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Wolves unfairly targeted for predator control
In reference to the article in the Oct. 24 edition of the Clarion regarding the proposal to allow aerial wolf hunting on the Kenai Peninsula and in response to today’s readers’ poll, it appears that a relatively innocent wild species will suffer unfairly because of the political cowardice of the Board of Fish and Game and our governor.
In this case, wolves will be singled out for aerial slaughter while the real killers — bears, poachers and excessive hunting rules escape untouched. Statistics show that wolves are responsible for a mere 6 percent of moose kills while bears are responsible for up to 50 percent. Hunters, both legal and illegal, and car collisions account for the rest of the mortality. Should wolves, an intelligent and irrationally maligned species be made the scapegoat so that the Board and Administration can claim that “the state is doing something”?
Perhaps an even more important question is whether the Kenai Peninsula and, in fact, the rest of Alaska should be managed as a wild game farm for hunters and wealth-privileged clients of big game guides. I have done my share of fishing and hunting for food but I believe that Alaska’s wildlife resources should be managed for the broadest possible enjoyment of all of our citizenry — including the ever growing number of those participating in wildlife viewing and photography and with the simple knowledge that our fellow beings can coexist with us in their natural state in the beautiful environment of the Kenai Peninsula.
Photo: Courtesy Friends of Animals
Posted in: Wolf Wars, Alaska Wolves
Tags: scapegoating wolves, wolf persecution, Alaska Peninsula
Boulder White Clouds Council
Exposing The Big Game
Footloose Montana
Friends of the Clearwater
Lockwood Animal Rescue Center
Louise du Toit
LUPUSLAETUS
Mercy For Animals
Northern Idaho Wolf Alliance (NIWA)
Predator Friendly®- Because Wildlife Matters
Project Coyote
Project: Wolf
The Nature Conservancy
The Ravensong Group
WildEarth Guardians
Wisconsin Wildlife Ethic-Vote Our Wildlife
Wolf And Wildlife Studies: Jay Mallonee (Independent Wolf Biologist)
Wolf Song of Alaska
Wolves in english ! Les loups en anglais !
WWP's Gray Wolf Page
Yellowstone To Yukon Conservation Initiative
Howling For Justice 
“If you shoot wolves to save elk, then you shoot the elk, you’re either crazy or you’re in Idaho.”
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“If you shoot wolves to save elk, then you shoot the elk, you’re either crazy or in Montana”. Pretty much works for the entire Northern Rockies. That’s a great slogan from Friends of Animals.
Overturning hundreds of years of dogma is a tough job for wolf advocates.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Yes Ann. Most of them are completely crazy!!! No question about that…
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And you can damn well bet that Sarah Palin is there at the head of the lynch mob with her sawed off shot gun or whatever it takes. Even killing pups with her bare hands makes her happy. She one sick chick. At one time I moved (drove) from NY to Alaska, 6 cats, 2 huge dogs in tow. When I got there everything was quiet. I didn’t hear anything about wolf killings for 3 years. Now I’m back. Now it starts. I fought this murdering phase in Alaska for over 40 years. The damn state is a little larger than a postage stamp. There is room enough for all. One thing you have to realize..these are all hunters…mentality..zero. Just up behind me, a bear took down a moose and ate it right there in someone’s driveway. The wolf is not a predator to anything near man. He’s not stupid. The only reason a wolf would take down a farm animal like a lamb is because these gun toting morons have killed most of the wolf family, therefore they don’t have enough in the pack to go after elk, moose, bison. If only a few, and only to survive, would they ever chance going near a farm…..and you know who is to blame for any such incident. The morons!
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Last time we stopped the slaughter by boycotting Alaska. Time to Boycott it again. NO travel…No cruise ships, No products. We have to starve them to death.
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I agree with Anne – A BIG BOYCOTT is in order for Alaska.
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YES ramses!!
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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In January Janez Potočnik European Commissioner for Environment claimed Sweden’s wolf hunt violated an EU directive that protects endangered species and asked the Swedes to end their wolf hunt. It was the first wolf hunt in fourty years. It’s no wonder there are Danish speakers writing to this blog. Who can you talk to when you discover your neighbour hates wolves?The population will be as divided there as it is here.
