Ulrok the Rottweiler adopts wolf pup Beldaran
Breath a sigh of relief and HOWL for joy Wolf Warriors….wolves will NOT be subjected to the brutal hunts in Montana and Idaho.
Judge Molloy has relisted wolves in the Northern Rockies.!!
It doesn’t mean the battle is over but it’s a major victory for wolves. Now we can concentrate on pushing the Center for Biological Diversity’s national wolf recovery plan.
Let’s savor this victory for wolves, We know the decision will likely be appealed to the Ninth Circuit but for now wolves are safe from the bloody, disgusting, unnecessary, wolf hunts!!
HOWWWWWWWWWWL
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READ JUDGE MOLLOY’S DECISION….CLICK HERE
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Judge puts wolves back on endangered species list, hunts halted
Photos: Courtesy Barry Bland, Barcroft Media
Posted in: gray wolf/canis lupus, H0wling for Justice
Tags: Judge Molloy, Victory, gray wolves relisted, no wolf hunts, ESA
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 
oh my goodness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So happy!!!!
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This is wonderful news catherine!!
For the newly relisted gray wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Yes, Nabeki!!!! Now, someone has to convince the alaskans to cease their murdering ways!!!! This is just so wonderful!! I am going to write and thank the judge:)
catherine
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I literally cried when I heard the good news. I’m getting so many emails from my friends and family sending me links to stories about the relisting. It is amazing news. To know that wolves won’t have to face bullets, arrows, and who knows what is beyond words. It is just such a relief. I’m going to definitely send Judge Molloy a huge thank you letter.
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Katie…I’m right there with you….tears of joy. The brutal hunts have been stopped. We should savor the victory today!!
For the newly relisted gray wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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You must be real happy right now Nabeki. We all are. Let’s hope things change for the better from hear on out! 🙂
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Hi Jon,
I’m so happy…so many wolves have been saved from the bullets, arrows and traps that would have befallen them. This is such wonderful news. The only fly in the ointment is it was a narrow ruling based on Wyoming. I haven’t read the full fifty page decision but it looks like Judge Molloy ruled soley on Wyoming. But I’m not gong to worry about that today, today I’m gong to savor this victory for wolves and all we’ve worked for!!
For the newly relisted gray wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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OMG, I have tears of happiness!! As you say, the battle is not over, but it goes a long way in saving our wolves!! So very, very grateful to Judge Molloy. You were right Nabeki, you said you thought that he would, and that was what gave me a little hope. He is obviously a fair man. However, we still cannot let up on Salazar.
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This the best news possible SCWG…..the wolves have been saved from the brutal hunts!! Onward Wolf Warriors
For the newly relisted gray wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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I slept so well last night and I know this was the reason!! I am going to write to Judge Molloy to thank him for standing up for our wolves. Thank again Nabeki for all you do to keep us wolf advocates informed. BTW, how the the Jackson Browne concert in Bozeman go?
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Hi SCWG…..I feel the same way. I was thinking, Montana FWP no longer has control of the wolves neither does Idaho…what a great feeling. I hope it lasts but for now they are safe from the hunts.
The Jackson Browne concert went really well, I didn’t go because I had a pet that was very sick but the other members went and they enjoyed it. It was our first outing and there are a few more scheduled for autumn. Not sure on the details yet but I’ll announce them when I know.
And a big HOWL for all my wonderful readers like you, who care for wolves and fight for them. The wolves finally had their day yesterday.
For the newly relisted gray wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Can you believe it Rita? How awesome. Thank you Judge Molloy!!
For the newly relisted gray wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Thank God for this decision. Maybe this will lead to bigger and better things for our wolf friends. This is truly great news.
The baby wolf with the Rottweiler is too cute for words.
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Don’t you just love those two Janet? I think they are the perfect pair to announce this tremedous news!!
For the newly relisted gray wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Good.
Just because some people threaten to poach if they don’t get to hunt wolves (that, my friends, is terrorism) is no reason for allowing the hunts to go forward. If anyone tries to or does poach, throw the book at them, throw it so hard that when they go down: they STAY down.
Oh look I used the ‘T’ word… Ugh! I feel dirty.
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John…they can threaten but they like to talk big. I’m so relieved Judge Molloy finally ruled, I was geting worried because the hunts were due to start in September. This is a great day for wolves.
For the newly relisted gray wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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‘Ode to Joy’ by Beethoven seems appropriate at this time.
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Great choice John. It’s been a long time since we’ve had anything to celebrate. What a great day.
N.
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This is fabulous and wonderful news. I am relieved. And the wolf puppy and the Rottweiler is just too cute and precious. Let’s hope this decision leads to bigger and better things for the wolf population across this country.
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This made my day!!!YAAAYYYYY! HOOOOOOOOOWWWWLLSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!
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Wow, Iam sooo glad I hope it stays that way. I remember Limpy and when they shot him .. He was one of the first shot.. What a shame.. At least I hope the shooting of Wolves will STOP… WOLVES ARE AN ENGINE OF EVOLUTION..
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This is great news. Enforce the law, arrest the poachers. Strip the 10j rule. Call the white house and tell him that we want it to be a felony to kill an Endangered wolf in the rockies, in the southwest, everywhere. We will prevail. Now we have to scrutinize Wildlife Services so they know we are watching their every move! To all that called Gov Richardson to make him act remember activism works. Stanley Young is dead! Wolves have plenty of allies
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Hey William, haven’t seen you over Ralph’s blog in a while. Hope everything is alright with you man.
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jON-
aPPARENTLY MY VIEWS ARE A LITTLE TOO LIBERAL FOR SOME PEOPLE. i WOULD CONSIDER MYSELF TO BE A LITTLE MORE ENLIGHTENED ON wILDLIFE ISSUES, AND i HAVEN’T QUITE FIGURED OUT WHY PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY DO IN THE WEST!
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Well said William!!
For the newly relisted gray wolves,
Nabeki
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OMG! So very happy to hear this!!!! 😀
Here is a song treat from the wild ones! Stay Free 4 ever!!!
* HOWL* AutoTuned: Wolves” ( http://bit.ly/cO4k0f )
*HOWLS*♥♥♥
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Isn’t this great crystalwolf?
I love the video, I’m going to add it to the post.
For the newly relisted gray wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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What wonderful wonderful news. The best News I have heard in a long time!! We know it will not be an easy road because it hasn’t been But anything worth having in this world has never been an easy accomplishment. But we still need to celebrate! Thank you Judge malloy for justifying that wolves deserve a better chance to survive in this world than we have given them so far!!
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Judith….after so many month of bad news this is like a breath of fresh air. I know they’ll be appealing to the Ninth circuit but I think Judge Molloy’s decision is on firm legal ground. Today I’m not going to worry about what the other side is going to do but just enjoy this victory for wolves. They won’t have to endure the brutal hunts that were planned for them, mere weeks away. Now that has all been halted. I hope the wolf recovery plan will be rewritten and follow the lead of the Center for Biological Diversity, who have called for a national wolf recovery plan. This is truly a wonderful day.
For the newly relisted gray wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Hallelujah!! Hope reigns again! Thanks you for all who fight this fight!
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The wolves won the day on August 5th!!
For the newly reslisted gray wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Nabeki, although this is a victory, you already have hunters out there like Toby Bridges pledging to shoot any wolves they see this come fall and winter.
Private outrage began filtering in well before any of us had our morning coffee. Tony Bridges with the Missoula-based anti-wolf blog Lobo Watch had the following to say:
“If Molloy, or any of these environmental organizations, think for a second that the decision of someone who is totally out of touch with modern wildlife management will keep hunters from killing wolves this fall and winter, they need to think again. In fact, the anger provoked by this ego-driven judge will more than likely result in the death of far more wolves than the quotas established by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Any wolf that now steps out in front of any hunter this fall is very likely to be shot…and left to rot.”
http://missoulanews.bigskypress.com/IndyBlog/archives/2010/08/06/more-reactions-on-molloys-wolf-ruling-updated
Maybe they are just bluffing and just angry at the moment and aren’t really being serious, but I can’t help to think that there may be those who actually go thru with their threats to illegally kill wolves. These people have no shame. They are against poachers supposedly, but wouldn’t hesitate to turn poacher if they got the chance to shoot wolves dead illegally. Hypocrites.
