Video: Snowmobiler Runs over Wolf Charging at Hunter
OutdoorHub Reporters 03.03.16
What would you do in this scenario?
For some background on this video, it was reportedly taken in Kazakhstan, where wolf hunting is still very popular—and arguably less controversial than it is in North America. Traditionally, hunters employ specially-trained golden eagles to hunt wolves, but the art of training those majestic birds is dying out. Many modern Kazakh hunters now use snowmobiles to pursue wolves, which is still a grueling—and as you can see below—dangerous method of wolf hunting.
In this video, two hunters chasing a wolf were able to bring it down, but not kill it. As the hunters attempted to reload their shotgun, the wolf attacks the snowmobile, causing the driver to speed off. The hunter with the shotgun gets off, presumably to get a better shot at the wolf, but then falls backwards as the predator charges at him. The driver swings around and at the very last second, manages to run over the wolf before it could reach his friend.
Understandably, this video is very controversial and many hunters pointed out the many mistakes that these two men made, such as not putting down the wolf as quickly as possible, or getting so close to the predator in the first place. However, others defended the men, saying that they seemed to be trying everything in their power to ethically harvest the wolf.
What do you think? Is this a case, where as others have said, that puts a black eye on hunting? Or is it simply another dangerous lesson on hunting large predators?
