Not being much of a hunter anymore, seasons come and go without much attention on my part, but with wolf hunting season opening this past week in areas throughout Idaho, it was interested to receive an email from a group called Earth First! offering a free guide on how to sabotage a wolf hunt.
Earth First! describes itself as an international radical environmental movement and brags in its literature about having disrupted a variety of hunts across the country since 1979.
They claim the authors of the manual to sabotage hunts are anonymous, but did describe themselves as ‘hunters and proud of it”. They go on to say, however, “we aren’t proud of what passes for hunting these days and especially for what passes as ‘sportsman’ hunting.”
Funny how this comes on the heels of the opening of wolf season in Idaho.
Wolves were listed as endangered and re-entered into areas of the Rocky Mountains, only to proliferate at such a rapid rate they were not only de-listed, but hunting seasons were set up to help control a now out-of-control population.
Just ask the sheep rancher in Victor, ID, who a couple weeks ago lost more than 170 sheep when wolves scared the flock so bad they trampled and suffocated themselves. Only about ten of the sheep were actually partially eaten, but the number of sheep, cattle and other animals killed by wolves has created concern among farmers and ranchers whose livelihood depends upon it, and sportsmen who see depleted elk and deer herds.
The manual mentions that disrupting hunts is probably illegal, so anyone planning such a stunt should make sure first to have legal counsel waiting on speed dial. And they warn that freeing a wolf from a trap can be dangerous, so be careful. Wow, that’s some sage advice.
First they suggest chaining yourself to any building where licenses are being sold for the hunt. Beyond that, however, they suggest heading into the woods to physically sabotage hunts, taking along noise makers, smoke bombs, air horns, trumpets and whistles.
I’m sure those hunters with rifles over their shoulders are really going to like that. In that instance, they do suggest some care, because as they say, those hunters are killers.
One writer for Earth First! even commented: “(sabotaging hunts is) also a very dangerous undertaking. Wolf hunters have guns and obviously little morals when it comes to what they shoot.”
And when releasing a wolf from a trap, they suggest it be a two man operation. One man throws his coat over the wolf’s head, while the other frees the poor critter from the trap. I’d like to be along to watch or video that maneuver.
Vigilante justice is not looked kindly upon by a lot of people in this country. In fact, though, the same people who cry for justice when a neighborhood watch volunteer is found not guilty in an accidental killing are probably the same type promoting vigilante action to protect the innocent wolves.
And like the Biblical saying goes, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”
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