Jogger killed by wolves shows wisdom of national park gun rule change

Louis Gun Rights Examiner ^ | March 13, 2010 | Kurt Hofmann

[grobdriver]

Some laws are made to be broken.
I have broken that law every damn time I've gone to a national park.

I'm still alive...

[lapsus calami]

 

 

It's better they don't "jog" at all. Dang city slickers go out to the big sticks like they're in a city park back home, thinking all the critters are like they are in a Disney cartoon  - WRONG. The predator class of forest fauna perceives a jogging or running human as food making a getaway and react accordingly. Bicyclists are not safe either - I know out Yellowstone Park way a number have been closelined or chased down by the big Yogis in the past. Some of those pedal pushers didn't survive the encounter. Some years ago, in the early 1990's I think, out in the sticks of western Wyoming during the winter someone got tracked down and killed by a pack of coyotes and several years after that I know of another incident where a coyote pack patiently tracked and closed in on someone who was out seeing the winter sights via snowshoeing their way through the same boonies, but skunked them when he made it out of the woods and to his truck before they could jump him. Best way to look at it is when out in the big woods amongst the really wild creatures, you are on their turf, so plan accordingly, stay alert and don't do any dumb stuff that may interest or provoke them in a dangerous manner.

 

 

 

[MrPiper]

stay alert and don't do any dumb stuff that may interest or provoke them in a dangerous manner.

But if you do, remember.. peace is through superior fire power.......:-)

[lapsus calami]

 

 

Oh yes - but of course!

 

 

[MrPiper]

peace is through superior fire power

superior fire power means quiet enemies.

[Myrddin]

I bet the wolves were there because of federal meddling too.

Yes they are. The wolves imported are 120+ lb Canadian wolves. Much bigger than the 45-65 lb native wolves that were originally present. The wolf packs are wiping out elk, moose and deer. They are attacking domestic livestock. The tree huggers wanted 300 pairs. There at 1500+ and growing.

[Road Warrior ‘04]

I grew up in southwestern Montana and never went into the mountains, and I was in 'em the time, without a rifle (30-06) and a side arm, usually a 22mag. No wolves at that time, but plenty of wild dogs, bears, including grizzlies, and mountain lions.

With the wolf population in Montana, and other western states, as large as it is now, one would be crazy to go into the mountains without a gun. Montana has, at least, opened up wolf hunting. Before that, I told my brother, who still lives there, they should shoot the wolves and let 'em lay. They have been devastating to the elk, deer and moose populations, as well as cattle and sheep.

BTW, I did all of my own reloading, so plinking wasn't a problem, even with the larger calibers.

[Carry_Okie]

Inasmuch as I think it important to validate the 2A in National Parks, let it be known that TWO armed men are no match for a pack of wolves (unless they have full auto and BIG clips).

They're that bad.

[Carry_Okie]

Yes they are. The wolves imported are 120+ lb Canadian wolves. Much bigger than the 45-65 lb native wolves that were originally present.

More like 150+ pounds. However, wolves can go from the 65-85 (to be more accurate) pound range to the full 130-150# range and back again in as little as five generations each way, by as yet not-understood epigenetic adaptation in response to the available food supply. Epigenetics is an amazing field that could explain why many of what at first appear to be "site specific" genetic adaptations that may in fact be phenotypical but heritable traits. This could confound the many "evolutionary significant population" protections we see evoked under the ESA.

[montanajoe]

Give me a frigging break. I've walked thousands of miles in Yellowstone and Glacier and Ive never needed a fire arm to protect me from the critters there both human and animal..

I'm pro gun but I dont want to be associated with folks so afraid of wolves they need a gun to venture into the national parks..geez

[John-Irish]

I don’t fault the wolves. They’re only doing what God created and intended them to do. It’s stupid humans who make laws that leave the rest of us in peril. There is no worse fool(and a dangerous one) than the well-intended fool.

[John-Irish]

True dat! I worked in New York City years ago in a laborers union. Demolished quite a few old buildings. The rats I saw were big enough to look you in the face, I mean it. And they weren’t scared of any humans I can tell you. They were big freakin’ rats!

[hiredhand]

I’ve got buddies from my USAF days who were stationed on Alaska. They told me that a handgun was no match for a determined wolf pack. They said that an AR with a lot of ammo “might” be a good start IF you were a good marksman and could thin them out before they got too close... but that they tend to spread and surround before coming in close from all sides. They told me the best thing you could do was find a tree as soon as possible and climb it.

[MaxMax]

The jogger was there because there were no guns, and it was safe.

[John-Irish]

‘’peace is through superior fire power’’. I kinda like the other turn of this phrase, “Peace, through fire superiority’’.

[OSHA]

Give me a frigging break. I've walked thousands of miles in Yellowstone and Glacier and Ive never needed a fire arm to protect me from the critters there both human and animal.. I'm pro gun but I dont want to be associated with folks so afraid of wolves they need a gun to venture into the national parks..geez .

Carrying a gun that I never need is not a problem, not carrying one that I do need is big problem.

[diogenes ghost]

"Give me a frigging break"

Okay, I'll give you one by not calling you less-than-informed.

Google 'bear attacks', then look at Wiki list of bear fatalities in the last 50 years. Glacier has been lucky (or instituted good policies) in the last ten years, but LOTS of fatalities before that.

Odds are way high that you'll never have a problem, and if you do a handgun may not be enough, but wild critters are not the only predators in parks.

[montanajoe]

If you are fraid of all those big wild critters stay home..

[rmlew]

The wolves would starve to death on the local fauna. If they ate people, they would go into Serotonin Syndrome or die from a drug od.
We’ve had coyotes in parks in the Bronx.

[patriciaruth]

But why?

Things that are running are always more interesting to predators.