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Jon…I think Toby Bridges likes to talk big but if he’s encouraging people to kill wolves he better think again. Wolves are relisted and it’s a federal crime to kill one. Personally I think he’s doing this for attention and to promote his business. I’m not worried about him, he can’t stop talking, it’s the people that are keeping silent and carrying out SSS. The other problem is I don’t think USFWS holds a wolves’ life in high esteem and so I ask myself will they actively go after poachers? How many wolves are lying in freezers waiting for a necropsy, long after the people that killed them are gone. Poachers are killing Mexican gray wolves, the most endangered mammal in North America. Has USFWS arrested one person?
Wildllife Services was killing puppies in Wyoming where wolves were still listed under ESA. USFWS was in charge of the Wyoming wolves when that was happening. USFWS are the ones that wanted wolves delisted in the Northern Rockies in the first place and started this entire mess, so I do not have high confidence in them at all.
It’s a bad situation but not anywhere as bad as two wolf hunts with archery, trapping, baiting and calling. Wolves won a victory yesterday but as you’re pointing out they are still not out of danger because of Wildlife (Dis)Service and poachers. Still thank god the hunts have been stopped. As Lynne Stone said, now the little wolf pups will be able to see the leaves turn in autumn and experience snow. It’s not a perfect victory but I’ll take it.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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I dont smile as often as I use to…Its been over a year since I felt real good about myself and the wolf issue. Just kept me feeling down. Thinking one day soon the tide will change. OMG!!! It has finally changed! In the last 48 hours I am smiling and feeling real good about myself and fellow Wolf Warriors Friends. A big Thanks for the work, letters, prayers and stress we all dealt with daily because we care!
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Right on Marc!! It feels like a weight has been lifted from my soul. We all worked really hard this past year and now we have a huge victory. I want to savor it and not worry too much what the other side is going to do. That doesn’t mean I won’t be reporting what’s going on or put my head in the sand. There are bad people out there that want to hurt wolves but wolves are much better off today then they were before Judge Molloy’s ruling.
N.
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I echo the sentiments of everyone else here: It’s the best news I’ve had all year. I haven’t felt any semblance of peace since the delisting — understanding the repercussions and outcomes. It was incredible to get the news in my mailbox yesterday. Thank you for the beautiful work you do.
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Hi Ingrid,
The news is still sinking in for me. The fact Montana FWP and IDFG isn’t “managing” wolves anymore and the hunts are cancelled. All I can say is thank you Judge Molloy and Earthjustice!!
For the newly relisted gray wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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I Cant stop smiling i cant stop laugh and i cant stop dreaming the day that Wolfs would be totally free. Dear Nabeki i believe in that more and more every each day. Today i will sleep so peaceful knowing my Brothers and Sisters will be run safe.
Well done Wolf Warriors well done..
Dear God thank you.
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Hi Vasileios…thank you for the very kind words. We did work hard for wolves this past year and so many others did as well. It was a collective effort….all the great people that visit my blog and cared enough to stick with it through the horrible year as wolves were being slaughtered.
The good feeling of knowing wolves will be safe from the hunts is priceless. The wolves deserve this and all their supporters do as well.
HOWLS
Nabeki
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Yesssssssssss We Winnnnnnnnnnnn
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Everyone really needs to read this.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67503V20100806?type=domesticNews
Idaho seeks to kill hundreds of protected wolves
By Laura Zuckerman
SALMON | Fri Aug 6, 2010 5:50pm EDT
Idaho (Reuters) – Idaho game officials said on Friday they would seek federal approval to kill off hundreds of wolves in their state despite a court ruling that restored protection of the animals under the Endangered Species Act.
In a conference call with reporters, Idaho Fish and Game officials said they remained determined to carry out a plan, nixed by Thursday’s court ruling, that calls for reducing Idaho’s wolf population by over 40 percent, to 500 from 845.
One wolf pack in particular, a group of 100 animals in northern Idaho, is targeted for reduction by 80 percent.
Montana, the second of two states where the gray wolf was ordered returned to the federal endangered species list, is likely to follow Idaho’s lead in seeking permission to thin its wolf packs through licensed sport hunting or government squads of aerial gunners.
Hunting of listed animals for sport is generally forbidden under the Endangered Species Act. But the two states would presumably seek special permits under the statute to allow for limited hunting or culling of wolf packs.
Powerful ranching interests in both states opposed reintroduction of wolves to the region 15 years ago and have continued to resist federal protection of the animals as a threat to livestock. Sportsmen complain wolves are killing too many big-game animals, like elk, that could be hunted instead.
“Our concern is … we do have livestock depredations … and we have problems with elk herds,” said Idaho Department of Fish and Game Deputy Director Jim Unsworth.
A federal judge in Missoula, Montana, on Thursday sided with conservation groups in ordering the entire Northern Rocky Mountain population of gray wolves re-listed as endangered.
That ruling overturned an April 2009 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decision that had lifted federal wolf protections in Idaho and Montana but kept them in place in Wyoming.
At last count, in December 2009, the gray wolf population in the Northern Rockies, including Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding region, was estimated at 1,700 animals.
Environmentalists say the region’s wolf population would have to reach between 2,000 and 3,000 individuals in order to be considered viable by international standards.
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Jon…..This is awful news but right now they are talking big. They can’t just start shooting wolves that are protected under ESA, what will be there reason. The study that came out concerning elk in Idaho shows wolves are not to blame for any major elk declines. We know wolves kill very few livestock so what excuse are they going to use?
I know Montana was talking about circumventing ESA by allowing sports hunters to kill off wolves for agribusiness in lieu of or with Wildlife Services. Pretty much tells you what this is all about. Judge Molloy said it and it’s true, wolves were delisted because of political pressure and now the so called “responsible states” are saying they are going to get around ESA and start killing off hundreds of wolves? We can’t even have one day of happiness before they start spewing this garbage? They are a disgrace and it proves they just want to kill wolves, it has nothing to do with science, elk or cows. It has everything to do with pleasing their base, which are hunters and ranchers. Absolutely disgusting. We will be fighting this for sure.
N.
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I am not sure how much weight you may want to place on what I am about to say. Some 3 or 4 months ago I caught wind of what Jon has mentioned above. Kill wolves and circumvent the ESA. At that time I was on speaking terms With Derek Goldman a somewhat unmotivated, shallow thinking representative of Western Wolf Coalition here in Missoula. This is a spin off of Defenders. I sent him and email about the hunt going on in one form or another. He called me a short time later and asked me to explain in more detail. (I think I also sent him some emails from Mike Thompson MtFW&P employee) This I did and was told by Derek he was going to contact Attorney Doug Honnold (Earthjustice)and get his thoughts and opinion on this information. A short time later I received a call from Derek and he told me this. Doug was confident that this would not and could not happen. He also mentioned …. and if you give it some thought it makes sense, that if they (MT FW&P w/ Idaho Fish & Game) would have been able to implement such an option this action would have taken place long ago!
Food for thought!
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Actually Marc, it was Jerry Black who mentioned to us that Montana fwp is trying to circumvent the esa in order to kill wolves.
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Excelllent Mark. I remember we discussed this months ago, after you learned about it, that Montana FWP would try to circumvent the ESA by allowing sports hunters to kill wolves either with Wildlife (Dis)Service or without. I was struck by the awfulness and meaness of the plan. It certainly shoots down their theory they are killing wolves because of livestock or elk. I mean how desperate do you have to be to go to these lengths to kill wolves? They must be getting thousands of phone calls from upset hunters who are beside themselves because the hunts have been cancelled. Just so everyone is clear, as you said, they dreamed this up a couple of months ago in anticipation Judge Molloy would relist wolves. I also think they know they have little chance of winning on appeal to the Ninth Circuit. I read Judge Molloy’s decision and although I’m not an attorney, it is very sound and on firm ground.
Thank you for following up on this with Doug. I think he would know if this would fly or not and like he said if they could have done it they already would have.
N.
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Jon, Jerry and I sat together at the same FW&P meeting (DoubleTree In Missoula) where it was announced by Liz Bradley & Mike Thompson quickly and quietly as possible that this was an option they were considering should Molloy rule against them….Jerry and I looked at each other as if to say “Did I hear what I just think I did?!!!! Several days later I spoke with Goldman. The rest is detailed above. Bottom line is these folks are not going to give up. If someone see’s this as something other then war they are sadly mistaken!
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Or Government squads of aerial gunners? How do you suppose the FEDS will protect wolves under the ESA and allow hit squads to cull them- does that mAKE SENSE TO YOU? The ESA will be enforced- too bad for Idaho. Can I make a suggestion to people worried about what the Toby Bridges and Scott Rockholms think of this ruling- these people are mentally unstable, let them flap their mouths with all their tough talk -they are nothing more than Poachers and cowards! In the meantime we should call the Rocky Mountain ElK Foundation as i did today, and congressman Chet Edwards from TEXAS and voice our amusement to their ridiculous claims they made today! I don’t know where these people come from but they need some type of medication for the voices they hear!