“The actions of the Swedish authorities leave me with little choice other than to propose to the commission that it begin formal proceedings against Sweden for breach of EU law.” J.P. Last August,
after eight months, facing legal action by the European Union, Swedish environment minister Andreas Carlgren stopped the hunt. The gray wolves will be in court a week from now. The letter is taking time. When I feel discouraged I think about the ongoing nature of the fight and about the millions of North Americans, there must be millions, who want them to be safe from hunters, to live in freedom. Disapprobation and boycotts from the EU would help. A few more days til this letter of mine is ready for reviewers and will it make any impact? In addition to donors and a few writers Potočnik will receive a copy. No one person can save the wolves. Many people can. Which is why you run this website.
CMM
For the Wolves
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danich. jeg ville foreslå at alle ulve-elsker samler deres underskrifter sammen, i hele verden–kopi- af dem, så vi kan blive milioner der stemmer for ulv. Jeg har virkeligt skrevet til anti-ulve-hader + eu, men intet hørt. NU skal der gøres noget , hvem har den bedste løsning, så det giver pemanent-EFEKT-så vi høres-der elsker ulve. MIT hjerte græder for ulve. sender min underskrift hver dag, til de organitationer- jeg er medlem af.
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http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/?getpage=22
I would appreciate this site being checked out as they are using the Superman logo from DC Comics for Idaho’s super hunt. If I’m correct, a children’s super hero has no place in the advertising to kill wolves or any other wildlife. This sends a very twisted message to any child who comes across it. I’ve already written to DC Comics in case they’re unaware of its being used. Would someone please let me know what’s up with this? Thanks.
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Diana… I’m checking into this, apparently they’ve been doing this since 2004. Unbelievable.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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I lived in Anchorage from 2002-2010 and am a first hand witness of the Murkowski/Palin “Kill Baby Kill” Wildlife Management Plan. In 2002, we had 1200 wolves on the Mainland and Gov. Murkowski said that it was too many. When traditional hunters could not bait, poison, trap, or shoot wolves fast enough, the governor authorized “Aerial Shooting”.
As a member of the Alaska Branch of Defenders of Wildlife, I stood outside in the worst weather for hours getting signatures on petitions to try to stop the aerial hunting. With the Alaska Alliance and Defenders, I attended 3 Board of Game Meetings to try to stop the wolf hunt. The members of the board were all “pro-wolf hunters” and owners of hunting lodges. They had natives testify that they were suffering because of loss of caribou demanding that all the wolves be killed. One native man weighing at least 300 lbs. said that his family was starving because of wolf depredation. One board member asked the man if he could buy meat at the Safeway Store in his village. His reply was, “Yes, but we prefer the taste of caribou.” Some hunting groups testified that they wanted ALL PREDATORS removed from Alaska so that there would be a lot of game (as was done in Sweden). One wise native gentleman, testified that his village was struggling because the few caribou left were sickly and diseased. When the wolves and other predators were killed in northwest Alaska (12 years ago) there was an abundance of game for awhile, then the moose and caribou ate up all the vegetation and left barren, grassy plains. Now there is not enough food for the remaining animals. His village now has to rely on a fish diet for survival.
When Sarah Palin became governor, she escalated the Murkowski Plan and authorized microdarting wolves from airplanes and chasing packs down on 4-wheelers and snowmobiles. There were photos on TV of planes flying out 2-4 dead wolves at a time and a huge mound of dead wolves piled on the ground. That was not enough killing for Sarah Palin. Before I moved from Alaska in 2010, there were less than 300 wolves left and she authorized the gassing of wolves and wolf pups in their dens.
It does not surprise me that they plan to kill the Kenai wolves. Alaska tourism has been suffering for a long time and the hunting lodges are losing money. It is all about money and greed and the beautiful Alaskan wolves are being victimized by politicians to satisfy the needs of special interest groups.
