Another wolf pack has been slated for execution, this time in Montana. The Mitchell Mountain pack, who roam the Sieben Ranch, north of Helena have a kill order out on them.
The 125,000 acre ranch is owned by the Baucus family and operated by John Baucus, brother of Senator Max Baucus..
This wolf pack will be eliminated for killing a few goats and several guard dogs on the Sieben Ranch between 2008 and 2009. Well this pack didn’t last long. They just formed in 2008.
No word yet on the Mitchell Mountain pack’s demise or when Wildlife Services will strike and gun these wolves down, probably using automatic twelve gauge shotguns. I can’t imagine how terrified the wolves will be or how painful their deaths, being chased from the air, with bullets reigning down on them. I’m sure they will be howling in pain as they suffer and die. This sounds like something that happens in war but this is an action that will be taken against a wolf pack.
The kill order was given by Montana FWP to ….who else…. Wildlife Services. They have the green light to wipe out the remaining members of the pack. Seven members have already been shot dead, including the Alpha female in 08. They also collared a pup in 08, according to Montana FWP 2008 Wolf Report. You see that’s how they find them.
Between Wildlife Services and the wolf hunts, we’ve had almost daily reports of wolf killings in the news.. When is this going to end? Until every last wolf has been eliminated?
The worst thing that can ever happen to a wolf is to wear a radio collar. They are tracked constantly, their every movement watched. I don’t know of any other animal that faces this kind of scrutiny? I wonder if Montana tracked every predator within it’s borders, the way they track wolves, what they would find?
It’s a lose/lose situation for wolves. Wolf packs are relentlessly monitored/harassed, with the states waiting to pounce whenever possible wolf kills occur. Who will be next on the list to die? Maybe we should build a memorial wall with the names of dead wolf packs? We could call it Wolf Wars!
Wolf Pack North of Helena Will Be Killed
http://www.helenair.com/news/local/article_332066a6-e354-11de-a187-001cc4c002e0.html
Posted in: aerial gunning of wolves, Wildlife Services War on Wildlife, Wolf Wars
Tags: wolves in the crossfire, wolf extermination
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Nabeki.I knew it when I saw Salazer with a cowboy hat that it wasn’t gong to be good for any predator.Isn’t he a rancher?
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Rita….yes unfortunately he is a rancher…but ultimately it was Obama that selected him. I don’t understand why he selected him and why he is being silent on the wolf issue. I have to assume he agrees with it.
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I remember something from environmental law class regarding wildlife watchers actually having a legal stand when it comes to cases of abuse… I have to read up on this but it seems the past case history did not set precedent with this concept. Now would be the time to test this again I think. I am being wounded daily by this news of packs being slated to die..
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g…
It seems like abuse to me…abuse of power. The decisions to take out these packs come from the states collaborating with WS. It’s amazing how much wolves are watched, collared, harrassed trapped to be collared etc. This aside from all the killing.
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Email sent to Caroline Sime, MT state wolf coordinator:
“Hello:
On my hike up Waterworks hill today I believe I saw a red helicopter heading Northeast for Helena. I believe that was the Wildlife services helicopter off to go kill the Mitchell Mountain Pack over a goat and some guard dogs. This made me feel incredibly sad. I am writing to inform you that there are people that care about the wolves, not the goat that should have been watched, or guard dogs doing their job (and that was part of the territory for them). The wolf population at this rate won’t be increasing. The wolves should be prioritized.”
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Great letter g…. We all need to write to Sime and let FWP know how we feel about this!! The list of wolves killed that I have on the memorial page is getting longer and longer and that was just 2008. This is so very sad. The wolves need us now more then ever. We have to keep fighting for them, even when things seem so dark!!
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Sad days.This is the sadddest season for me.
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Rita….Did you even imagine WS had taken out so many packs? Along with the hunts, wolves are being hammered from all sides. Just awful.
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“If the wolf is to survive, the wolf haters must be outnumbered. They must be outshouted, out financed, and out voted. Their narrow and biased attitude must be outweighed by an attitude based on an understanding of natural processes.” -L. David Mech
This just needs to be repeated over and over and over.
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g….
You are so right.
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People are cruel. We make their territories smaller and smaller. Yet we slaughter wolves when they are forced to eat our livestock to survive.
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Joy….The states of Idaho and Montana make a big deal about livestock depredations but in fact wolves kill very few livestock. I think last year it was 76 cows and 258 sheep yet 300 wolves were killed. That’s almost one wolf for each sheep or cow. That is not acceptable and wrong. The losses the livestock industry suffers from weather, disease and reproductive issues, even altitude sickness, comprise over 90% of their losses, yet the ranchers like to play victim. They get compensated for wolf kills, they don’t get compensated for all their other losses so it’s in their interest to make a big deal out of it. Livestock depredation is a red herring and an excuse to kill wolves.
Thanks for reading.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Nabeki, that shoot on sight plan, is it really going to happen? So hunters will be allowed to trap wolves and poison them? If this plan goes in place, wolves are fair game for hunters?
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Jon…Many wolf advocates have believed all along that IDFG planned on reducing the wolf population to 500 or even lower. By reading the memo it’s clear they want to reduce the population. Apparently the hunts didn’t kill enough wolves for them, so they are going to use the 10j rule and let Wildlife Services kill wolves. The Idaho legislature is asking the governor to declare a state of emergency, because wolves supposedly have suddenly become a threat to their way of life, which of course is utterly ridiculous. In other words they are doing everything in their power to kill as many wolves as possible. It’s a very serious and sad situation for Idaho’s wolves. People are comparing this latest assault on wolves to the Wyoming plan where essentially they could kill wolves on sight in most of the state. That’s the reason Wyoming wolves are not delisted because so many would be killed it would put them right back on the list. I hope Judge Molloy is watching this play out and rules soon. Idaho is showing their true colors.
N.
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Nabeki, so what if this plan goes thru and Molloy puts the wolves back on the list, will they be safe? If the wolves are relisted, Idaho wouldn’t be able to follow thru with this shoot on sight plan correct? Nabeki, I am disgusted by this. Hunters probably have smiles on their faces right now. It seems that no one is talking about this.
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I am disgusted by Wyoming and it’s plan. Talk about a total lack of regard for an animal’s life. None of those hunters over there should have the power or god given right to take an innocent wolf’s life just because he/sh e can. It sickens me knowing that I can’t do anything about it.
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