Wolves Target the Weak

One issue that many hunters have with the idea of reintroducing wolves into Maine is the misconception that wolves will kill all of the deer or moose or other prime game species, when in reality, this just isn't so. Wolves are smart, and cunning creatures, so the thought that they would go after the strongest deer when a weak/ sick deer is nearby is a little misunderstood. Because wolves are not ambush predators, they often end up chasing their prey down over long distances, sometimes even going a few miles, before they even get the kill. Would it not make sense to chase a weaker deer, or perhaps an injured deer? 

http://www.worldbook.com/all-creatures/creatures/animal/canines/gray-wolf

For humans, we hunt for the prize deer, taking nothing less than the best, biggest deer with the largest rack. Wolves however are not like us, they don't care how many points the deer has, they don't care what the weight of the deer is, all they want is the food at the end of the hunt. Given these reasons, it would make the most sense for them to attack the weaker animals in the herd, the more vulnerable animals within the herd. They may be injured, sick, old, very young, or even genetically inferior. "Wolves are opportunists, they test their prey, sensing any weakness or vulnerability through visual cues and even hearing and scent." Wolves aren't out to get our prize deer, but over time, the process of killing off the weaker/ sick animals will allow the more capable prey animals to survive and pass on their genes, while also limiting the spread of diseases within the herd. In doing this, better deer in the herd are survived. In a hunters perspective, more prize deer available. Because of this, even some hunters, when knowing the facts, are able to get behind the idea that introducing wolves back into Maine would be beneficial for not only our ecosystem, but for our economy.

http://stuffpoint.com/wolves3/image/3609/wolf-hunting-wallpaper/

https://livingwithwolves.org/how-wolves-hunt/