Toni A. Stark
Truth About Wolves
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Toni, What a sad,sad, story. I can’t stand Palin – she is one dumb bitch.
“We prefer the taste of caribou.” ???? Well mister “I prefer the taste of caribou, get a fucking clue – I’m sure you know when you kill off a TOP PREDATOR your gonna have troubles. If he is a native American Indian or Eskimo he should know this. Low & behold, they got their wish …… no more wolves. Look what happened.
I’m going to theorize here for a moment …. I probably think those folks got paid to say what they said @ that meeting. Anything to fuck the Pro-Wolf folks. Greed, greed, greed & MORE hate.
How horrific to shot any animal, but to shoot it from a plane or chase it down on a 4-wheeler. People like that make me sick to my stomach.
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Toni…that is so awful. I remember when Murkowski was governor. Alaska has a long history of killing wolves. And what can I say about Palin that hasn’t already been said. Thank god she didn’t choose to run for President. I can’t even imagine that nightmare.
Alaska is so arrogant in their wolf killing, they have many wolves to be sure but only because the state is so vast. The population can’t take that kind of beating and continue to thrive.
Thanks for sharing your insights on Alaska’s brutal treatment of their wolves. The people have voted several times to stop aerial gunning but it keeps raising it’s ugly head. Apparently there is a shelf life to initiatives and then the process starts all over again. They don’t spare the bears either.
These people don’t care about trophic cascades or the value of predators. They want them gone and don’t understand they are destroying the best and the biggest animals, leaving the “small and the scrawny” to breed. Somehow we have to take back our wild places and wildlife. They are being slaughtered for money and greed.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Nabeki, If the people vote to NOT hunt wolves & they continue to do it ……. isn’t there some way someone can appeal that. I have read that also, where a lot of folks in Alaska do NOT want those hunts to go on & yet they continue it. I know it’s about greed & the thrill for the kill, but there seem to be more NOTS than WANTS.
I just don’t understand why people keep getting away (GOP) with doing what ever the hell they want around this country, & with mine & your tax $$$$$’s.
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Thank you, as always, for the incredible work you do, and for the ongoing education about this tragic state of affairs. The word used here in this comment thread, “dogma,” is an accurate one. Entrenched thinking, ignorance and a powerful PR machine make for a lethal brew of factual inaccuracies and cruel outcomes.
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I thought that the Kenai Peninsula Gray Wolf was extinct…
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Today I read The Land Ethic. I was working on this letter and happy to find some new posts, to read of other people’s concern albeit sad reading. I hope I understand better what a letter should try to do. It is the work of the wolves to tend to the Elk, not man’s. Hunting for sport in Yellowstone must be outlawed. People may hunt for food but not with a bow, not with traps or snares.Firing on animals from aircraft must be prohibited.Taking an animal for sport in Yellowstone must be made a fellony.Yellowstone is heritage land. I wrote to a woman author and donor at her publisher’s site. I received a reply online, an address where I may send a personal letter.
Today the wolves go to court. Soon I will know if my dream was only a dream or of the future.
For the wolves.
CMM
SIOUX PRAYER
Grandfather Great Spirit All Over The World
The Faces Of Living Things Are Alike.
With Tenderness They Have Come Up Out Of The Ground
Look Upon Your Children That They may Face The Winds
And Walk the Good Road to The Day Of Quiet.
Grandfather Great Spirit
Fill Us With Light.
Give Us The Strength To Understand And The Eyes To See
Teach Us To Walk The Soft Earth As Relatives
To All That Live.
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Our poor wolves. Is there no end to the persecution?
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I have realized that so many of our planets magnificent creatures are being wipe-out by man, that it is almost impossible to choose. I wonder how many creatures and plants become extinct before we even know that they existed. I think we must try and unite all wolf lovers and recruit those that don’t really think of the consequences of destroying a species. I have not had much luck converting my friends and family into action. Thank you for your Howling for Justice.
PS. I have a photograph on Facebook, but it has not been picked up here, and when I think the hunters of wolves are the demons of our world, along with poachers of Rhino and Tigers, I would like then to see that I am not hiding from them. That I am a real person!
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