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Chet Edwards, what a worthless scumbag he is. Thanks for bringing him up. Everyone on here should know what this man is trying to do.
http://thatsmycongress.com/index.php/2010/08/03/chet-edwards-seeks-loophole-for-killing-wolves/
Here is what one hunter said about wolves. I am sure some of you might have seen this guy’s name around on some wolf blog or some comment section that had to do with wolves.
Chuck Feney said on: August 6, 2010, 1:16 pm
It’s time to take some action.
Molloy has rejected controlled scientific game management, so let’s show these punks the alternative.
SSS, but better yet, gut shoot the whole pack. A wound is as good as a kill. Never inspect the shot, just keep shooting and keep moving.
Sweeten all gut piles and carcasses with Xylitol – the artificial sweetener that is lethal to canines specifically.
About 10 grams per 100 lb of wolf.
Scatter parvo / distemper feces from infected dogs near den sights.
Dogs that howl and whine (husky types) can be staked out and are sure fire bait – irresistible to wolves.
Learn to use Gregerson snares – cheap to make and deadly for coyotes.
http://www.pdksnares.com/snares.html
Of course, follow all Just laws. BUT
Don’t ever talk to cops or any type of game warden or enviros. Ever. Remember, angry wives and girlfriends always talk. Always.
Don’t Talk to Cops, Part 1
Always request a jury trial. No jury in Montana will convict for a wolf kill.
Remember, a juror has the right and the obligation to judge both the facts and the law of the case!
http://fija.org/
It’s a sad day that we’ve come to, but our grandfathers had to eliminate these wolves, and now it’s our turn.
Shoot straight and keep shooting.
The hatred these people have for wolves is mind boggling at times. I think there is something wrong with these people. They are supposed to be against poachers, but have no problem turning into one just to kill some wolves. These people are hypcroties and fake conservationists. All they care about is conserving elk,deer, and moose just so they can shoot them. They care very little about predators and if they had their way, wolves would be exterminated.
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They keep saying that there was some justifiable reason for exterminating the wolf last century, that their grandparents were wise to kill them.
Ok if their grandparents were so smart and things should return to the way they were in those days: let’s bring back segregation laws, heck, why not pull out all the stops and re-establish the American slave trade? While we are at it: put women back into the kitchens never to enjoy the light of day after marriage nor provide their family with an equal wage income or get a decent education. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, or in this case the nut.
European hunting did considerable damage to the ecosystem as commercial hunting does today. That chapter in history is nothing to be proud of.
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So true John. European settlers started the war against wolves a long time ago because they brought European farming methods to America. Europe was devoid of most of their carnivores, they had been wiped out. So the settlers began to kill off America’s predators BUT they also killed of the prey animals. The wolves prey base of deer, elk and moose were decimated. Some wolves turned to cattle (the new buffalo) and that’s when the war began and it has waged ever since. Eventually it wasn’t even about cattle. it was about dominion and conquering something that was competing directly with them. They were on a mission, that’s where Manifest Destiny rears it’s ugly head and well we saw how that worked out for the Native Americans, who by the way were able to live in harmony with wolves, bears and mountain lions. The Cheyenne believed in the circle of life, that everything is interconnected, the early version of trophic cascades. Apparently the settlers didn’t buy into that and here we are hundreds of years later still fighting this battle one more time. People who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it, so the quote goes. It certainly applies here.
N.
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The 2 states MT AND id have already showed us their true colors John and what their agendas are. They want to reduce wolf #s anywhere possible and as much as possible even when a federal judge gave protection back to wolves. Wolves are one of the most persecuted animals on the planet.
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Do these people EVER stop to consider what happens when you mess with the Balance?
Any social animal, with a strong sense of family – when the family unit is destroyed, the first instinct is to reproduce as quickly as possible to fill the vacuum left behind. Without the structure of the family unit, without ‘old knowledge’, you are left with packs (or herds) of animals less likely to be cautious, less likely to respect boundaries because they have to make it up as they go along.
I remember a number of years ago, Los Angeles County decided the best course of action to ‘control’ Coyotes was to poison them out of existence. The Coyotes responded by tripling their numbers, giving birth to a generation of fearless, disrespectful city patrolers, who take what they want.
I’m not saying a generation of Wolves with no heritage would necessarily become city dwellers but I am saying Wolves do their best work when left ALONE. In times of plenty & times of want, Wolves self-regulate.
And it comes as no surprise – Wolf haters are every bit as foam-at-the-mouth psychotic as Mustang haters.
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Hi Lisa,
The sorry truth is these people do not care. They don’t care about trophic cascades, ecosystems or benefits of apex predators on the landscape. They think they’re conservationists because they’re forced to pay a liccensing fee to kill a wolf. That’s about as far as it goes. Oh or maybe they have to walk into the woods fifty feet from their truck..I guess you could call that hiking. Or they ride their horses into the Bob Marshall to kill stuff and that’s called loving nature. Well I’ll repeat Paul Watson again….”You can’t love nature with a gun”. They are beyond reasoning with.
For the newly relisted gray wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Mustang & Wild Burro Woman, back here to Howl for Happy. I am so pleased.
I’m sending this along because Earth Justice is the organization who notified me.
http://earthjustice.org/our_work/campaigns/wolves-in-danger
(don’t let the title of the address fool ya; it’s great news.)
And because you all showed me kindness when I visited last for the story on Mustangs & Wild Burros.
It should be a simple Human Imperative: That which you love shall be saved. I look forward to the day when I am up to my back pockets – on the ranges, in the backwoods, on the prairie & in the deserts – in Wolves & Wild Horses.
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Jon,I know it’s probalbly going wild over on Ralph’s site with this news.
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Nabeki-
Did you see what Colin Simpson said in a wyoming newspaper the other day? He said wolves should be targeted for killing elk and other big game animals not just livestock! Where do these people come from?I remember in Predatory Bureaucracy reading where the Wyoming Dept of Agriculture was hoarding stockpiles of poison and they were killing eagles after they were outlawed. These people are ignorant, and you can’t reason with people like that. I’m afraid i couldn;t live in Wyoming, Montana, or Idaho- these people have changed very little in the last 100 years.
The scary thing is that they truly believe they are good stewards of their natural resources!
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Thank goodness Wyoming is so intractable, that’s all I can say William.
Everyone should read Predatory Bureaucracy: The Extermination of Wolves and the Transformation of the West and they will learn our sad, sad history and the re-live the first war against wolves that continues to this day. Michael Robinson is an amazing person, not ony a terrific writer but he works hard for all wolves and specifically Mexican gray wolves at Center For Biological Diversity.
http://predatorybureaucracy.com/book/
For the Mexican gray wolf, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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It is going to get worse for the wolves for ,in our hearts,we know there is going to be a war.The wolves are the scapegoat.Montana,Idaho,etc.are not for big government and people telling them what and what not to do.There are a whole lot of issues.There is just not one.In my opinion,they would rather use tax payers money to fight over the right to handle wolves then to spend on helping people find jobs or help them in their children’s educational needs. You can’t learn everyting behind a gun and going out in the woods. I love animals but I know the importance of a good education.
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I’m sure wolves will be blamed for the gulf oil spill and the Iraq war pretty soon Rita. They are truly the scapegoats of all time which gives me an idea to repost my scapegoat piece I did a couple of months ago.
Scapegoating: “Process in which the mechanisms of projection or displacement are utilised in focusing feelings of aggression, hostility, frustration, etc., upon another individual or group (wolves); the amount of blame being unwarranted.”
For the Great Lakes Region gray wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Well, Palin blamed environmentalists Nabeki, so I don’t think wolves are far off. lol You are absolutely right. Hunters blame every single problem on wolves it seems. Here is a good article I found and posted on Ralph’s blog.
Where are all the elk?
Study concludes wolves are only part of a complex picture
By KATHERINE WUTZ
Express Staff Writer
Wolves from the Basin Butte pack chase a small herd of elk near Stanley. Though wolves have had a hand in declining elk numbers in some regions, human hunters and deteriorating habitats have taken tolls as well, a new report states. Photo by Lynne Stone
Elk populations are falling—but don’t just blame the wolves, say Idaho Department of Fish and Game officials.
A recent study of the causes of female elk mortality shows that elk populations are at or below goals in 19 of Idaho’s 29 elk management zones, including the Sawtooth and Smoky mountain regions in central Idaho.
