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The hunt for the wolf opened on December 1st; Twelve of the 32 wolf packs are to be shot preventively. This won’t be easy, as the president of the gamekeepers’ association says in the program “Club”. The wolf is intelligent – and capable of learning.
The wolf is by far the most intelligent animal in the wild. And his senses are so heightened that he can scent people from several hundred meters away. Then he may disappear into his territory, which can be up to 300 square kilometers in size. Under these circumstances, how can gamekeepers and hunters regulate the number of wolves as the cantons have specified? Urs Büchler, President of the Swiss Gamekeepers Association, summarizes the facts.
The strengths of wolves and humans: Since the wolf is a nocturnal animal, the gamekeepers are often on duty at night – perhaps because a camera trap has just sent them a picture of a wolf. Then they turn to thermal imaging observation devices and thermal imaging scopes for rifles. This means that animals can be located and killed even in the dark and over greater distances. However, the following applies to hunters: They only pull the trigger if they can kill an animal with a well-aimed shot so that it does not have to suffer. This is only possible at a distance of up to around 200 meters. If they are further away, they have to let it go, even if it is a wolf. When hunting, man’s great strength is technology, which the wolf, even with its fine senses, cannot always cope with.
The pitfalls: Wolves can appear out of nowhere and disappear again a day later – they migrate up to 20 kilometers in their territory in one night. Game wardens usually use technology, but sometimes, if the wolf has killed an animal, they also pick up the trail in the snow and stalk it. However, one hunter’s rule is: Anyone who moves is at a disadvantage – you can see them better and hear them more easily. If the ground is covered with dry leaves or icy snow, hunters have no chance. Sometimes they also try to locate the wolf by howling like him. If they are lucky, the wolf who wants to defend his territory will do the same.
The fatal habit: When wolves have killed livestock but not eaten them whole, they often return later and eat the remains. Huntresses take advantage of this. They sit, as they call it, and wait for the wolf at the crack. This method has the advantage of shooting the animal that caused the damage. But hunters often have to spend a whole night in the cold. And if the wind changes so that the animal can smell them, they wait in vain. However, some wolves can eat smaller animals such as lambs in one go. They do not return, but rest in their camp for a day or two.
The survival strategy: Three wolves have been shot so far since December 1st. All three were young animals who did not know where dangers lurked. Experienced leader wolves, on the other hand, have already seen what has become fatal to other animals and lead their pack accordingly. They know that it is better to keep their fear of humans and not go near settlements.