By Denise Boehler
Grey wolves. Grizzly bears, black bears, brown bears. All are living in ecosystems on more than 95 million acres of Alaska’s National Wildlife Refuges (funded by American taxpayers) and Denali National Park, wandering, romping and bearing young on the last wild frontier.
It’s a magical place: the mere mention of Alaska evokes imagery of wild wolves and majestic bears. At one time, people visited and relocated there just to be in their midst. That’s been changing, however, since the early 1990s, when the Alaska Board of Game (Board) began implementing aggressive predator policies that blame predators for only doing what nature intended. By taking as many predators out of the ecosystem as is arguably sustainable through increasingly efficient and often unfair hunting practices, the Board aims to boost moose and caribou populations for indigenous and out-of-state trophy hunters, bringing millions of dollars into the state. These policies are much debated; conservationists see other explanations than over-predation for reduced prey populations. In the meantime, Alaska’s National Wildlife Refuges are becoming game farms, in the words of Alaskan biologist Francis Mauer.
Alaska received statehood in 1958. At the time, the federal government created a mandate for conservation of wildlife as its highest priority through the passage of the Alaska National Interests Land Conservation Act (ANILCA). Alaskan governors, the Board and out-of-state trophy hunters have had a different priority: Economics. Disregard for the federal mandate and moves toward state control have given rise to not only the question of states’ rights versus federal authority, but a mentality of treating some of the last of this country’s apex predators as an inexhaustible resource. The adoption of these policies is an ongoing controversy, replete with politics and indigenous rights issues, legal arguments and conservation challenges. In the meantime, apex predators are in the literal crosshairs each time a governor appoints a Board member, a Board resolution is signed or a policy enacted.
It can be disheartening to realize that the Board itself is comprised of hunters and those with vested hunting interests. At least one of the members, Vice-Chair Nate Turner, is an owner of an outfitting company directly profiting each time a decision is made to increase bag limits, allow aerial hunting or look the other way when wolf pups are lethally removed from dens. While these specific practices may not bring in direct revenue for Mr. Turner’s company, they are part and parcel of the domination of economics over conservation.
Turner is joined by Chairman Ted Spraker, lifetime NRA member and member of Safari Club International, a proud sponsor of HJRes 69 (a measure rescinding the US fish and wildlife service’s attempt to curtail Alaska’s cruel hunting methods of killing mother bears and cubs in their dens, hunting and trapping of wolves during the denning season, using bait to lure and kill brown bears, among other things). Many Alaskans feel that the consumptive makeup of the Board is directly responsible for the increasingly aggressive predator control policies. With none of its members coming from the ecotourism industry that reveres animals as sentient beings, this constitution treats Alaska’s apex predators as animals to be consumed, not conserved. All of its seven members appointed by the governor adhere to this philosophy.
Must Alaska resort to consuming its wildlife to survive? One need only point to the $2 billion annual income in the ecotourism industry, nearly twice the revenue generated from the trophy hunting industry, to answer in the negative. Why, then, do they not support the viewing of wolves and bears from tour buses and the revenue derived from tourism and honor the federal mandate of conservation?
Again, the answer for some Alaskans is simple: The Board consists of hunters. Their philosophies (and conflicts of interest) supersede the conservation priority. Grizzly bears, black bears, brown bears, grey wolves, are resources. Wealthy trophy hunters pay outfitters handsome sums to take the life of a grizzly (wolves are free, if they are trotting through a hunter’s crosshairs).
Vice-Chairman Turner’s company, Turners Alaskan Adventures, enjoys receiving $6,000 to $14,500 for the life of a grizzly bear, depending upon if it is alone or in the company of a moose. For the lives of three black bears, one can expect to pay $14,500. For the life of a brown bear, checks are written from $23,500 – $29,000, depending upon the days out in the bush.
All of the Board members’ terms remain active, which means that for now, Alaska’s apex predators will continue to be held in the crosshairs and in peril. While these aggressive predator control policies persist, it is not unsurprising to see individuals acting out this philosophy for all to witness. This past winter, in a malicious act of violence, a disturbing image made public of a clearly triumphant masked man with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle held high over his head, posing behind the carcasses of ten grey wolves gunned down just outside Denali National Park. It begs the question, was this man acting on his own volition, or was he supported by Alaska’s aggressive anti-predator culture at large?