The report that there are fewer elk in the region doesn’t come as news to Fish and Game or to local hunters.
“Most of this has been fairly clear for at least a while,” said Ed Mitchell, public affairs officer for the department. “The results were no real surprise.”
But falling numbers doesn’t always mean increased predator impact. Regan Berkley, wildlife biologist for the department’s Magic Valley Region, said the reasons for the elk decline are varied and far from simple.
“We’ve definitely seen elk population declines in the Sawtooth zone,” Berkley said. “As to all of the causes for the decline, I don’t think we have them pinned down yet.”
According to the study, elk populations are affected by four major factors: habitat, weather, predators and human hunters.
For example, the elk population in the Lolo zone—in north-central Idaho—has had an estimated 20 percent of its female elk population killed by wolves, but Fish and Game attributes some of the population drop to deteriorating habitats.
Craig White, a staff biologist with Fish and Game, says the habitat in the Lolo region is in a period of transition, still recovering from a huge fire around the turn of the century. Forest canopy is just beginning to return to the region, choking out the shrubs and meadows elk graze on.
Still, White said, the elk decline is not easy blame on one factor.
“It’s not really one thing or another, it’s a cumulative impact,” he said.
As elk population declines were being reported anecdotally by hunters, the news that predators impact elk populations does not surprise anyone in the know. “We all know that wolves eat moose, deer and elk. That’s what they do,” said White. “The question is what impact that has on populations.”
Berkley described the effects of wolves on elk as “mixed,” especially in the Southern Mountains wolf management zone, which encompasses much of the Wood River Valley and central Idaho east to the Montana border.
“In portions of the Magic Valley Region, wolves may be [a threat],” she said. “But in others, they may not be. It really varies.”
According to the Fish and Game study, wolves are a significant cause of elk death in three zones, including the Sawtooth and Smoky Mountain zones just north and west of the Wood River Valley.
Over the course of the three-year study, which spanned 2005 to 2008, wolves in the Smoky Mountain region killed 5 percent of the female elk in the area, while cougars killed 4 percent and hunters took 3 percent.
In contrast, the neighboring Pioneer region slightly to the east saw only 1 percent of its elk population killed by wolves.
What kind of impact the hunting of wolves will have on these figures remains to be seen, as Idaho’s first hunting season on the predators didn’t happen until 2009.
Garrick Dutcher, program manager for the wolf conservation group Living with Wolves, argues that while wolves are causing some elk populations to drop, it’s all to the benefit of the larger ecosystem.
“The dynamics of prey and predator find their own balance,” he said. “No predator has ever eliminated their prey. … There is no sport-killing in nature.”
Wolves and elk evolved together, said Suzanne Stone, spokeswoman for the conservation group Defenders of Wildlife.
“Wolves and elk co-evolved and have shared the land for thousands of years,” she said. “There is every indication that elk populations will remain strong despite the return of wolves to the region.”
To an extent, Berkley said she agrees with the notion that prey-predator relationships find a level.
“There’s an element of truth to that,” she said. “Evidence suggests that predators and prey do set a balance, but when you look at the change on habitats that people have exerted … that changes things.”
Dutcher argues that the prey-predator balance between elk and wolves is being affected by human hunters—and that Fish and Game isn’t motivated to limit that impact.
“It’s not to say that Fish and Game is anti-wolf, but the wolves are threatening their revenue stream,” Dutcher said.
Elk tags sell for $30.75 for Idaho residents, while wolf tags sell for $11.50.
While elk hunters bring more revenue to the department than wolves, both because of tag prices and because elk far outnumber wolves, Mitchell denied that elk-population objectives are financially motivated.
“It’s not about how many elk tags we can sell,” Mitchell said. “Elk tag sales are important … but so are a lot of other things.”
The department has already limited tag sales on cow elk in an attempt to stabilize populations in the Sawtooth elk region west of Stanley, and non-tribal hunters can only kill antlered elk in the Lolo region.
Tag sales are based on a number of factors, said Berkley.
“We look at the whole picture every year,” she said, adding that more active wolves in a region doesn’t necessarily mean fewer tags will be issued.
Wolves are a part of the decision-making process, she said, but not the only part.
Despite the study’s showing that elk are declining in certain areas, some wolf advocates see the study as a step toward acceptance of the predators’ role, because it clearly defines other threats to elk populations.
“It’s a nice moment for wolves,” Dutcher said of the study. “People are getting the idea that, OK, these animals have a niche.”
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Thanks for posting Jon! At least they were willing to make a few concessions. The interesting thing is this study was completed in 2008, why are we just hearing about it now?
I’m not surprised by the findings. I also believe the impact human hunters have on ungulates has been under reported and not given the attention it deserves. Human hunters are probably the greatest threat to prey populations and skewing of prey population numbers. Fish and game has chosen to artificially inflate ungulate numbers for hunters to kill, while at the same time killing off our native carnivores and then blaming them for the declines. It’s a neat little package and a great propoganda machine they have going.
In 2009 100,000 hunters roamed Montana looking for something to kill. You can’t tell me they don’t have a significant impact on ungulate numbers, especially when they are removing some of the best genes in the pool. Wolves search for weakness in their prey, killing the old, sick and weak and yes occasionally they kill healthy animals. Wolves are opportunistic hunters and not very successful, they test prey many times and lose a good percentage of their chases before they can actually bring an animal down. They are constantly courting danger hunting ungulates, often suffering broken bones or head injuries, Many of these injuries are fatal or crippling. A wolves life is not easy. While fat cat hunters roam the woods with all the latest equipment, spending thousands on guns, ammuniition, tags, carhartt, rigs..etc.. wolves are ekking out a dangerous living, hunting to survive. If I had to bet I would say human hunters, loss of prime habitat and weather are the main culprits in any prey declines with predators coming in last. Of course it would never be reported that way because I believe people doing the studies are already biased against predators before they even start.
N.
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No problem Rita. nabeki, I have been saying that forever. They never look at or factor in all of the elk hunters kill. Regardless if they have a short elkhunting season or not, they are still killing thousands and thousands of elk, but yet, this is never brought up. They only concern themselves with how many elk predators have killed. I guess hunters get a free ride when it comes to killing elk while predators are being used as scapegoats.
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Jon….Wouldn’t you love to read a study conducted by wolves with the headline: Human Hunters Decimating Our Prey!! lol
N.
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Slightly OT — but what are the bureaucratic and political obstacles to creating non-lethal sources of game department revenues (e.g. birding/photography equipment fees, etc)? The “we support wildlife through our fees” argument is one I run into repeatedly. Of course, with the current funding system, there’s little incentive to operate any differently than the SQ.
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Hi Ingrid,
This is a very important point because hunter’s licensing fees support state game agencies, so a conflict of interest develops. The state game agencies want to protect their revenues that flow from hunters and keep them happy. Since hunters compete for the same prey animals as our predators, they end up on the losing end.
There are 72 million wildlife watchers in this country compared to 12 million hunters. Yet hunters dominate our wildlife. I personally would not mind paying a fee or tax that would give wildlife watchers a seat at the table. We are effectively ignored by the state game agencies. There really is no obstacle in the way of this except state game agencies like the current system and have no incentive to change. It’s up to us to push for this!! Thanks for bringing this up, it’s a huge problem for our wildlife!
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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If someone can find out more information about this chuck Feney degenerate we should report this to the USFWS law enforcement division, i already reported Toby Bridges about the xylitol poisoning on his website. Everyone needs to call the white house at 2024561111 and ask for an exectutive order to make killing of an Endangered wolf a felony- these rejects think they are cute and above the law. I have no faith in the senate to get ANYTHING DONE RIGHT NOW!
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Totally agree William. We have to keep up the pressure and continue to call and raise our voices in protest. The problem is the very people we are protesting to are responsible for the dire situation wolves were placed in to begin with.
I know practically nothing about Chuck Feney but I’ll try to find out more. Thanks for the info.
N.
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Thank you, William.
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And thank you,Jon for the info.
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I’m so happy….
I’m just….ugh I cant even put my emotions into words. I never thought this would ever happen so soon….I have so much more to say, but it’s hard to type through tears.
I wish you luck, and happiness, for your bravery to speak your opinion in the face of criticism and hate. You were a really big part in making this happen, so congradulations to you and the wolves:)
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Thank you for the very kind words Leia. I was really glad to be a part of a collective effort to advocate for wolves. Now we have to work to keep them listed. But we can savor this victory!! HOWLS
N.
