Wolves beat hunters in the recent, hotly contested wolf-coyote derby in Salmon, ID. Wolves eluded participants during the two-day hunt, but 21 coyotes were not so lucky. The absence of wolves killed, however, did not lessen the intensity of the controversy, nor the temperature of the debates. Wolves are a touchy subject, regardless of position; As with most controversial topics, there is plenty of information, but not all of it is accurate. So are wolves predators that destroy livestock and other wildlife, creating devastating losses for ranchers and hunters? Or are they prey? Misunderstood, slandered and victimized only for what comes naturally to the species? Do wolves contribute significantly to the spread of parasites in elk and livestock, and can humans contract these same parasites? Are the wolves found in the mountains of Idaho the same ones that were here before, or are these wolves really different from the ones they replaced? And the biggest question of all: can wolves and humans get along? These are not the same wolves that were here before. This is truly a trick statement, and the answer is not very simple. Yes, these are the same wolves that roamed the mountains of Idaho in large numbers at one point in history, but at the same time, they are not. The reason is that they both belong to the gray wolf species, but different subspecies. The ancient inhabitants were the Northern Rocky Mountain wolves, or Canis lupus irremotus. These wolves are one of the largest subspecies of gray wolves, weighing between 75 and 150 pounds and measuring between 26 and 32 inches. When their numbers dwindled to almost non-existent, their cousins, the McKenzie Valley wolves, were... ... middle of paper ...... it's not just a "kill 'em" stance all” or “let them all run free”. Besides, if wolves were really as dangerous as people make them out to be, they wouldn't do it. It is not as popular as pets; the same goes for coyotes and foxes. And, despite the rhetoric of "the wild animal will take over and it will turn on you", personal experience with these two has proven otherwise. loyal and gentle. Additionally, when it comes to livestock, a pack of untended dogs can do as much, if not more, damage than any wild animal. The truth is that the battle is about more than just the wolves; lack of discussion and understanding between two entities, both strongly convinced of what is right – for themselves, their families, their communities and for the wolves. Given the battle for a wolf and coyote derby, this conversation is far from happening..