Former Bronco Derek Wolfe Discusses Dinner Plans After Hunting Mountain Lion: 'Gonna Eat That Cat'
Former Denver Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe spoke to Fox News' Tucker Carlson about hunting a mountain lion that had been terrorizing a Colorado neighborhood.
As you may recall, residents asked Wolfe to "take care" of the mountain lion, which had killed two dogs and a mule deer.
He did — with a bow and arrow, no less — and while the hunt was perfectly legal and done by the book. Wolfe has faced criticism.
He explained to Carlson how he went about tracking and hunting the big cat.
"In Colorado, you're allowed to use dogs to get these cats treed," he said, before explaining that this was done to ensure that the cat being hunted is a full-grown, male mountain lion.
The reason? Dismantling the animal kingdom's toxic patriarchy.
Kidding. There's a real reason.
"Those full-grown males will kill kittens as well," Wolfe said. "They will kill the kittens to get the female lions to go back into heat. So it's important to manage that herd, right?"
It doesn't take a big cat expert with their ponytail pulled through the back of a khaki-colored ballcap to explain how this would throw the mountain lion population out of whack.
Bob Barker (who is still alive and kicking at 99, by the way. I have to check in to make sure that's still the case from time to time) used to preach the same thing. He was talking about pets, but the principals still apply... except he didn't want them killed, he just wanted... he just wanted them fixed.
...Alright, never mind. Forget I brought up Bob Barker.
This Hunt Was More Difficult Than Any Training Camp
Wolfe played most of his career in Denver, except for the 2020 season which he spent in Baltimore. Still, he says this particular hunt was one of the most difficult he has ever faced.
"I'll tell you, I've been through some tough training camps, brother, but this hunt, man, it beat me up bad."
He said that he was dealing with scratches, scrapes, and full-body cramps, and still had to follow the cat up to 9,600 feet. That's high enough to make breathing an absolute chore. Wolfe said he then took a "good ethical" shot that brought down the mountain lion.
The former Bronco said that he harvested the cat and got out of the area by the book.
"This was completely legal," he said. "CPW (Colorado Parks and Wildlife) came down and checked the cat in for me. I took the meat and got it processed. I'm going to eat that cat."
Yup. You read that correctly, If you're headed to dinner at Casa de Wolfe, I'm going to need a full report. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at least partially intrigued by the idea of some smoked mountain lion.
Wolfe Has Dealt With Harassment Despite The Hunt Being Perfectly Legal
As you might expect, despite Wolfe doing everything to the letter of the law, armchair hunting experts who have probably never set foot in a wooded area have been giving him grief.
"I can't believe what's happened to me," he said "I can't believe that going on a legal hunt, doing something legal, by the book — they've had 200 calls to Colorado Parks and Wildlife trying to turn me in like I did something wrong.
"I did nothing wrong; everything's legal."
Perhaps, unsurprisingly, that hasn't stopped Wolfe from getting harassed.
Carlson explained that he wanted to have Wolfe on his show to highlight for those in urban areas what life can be like for those in rural areas.
"It's different when you live in an area where mountain lions kill people and pets," Carlson said. "It's not like Brooklyn at all, so maybe should understand that before they run around making threats against men like you."
Follow on Twitter: @Matt_Reigle