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No problem!I discovered this blog a while back, and it is so different from other wolf blogs out there. For one thing, it is full of facts instead of opinions, and that is a big help. And I know there will be another battle ahead to keep them listed, but your right, at least we can enjoy this accomplishment until then.
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I am so stoked! This is news that was such a relief to hear. I recently got into a debate with a man who hunts wolves with arrows in Yellowstone, and when I told him the news, he didn’t know what to say! Take that, bigots! Yeah!!
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It’s awesome Lilly, this is what we’ve been waiting for.
Whoever that man is he’s breaking the law. There is no wolf archery season in the GYA or anywhere else in the lower forty eight and the “legal” wolf hunts ended in Montana in 2009. The relisting halted the hunts that were about to start.
HOWLS
N.
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Nabeki and everyone, check out this link. Twisted and disturbed girls indeed.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1299569/Pictured-The-teenage-sisters-hunt-animals-fun.html
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This is a case of people having too much disposable income and using it for the pursuit of killing beauty. It shows how parents influence their children. One of the girls shot a rifle at age three? I think that says it all. The parents taught them animals are here for our pleasure and have no real worth unless they are hanging on someone”s ego wall. If only they had grown up playing video games and eating potato chips.’, many wonderful animals would still be alive. Disgusting family. I bet they are members of the Safari Club, it sounds just like them.
N.
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Yeah, and the strange thing is they said they respect the animals. How do you respect an animal by killing it just for a trophy? The smirks/smiles you see on these people’s faces as they stand over the animals whose lives they took away when these animals DID NOT need to die in the first place. It really gets to you and makes you realize that the people who participate in these type of hunts are not conservationists nor do they have any respect for the animals they kill. If they want to truly show respect to the animals, shoot them with a camera and let the animals keep their lives. They could have easily went to Africa to shoot animals with a camera, but no, instead, they chose to kill animals for trophies.
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They don’t respect animals, how do you respect an animal by killing it? That would be like saying I respect my neighbor’s dog and then shooting it.
They are killing animals that don’t just belong to them but the people that live in those countries. State game agencie have too much power and influence. They need a good house cleaning from top to bottom. For one thing they are stacked with hunters and ranchers. Where are the environmentalists at the state game agencies? It’s just a big animal murder scam to make money off animals lives. Whenever I hear them speak all I hear is blah, blah, blah, blah. I guess they think we’re stupid.
N.
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Remember that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. This trophy hunter has a sickness, and people like him and the others at Safari Clump(of sh@$)need a trophy hunters 12 step program. Killing animals can become a sickness. Also if my wife looked like his does I would spend more time in South Africa as well. Jon- this Feney puke- does he live in MT?
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Charles Ulysses Feney
Livingston, MT
There you go William.
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Thanks for the info jon. I wouldn’t worry to much about these guys like Bridges and Feney, they imagine that they are bad asses. Funny thing is they would be crying like wussies if they had to do any time in prison. I can envision their jail cells right now! The law enforcement division for Montana is in Colorado. I’ll be talking to them!
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Egos,self-esteem,and self gratifiacation.That is all it is.They say they will give the meat to the natives or to the people in need,but it would be better if they gave them the tools and education,in order to better themselves.
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Whether they give the meat to the locals, I can’t say, but what bothers me is these people went to another country just to kill animals for their trophies. That was their intent. There is a picture of the guy’s trophy room, so clearly the intention of this so called hunt was to kill animals specifically so they can be put in a trophy room displayed to show off. Another thing that bothers me is people like this actually believe what they are really doing is “real” hunting. I mean, if a 13 and 15 year old girl can kill animals with a high powered rifle from a safe distance away, just about anyone can. these are animals who were killed for the wrong reasons and they DIDN’T need to be killed in the first place. That is what bothers me. I also can’t help, but understand why these people have smiles on their faces after they killed animals that didn’t need to be killed in the first place. They said they take the meat and respect the animal. Well, if they truly respected the animal, why couldn’t have they shot the animal with a camera and let it keep its life in the process? These people in that link, the 2 girls and their dad and mom were complained about in letters to the missoulan from people who were disgusted that pics of them with the animals they killed for trophies showed up in a ad.
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Well said Jon. Trophy hunting is evil and a sickness but to tell you the truth I am turned off by all hunting these days unless someone is truly in need of meat, as in stuck somewhere in the wilderness and trying to survive. Not the weekend pretend warriors. I’m tired of all the death and cruelty hunting causes but specfically trophy hunting.
I’ve seen gut shot deer stumbling out of the forest some of them shot full of arrows, leaving blood trails. I’ve watched videos of canned hunts, it just turns me off to the whole thing. Some people are under the impression that most hunters are good shots but that’s not true. Many animals are maimed or die a slow agonizing death…not too mention the yahoos that are drunk or drugged out of their minds shooting animals from their rigs. It’s a disgusting practice. Once upon a time people relied on hunting to survive but that’s not true in most cases in this country. Regular people can’t afford all the equipment you need to hunt, it’s expensive. Hunting is for people that have the cash to afford it, in which case they don’t really need to hunt.
N.
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Yeah Nabeki, and those that shoot animals don’t don’t die on spot and run off are certain to die a slow and agonizing death from a hunter’s bullet or arrow depending on where the bullet/arrow hit. These same people who do this are the ones that blame and fault wolves for the way they kill other animals, with their teeth. You are right, it’s cost money to buy the guns, the hunting equipment, etc and these people have the nerve to claim if they don’t hunt, they will starve to death. I doubt many hunters actually hunt animals for survival. Needing to kill an animal and wanting to kill one are 2 totally different things.
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Totally agree Rita. Looking at the beautiful zebra that twisted kid shot I couldn’t even find the words. They all have that ridiculous smile on their faces with a dead animal at their feet. What the heck are they smiling about it? It’s so disturbing. The parents should pat themselves on the back for teaching their kids dominion over animals. They always say they respect the animal which is so hypocritical. If they respected animals they wouldn’t be shooting them.
N.
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South Africa is in the final stages of shutting down the canned hunting of lions and other predators. These actions from the new breed of trophy hunter has diminished south africa’s image internationally. These hunters’ have no problem with separating a mother from her cubs to get an easy shot at her from a feed station or water hole! Disgusting people with no soul and certainly no decency! I’m sure they would purchase their trophy on ebay if they had the chance!
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I thought it was already shutdown William no? I am sure there are places where it still goes on. Even here in the us, it still goes on. Anyone hear about that place in Arizona that was serving a african lion burger? They said the lions were raised on a farm. How disgusting and troubling is that? Lions don’t belong in farms and they don’t deserve to be killed just so some wacko can have a lion burger. I want trophy hunting shut down. it’s disgusting. If you think bout it William, all trophy hunting in African is canned hunting. I mean how is a lion who is minding its own business going to win against a hunter and his armed safari guides? There is no chance and that is why the lion ALWAYS loses. Wild animals cannot contend with high powered rifles shooting at them from a safe distance away.
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The South African Predator Breeders Association and other hunting groups appealed the ban on canned hunting. It’s still in the courts.
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Jon,I, for one, do not like any hunting,neither sport or hunting for food,not in this day and age.It’s a sad day when men have to show boat their trophies and expand their egos.
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So sorry for commenting again, but has anyone here heard of this god awful website known as “Huntwolves.com”?
Here is a link if you havent: http://www.huntwolves.com/
But tread with caution, there are some really gruesome photos there.
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Yeah, I frequent that site every now and then to see what they are saying. Wolf haters are a sick bunch in my opinion.
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Yea, sickos and morons that hide behind their “liveliehoods” as an excuse to kill things. Makes my blood boil.
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Hi Leia,
That’s another sicko site. Have you seen “savelk”?
The cruelty is mind blowing on some of these sites. Apparently there isn’t enough Viagra to go around these days.
You can comment as much as you like, no problem.
N.
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I only know of 4 websites that are dedicated to wolves which are extreme anti-wolf
lobowatch.com
We all know of the notorious lunatic wolf hater Toby Bridges
saveelk.com as Nabeki mentioned
savewesternwildlife.org which is a website made by notorious wolf hater Scott Rockholm
huntwolves.com
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Yea. And they have Tshirts!
Ugh. looks like they want to spread their virus on to the younger generations.
And thank you, I enjoy commenting here 🙂
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Hi dear Leia.
