Hawks Nest in The Wild
July 17, 2010
The feds are finally waking up to the fact the radio receivers they handed out to ranchers just might be linked to the wolves deaths.
Ya think? Lets see, the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area is FOUR MILLION ACRES and the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, where wolves are welcome, is another 1.67 million acres.
That’s the size of THREE YELLOWSTONES. How in the heck does anyone find just 38 wolves in two states if they aren’t tracking their collars? Wake up federal wolf managers. This is a no brainer.
“Environmentalists are pushing the feds – “as a precaution” – to take back the radios loaned to ranchers and others in Arizona and New Mexico that allow the wolves to be tracked.”
Take those radio receivers away from the ranchers. Most of the land in the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area is public land. If ranchers are found responsible, besides prosecuting them to the full extent of the law, start pulling grazing leases!
This is HOME TO A CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES. HELLO!!
It’s not business as usual down there…there are only 38 animals left in the wild, that’s it. The unique genes of every wolf killed is lost forever.
The Hawks Nest alpha female has been left to raise seven pups with just herself and a yearling wolf. That’s all that’s left of the pack. I hope USFWS is feeding this pack or providing them with food because these pups won’t last long. The entire situation is egregious beyond words.
Wolves lives are cheap now. Maybe the poachers were taking a page out of the Northern Rockies play book. They know wolves were slaughtered in the hundreds since their delisting. What’s one more dead wolf to them?
Mexican gray wolves can’t get any protection when they are listed as the most endangered mammal in North America. How pathetic is that?
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Gray wolf shot in AZ; officials probe use of radio tracking
http://azstarnet.com/news/science/environment/article_24e57a2a-492b-5adf-8ed8-d5940a1bc277.html
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“The Humane Society of the U.S. and the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust are offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the party responsible in the shooting death of the Hawks Nest wolf. Coupled with the government’s reward, the total amount offered is now up to $54,500.“
$50,000 REWARD
For information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone illegally killing a Mexican Gray Wolf.
Or transporting Mexican wolf hides or parts.
Contact U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
at any of the following numbers:
(480) 967-7900 [Mesa AZ]
(928) 339-4232 [Alpine, AZ]
(505) 346-7828 [Albuquerque, NM]
Or call your local state Game and Fish office:
Arizona (800) 352-0700 New Mexico (800) 862-9310
POSTED BY PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS & PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS
REPRESENTING MILLIONS OF CONCERNED CITIZENS.
Photo: Courtesy USFWS
Posted in: Mexican gray wolves, Wolf Wars
Tags: Hawks Nest Pack, dead wolf, pups, poachers, reward, radio receivers culprit?
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 
They need to END GRAZING on public lands. This is a horrible situation and the idiots that killed these wolves need to go to prison … for good!!!!
No one gives me such a deal. I have to PAY for my own hay and feed for my animals and yet these ranchers are out there benefiting from our tax dollars and they cannot leave the wolves alone!!! KICK THEM OFF OF PUBLIC LANDS!!!!! They have done enough damage to the wolves and wild horses.
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Catherine….Grazing of our public lands is the single biggest obstacle to wolf recovery and needs to be ended. Many of the ranchers don’t respect the rules, leave cattle carcasses strewn all over the wolf recovery areas and that’s not only in the Southwest but also in the Northern Rockies. Western Watersheds Project is doing a lot of good work in this area.
N.
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Well, if I knew a word the is lower than pathetic,I would use it.They,poachers, are the gum on the bottom of my shoe.
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So true Rita…they are lower then pond scum and that is insulting pond scum.
N.
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Futhermore,I agree with Catherine. KICK THEM OFF PUBLIC LANDS!!!!!
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Absolutely Rita!!
N.
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I thought for awhile now that there was collusion between ranchers and AZ outfitters, that these alpha male killings were an inside job, this does not surprise me at all. I have talked with USFWS law enforcement, they told me that they have concrete leads they are following. I hope they catch these scumbag poachers- i’ll be calling them if they are outfitters! Millions of acres and they are being picked off one at a time! Az fish and game cannot be trusted either!
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I agree William….everybody knows everybody down there AND it wasn’t very long ago that USFWS was killing wolves for agribusiness…in fact USFWS has killed about 151 wolves since they were reintroduced…poachers about 30 plus and I think another 30 plus wolves just disappeared…so how in the heck can you run an endangered species program if the people that are in charge of the wolves were the ones taking them out? Things have changed since they scraped the three strikes rule but it’s no wonder the little population of wolves has been decimated.
N.
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My God what kind of people are they? The number of this Wolfs is so small all the actions must be taken with extreme caution. USFWS must do something fast and all the people who are responsible for this must be in jail for good.
