While Wyoming ponders a legislative response to the abuse and killing of a wolf in Daniel that sparked nationwide outrage, an animal welfare group is pushing a bi-partisan bill for a federal ban chasing predators on snowmobiles.
In a case of a hot-button issue making strange political bedfellows, conservative firebrand Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, is joining with Congressional Democrats to introduce the Snowmobiles Aren’t Weapons (SAW) Act.
Response To Daniel Wolf Killing
The act is being promoted by Animal Wellness Action, a national animal welfare group that was among many outraged by the killing of a wolf in Daniel in February.
According to accounts, that incident started with Daniel resident Cody Roberts running a wolf down with his snowmobile and then capturing the injured animal. He then reportedly took the wolf to his house and at some point duct-taped its mouth shut, then showed it off in the local Green River Bar before finally killing it behind the bar.
Reports of the incident sparked widespread calls to ban coyote or predator “whacking,” a term for running the animals down with snowmobiles or other vehicles.
‘Very Weak Response’
The SAW Act aims to ban predator whacking on all federal lands across the country. It’s set to be introduced in the U.S. House by Gaetz, along with U.S. Reps. Nancy Mace, R-South Carolina, Don Davis, D-North Carolina, and Troy Carter, D-Louisiana.
Animal Wellness Action president Wayne Pacelle told Cowboy State Daily on Wednesday that he was motivated to get the SAW Act moving by the “very weak response” of the Wyoming Legislature’s Treatment of Predators Working Group.
He declined to comment any further on Wednesday, saying that he and others will provide more details during a virtual press conference Thursday morning.
The working group is an offshoot of the Legislature’s Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee.
It will likely recommend a proposed bill when the full committee meets in October. That bill calls for continuing to allow people to pursue predators such as wolves and coyotes with vehicles, but the animals would have to be killed as quickly as possible and not be subjected to prolong suffering.
State Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson, told Cowboy State Daily that he thinks the Legislature’s process probably won’t be affected by the proposed federal legislation.
“Right now, I would tend to doubt it (having an effect),” said Gierau, who is a member of the working group and the Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee.
“I know the speed at which Congress works, and I know the speed at which the Legislature works, and we’re a little faster,” he said.
Cowboy State Daily sent inquiries to the offices of Wyoming’s congressional delegation — U.S. Sens. Cynthia Lummis and John Barrasso, and Rep. Harriet Hageman — asking whether they would support or oppose the SAW Act.
Only Barrasso’s office responded by publication time for this story.
“This legislation hasn’t been introduced yet. Senator Barrasso will review the details of the bill if it’s officially introduced in the U.S. Senate,” spokeswoman Laura Mengelkamp stated in an email response.
Shaming Might Work Better Than Legislation
There might not be widespread support for predator whacking, even among hunters, but trying to ban it through legislation might not be effective, said Park County resident Richard Jones, a retired U.S. Forest Service and Park Service ranger.
While he understands the outrage generated by the wolf killing in Daniel, trying to change policy though “narrow legislation” probably isn’t the answer, Jones told Cowboy State Daily.
“Every time you get an incident, you get a bunch of people want to jump on a bandwagon and say, ‘Something has to be done,’” Jones said.
Jones said that predator whacking goes against his personal ethics, and probably the wider concept of fair chase in hunting. It’s his belief that predators should be shot rather than run down.
However, bringing in more government regulation isn’t a good idea, he said. Instead, “public shaming” could effectively curb predator whacking.
“I’m a big fan of peer pressure and guilt rather than legislation,” he said.
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