Last night it was so hard to me to fall in sleep i did the mistake to check the pages with all this people who in my opinion it is cold heartless murderers. I was so mad because some of them think they protect the nature and some of them hunt the Wolfs with so much passion for extinction. Dear God what kind of people are they they dont have feelings they dont have soul i feel sorry about them maybe one day one day feel so empty inside and realize how much hurt the nature with this awful passion for killing and hunting…
PS: In the link above who talks about the girls who hunt my God what kind of twisted parents learn this things to this girls what kind of parents change the innocent years of them with lessons to be natural born killers this is way to much for me..
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Thank you Vasileios,
I know those pictures and stories are very hard to swallow, and very hard to sleep with them in the back of your head.
Those people claim to love nature, but they are simply another branch of the disgusting and hypocritical anti-wolf coalition. And they are also using Xylithol to poison wolves now. What those idiots dont know is that will also kill the coyotes, foxes, and their precious hunting dogs. Feral dogs, stray dogs, and wandering pets will dye aswell. They have no compasion for wild life, and no insight to what’s right or wrong. And how they use they’re “livelyhoods” as excuses to blow bulets behind a wolf’s ears. It’s pathetic, really.
And I also checked that link, and it was revolting. Not only were they going around an shooting other nation’s wild life, but Had a “trophy room”. I nearly lost my lunch when they rambled on about how their scum bag of a father “bravely” slautered that polar bear. A rare and endangered center piece to their cruddy kill display. Ugh. Disgusting.
But thank you for commenting, and hopefully we can stop hypocrites like these from spoiling this beautiful animal.
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Leia,Don’t feel sorry on commenting.I don’t generally visit those sites anymore.I’ve seen enough horror what humans can inflict on animals,including wolves.
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thank you for the kind words.
Some people just dont care anymore about other living things.
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That’s a bunch of crock,that they face starvation.They eat only elk.Who is going to believe that?I guess their hunting groups do.There alot of people that are having a hard time right now.What if everyone in the U.S felt that way, no wild life would be here.How do they,and I mean,they define,manhood.They keep crying about losing their way of life. Everyone who had a job to support their families can say that they lost their livelihood,such as the fisherman,or one who spent years in the auto factory,not to mention a few.Thank you for putting up with my rant.
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I shouldn’t have said that they eat only elk,but really,I never see them posing in pictures with rabbits.
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Nabeki or Jon,Is there another hearing about the 109j0 litigation?
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Rita….I think it’s still being litigated.
N.
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Sorry,10(j) litigation.
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Thank you,Nabeki,
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More BS from Defenders of Wildlife…………
The following is a statement by Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife:
“This decision is a significant victory for wolves, for the integrity of the Endangered Species Act, and for all Americans who care deeply about conservation. The court’s ruling makes it clear that decisions under the Endangered Species Act should be based on science, not politics.
“We all need to work together to craft responsible state management plans for wolves that allow for healthy, interconnected wolf populations now and in the future. For that to happen, regional recovery goals will need to be updated based on the best available peer reviewed science.
“Secretary Salazar’s support of the Bush administration’s proposal to remove protections for wolves was premature and clearly inconsistent with the law. Had the federal government prevailed in the lawsuit, real wolf recovery would have been set back for perhaps decades. Worse, the precedent of the federal government making listing and delisting decisions for endangered species based upon political boundaries rather than science would have crippled the Interior Department’s future management of the Endangered Species Act to the detriment of many species. The faulty effort by the administration to delist has set back legitimate delisting by some time.
“We are eager to work cooperatively with all stakeholders to find a way forward to ensure continued recovery of wolves in the Northern Rockies and their eventual delisting.”
The following is a statement by Suzanne Stone, Northern Rockies representative with Defenders of Wildlife:
“While we are pleased by the restoration of federal protection for wolves, the court’s decision demonstrates the problems inherent in the federal government’s current delisting scheme. We need a new approach. We need a federal delisting plan that establishes a healthy, interconnected wolf population and adopts stakeholder-driven solutions to the current conflicts. It’s time to move beyond the gridlock over wolves. We are, as always, willing to work with the other stakeholders to seek solutions and a more rational, science based wolf delisting plan.
“Defenders of Wildlife has a long record of being responsive to the livestock community’s concerns, and we plan to continue that and to expand our ongoing proactive conservation work to minimize conflict between wolves and livestock owners, so there can be a place for wolves and livestock to co-exist on the landscape. Our work to date has shown that collaboration is possible when parties meet each other halfway. And we are willing to work with the states and other stakeholders to ensure that wolves and other imperiled wildlife are managed based on sound scientific principles.”
Background:
Wolves were eradicated from the region by the 1930s as part of an overall campaign to eliminate many of the native predators. With the adoption of the Endangered Species Act in 1973, efforts began to restore the Northern Rockies wolf population. Wolves dispersing across the Canadian border into northern Montana in the 1970s and 1980s were the first to return to their historic habitat in the region. By 1995, that population had grown to 60 – 70 wolves. To expedite wolf recovery, in 1995 and 1996 the US Fish and Wildlife Service captured 66 wolves from Canada and released them in central Idaho and Yellowstone National Park. Since that time, wolf numbers have increased to approximately 2,000 wolves in 2009, the same number that many biologists have estimated would be necessary for maintaining a recovered wolf population. However, that same year, Idaho and Montana initiated hunting seasons which reduced the wolf population down to 1650 wolves by the end of 2009. One immediate effect of today’s court ruling will be to cancel a second wolf hunting season in Montana and Idaho, which was set to begin this fall and would have decreased the population to even lower levels. State agencies will still be able to manage wolves, including removing problem wolves implicated in livestock conflicts or causing unnatural declines in game species.
###
Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit http://www.defenders.org.
I especially take exception to their last paragraph..””DOW is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities”.
Why then, did they refuse to support I-160, the initiative to ban trapping on Montanas public lands? There are potential endangered species in these areas of Montana including wolverine and fisher…listing is under review now, but Defenders still refused to support protecting these rare animals from trapping.
Their work with the livestock community in Montana has been a failure. Just ask both sides, ranchers and activists. Their “collaboration” has resulted in less tolerance and not more tolerance for wolves. They freely doled out compensation money to the livestock industry without even requiring that the ranchers use proactive measures to protect their livestock. 100K went directly to the Montana Dept of Livestock..the very organization that’s responsible for the hazing and ruthless slaughter of our wild bison. The moral disconnect is appalling.
They fail to acknowledge that the root of livestock management problems is the political power of the livestock industry and it has done nothing but harm wolves and other wildlife by the “consensus building” and collaborationist strategy of Defenders. They seem afraid to expose the livestock industry for the greedy, welfare dependent, spoiled bastards that they are.
Lastly, seems that Mr. Shickheisen isn’t even aware of the Center for Biological Diversity and their plan to promote wolf expansion into a majority of their former range.
WAKE UP DEFENDERS!!
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Jerry Black,From what I have read in other posts,they do not go neck to neck with the cattle ranchers,in fact, they are to polite.They were no where in site at the anti-wolf rallies. They are not on top of my list for helping any wild life.When it came to giving donations, the wolf was used for years,now the the oil spill.Whatever brings in money.I,too say,Come On Defenders.
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I agree with both of you guys, Rita and Jerry. Public trapping in Montana and other places should be banned. It’s a public safety issue, but I doubt trappers care about that. They only care about their own wants. Trapping animals for their fur in 2010 is disgusting and it shouldn’t be allowed. The one thing that is certain about trapping and no trapper can deny this is that traps are indiscriminate, they will trap any animal that comes in contact with the trap, sometimes resulting in that animal’s death. Pets have also been caught in traps and some of them died because of it.
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I hate trapping,snares,and the whole ten yards that inflict harmful results to animals,including death.Everything for vanity.
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I just spent time with the special agent in charge for Montana law enforcement. Bridges and Feney think they are smarter than everyone else, (kinda like Enron) the fact is these guys are psychotic and they will make a mistake at some point. I guess when your existence is pathetic and miserable you spend most of the time trying to get even or retaliate against victims that can’t or won’t fight back like wolves. Wouldn’t it be something if in the next life these cowards found themselves surrounded by a wolfpack looking for payback!
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Good one William!!
N.
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Yes,William,that would be something.
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I can’t imagine what kind of hate mail Nebeki recieves.I wouldn’t be surprised if she got a threat or two.They call wolves terrorists and they came from Canada.They’re huge.Talk about chicken little and the sky is falling.
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That would be something. They think they are badass and manly shooting at predators from a good distance away with their high powered rifles with scopes on em. I believe Nabeki has posted before some of the hate mail she received on here. I believe she has even received hate mail from the notorious wolf hater himself Toby Bridges on here.
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Toby wrote to me many times Jon. He actually thought this was Marc’s blog. He finally stopped when he realized his comments weren’t going to be approved.