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Vasileios…USFWS has been part of the problem..until recently there was a ‘three strikes rule” that would get the wolves killed if they preyed on three cows. No matter that the ranchers don’t pick up their dead cow carcasses, practice terrible animal husbandry and yet have the nerve to demand wolves killed. USFWS has killed about 151 Mexican Gray wolves since their reintroduction in 1998 for agribusiness, the poachers have killed about 30+.
N.
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Nabeki, I’m truly sorry my brother that I must detatch myself from the “Howling for Justice”, “Wolf Wars”, and other groups of people who say they truly love the timber wolves and the lobos and have said as much since the reintroduction of gray timber wolves into Yellowstone Nat’l Park.
The ranchers and hunters have guns, traps, poisons, aircraft, snowmobiles etc. They are fully prepared and outfitted to conduct their war; whereas all of the wolf groups I’ve ever known about, conduct their shabby defenses with paper and ink. Do you realize that the ink is worth less than the paper petitions and letters are written on?
Need I say more??!!!
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David…I understand your frustration when it seems wolf advocates are only writing letters and emals while wolf haters are holding rallies, giving speeches and getting all the media attention. We are all frustrated and that’s why we created Wolf Warriors to get people out from behind their computers and get out there and visibly protest the brutal policies directed at wolves that are getting them slaughtered. We are so thrilled to be invited to the Jackson Browne concert, we hope to reach many people and in doing so help wolves.
N.
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I am not a violent guy but I too have my limits. I am flabbergasted on how low an individuals hatred will drive them to justify the killing of an animal that is so challenged to begin with. To make matters worse the use of electronic equipment to locate and kill is way beyond my ability to comprehend. I am sure that to some (even this person themselves) this person is a hero….to me they resemble a monster!
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Seriously Marc…It’s getting so bad that sometimes I have to step away from it because it pulls at my heart. I feel so helpless to stop any of this but that’s why we created Wolf Warrior to give wolf advocates a chance to get out there and make a difference.
N.
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Dave ,I’m sorry you feel that way.I can’t fight with guns and the rest of the assorted arsenal.Frankly, I would be stuping down to their level.I live in Indiana. I can’t be where I want to be at times and to be able to show my support for the wolves. Not to long ago there was an anti-wolf rally,but one supporter was there and he felt rather afraid but he said some one has to be a voice for the wolves.I don’t know what wolf groups you refer to but I do not always agree with Defenders. I’ll write to show my displeasure,even if they do not answer me back.These people who live in Montana,Idaho,etc. are not going to change over night.I might not see things change in my life time.I keep trying and hope for the best.It is hard right now anyway. Everyone is trying to keep their heads above water.I will have to keep being the thorn in their sides when I keep writing.I hope they cringe when they see my or other supporters names.I’ll miss reading your comments.Hope you don’t go.
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Rita, things will never change. Just like when the wolves were wiped out in the 30s, we have that same attitude today. There will always be people who support wolves and defend them as they have no voice and than you will always have those people who hate wolves just because they eat elk, moose and deer. I mean what kind of reason is that to despise an animal? Predators for the most part will always be despised by a good # of hunters just because of reduced hunting opportunity for the hunter. I don’t expect this kind of attitude to ever change. To the hunter, it’s always about him.
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Jon..I think someone said it will take two generations for this to change but I agree it will be hard to change attitudes. It starts with the young people but many of them are raised in households that don’t value wildlife, so what are they teaching their children? The thing is it would be nice to change attitudes but that will take generations..the best way to go about this is to have a paradigm shift where predators are no longer managed by state game agencies. Better yet, follow California’s lead..they banned hunting of mountain lions in the state several years ago. That’s what we need to do for wolves.
N.
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Jon, I respectfully disagree with your statement that “things will never change”. In the twenty’s and thirty’s when the first and with the help of pro wolf groups…. only extermination of wolves and other predators occurred. There was almost no support for the wolves so an atrocity occurred on checked. Look around! Pro wolf people like you, I and others talking,emailing, blogging,writing..Organizing!
Although it sure doesn’t feel like it we are making a difference. If “Us” were not here doing what it is we do, do you think for one minute the wolves would be here?
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Marc, what I meant by that is we are always going to have wolf haters. The attitudes of those who wanted and participiated in wiping out the wolves in the 30s is still with us today. You think hunters and ranchers would have changed their attitudes toward wolves over time and understand that wolves are doing nothing wrong, just trying to survive, but no, it is always about them and their wants, but it is the same exact attitude as back then. As sad as this is to say, the only way we can make a difference is through the court system and lawsuits. I do believe more people support wolves than back then, but we still have a lot of wolf haters who would want nothing more than to see the wolves wiped out once again, just so that they can have a surplus of elk and deer running around so they can shoot.
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Jon,you are probably right about the hunters and things might not/won’t change.At one time or another,we all tend to get big egos.Hunters tend to feel their self worth when they dance around with”I’m feeding my family”.It is not like beingin the 30’s when it was hard to fed your family.The Depression was hard on everyone. They have the choice go to the the grocery store and buy meat,but they chose not to.Between me,you and a fence post,if they go on that rant that the elk meat is heathlier than beef I find it hard to beleive. From the the pictures that I saw at the rallies,they all seemed overweight and could lose a few pounds.OF course,without saying,I could lose a few pounds,too.
