You can call these hunters cruel, sure, but only in good times. In normal times or worse - 99.9% of mankinds existence - wolves were a severe danger for humans. May that be because they ate animals on a farm or they ate humans themselves. There is a reason why you shouldn't cry wolf without a reason. Even in less wealthy places today, wolves or their human-made counterpart street dogs are a major danger for everything from cats to grown people.
That's why hunters have an important regulation job. But that of course is unpopular just as it is unpopular to keep certain sexual practices illegal (incest!) despite there are treatments for them.
The point is: What if bad times come back? What if we lose the ability to protect us from wolves on a large scale? Wolves would come back and they'd bite us and they won't care that we were nice to them in good times.
That's why wolf hunting is important, very important. If you want to make it a bit nicer: Make hunters shoot with contraceptions.
I completely agree. Wolves should be hunted, but only to an extent. We humans are hunting for sport and the red wolf is endangered of being extinct. People are trapping and killing Collared wolves. Yes, wolf hunting if they become over populated is acceptable. But with the way we do it NOW i feel it is just too much. We could re locate or find a better way, I think killing a beautiful creature should be a last resort.
If Bad times do Happen im sure we as humans can defend ourselves. We manage to shoot up schools and thousands at a concert. I dont see why we wouldnt be able to defend ourselves from a wolf. (: But I defentitly see your view on hunting!