Wolves: Love ‘Em Or Hate ‘Em

Braxton Wheeler, 4, of Island Park, Idaho, locks eyes with a wolf at the West Yellowstone Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center near Yellowstone National Park on May 18. The center offers opportunities to observe some of the West’s most controversial predators. (SR photo: Tyler Tjomsland) More photos here.

Seeing wolves for the first time left Jimmy Jones awestruck. Wolves were mythic, larger-than-life creatures to the 59-year-old Los Angeles resident. Yet there they were, two of them, chasing bison at Yellowstone National Park in 2005. Watching wolves run through a meadow is a sight to behold, agrees Karla Gitlitz, a 35-year-old rancher from Meeteetse, Wyo. Beyond that, she has no kind words for wolves, which she considers ruthless killers. Wolves have spent the night howling within 200 feet of the house she shares with her husband and 15-year-old son. She’s watched them hamstring cows, and she was heartbroken and furious the day she saw two wolves tugging on a yearling’s intestines. Two Westerners who cherish the outdoors. Two starkly different views of wolves/ Becky Kramer , SR. More here.

Question: Which side are you on re: wolves — love ‘em or hate ‘em?