N.
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Rita, here is some of the hate mail Nabeki has received on this blog. Typical garbage from the wolf haters, but have a look if you want.
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Some of the hate mail this blog has received.
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Oh I get hate mail Rita. I’m saving up the next batch for everyone to read. Some of them I can’t even post on this blog.
N.
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It is sad that wolf supporters get threatened and no one hears about it but when a hunter gets threatened,it’s a whole new ball park.The hunter that shot the first wolf in last year’s wolf hunt was in the news after getting threatening/hateful calls after posing with the dead wolf.
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Rita, Jon and William:
You would not believe the threats that I get amongst other tactics by haters to upset me. I have an issue going on as I write this. This guy knows who I am and is messing with me. I use these as a gauge on how well we are doing for the wolves. Besides ..If they are messing with me they are hopefully leaving the wolves at peace for a change. It has been suggested that I use a ghost name. Not a chance! I refuse to cower to this group! I am who I am! However, I can assure you I have good situational awareness and I keep myself prepared for the worse that can happen!
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I am not surprised Marc. The funny thing is these nuts think we are the radical ones or the sick ones when they are the ones that want to kill and some wanting to exterminate the wolves just because they are eating elk, moose, deer, etc. They treat the wolves as if they were people committing real crimes against them. Most of these wolf haters are all talk. They’re about as threatening as a stuffed teddy bear. these wolf haters are the sick ones.
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You’ve really been harrassed over the past year Marc but that’s because you are a fearless wolf advocate!!
N.
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Then the coward did not pose for the kill shot but left the rifle over the wolf in the Nat Geo picture. I remember how serene the dead wolf looked and how beautiful and awesome he was. These hunters are badass after they kill but whine like wussies when people call them out.
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I lost faith in National Geographic when I read their article ‘Conserving Hunters’.
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John, I hated that they published the picture of the poor wolf Zumwalt killed, the rifle perfectly placed. That animal could be running free today except for blood lust. The wolf died for nothing. But as William said, even in death he was beautiful.
N.
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For those interested:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/11/hunters/poole-text.html
“Love of the land” That’s a laugh.
An adolescent was shot dead by his brother while on a hunting trip a couple of weeks ago in Vicotria, the article that reported this skimmed on the grief felt by the family and then went on at the end to say how manly it was to shoot deer. A few days later the same newspaper wrote an article on hunters as if they were some Adonis that was incapable of being bloodthirsty or vile. The man they interviewed had a law degree who looked a bit like Hugh Jackman… and shot pretty much anything that moved with mention to Gallahs – a small pink coloured ground foraging bird. As one commenter said: “a bogan with a law degree is still a bogan”.
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Thanks for posting John.
All I can say to that babble, is YUK!!
And again I’ll repeat Paul Watson. “You can’t love nature with a gun”. One of the best quotes I’ve ever read and so true!!
N.
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How can anyone claim they love nature or wildlife when they are knowingly going out to shoot animals? People who go out and kill animals for sport/pleasure/fun do not care about wildlife and nature. Hunters are not conservationists. Their goal is to keep animals around, so they can shoot them. They are not true conservationists. A true conservationists shoots animals with a camera, not a gun and lets the animals keep their lives.
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Ain’t that the truth.
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You know it’s okay for these guys to run to the first admendment with that freedom of speech and hide behind it but when the rest of us voice our opinions and stand for our ideas and views,We are labled some radical nuts.They only seem to use the rules when it is convenent for them or the rules don’t apply to them.Take care,Marc.Jon might be right about some of them just blowing off hot air but in this day and age one can not be to careful for there is that one person who will go over the edge.Just look in the news.
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Rita…their comments always have three common themes.
1. Wolves are killing all the? pick one: cows, elk, moose, deer, pets.
2. Wolves need to be managed (killed and hunted)
3. Discussion of how wolves kill their prey, as if an apex predator is going to tap it’s prey on the shoulder and say, may I eat you? Were these guys born yesterday? I wonder what they think about the way an African lion, mountain lion, grizzly bear or any predator kills? Clueless comes to mind.
N.
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These people give new meaning to the word “redneck”. The way they butcher the English language it is truly a shame. Unfortunately they can’t help it. I’m sure they have all they can do to keep from shitting in their pants and taking a shower once every few weeks. Take away the long distance weapon and what do you have–shit!
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Agreed 100%. These “hunters” would not be able to kill animals without their long distance high powered guns.
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Just look for the trail of the toilet paper.Sorry,Nabeki,I couln’t help myself.
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Wolves run rings around human hunters in hunting ability. And they do it because they have the ability to cooperate with each other and function as a single unit, Their stamina is legendary.
N.
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Jon, Thank you for reposting the threats that Nabeki has recieved.These people scare and upset me at the same time.It seems like if you are concerned about the welfare humans and animals,espcially wolves,your life or views doesn’t mean much.It’s the ole me me me attitude. I want to do it and no one can stop me,and as long as I don”t get caught.
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Rita….this is one of the reasons wolf advocates are afraid to speak out because they are harrassed at every turn. But it’s not only the wolf issue that brings out the haters. They did it at roadless initiative meetings, anyone that has a different view is a target.
N.
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Rita times are changing. There are more people that support wolves. The hate and ignorance is still there, most of them conservatives who threaten 2nd amendment remedies if they don’t get their way. Instead of taking their toys and going home, they use high powered rifles and commit crimes. Anyone who has ever hunted hates poachers, and these people that threaten to kill wolves against the law will be run of the mill criminal poachers. Right down there bottom of the barrel with the canned hunters.
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I sure hope they are,William.Thank You.
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I’ll reiterate ……….. at the root of the war on predators is the livestock industry and the spoiled, greedy, welfare ranchers. Remove livestock from our public lands and the wolves, lions, coyotes, bears, etc will have a chance .
Jon Marvel and Western Watersheds Project have the right idea:
http://westernwatersheds.org/blog/?p=571
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So true Jerry, the livestock industry is the single biggest threat to wolf recovery.
N.
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Jerry, I could not agree with you more! I see an Opinion in today’s Missoulian. (Wolf management will take uniform plan) I quote”Second, a new wolf-management plan must aid ranchers and residents negatively impacted by wolves. We need a fully funded federal/state compensation program that can respond fairly and quickly when people lose livestock or pets. Where wolves overlap a grazing landscape and chronic predation is high – yet the location is a high priority for wolf conservation – we could create special management zones. Ranchers and residents would be eligible for additional assistance to deal with the complex challenges created by the permanent presence of wolves.
This thinking is in error! Now we are going to set aside funding to reward ranchers for not being proactive with wolves and other predators. We will also have these cattle on public land doing far more damage to this land then the payment received for grazing. Get the cattle off public lands then and only then when a rancher is proactive towards all predators and suffers a loss I might accept retribution for that loss. Every time I read an article about wolves, go to a hearing, listen to Defenders or a politician they want to give unaccountable money to ranchers! The Defenders of Wildlife reimbursement program did not work so why would this one work? Make Ranchers Accountable!!!
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Everyone should be accountable for their livestock and pets and it doesn’t matter where you live.I live in Indiana,but if I moved to New Mexico or any other state that has deserts, my dog would be leashed and taken out on a walk due to snakes and the other critters.My dog doesn’t stay outside 24/7. People have to leash and walk their dog,and bring them into the house.It is part of the family.I do not have the wild life like in other areas,but I know I am responsible for her.I will do my best to protect her and even protect others from her,if need be. However,even if,I do my very best,things will happen,but I gave it my 100%.Ranchers have to get off this gravy train.No matter what one does for a living it is hard work.They all seem to want hand outs. Right now everyone is hurting.A selfish bunch.
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Tell me about it Rita. If my dog was killed by wolves, I wouldn’t want compensation. I am responsible for my own dog and if my dog got killed by wolves, it would be my fault for my dog being killed. With more and more livestock attacks you keep hearing about, it’s clear to me ranchers are clearly not doing enough to better protect their livestock from predators. Calling in ws or getting paid by for the losses is not going to solve anything. Ranchers need to start getting their act together and start finding ways to better protect their livestock from predators without resorting to calling up ws to kill the offending animals. On another note, Montana is sneaky. Check out this story Rita and others, I guess something like this should be expected.
APNewsBreak: ‘Research hunts’ weighed for wolves
By MATTHEW BROWN (AP) – 1 hour ago
BILLINGS, Mont. — Wildlife officials in the Northern Rockies said Wednesday they are considering hunting gray wolves in the name of research to get around a recent court ruling that restored federal protections for the animals.
