nation

Wolves attract tourists? Really? It's just that I'm hard pressed to think of a single person I know who has gone out in the woods to watch the wolves. Perhaps I am missing something.

I live in a rural area of Cook county. I live with wolves, see them often, and, have had no problems with my domestic animals in over 27 years. I think that if you looked at the damage that the overabundance of deer cause, it would make the small amount that is payed out to livestock losses seem small by comparison. My guess is that the cost to the state to run this ill advised hunting season, will dwarf what ever losses the wolves cost.

If, as the DNR says, the wolf population has remained "stable" in Minnesota for many years-- at about 3,000 -- then: 1) It is unlikely that losses to predation have increased in anything other than $$$ value (cattle prices are going up), and 2) There is little or no reason to start hunting them. If 1) and 2) are true, then this story should be seen for what it is: Propaganda to prepare the public for the wolf slaughter ahead.

The losses to livestock is very much higher. Farmers have learned to not even try for compensation. It will only draw attention to yourself. A few years ago I lost several calves to wolves. How could I prove a loss? We tag and weigh our calves at birth. Then the next day we have a cow with no calf and a full udder. We did find renmants of a calf or two in our alfalfa when we mowed. By then nothing could be proved. Most were simply gone. Does anyone actually think a wolf will eat their kill in an open field? Unless the animal is too large the wolf will drag the kill to cover. By the way I do not live in the supposed wolf area but in the center of Minnesota. Also a family member has a cabin we all use North West of Duluth. Wolves have followed members of our family as they were in the woods. I do not hate wolves but they are a predator and must eat. Also too many have lost their fear of humans, a very dangerous situation. Thank You

I say don't hunt the Wolves. Live and let live.

Where is my compensation for deer damage?

I live IN (on a residential street with neighbors all arounds in a typical residential setting) a city in the southern third of Minnesota and have suffered deer damage to our garden for the past 2-3 years. Should I file a claim?

I think farming is the only "occupation" where you get repeatedly compensated by the government for ANY kind of losses. Must be rough to be a farmer! If a wolf eats a cow, you get paid for it. If hail ruins your crops, you get paid for it. If there's a drought and you lose part of your crop, you get reimbursed for it. Wow. My heart bleeds for the "farmers". This is a poor excuse for a wolf hunt. And wolves are dangerous and "have lost their fear of humans" because they follow a handful of people (out of thousands) in the woods? Get real. All animals are curious by nature, doesn't mean you're going to get attacked by them - turn around and walk toward them and see how quickly they turn and run away from you. One sure way to destroy and decimate the INFLATED wolf population is to let a bunch of blood thirsty people loose in the woods with guns, shooting whatever moves and or taking out the alpha males and females of the packs. Packs don't recover easily from that. And I'll bet this season includes ANY wolf, from cub to pregnant female. This hunt makes me sick! Minnesota is a bloodlust state! For some reason, EVERYTHING has to be hunted to near eradication. Even the moose population that is in a dramatic decline and has been for a few years. BUT, there's still a hunting season! What a joke!!! Wow, if we had more than the hundred or so cougar in the state, there'd be a season on them too. But wait! THEY don't exist. I forgot about that.

Oh, and one more thing. I want compensation for ALL my plants and shrubs that the deer eat every summer! And compensation for our backyard that has been overrun by moles and gophers no matter what means of control we use. Compensate me too!!! Those bags of grass seed and fertilizer, mole poison, and gopher bait don't come cheap!

It sure is easy to form opinions regarding wolf-caused damage from afar, but not hard at all to see how ridiculous it is to suggest fencing and guard dogs as an economic alternative. We no longer live in a utopian ecological model where wildlife can be left alone -- wildlife (and wolves) must be managed, and the most economical and practical way to do so is hunting wolves.