There is no rest for the weary. One day after Judge Molloy relisted gray wolves in the Northern Rockies, the whining over his decision began and there is no sign it will abate, in fact it gets louder by the day. The drumbeat of negative wolf articles seems never ending. I have never in my life read or heard so much complaining. It’s like the sound of a thousand three year olds crying in unison. All because wolf hunts were called off.
Here are a few sample headlines from the hundreds and hundreds complaining about Judge Molloy’s decision.
Fish and Game disappointed with wolves’ relisting
http://www.kboi2.com/news/local/100152644.htm
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Gazette opinion: Wolf ruling endangers state management solutions
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Gray wolf back on protect list in Mont. and Idaho, to ranchers and hunters ire
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Local sportsmen group asks state to control wolves
The negative headlines go on and on but you get the picture. If you do a search on gray wolves, there is an overwhelming number of negative reports on wolves regaining their federal protections. Once again environmentalists and wolf advocates voices have been drowned out by the anti-wolf crowd. Apparently nobody cares what we think or feel about this important decision and what it was like watching the horrendous wolf slaughter over the past year. Nope, it’s only the hunters and ranchers opinions that seem to matter. We are left out in the cold once again, along with the wolves. We werent’t allowed the luxury of enjoying the victory for one day before all the threats and hate spewing rhetoritc started.
By reading the media articles you would get the idea wolves lack support and everyone wants them “managed”. That is patently not true. What IS true is the media seems to have signed onto the anti-wolf side of the story. Maybe they decided it sells more papers or increases hits to their websites.
Don’t be fooled by lopsided reporting filled with half truths and distortions. Wolves have supporters all over the world and if the only way to get the truth out is to report positive wolf news on our blogs and facebook pages, so be it. Actually the main stream media is becoming less and less relevant, as people turn to alternative sources to get their news.
We have to question what’s behind this crazy, out of control response? I believe it’s an orchestrated effort to trash the endangered species act. Do you remember any of the groups that signed onto the delisting lawsuit? The Safari Club and the NRA, come to mind. They have a big stake in this. How happy would the Safari Club be to see the ESA weakened?
It’s also no accident Senator Baucus and Rep. Denny Rehburg, both from Montana, are talking about changing the ESA to ban gray wolves from federal protection. Wolves once again are being used as political pawns and scapegoats. When these politicians are talking about wolves they don’t have to talk about the almost 10% unemployment rate or the rock bottom approval rating of Congress, at 11%, the lowest since those records have been kept. It’s a transparent strategy at best and I’m sure Americans have more on their minds then denying wolves ESA protections. Are wolves causing unemployment? Have wolves caused the housing crisis? The anti-wolf crowd needs to get in touch with reality, wolves are very popular among many Americans. The GYA brings in $35 million a year to the area, higher then hunting profits. Wolves are actually more valuable to the states alive then dead, if they would stop listening to just ranchers and hunters and tap into wolf ecoctourism.
But no, our politicians in Montana are too busy kissing up to the ranching and hunting lobbies.
Here’s the bill:
SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON TREATMENT OF GRAY WOLF AS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES OR THREATENED SPECIES.
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The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, who just last year was trumpeting their success in recovering elk populations across the country, is now calling on Congress to re-write the ESA. They’ve made a perceptible turn to the extreme anti-wolf position, which doesn’t come as a shock to me. When the RMEF released their rosy picture of elk recovery across the country, in the Spring of 2009, the wolf issue was just heating up. I don’t think they had any idea it would blow up the way it did. Their members had to be upset the RMEF was saying elk were doing so well, it didn’t fit in with the “wolves are killing all the elk mantra”. So now the organizaton has stepped up their rhetoric. David Allen, CEO, RMEF wrote to this blog back in October 2009.
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October 26, 2009 at 11:12 am
David Allen said:
Relative to your comments quoting RMEF elk numbers being higher than 25 years ago, you are only using part of the facts. You can make anything appear to support your position when you only use partial information.
Elk numbers are down substantially in the areas where the wolves have been allowed to flourish. Unfettered and unchecked management of the wolf population is the worst kind of wildlife management possible. We have the most successful wildlife model in the world and it isn’t because we micro-manage one species over another. Our wildlife system is not only about the wolf; it is about all species.
Goals and criteria were set for the wolf reintroduction and have been substantially surpassed. If those who support the reintroduction of the wolf want a balanced playing field then you will have to begin to stick to what was originally agreed to and stop moving the goal line.
