In the wake of the abuse of a Wyoming wolf that sparked worldwide outrage, torturing wildlife should be a felony offense, according to a bill backed by hunters.
The “Clean Kill Bill” initiative calls for “the Wyoming Legislature to establish felony penalties to punish those who would purposely torture Wyoming’s wildlife,” according to statement from Wyoming Sportsmanship, the group backing the bill.
The effort is in response to the reported capture and hours-long torment of a wolf in Daniel, Wyoming, on Feb. 29, 2024.
According to the account of events, local resident Cody Roberts reportedly ran the wolf down with a snowmobile, disabling it. He then taped its mouth shut and kept it alive for a time, at one point showing it off to bar patrons in Daniel, a tiny town in Sublette County, before finally taking it out behind the bar and killing it.
Roberts was cited by a Wyoming Game and Fish warden for illegal possession of a live, warm-blooded animal and forfeited a $250 bond, according to court records. That was the maximum penalty allowed by law, the agency says.
Make A Clean Kill
Wyoming Sportsmanship is newly formed and spearheaded by noted Wyoming outdoorsman Paul Ulrich; Marilyn Kite, a former state Supreme Court Chief Justice and a founder of the Wyoming Women’s Antelope Hunt; and Josh Coursey, president of the Muley Fanatic Foundation.
The purpose behind the bill isn’t to ban predator hunting, Ulrich said. Rather, it calls for hunters to make kills as quickly and humanely as possible.
“This isn’t saying you can’t hunt a predator — of course you can — but it is saying that when you take that animal, you will dispatch it as a sportsman without torture, abuse and reprehensible actions,” Ulrich said. “And if you torture Wyoming’s wildlife, it’s a felony with penalties consistent with Wyoming Game and Fish statutes.”
‘I Am Embarrassed By What Happened’
The “Clean Kill Bill” is sponsored by Wyoming House Travel, Recreation and Wildlife Committee Chairman Andrew Byron, R-Jackson. It’s cosponsored by the Senate chairman of the Travel, Recreation and Wildlife Committee, Bill Landen, R-Casper.
“Wyoming learned there is a deficiency in our statutes, an absence of directly addressing wildlife torture in order to stop it from the start, and we need to address that deficiency with a strong bill that specifically takes on wildlife torture,” Byon said in the group’s statement.
“As a lifelong sportsman, I am embarrassed by what happened in Sublette County,” Landen stated. “The Wyoming Legislature needs to respond and this is the right thing to do.”
Surveys Show Huge Support
The bill has huge support in Wyoming, including among hunters, according to a survey sponsored by Wyoming Sportsmanship.
Of roughly 600 likely general election voters surveyed in Wyoming, 78% support the bill, and 74% of the hunters surveyed support it, according to Wyoming Sportsmanship.
Ulrich told Cowboy State Daily that numerous people have told him they want to see a strong response to the Daniel wolf torture.
“I’m am pleased with the poll results, but not surprised,” he said. “Every single person I have talked to in the state over the past six months shares the same values and absolutely wants to see something meaningful get done to prevent this in the future.”
He's optimistic about the bill’s chances of passing and being signed into law.
“Based on the current sponsors, the poll results and the general sentiment that more needs to be done, I’m very hopeful that we can get this across the finish line,” he said.
Contracrt Mark Heinz at mark@cowboystatedaily.com
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
