No wolf hunting this year! (?)

[waffentomas]

Did you all see this? I thought this matter was settled... guess not.

http://www.rmef.org/NewsandMedia/NewsReleases/2010/ESAReform.htm

August 6, 2010
RMEF Calls on Congress to Reform Endangered Species Act
MISSOULA, Mont.—The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is calling for immediate Congressional review and reform of the Endangered Species Act following a judge’s decision yesterday to reinstate full federal protection for gray wolves.

The Aug. 5 ruling means state wildlife agencies no longer have authority to manage skyrocketing wolf populations—even in areas where wolf predation is driving cow elk, moose and elk calf survival rates below thresholds needed to sustain herds for the future.

RMEF says the judge has opened a door for perhaps the greatest wildlife management disaster in America since the wanton destruction of bison herds over a century ago.

“When federal statutes and judges actually endorse the annihilation of big game herds, livestock, rural and sporting lifestyles—and possibly even compromise human safety—then clearly the Endangered Species Act as currently written has major flaws,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “We have already begun contacting the Congressional delegations of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming to ask for an immediate review of this travesty—and reform of the legislation that enabled it.”

Allen pointed out an irony, if not an outright error, in the decision issued by U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy.

“Judge Molloy said wolves in the northern Rockies are a single population that cannot be segmented based on political boundaries. But he essentially did that very thing himself, because he considered only the wolf population within the U.S. There are 75,000-plus gray wolves across Canada, yet Judge Molloy stopped at the border and did not consider the entire Rocky Mountain population. The gray wolf is simply not an endangered species,” said Allen.

 

[shaggy430]

This is ridiculous. Bye bye elk population. I always thought that the elk would be more appealing to bunny huggers than wolves. Guess not. Judge Molloy is an idiot.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

Big deal....in Nebraska we have coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, an exploding turkey and quail population, tremendous deer, and pheasants out the wazoo. An ecosystem can balance itself out, if the elk do in fact decline, then so will the wolves.
My family raises cattle, and some loss to predation is the cost of doing business. Its a small price to pay for living in a self balanced ecosystem, rather than one managed strictly to bolster the ungulate population.

 

[OYE]

I didn't see wolves on the Nebraska list. We have all those in Idaho and more too. We'd certainly like you to get a bit more diversified with some Idaho wolves. They should help your family cull out the underachievers from their cattle herd.

 

[wulfhart]

That is the main issue I see. Yes, Wolves would decline once Elk and deer decline, but there is an abundant source of Cattle and sheep. In fact a source that will not decline, because we eat milk and beef. Wolves will continue to grow, being protected by the Endangered species act means you can't shoot them to protect livestock; at least that is the rule for the Mexican wolf here.

I see the trend as Wolf populations go up, Elk populations go down, Wolves move to where there is more food (farms and urban areas), human risk goes up.

I am expecting if this doesn't get overturned somehow, for farmers to start doing the traditional, "Shoot, Shovel, Shut up", whenever they run across a wolf eating their herds.

 

[CoRoMo]

This should not have surprised anyone. There will always be people who elevate an animal's welfare above that of any human's. Unfortunately, a lot of these types have been elected into office and appointed onto courts. This should not have surprised anyone.

 

[shaggy430]

Big deal....in Nebraska we have coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, an exploding turkey and quail population, tremendous deer, and pheasants out the wazoo. An ecosystem can balance itself out, if the elk do in fact decline, then so will the wolves.

Have you been following this issue? If you had, then you would know that the elk population has already been affected tremendously. A coyote and a wolf are a completely different animal. The difference between a pack of coyotes and a pack of wolves is like the difference between a bunch of hippies on scooters and a biker gang on Harleys hopped up on meth.

When the wolves were originally reintroduced, management was supposed to begin once the numbers reached a certain level. This level was attained a few years ago. It is special interest groups in liberal Missoula (the San Francisco of the Northwest) that keep going to the liberal judges and having them stop the hunting season. The hunting season stoppages have no basis in fact, simply judges forcing their own agenda.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

Oh its gotta be those liberals again, agents of death.

Were wolves originally part of this ecosystem?

 

[cleardiddion]

Who kills more?
Legitimate hunters or liberals looking to make themselves feel good?

 

[jleyring]

Its sad that one person has so much power to make such a big dicision. The wolves are getting out of control. They have been spotted in Eastern Oregon now. Moving to find more food. When they started the seasons in Idaho at least, I know that they made lots of money off tags sold. They didnt over hunt them and the wolves are still strong. It helped the population control, and made the state money. Everyone wins.

One important thing about the wolves they reintoduced was that they were not the same breed of wolf. The put Canadian Wolves, which are bigger and more aggresive then the native wolves that inhabited the Northwest. It is a problem when farmers/ranchers cant even try and protect their own livestock, and their property because a small group of hippies thinks that the wolves are all kind and cuddly. That they are equals to humans, that is almost what they do when they try and put these laws to protect them.
I guess it just might have to come down to when the wolves start to go into the bigger cities and start taking pets and small children.

Where I live the cougers are getting out of hand, but because a few people dont want those furry cats to get hurt they make laws that make hunting them difficult and they are coming into the cities and attacking house pets. It is just a matter of time before a small child could get hurt. The wolves will start to do the same thing when there food gets scarse. It is a pretty simple solution with wolves, keep a healthy population but allow each state to regulate them and allow citizens to buy tags and help thin them out so they dont get over populated. That is what they done with deer and elk and the populations have stayed strong enough for decades.

I am expecting if this doesn't get overturned somehow, for farmers to start doing the traditional, "Shoot, Shovel, Shut up", whenever they run across a wolf eating their herds.

 

[Art Eatman]

Enough on the politics, which is about the only thing that is at issue here...