Why must all wildlife be hunted? Is aware that this is two years ago, but hopes the hunt stopped. Hope the wolves that are left live in peace!
And the bears too <3
Smoke crack and say what?? Wolves spread disease and were illegally introduced into Yellowstone and Lolo pass Idaho! If you cared about wildlife at all you would kill all woves!! https://www.cdc.gov/prions/cwd/transmission.html https://montanapioneer.com/non-native-wolves-illegally-introduced-says-whistleblower-2/#:~:text=According%20to%20whistleblower%20Jim%20Beers%20%28former%20USFWS%20Chief,brought%20the%20Canadian%20wolves%20into%20the%20Yellowstone%20ecosystem.
Save the wolves from these horrible hunters ! This is horrible what is happening to the wolves.
Let wild big predators live in natural invirement where they belong. We need all big predators that still exist in the world, to keep a healthy deer/elg populasion, so stop this killing of this beautyful and precious animals NOW!!
Despicable Serial Killers Speed-Dialing Extinction Must End!!!
This is a shame on America. What civilized nation would allow this to happen?
Anyone committing violence and death upon an animal needs swift and total justice. The same treatment will suffice. And then jail.
Pitiful! Must really suck to have such a small penis syndrome.
Humans, destroying everything in their path! It all comes down to money and greed.
I hope I live to see real change, regarding all animal welfare.
Save the wolves from these horrible hunters ! This is horrible what is happening to the wolves.
Pitiful! Must really suck to have such a small penis syndrome.
Humans, destroying everything in their path! It all comes down to money and greed.
I hope I live to see real change, regarding all animal welfare.
How can people be so proud of such a slaughter. I hope the laws change. This is horrible. Is it to hang heads on a wall. Unbelievable.
i think it is disgraceful…probably the most pristine environment for our beautiful bears and wolves, etc…a hunter goes hunting,,believe me they shoot something
Find this ass hole and shoot him.
As an Alaska resident, I find this sickening and would gladly patrol Denali’s borders and gun down any predator killer who gets in my sights. #brutaldeathforeverypredatorkiller
I feel that we have to fight hard to get rid of the gun lobbyists and the Safari Club’s influence on Republican lawmakers this Mid-Term election. Then we can restore the Endangered Species Act and the Act that protected the Alaskan Wilderness that was just overturned by Trump!
I’d like to Punish All these Serial Killers for Causing Anguish By Terrorizing Our National Treasures, Too. Extinction is on the Horizon and We Must Stop This War on Wildlife By Fighting Back in the he Courts and Voting Out the Worst President and his Party in November!
Horrific and disgusting.
My message to this excuse for a human being and also to Turners Alaskan Adventures
I hope you people reap what you sew. Mother Nature will have the last word and I hope she wreaks revenge on you all for taking the lives of innocent creatures for fun. What gives you the right to snuff the life out of a living animal for entertainment? Think you’re macho with your big guns? Why can’t you cherish your wildlife instead of making money from the suffering of wild animals? These creatures have their own right to exist, but you and your ilk enjoy encouraging people to snuff the life of mother bears and their cubs, wolves, coyotes and other living beings. I’m amazed there’s any wildlife left in your country. You’re all a bunch of red-neck, hillbilly gun-toting, trigger happy cowards and it grieves me that I have to share this lovely planet with the likes of you.
I agree completely
This loser needs to be shot with his own gun and hung upside down and skinned alive. That’s the only way to redeem the death of these majestic wolves, whose lives are worth far more than this piece of trash scumbag.
What can we do to help and fight this through legislation? Only a legislative process will stop this, and an economic value the exceeds the hunt.
Fed up with the human race, religion and sport bring out the worst possible sides to us and then we pollute the planet to try and finish anything else off that existed before we came along.
To je svinstvo, co si clovek dovpluje na tejto planete, akoby bol sam Boh! Zvierata treba chranit a nie ich takto kynozit! Primitivi, neandrtaci a debili…!!! Inteligencia naroda sa prejavuje v jeho spravani sa ku zvieratam…!!!
He is a murderer.He should be punished.Has got no right to take others lives.
Sickening!
How Vile, Evil, Barbaric!!!!! These ARE CRIMES against nature!!!!! This world is being run by Criminal Perverts!
Small dick? Try wolwhunting, it turns you into a BIG PRICK!
Faire protéger les animaux sauvages !
