Wolf was shot, not poached
As a former Stevens County deputy sheriff, I got to know a lot of ranchers. For that reason, I am compelled to respond to the June 15 Spokesman-Review article, “Female wolf poached in Stevens County.”
In 1981 my brother Tony and I worked staking mining claims 87 miles east of Fairbanks. Our dwelling was a tent. The work was hard, and Spam covered with mosquitoes for breakfast got old, but we had many memorable experiences such as periodically catching a glimpse of a wolf or finding evidence they were monitoring our everyday activities. But in the Alaskan wilderness there are no cattle ranching or sheep herding.
The current wolf situation in this state has had a huge economic impact. However, the day will come when a domestic dog will be impregnated by a wolf. The offspring will be an efficient predator which has no fear of man. The first to become wolf food will be a young child. What price do you put on the life of that child or those children?
Charles R. Delgado
Cheney