(pictured, left: Cody Roberts, wolf killer , Wyoming. Right: captured wild horse in BLM holding facility, Wyoming)
“Of Wolves and Wild Horses”
In this post, I am drawing a direct line between the torture of a wolf in Wyoming, and the cruelty towards wild horses in Wyoming.
Actually, it’s not me who is drawing the direct line. It’s the small percentage of emboldened ranchers, cowboys, and hunters that will destroy all predators that they deem as conflict to their ‘bottom line’, whether it be livestock grazing or trophy hunting.
On Feb 29th, Cody Roberts of Daniel Wyoming ran his snowmobile over a young female wolf, taped her mouth shut, then brought the dying animal to the town's Green River Bar, to be laughed at and taunted until he shot her to death outside.
Like the rest of the world, I was outraged. But I wasn’t surprised at what happened next.
Long before I met him, a friend of mine spent many years in ‘predator control’, working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services division in Wyoming. Each day, he climbed into a bright yellow government plane and flew over rangeland, shooting all predators on sight. Other lethal methods were used. Wolves, coyotes and other wildlife continue to be shot, poisoned, trapped, and bombed with cyanide, in order to protect privately owned livestock or trophy game.
The elimination of predators in Wyoming is driven by groups that profit from usage of public lands. Just 1.1 percent of Wyoming’s GDP is derived from agriculture- yet this industry, along with many Wyoming hunting groups, make the decisions regarding the elimination of coyotes, wolves, mountain lions, other predators and any unfortunate wildlife killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
In 2017, wolves were delisted from federal protection in Wyoming. Today, in 85 percent of Wyoming’s wild spaces, wolves and coyotes can be run down by snowmobile, shot, poisoned, trapped- and tortured- and it’s all perfectly legal.
To the rest of the world, Cody Roberts’ joyful torture of a young wolf was unconscionable, and steep penalties were expected. But Wyoming’s Game and Fish Department delivered Roberts a meagre $250 fine- for illegal possession of a live wolf. Facing pressure from enraged citizens across the globe, the Wyoming Department of Agriculture’s Consumer Health Services Division planned to investigate whether having a live wolf in the Green River Bar rose to the level of being a food safety violation.
Cody Roberts’ actions uncovered a startling admission from the state of Wyoming. There was nothing illegal about this man critically injuring a wolf with his snowmobile, taping her mouth shut, then extending her suffering by hosting a circus sideshow for local bar patrons.
Disgusted with the practice, my friend no longer works for Wildlife Services’ predator control. But his stories are haunting. Livestock ranchers’ hatred for predators runs deep. Seeking revenge, it was not uncommon for a rancher to injure a coyote, wire it’s mouth shut, then send it back into the wild, to die a slow, painful death.
Now in damage control, Wyoming ranchers and hunters were swift to denounce Cody Roberts’ wolf torture drinking game. But the narrative of initial reports was unexpected. There was little sentiment towards the young female wolf. Rather, there was anger towards Roberts for exposing an ugly truth to the world- and to the rest of Wyoming. The small percentage of Wyomingites that feel the only good predator is a dead predator, became enraged that their exclusive, government-backed predator extermination club was now under the looking glass.
One Wyoming columnist stated: ‘Roberts’ malicious stupidity will give political ammunition to those outside our borders who are convinced that they can manage the Cowboy State better than we can’.
Wyoming hunter Zach Key admitted, “I wasn’t impressed by the fact the guy did that. Horrible idea. What I don’t like is the anti-groups are going to use this as ammunition against the majority of us law-obedient citizens. I would never do something like that, but yet I will get my rights to hunt wolves pulled because of his boneheaded stunt”.
Avid hunter Jim Laybourn said, “I think that here in Wyoming, we recognize that we have our own solutions to our problems. We don’t need outside organizations pressuring the federal government to come in and change things for us”.
It may be too late. The Wyoming secret-not-so-secret club emboldened by money, power and politics wants to dispatch all predators as it sees fit, the rest of the world and the rest of Wyoming be damned.
After wolves were removed from federal protection in 2017, Wyoming’s legislature went one step further, passing a statute to protect the identity of people who legally kill wolves ‘from being unduly scrutinized by the public’.
Facing pressure to respond to the Cody Roberts incident, Wyoming governor Mark Gordon issued this statement: ‘I am outraged by this incident, just like the thousands of Wyoming ranchers, farmers, sportsmen and sportswomen, and others around the state. I would be disappointed if anyone were to paint Wyoming with a broad brush and suggest that Wyoming citizens condone the reckless, thoughtless and heinous actions of one individual.”
The sad reality? Cody Roberts is not alone. He is a product of privilege in a state where powerful public lands profiteers have conspired with a complicit government to destroy all predators. These profitable groups proudly support their ‘western values’. They boast about the ‘Wyoming way’. Translation: keep your noses out of our business.
So how do I draw the line between the treatment of wolves (under state legislation) and Wyoming’s wild horses (under federal legislation)?
Mass roundups of Wyoming’s wild horses are driven by- you guessed it- the same emboldened groups that are behind the mass slaughter of Wyoming’s predators.
Starting July 1st, the Bureau of Land Management will remove over 2700 wild horses from Wyoming’s North Lander herd management areas. The secret-not-so-secret club doesn’t want federally protected wild horses to compete with their privately owned cattle on public lands. Following the roundups, approximately 320 wild horses will remain.
Follow the money.
Footnote: On Sunday May 27th, popular dog groomer and social media influencer Jonas Black lead a motorcycle rally from Texas to the Green River Bar in Daniel Wyoming, as a form of peaceful protest against Cody Roberts’ wolf killing, and the need for greater protections for Wyoming’s predators. Black had raised $130,000 for ‘Wyoming Wildlife Advocates’ and ‘Wolves of the Rockies’. His group was met by writer/director Ashley Avis (‘Black Beauty’, ‘Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West’) who is currently filming a documentary about the plight of wolves, and plans to take the campaign to Washington D.C.
The peaceful rally was stopped by law enforcement outside of town.
Finally allowed to proceed, the bikers rolled slowly into Daniel, Wyoming. Truckers had strategically surrounded the Green River Bar with long trailers and rigs in a show of solidarity towards wolf killer Cody Roberts. And a show of support for the secret-not-so-secret club.
p.s. 99 percent of Wyoming is appalled by everything.
To support legislative change for Wyoming’s predators, please go to Wyoming Wildlife Advocates and Wolves of the Rockies
To help stop the North Lander wild horse roundups, please contact your U.S. Representatives and Senators and voice your opposition. For more details, follow: