Progress! Snowmobiles Aren’t Weapons Act Reintroduced in Congress

A bipartisan group of members of the U.S. House of Representatives has reintroduced the Snowmobiles Aren’t Weapons Act, a critical piece of legislation that would make it illegal to use snowmobiles to intentionally run over and kill wolves and other wild animals on federal public lands.

The bill was inspired by the horrific killing of Hope, a young wolf in Daniel, Wyoming, in 2024. Cody Roberts chased Hope down with a snowmobile, ran her over, and dragged the severely injured wolf to a local bar, where she was tortured before ultimately being killed. The crime, which was captured on video, sparked international outrage and exposed a brutal practice known as “wolf whacking” or “coyote whacking,” in which a small number of individuals use snowmobiles to chase, maim, and kill animals for sport.

Roberts is currently facing felony animal cruelty charges in Wyoming, with his trial scheduled for March 9. His attorney is seeking dismissal of the case, arguing that under Wyoming law, any method of killing predatory animals is permitted unless it is expressly prohibited. Sublette County Attorney Clayton Melinkovich, who is prosecuting the case, has rejected that argument as inapplicable, maintaining that regardless of how Wyoming law treats the killing of predatory animals, state law clearly prohibits the tormenting of wildlife, including predatory species.

Regardless of how the Roberts case is ultimately resolved, it has exposed a disturbing reality. In most of the United States, there are no laws that prohibit people from using snowmobiles to intentionally chase down and run over wild animals. As a result, the acts of pursuing, striking, and maiming animals with motor vehicles are often legal, even though they violate the stated hunting principle of “fair chase.”

Wildlife across the United States deserve protection from this extreme and unnecessary cruelty. The Snowmobiles Aren’t Weapons Act would establish a clear federal prohibition on this practice on public lands in all 50 states and send a clear message that motor vehicles are not weapons and wildlife is not target practice.

That is why passing this bill is so urgent. If you haven’t already, please join more than 7,000 members of this community in calling on Congress to pass the Snowmobiles Aren’t Weapons Act and put an end to this violent practice once and for all.