If folks truly want the “natural process” to manage wildlife, then we all (Man) have to leave. Man put nature out of balance and Man has to manage wildlife or leave this planet. The states have managed our wildlife populations very successfully for decades; we will fail fast if we take this management out of their hands.
We do not live in a zoo.
David Allen
President & CEO
RMEF=======
Nabeki’s response:
On October 26, 2009 at 1:35 pm nabeki said: |
Hi David,
It’s pretty hard to argue with your own numbers. Your organization reported that Idaho has 115, 000 elk, up 5% from 110,000 in 1984 and Montana has 150,000 elk, up 66% from 90,595 in 1984. Then you turn around and say well what we really meant is elk numbers are up in those states but only where there are no wolves. That doesn’t make sense at all. I find it ironic that hunters are so concerned about elk numbers because they want to be the ones to kill them and not the wolf. So really the issue hinges around hunters believing wolves are their competition.Conservation Group Celebrates New Data on Milestone Anniversary
MISSOULA, Mont.—Wild elk populations in 23 states are higher now than 25 years ago when the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) was launched to help conserve habitat for elk and other wildlife.Nationally, elk numbers grew 44 percent, from about 715,000 to over 1,031,000, between 1984 and 2009 (see chart).
During that same time span, Elk Foundation fundraisers have generated millions of dollars, which helped leverage millions more, for a conservation effort that has enhanced or protected nearly a square mile of habitat per day—now totaling over 5.5 million acres.
Population highlights among top elk states: California, Nevada and New Mexico experienced the greatest increases with growth exceeding 100 percent. Colorado, Montana and Utah herds are 50-70 percent larger. Oregon and Wyoming are up 20-40 percent.
http://www.rmef.org/NewsandMedia/NewsReleases/2009/ElkPopulations.htm==========================================================
So I don’t see a problem with elk, the only problem I see is an irrational fear of wolves. So much of what is written about wolves is untrue and sensational. But what is true, is wolves are healthy for the environment. Look at the Yellowstone example, wolves dispersed elk from stream and river beds, which have brought back the ash and willow trees for the first time in sixty years. Beaver and song birds have moved into these areas following this rejuvenation.Yes, elk as you know, have changed their browsing behavior and may be harder to hunt but it seems to me that hunters need to change their tactics to encompass that, instead of complaining about it.
Congratulations to the RMEF for continuing to help keep elk populations healthy and strong. I would only hope they wouldn’t be caught up in the wolf rhetoric that seems to plague other hunting organizations.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki=======
David Allens’s response, CEO, RMEF:
On October 26, 2009 at 7:08 pm David Allen said: |
By stating we need less management you demonstrate you do not understand the science of managing wildlife.
You also continue to pick and choose the stats you like that support your position but ignore what contradicts your position.
This is how we got into this mess. Intellectual integrity has been missing from day one of the wolf reintroduction.
Wolves must be managed as all other wildlife, period; and they will be I can assure you.
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Nabeki’s response:
On October 26, 2009 at 7:59 pm nabeki said: |
Hi David,
I quoted YOUR numbers from the RMEF, so I’m not sure what you’re questioning? On wolf-cattle predation I quoted the USDA.The negative dogma surrounding wolves will continue as long as people are grounded in emotion about these animals. Wolf advocates will fight just as hard for sound wolf policies, I can assure you of that and what’s going on now is not sound wolf management. Enough of these animals are killed by the feds every year, let alone having wolf hunts mere months after they were delisted. Minnesota with their 3000 wolves stated they wouldn’t even consider a hunt for five years if wolves were ever delisted in their state. Yet we have the Governor of Idaho going on television, ramping up the wolf rhetoric stating, “I’m prepared to bid for the first ticket to shoot a wolf myself.” I believe over 25,000 wolf tags were sold in Montana and Idaho combined to kill 295 wolves. Who’s being emotional about wolves, the conservationists or the anti-wolf crowd?
It’s obvious we don’t agree on this issue. I’m sure the 100,000 hunters roaming Montana’s wilderness will be able to kill the remaining 55 wolves before wolf season is shut down. And I’m equally sure they’ll have a successful elk hunting season with the numbers of elk way up in this state.
