Wolf protest draws 200 to downtown Jackson

Roughly 200 outfitters, ranchers and sportsmen crowded Center Street on Saturday to rally against wolves, a predator they say is ruining the state’s elk population and threatening livestock. “We’re here to support our heritage,” said Brian Taylor, one of the event’s organizers and owner of Gros Ventre Wilderness Outfitters. “The wolf has no place on the endangered species list. They back us into a corner and, by God, we’re ready to fight.” Taylor and other speakers told stories about watching wolves chasing and killing elk, household pets and livestock. “We have no ability to keep the wolf from our door,” he said. Much of the talk from the protesters was aimed at environmental groups, who they say have used lawsuits to dominate the wolf debate and keep the species under Endangered Species Act protection. “I’m really tired of meaningless statistics,” said Mike Trumbower, an outfitter and Hoback Junction resident. “It’s just a big smokescreen. Wolves are, no doubt, the most effective predator in North America. People who say they don’t make an impact are totally ignoring the facts.” Bob Wharff, Wyoming executive director of Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, called the wolf debate “a battle we cannot afford to lose.”...read more