C’est un massacre comment peut on laisser faire cela ! c’est inadmissible ! ces gens là ne devraient pas exister et en plus il se sert d’un semi automatique, ce qui est interdit.
how sad…too much testosterone…not enough brains! DEMAND STRONG LAWS TO STOP THESE HORRIBLE KILLINGS OF OUR WORLD’S WILDLIFE.
Small dick? Try wolwhunting, it turns you into a BIG PRICK!
First of all hunting with automatic rifles is not hunting. Secondly it shows that this individual has serious issues going on. If he really wants to prove his machismo then perhaps he should consider joining the marines! This type of hunting will only create more problems!
Barbaric, cowardly and sick. Guns against wolves, certain death for these beautiful animals
DISGUSTING LOT. THIS IS ALL ABOUT PUTTING MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS ON THE BACK OF THESE MAJESTIC ANIMALS. USA. THE LAND OF THE $$$$$$$$$$. THE BOARD SHOUD BE SACKED…
THE SENSELESS SLAUGHTER OF WILDLIFE GOING ON, IS JUST SAVAGE, THERE WON’T BE ANY WILDLIFE LEFT THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING, EITHER IN THE UNITED STATES OR CANADA, HOW DARE THESE SICKOS KILL EVERYTHING IN SIGHT WITH NO CONSEQUENCES!!!!!!!!
PITY WE CANNOT ARM THE WOLVES, bears, etc, WITH GUNS!!!!!!!!!!!
People like these are the reason that the US has no wolf packs anymore the ones that do show up come Canada none of them stay long. Every time some A Hole spots some wolves here they generally shoot them if they get the chance
Some of these states think just like Alaska.
What a pack of total bastards. GREEDY, PROFLIGATE, EMOTIONALLY BANKRUPT WILDLIFE MURDERERS. Where will your millions be when there is nothing left to draw tourists to Alaska?
DISGUSTING, SICKENING RECKLESS CRUELTY BY LOWLIFE, PREDATORS CALLED MAN. In fact, there isn’t a “Man” amongst them, they’re all sick, greedy cowards with high powered rifles.
WHAT ARE YOU AMERICANS DOING, ALLOWING THESE DISGUSTING REPTILES INTO POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY?
this person is heartless and soulless not human . wolves . bears and other species of animals care about life more then these sheer evil . makes me sick and want to kill them.
This photo and plight of these wolves (and bears) just sickens me. Is there anything more we can do?
“Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to them but to stop there is not enough. We have a higher mission — to be of service to them whenever they require it.” — St. Francis of Assisi.
Someone should shoot this oxygen thieving cretin in the face!
Save a fur baby and kill humans like this instead and make the world a much nicer place!
GET ALL OF THE SCUMBAG COWARDS OFF THIS PLANET. THEY ARE GOOD FOR NOTHING. THEY JUST KILL KILL KILL. I WISH THEM ALL A HORRIBLE DEATH. SKIN ‘EM ALL ALIVE. FUCKING PIECES OF SHIT.
He’s a serial killing dangerous predator. He kills for the joy of killing. Such wanton waste of life should not be LEGAL!! ALL ANIMAL LIVES MATTER. Some human lives are not as valued as the animal lives.
Stinking, rotten hunters are nothing but cowardly murderers of innocent animals. They must be so proud of themselves, using a high powered rifle against a defenseless animal, Wow, such macho men. Hunters need to start hunting each other, get rid of them off the planet.
This guy was so proud of what he did that he made sure his face was covered because he knew the horrific outcry that it would cause…. WELL, BIG SHOT MURDERER YOU WERE RIGHT ON ONE POINT…WE THE PUBLIC ARE OUTRAGED ON YOUR ACTIONS AND YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR LICENSE REVOKED. THIS IS SO EXTREME AND IT MAKES ME SICK AND MAD AS HELL.BECAUSE OF MONSTERS LIKE YOU ONE DAY THERE WILL BE NO ANIMALS LEFT ON THIS PLANET.
We Must Fight Hard to End This Travesty to Our National Treasures! The War on Wildlife Has Been on Full Throttle with the Trump Regime.
The Vast Majority of Americans Are Vehemently Opposed of Trophy Hunting and Private Profiteers Infiltrating Congress, Weakening the ESA and Acquiescing to Safari International pressures to Have Wholesale Slaughter of Wildlife on Our Public Lands Mean’t to Conserve and Protect Our Wildlife!!!
Horrible