Nabeki
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I saw all this coming from them but I never thought they would go so far as to try and gut the ESA. The irony of all this is it was the ESA that saved the wolf and brought them back from the brink in the West. It gave wolves the protection they needed to make a comeback. Now there are calls to change wolves protections because the anti-wolf crowd lost in court. They’re acting like typical sore losers. By calling for extreme measures to kill federally protected wolves, it proves wolf adovcates’ point, wolves are severely persecuted and scapegoated. They cannot exist or survive long term without protection.
August 6, 2010
RMEF Calls on Congress to Reform Endangered Species Act
http://www.rmef.org/NewsandMedia/NewsReleases/2010/ESAReform.htm
Oh but wait, there’s more. “Sportsman” and I use that word loosely, are bugging the heck out of “wildlife managers” in both states to do somethin about those dang varmit wolves that are killing all the ungulates. They don’t want wolves as competition, oh no, they want to kill the elk, deer and moose themselves!! Those pesky wolves, what right do that have to hunt and survive? Don’t we have dominion over them? They just can’t be allowed to live in peace, now can they?
MANAGE,MANAGE, MANAGE, that’s the message. What would happen if wolves weren’t collared and relentlessly tracked like terrorists? They might actually be able to live out their lives in relative peace, without interference and brutality from humans. I know one thing, they wouldn’t be very easy to find without those infernal collars. Most wolves, unless they’re habituated, don’t want to be any where near humans and can you blame them?
Just to remind everyone, wolves kill very few livestock . In the expanse of the Northern Rockies in 2009, just 214 cows were lost to wolves, out of six million cows. To put that in perspective, 10,500 calves died due to winter storms in one year. In the yearly interagency wolf report for 2009, written by USFWS, which covers the Northern Rockies, the report stated in part: ….”wolf depredation results in a comparatively small proportion of all livestock losses”….
From the Billings Gazette:
“Officials say wolves account for a fraction of livestock losses.
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.”
Here are the charts the feds and states don’t want you to see:
Vulures killed more cows then wolves that year. Coyotes and domestic dogs were in the number one and two position. Even so all predators are responsible for a tiny blip of livestock losses.(NASS 2006)
Of the 104,500,000 cattle grazing in the US, notice the small number of deaths attributed to all predation compared to the 3,861,000 cattle deaths from a myriad of non-predation factors. (NASS 2006)
On their quest to please the tiny,VOCAL, minoriy of wolf hunters, ranchers and haters, Montana and Idaho want to revive the 10j rule to reduce the wolf population significantly. Idaho has declared they want to slash the wolf population down to 500 animals from 850, they made this statement before and AFTER wolves were relisted.
The 10j rule is part of the original wolf “management” plan, an awful concession to ranchers. Wolf advocates were willing to make those concessions back in the ninties, so they could bring wolves back but it’s turned into a bloody, brutal tool, that gets entire wolf packs, including puppies, killed. Montana and Idaho are talking about using the 10j rule to kill wolves for “prey declines”.
“Subsection (j) in Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act permits reintroduction of an endangered species to a location where it used to live, but has since been driven out or exterminated. For each reintroduction effort, a special rule, called a “10(j) rule,” is written, which determines whether the population is essential to the survival of the species and specifically describes how the species will be treated by agency staff, whether lethal control can ever be used on the species, and what private citizens can or cannot do in regard to the species. Reintroduced species are managed differently than other endangered species. Federal agencies have more control over these reintroduced populations, which they call “experimental populations,” than they do for endangered populations that have not been reintroduced.“
The 10j rule was rewritten in 2008, to allow more leeway to kill wolves. It’s being challenged in court:
Wildlife Services is taking comments until August 31, 2010 on a environmental draft analysis that examines the myriad of ways to kill and “manage” wolves, including killing pups and sterilizing alpha pairs. Isnt’ that just great? Wolves have just been relisted, they are a federally protected species yet Wildife (Dis)Services wants to hear from you about their so called “wolf management plan” or more brutal ways to kill wolves.
Please make sure you get your comments in by August 31, 2010. There are four alternatives. I’m adding a fifth one…STOP KILLING AMERICA’S WOLVES FOR AGRIBUSINESS!!
These shadow trophy hunts are being paid for with your tax dollars people, a subsidy for agriculture. It’s not a coincidence Wildlife Services is part of the USDA, their extermination arm.
Here are the choices:
• 4.4.1 Alternative 1 – Continue the Current Wolf Damage Management Program (No Action)
This would be keeping the status quo. Slaughtering wolves the way they have been doing, which is bad enough.
