I was honored to have spent two years with them.
Now I cry for the wolves being murdered, I pray for the one’s left living.
And I ask,”why does man have to Kill ?” why? Christy Heise
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Christy…they are heartless and soulless. Trophy hunting should be outlawed, it’s legalized murder of our wildlife. The wolves do not belong to the fish and game agencies, hunters or ranchers…they belong to themselves. Management is a euphemism for killing. We have to join together to stop this insanity.
For the wolves. For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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I hang my head in sorrow as my heart breaks and my spirit weeps. Nearly 1000 wolves, who once graced the landscape, gone forever. How many wolf families have been disrupted; how much wisdom of the elders has been lost; how much grieving and confusion are the remaining wolves enduring? And all for what? I can only pray that those taken before their time, find the freedom and peace not given to them while on this plane. 😦
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jeada…the tragedy is of epic proportions but we’re not going to sit around this year twiddling our thumbs while Rome is burning. This is the year of action. We’ll be unveiling our new project in the next month or so…we’re a little behind schedule but we’re getting there.
For the wolves. For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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I can’t even begin to speak of how heinous this is. Many are the acts that we as a species undertake that can be seen as questionable, but none so heinous as willing and gleeful participation in genocide. People from all over the world are looking at us and thinking “Wow, Americans are barbarians! Look at that!” – Well, let me say this.
I am an American citizen. I was born in America, raised in America, and taught to be proud of America. I was also taught of the many things that we should -not- be proud of, in regards to our history as a nation.
The atrocities committed against these wolves – noble spirits who want nothing more than to live their lives without intrusion from human beings – are much akin to an echo of the horror our ancestors inflicted upon the Native Americans when they came across from Europe.
Having no empathy or compassion for anything other than themselves, these “hunters” (and yes, I use quotation marks because the fact is that REAL hunters kill for food and use everything they can from any animal they kill… and they have respect for their game…) have done away with entire lineages and families. And for what? To take pride in murdering a creature that had no ability to fight back? These people are nothing but cowards who feel no ability to control their own lives, and so they take their aggression out on unsuspecting and iconic creatures.
But let me say this. These people are not representative of all Americans. Nor are the actions of our less enlightened ancestors. Remember that while a Nation may represent the sum of its component parts, every component part does not represent every other component part. And today, with this knowledge… I feel shame for belonging to a country that allows this kind of heinous act to occur. I feel sadness for belonging to one that PAYS people to kill these creatures. And I feel loss for the souls and lives of the wolves who have fallen. I feel further loss for the uncounted deaths that these actions will cause – bear in mind, while the so-called “hunter’s” bullet may only kill one animal… the other animals who depend on that animal may well lose their lives.
The next time you decide to kill… imagine that animal was your father or mother. Imagine that you were helpless, unclothed in the world with no food and no means to defend yourself from the harsh world around you. Imagine that all around you your family was being slaughtered. Imagine that you are alone. Feel what it is to die a cold, hungry and lonely death because some idiot decided a few dollars and a photograph with a smug grin was worth not only the life they took, but yours as well.
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This is terrible heres hoping they dont become extinct,with all those hunters out there,there lives hang in the balance, who knows maybe someday all we will have are pictures, I hope Karma catches up with the hunters and gives them hell!
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i am choked for words,how can people do this ,i cant even kill a spider even thoe i am scarred of them,i have a Chihuahua and i read that their nearest relative is the Wolve,and i think of him when reading this ,im thinking of him running for his life,if we cant make peace with animals man has no hope
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Almost 900 wolves killed for trophies? This is disgusting as well as outrageous. Please sign Robert Goldman’s petition on SignOn.org to protect the wolves. Then follow Robert’s recommendation to request that
President Obama remove Ken Salazar and replace him with Raul Grijalva as Secretary of the Interior. 1-202-456-1111 or email at whitehouse.gov/contacts. Our goal for 2013 is to relist wolves on the Endangered Species List!
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This sickens my heart and soul. How can this be allowed? I willl do whatever I can as an individual to stop it. I wish I could be standing in front of one of the wolves being hunted and say, “kill me instead you murderer!” Thank goodness you are here to let us know how dire the situation reallly is!!
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Thank goodness for this site. You all express my feelings exactly. Thank you for letting me, no, making me realize that there are good people left in this world.
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I am highly disturbed by how quickly 400+ wolves were killed in Minnesota this year by hunters and trappers. May those poor wolves rest in peace.
And to think that they considered the 2012-2012 Wolf Hunting and Trapping Season to be conservative…I’m afraid to see what the next season will be like.
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Has anyone thought of refusing to eat beef raised in the states in question or… dare I say it eat beef at all… would that message get to the cattle barons ? it might only initially be a personal contribution but tell enough people WHY you wont countinance eating american beef I believe Macdonalds may have a problem here !!
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This hunt felt like they where killing my own dogs. I have watched them come back from the brink then into my beloved Yellowstone. After many years of looking for one, I seen them last year in Yellowstone. I cried. I was so proud of the humans who reversed the wrongs of our grandfathers. I came home and months later the slaughter started. These men are no better than the men who slaughter baby seals just for the pelts. Today I sent checks to all organizations who fought this, on the ground and in the courts.
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I hope Karma takes 4 hunters to accompany each wolf in the afterlife. And I hope the same for each lion, elk, bison, big cats and the rest of murdered wildlife and pets.
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I want to help on every alert on them to same them please put me on every list.
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I to agree. why would those blood thirsty killers destory such beautiful animals.
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the sick individuals that kill these wolves for pleasure are the same ones that kill your pets, they are one step away from going further, these people have no empathy in their souls – so beware and be prepared. do not trust a hunter/trapper their souls are in hell already.
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[…] Minnesota Wolf/Witch Hunt Ends, Over 400 Wolves Slaughtered (howlingforjustice.wordpress.com) […]
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This is a disgrace to humanity! I am ashamed to be a part of the same human race as these ignorant people. This makes me sick, and i will do , sign, or talk to whoever i can. That is my promise to the Wolf
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