Motorcycle Rally For Tortured Wolf Rolls Into Green River, Wyoming

UPDATE: Standoff Over Wolf Torture: Locals Block Motorcycle Rally From Daniel Bar

Shortly after arriving in Green River on Saturday to meet supporters of his Hogs for Hope fundraising campaign, sparked by the torture and killing of a wolf in Daniel, Wyoming, Jonas Black looked at his phone to check the latest figures.

“With this latest donation, we’ve hit $125,000, people!” he yelled, prompting cheers from the small crowd of supporters who had waited for him at the Flaming Gorge Harley-Davidson dealership in Green River.

“One-hundred and twenty-five f***ing thousand!” he declared.

Black, a dog trainer, biker and social media influencer, told Cowboy State Daily that he started the Hogs for Hope campaign a with the hopes of raising $10,000 to donate to Wyoming Wildlife Advocates and Wolves of the Rockies.

Rainy, windy weather delayed Black’s arrival by about two hours, but supporters from Wyoming and other states waited patiently.

Black said “70 mph winds” had prompted him and his riding partner, Austin Zumar, to trailer their Harleys part of the way.

Wolf Incident Prompted Journey

Black and Zumar set out from Austin, Texas, earlier this week. The plan is to arrive in Daniel early Sunday and present the funds to representatives of the conservation groups in front of the Green River Bar.

They’ve covered the first 1,260 miles of the journey, and will ride the final 119 miles to Daniel on Sunday.

Daniel Resident Cody Roberts, 42, reportedly ran down a wolf with his snowmobile Feb. 29, disabling it at allowing him to capture the animal. He taped the wolf’s muzzle shut, and then took it to his residence. He later took it to the bar and showed it off before finally killing it behind the bar.

News of the incident sparked national and international outrage. Black, who has named the slain wolf Hope, said his own outrage prompted him to organize the fundraiser and ride from Austin to Daniel. It included stops at Harley-Davidson dealerships in Texas and Colorado.

When he rolled into the Flaming Gorge Harley-Davidson parking lot Saturday afternoon, he was wearing a jacket with “Show Ur Teeth” emblazoned across the back. It was nod to the wolf seen in a video clip of it being teased by Roberts in the bar that night, weakly showing its teeth in response.

The stop in Green River was the last one before heading to Daniel. Numerous people, including some Rock Springs and Green River locals, said they plan to accompany Black and Zumar on that final leg of the journey.

70% Love, 30% Threats

Wolves and wolf management are controversial subjects in Wyoming. And in the social media buzz leading up to his arrival, some have framed Black’s campaign as disparaging Wyoming and pushing an anti-hunting message.

Black pushed back, saying that he’s not anti-hunting and thinks that Wyoming is a “gorgeous” state.

“Austin, my riding partner, is a hunter,” he said.

Some haven’t been happy about his pending arrival in Daniel. Black said the reaction he’s received from Wyoming residents has been, “About 70% love and 30% threats, like ‘f*** you, we’re going to kill you when you cross the state line.’”

However, Black added that he’s not particularly worried about the threats, and the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office has stated it will help maintain order at the event in Daniel, which he appreciates.

Showing Support

Some locals and out-of-staters gathered to meet Black in Green River told Cowboy State Daily that they support Black because they were incensed by the cruelty perpetrated on the wolf.

Jim Horner of Rock Springs said “heartbreak” was his motivation.

“He (Black) has come all this way on a Harley. The least I can do is drive 15 miles from Rock Springs to show some support,” he said.

Madhu Anderson of Green River and Nina Chambers of Rock Springs said Black’s campaign against cruelty to wildlife matches their own efforts to reform policy at their local animal shelter in Green River.

The conservation groups plan to use the Hogs for Hope money to push for reforms in Wyoming’s predator management policy, such as outlawing the practice of running animals over with snowmobiles or other vehicles.

“Something has to change,” Anderson said.

She added that she hopes Black will support hers and others’ efforts to switch euthanasia policy at the local animal shelter from a gas chamber to more humane lethal injections.

Jessica and Matt Nevil drove from Wichita, Kansas, with Hogs for Hope logos displayed on the doors of their vehicle to meet Black in Green River and accompany him to Daniel.

They said they support hunting and agriculture but thought that the torture of the wolf in Daniel was unacceptable.

“I grew up on a farm and I understand what goes on, but what happened to that wolf didn’t have to happen,” Matt said.

“There was a whole bar full of people there who were doing nothing, and I had to do something,” Jessica said.

Parents Not Worried

Black’s Parents, Mike and Christiane Black, traveled from Tucson, Arizona, to meet their son in Green River and plan to travel with him to Daniel.

Christiane told Cowboy State Daily that the threats against her son are “not worrisome” to her.

“Somebody has to do it. Somebody has to draw attention to this,” she said. “I’m not worried at all. We’re incredibly proud of him.”

Mike said his son has always been stubborn and outgoing.

“He’s always been that way,” he said. “If something was wrong, he’d point it out.”

Contact Mark Heinz at mark@cowboystatedaily.com

Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.