Environmentalists derided the proposal, vowing to challenge in court any new plans for hunting the estimated 1,367 wolves in Idaho and Montana.
“They’re adopting the Japanese whaling approach of holding hunts under the obviously erroneous concept of research,” said Mike Leahy, Rocky Mountain director for Defenders of Wildlife. “They’re trying to be too clever by half.”
Hunters in Idaho and Montana killed 258 wolves during hunts last fall — the first for wolves in the lower 48 states in decades. State officials said the hunts proved wolves can be hunted without driving the population to extinction.
But the Aug. 5 ruling from U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy is likely to cancel or postpone wolf seasons scheduled to start next month in the two states.
Molloy had allowed last year’s hunts, and his latest ruling hinged on a more technical matter — the government’s attempt to treat wolves in Montana and Idaho differently than in neighboring Wyoming, where they were never taken off the endangered list.
Still, the ruling left officials scrambling for new ways to control a predator responsible for increasing attacks on livestock and big game herds.
Montana wolf program coordinator Carolyn Sime said one option under consideration was to apply for a federally permitted “research hunt” to better understand the impact of public hunting on wolf populations.
In the absence of hunting, more than 1,200 wolves have been killed during the last 15 years by government agents and ranchers in response to livestock attacks. Sime said a research hunt could reveal if a regulated public harvest could accomplish the same task.
“It is sort of counterintuitive, but we do need to answer those questions,” Sime said. “It may reduce some uncertainty about the effects of human hunting.”
Idaho Fish and Game Deputy Director Jim Unsworth said his state is also considering a research hunt, but added that it “hasn’t got much encouragement” from federal wildlife managers who would have to sign off on the plan.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman Chris Tollefson said he was not aware of any endangered species for which hunting is allowed. He acknowledged his agency was in discussions with the two states about the future of wolf management, but declined to offer details.
“There are a number of ideas out there and a number of opinions. At this point, it’s premature to say where we’re going to go,” he said.
Unsworth said Idaho has also revived a plan to remove wolf packs that have driven down populations of big game animals including elk and moose. The proposal, which had been shelved when public hunting was allowed last year, involves the controlled killing of wolves by federal or state wildlife agents, not members of the public.
An initial proposal, to remove dozens of wolves from the Lolo region along the Montana border, is likely to be released this week. Similar plans for other parts of the state are expected to follow, Unsworth said.
Those wolf killings, too, are likely to be challenged, through a second lawsuit already pending before Molloy.
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I just did a post on all the threats to wolves and the ESA but the Research Hunts are just beyond the pale. I seriously think they got the idea from Whale Wars. Thanks for posting Jon.
N.
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You have to ask yourself, where are these ranchers when their livestock is being killed by wolves and other predators? Do they just leave their livestock unattended assuming nothing is going to happen to them? I mean how stupid of these ranchers to leave their livestock unattended and unprotected and than they bitch and cry wolf when wolves kill their livestock? I cannot say for certain, but those that live in MT, OR ID who post on here, do these ranchers really put effort into finding ways to better protect their livestock or do they just half ass it? It seems to me they are lazy and don’t really want to find ways to better protect their livestock because it may be seen as an inconvenience to them. Raising livestock in a stae full of predators is the price you pay and you should know what you are getting yourself into. For the ranchers who let their cattle roam on public lands, this has to be stopped. Cattle does not belong on public lands. When you have predators on public lands and cattle, it’s a recipe for disaster and these ranchers must know this, but still continue to do it knowing very well what might happen to their livestock.
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Jon, I have seen many , many ranches in Montana. Of all the ranches I have seen I know of only one that is serious about trying to deter wolves and other predators. This rancher lives in Ovando and his name is Jimmy Stone. Mr. Stone has fladry all along his property line. He has a large piece of land and is having some success with this. This action is related to what is called “The Blackfoot Challenge”. He will also put out balloons with helium to deter eagles in the spring. All the other ranches and ranchers that I know of do what I call release and forget.
As long as ranchers receive reimbursement with no strings attached they will continue to do as they are doing. If you refuse to reimburse for losses because the rancher is not being proactive then and only then will you see a change in their behavior!
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Rita…I think some of the ranchers are whiney babies. In the ESA post I included this quote:
“In 2009, sheep producers reported losing 56,000 animals for reasons other than predators, such as disease and weather. They also reported losing another 18,800 animals to all predators, mostly coyotes. Eagles were blamed for another 600 sheep deaths, the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service reports.”
They are only screaming about wolves because someone pays them for any wolf predation, which as we all know is miniscule.
N.
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Jon,My mind is slipping,refresh my memory,what is the second lawsuit in front of Molloy? Montana and Utah are hell bent in getting rid of the wolves.Wild life services, should just change their names to wild life exterminators.Like Orkin does for insects.Should contact the guy in the cowboy hat and put Elk on the endangered list.No one can shot “nothin”I do not have a good feeling.We need some agency besides judges to protect all wild life.
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I think the 10j ruling Rita, but I am not sure. I guess pro wolf advocates want the 10j rule thrown out. Rita, just a little tip to you and everyone else on here just incase you may not know this. Go to google and type in either montana wolves or Idaho wolves. You will find a ton of recent and new articles on wolves and this situation going on. 🙂 I never have a good feeling when it comes to this wolf situation Rita. Just when you think we have a victory for wolves, we find out the states still will try to get around federal protection and still try to salvage some kind of hunt on wolves. These states are showing their true colors. Same people with the same attitudes that were responsible for wiping wolves out all those years ago. Wolves are the most hated predator on earth.
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Yep it is the 10j rule. Earthjustice is handling it too. They are suing to have “prey declines” dropped from the 10j language.
N.
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You are right,Jon.Wolves are the most hated animal on earth.These people tend to hate government but,if history services me right(have to go back to the books), but after the civil war,Lincoln encouraged people to out west.They did and they brought the cows and everything else.The beef asst.said it was because of bad weather that the prices beef went up.They didn’t say by wolves,coyotes,or bears,oh my.I sure would like to see a lable on the package of meats in the grocery store that told me were the beef,chicken,or lamb came from.
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No one wants to abide by the law only if it suits them.Ranchers and hunters seem to put themselves above the rules and regulations when it comes to wolves and bison,and wild horses..I do not like poaching but if a wolf gets poached,it’s barely a slap on the hand,but if an elk is taken down,heaven forbid.Ranchers,hunters,and the wild life services are all in ka-hoots with each other.
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Now the states want a “RESEARCH HUNT”!!
http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/article_28438ab2-503c-5f24-848d-ea8ad28ce4eb.html
This idea is so bad that it seems to have awakened even Mike Leahy, the attorney for “Defenders”!!!
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LOL Jerry on the last sentence….
N.
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Isn’t that what the Japanese say when they kill whales and say it is for research? Who beleives that?Who beleives the states?I know I don’t.
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The Japanese have the word “Research” on the bow hull of their vessels, written in big clear block ENGLISH letters. The Law of the Sea: if you see someone doing something illegal and if you have the means to stop it – you are permitted to kick the offending party’s backside from here to Timbuktu!
Hey didn’t they have their ‘research’ hunt last year? No problems were solved by it. At the end of the slaughter, ranchers still whined about wolves and used them as a scapegoat for all their inadequacies as farmers, hunters still moaned about the elk they were supposedly exclusively entitled to but not getting and the general rag-tag anti-wolf crowd was still foaming at the mouth to kill them or voice their support of SSS and threatening to bring harm to those who admire the wolf as a living animal.
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These states and the hate for wolves is so great that they are becoming desperate. I don’t think they will find a loophole in this decision. If it wasn’t so tragic it would be comical.
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Seriously William I can’t imagine how this must look to the rest of the country. It’s almost some kind of an insanity. Maybe a virus??
N.
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Do any of you people actually live in wolf country that comment here? Do you have any idea how easily the young wolves are habituated to humans? Wolves do not belong living around people – they end up killed. Wolves belong in the wilderness. But now the wilderness is full and the wolves have been living around our town for several years. Its eerie to hear them howling from the school yard at night. They have lost their fear of humans.
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TLM….Please go away. I could take your comment and match it with thousands that say the same thing over and over again. I have no idea where you live but I live in wolf country surrounded by wilderness. Stop the dramatics. I see grizzlies more often then I do wolves and I spend alot of time hiking. I personally love to hear wolves howl, it reminds of places untamed by humans. Go live in New York if you don’t like wolves. And please get another script, this one is getting really old.
N.
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I LOVEEE wolves so much!
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Me too Rosie.
N.
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