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The thing is Rita is that hunters still have their elk hunting opportunities as there are still thousands and thousands of elk in their states, but I think the problem lies hunters having to look much harder for elk as wolves are keeping elk on the move all the time. This is 2010 and it is a choice to hunt and kill wild game, not a need for most hunters. Wolves rely on elk for survival, most hunters don’t. It is all about want, not need when it comes to most hunters. There are elk left for hunters, but as I said, I think the problem lies with elk being harder to find for hunters as they are always on the move from wolves and other predators. It’s funny because hunters like to claim themselves as conservationist, but would a true and real conservationist want wolves wiped out or their #s severely reduced just because they are eating other animals in order to survive?
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Jon,Just to add.I don’t know what the future will be or hold for the animals or mankind.For all I know,there could be a bad virus that strikes the deer and the elk and their numbers will fall to the point that no one gets to hunt or see them.I wouldn’t be surprised to hear the excuse that some Canadian elk gave the virus to the American elk.
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Jon,The hunters have a long list of complaints;they pay for their licence to hunt in which they expect plentiful elk,not to mention it help pays for the Fish and Game or Wild life salaries(might be wrong about that,not sure), and the wolves were jammed down their throats in the first place,and the list goes on and on.You know wolves might have and probably would have migrated from Canada on their own,but,like Oregon most likely they would have been shot.Wolves try to feed their families and it is hard.Not every hunt is successful,as you know.I bet alot of wolves haved broken bones and even face death confronting bull elks and buffalo.I can’t remember right now but wolves do not live very long with injuries and sickness.Being shot at doesn’t help,either.And you are right.Wolves need the elk more than the hunters do.We need more wild places not huge cow pastures.People do not like change and might even fear it.That change about the attitude towards wolves and about other things might take along time.However,it might get worse before it will get better. I guess I will have to face it when it comes.Right now I am for the Wild Places and for the Wild Ones.
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They did migrate on their own Rita, some of them anyways, but you know how it goes, hunters will make up any excuse they can to demonize wolves and try to get them out of their states. You heard it all as has everyone else, wolves are much bigger, more aggressive, non native, stalking kids at bus stops, disease spreading etc, but what it comes down to is the reduced hunting opportunity for hunters. That is why wolves are despised by hunters. Wolves are doing nothing wrong at all, but I don’t think hunters are able to see that. they only care about their own wants. Nabeki posted a disturbing but expected youtube video a while back of a hunter’s son and the hunter asked his son, why do we want to kill wolves, the kid answered because they are killing all of the elk and moose. Hunter’s so called love for elk is not sincere. They try to portray themselves as elk lovers, but the fact is they only care about elk if they get to hunt them and they want to be the only ones that are able to hunt them because they feel the elk belong to them since they pay to kill elk. If someone truly cares about wildlife, shoot it with a camera, not a gun. I myself find it disgusting that these hunters want to shoot wolves when wolves are the ones that actually need and depend on elk for survival. Another thing that disgusts me is wolf packs and their social structures will alsi be broken up if hunters are allowed to shoot wolves. Wolves need their parents to teach them how to survive in the wild. You kill the parents, I would say there is a decent chance that smaller wolves might go after livestock as its much easier prey to kill than say a full grown elk. Hunters are the ones causing the problem, not solving it like they claim wolf hunting will do.
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You are right,Jon.Nice talking to you .I will have to catch you tommorrow.It is getting late here and I have to watch my grandson tommorrow.I will have to call it a night.
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It gets just ridiculous their excuses. They enjoy the outdoors, but they just don’t enjoy it enough without a gun in their hands and a trigger itch.
When I was a child, I loved killing ants. Loved it. They may not be the largest of animals but that is not the point, there was still the excitement of killing that I found enjoyable – I guess I could say that I was doing it to prevent people from getting bitten or that I just enjoyed the time spent outside, but that would have all just been a smokescreen for the true reason for killing, which was quite bluntly: entertainment. It was a childish pleasure because I had no value for their lives. Many kids do this. A part of growing up is to let go of this behaviour, learning that everything has a place and no matter what we may think of them, they have a right to exist as much as we do. We would not want to be killed for the pleasure of another so why do it to the rest of the animal kingdom?
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John, you are right that hunters have one ridiculous excuse after another and are willing to beleive some nut that screams the sky is falling or the elk are dropping like flies.Their world,as they know it is falling apart or being threatened.You are right.The part of growning up is to learn and being able to change ones behavior towards nature and with others.Thank you,John,d.for that input or insight.
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Jon, I have read many of your statements….I should have known better and did misunderstand. Sorry about that!
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