You wrote: a misguided effort to save big game tour operators' businesses.
That is not entirely true, and I don't know to what degree it is true at all; I did not find much information that supports that 'theory' thus I think it may be made up. The primary reason I have read for removing SOME of the wolves, is for there to be enough game for the people to hunt for food. Wolves predate 90% of the game that is killed, people take about 10%. A wolf consumes about 26 deer each year. I think Alaska loves its wolves, and wants to co-exist with them.
I agree that all animals have no defense against a rifle. However it is ridiculous to call them defenseless animals when they are one of the top predators in Alaska.
I am not an Alaskan citizen and I do not depend on hunting personally, for food. I think it is foolish for any of us to say what they should not do, when we don't live there like they do, and we are just going on our emotions about the cuteness of baby animals and unfamiliarity with a lifestyle that has long depended on hunting to feed the family. Maybe we should call it Anti-Alaskanism or something, because people are trying to promote a legitimacy for a bias against the Republican candidates because they are unfamiliar and 'scared' about the culture of one of them.
Spiders provide valuable service around our homes but most people slap the shit out of them when they find one!
I think animals and especially baby animals are cute too and I also know that farmers and hunters have to make decisions about even their own animals sometimes. Most of us are so far removed from the 'real life' of harvesting and butchering the meat we eat, that we can't handle the reality of it.
Thanks for your thoughtful response.