• 4.4.2 Alternative 2 – Expanded Wolf Damage Management Program (Proposed Action, Preferred Alternative)
This disgusting option includes denning (using a poisonous gas cartridge , gassing wolf pups in their dens) and sterilizing alpha pairs of wolves. Who kills puppies and sterilizes wolves? This is what we have passing as “wolf management”? SHAME!!!
• 4.4.3 Alternative 3- Nonlethal Wolf Damage Management Only.
Under this Alternative, WS would not conduct any lethal wolf control and would have no impact on the wolf population in Idaho.
• 4.4.4 Alternative 4 – No Federal Wolf Damage Management in Idaho
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/pdfs/nepa/idaho_wolf_ea.pdf
Contact Wildlife Services and vehemently oppose any sterilization of alpha pairs or gassing of pups in their den. I can’t believe we’re even discussing these brutal policies in the 21st century.
USDA-APHIS-WS
Idaho WS State Office
9134 W. Blackeagle Drive
Boise, Idaho 83709
telephone: (208) 378-5077
fax: (208) 378-5349OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
Written public comments will be accepted through
August 31, 2010
and can be submitted via e-mail to:or by mail or fax to the Idaho WS State Office
(address and fax listed above).
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More of Idaho’s take on gray wolves relisting:
Idaho F&G: Explore wolf hunt, despite relisting
The Associated Press
Published: 08/06/10
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/08/06/1294553/idaho-fg-explore-wolf-hunt-despite.html
Boy, Montana and Idaho have their thinking caps on and as the deputy director of Idaho Fish and Game stated “There may be some rock out there we haven’t turned over.”
These are the people we are supposed to believe are “managing” wolves responsibly. We all know “management” is a code word for killing wolves. I’ll say it again and it needs to be repeated over and over. State game agencies SHOULD NOT BE MANAGING PREDATORS. It’s a conflict of interest. They are looking out for the wants and needs of hunters, not wolves.
To add to the growing list of ways to get around the ESA Montana wants to allow sport hunters to kill wolves for agribusiness instead of Wildlife Services. Hmmm, I thought Montana wanted to kill wolves because they were killing all the elk and livestock? But of course we know that’s a red herring. Apparently there are hunters out there who are pretty darn disappointed the wolf hunts have been cancelled. I guess the “wolf managers” don’t want to disappoint those poor hunters and deny them the great opportunity to shoot a wolf in the guts, hear it’s agonizing howls and screams. Oh, they must find a way.
Montana seeks to restore hunting for endangered wolves
August 11, 2010
http://w ww.greatfallstribune.com/article/20100811/NEWS01/100811014/1002/rss
This reminds me of a meeting held in Kalispell, Montana this year, concerning the increase of wolf hunting quotas. Apparently one of the speakers at the meeting was asked why Montana was killing wolves, when they know full well wolves kill very few livestock compared to other factors plus elk were doing pretty well in the state. His answer, “BECAUSE WE CAN”. There you have it wolf warriors, “because we can“. But wait what about the marauding Canadian wolves killing everything in sight? Gee, I guess that’s just propaganda to appease the wolf haters, you know sort of preaching to their base. He went on to say something to the effect there’s been a tremendous interest in wolf hunting, even from other states. I guess people are calling Montana to find out when they’ll get their chance to murder a wolf. Can’t disappoint those people, the show must go on.
So you see dear readers it’s not about cows or elk, it’s about WOLF HUNTING. Hunters want the chance to slaughter a wolf for $19. Quite the bargain, huh? That’s all a wolves life is worth in Montana, just $19 a tag, of course the price goes up to $350 if you’re an out of state wolf hunter.
The latest and most egregious plan to circumvent the ESA and kill wolves is a lame idea to hold RESEARCH HUNTS!!!` Apparently the states have been watching too many episodes of Whale Wars.
Japanese whaling ship… with RESEARCH written in English on the side of the vessel. They’ re not fooling anyone by killing whales in the “Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary” for RESEARCH. Is this what the states have in mind for wolves? We were born in the dark but it wasn’t last night!!
These are the same people who have been killing gray wolves at record rates. USFWS recently killed two wolf packs in Wyoming , including all the pups. Wildlife Services has been killing wolves, including entire packs in Montana for agribusiness, Idaho does the same thing. They held wolf hunts mere months after wolves were deslisted. They created a wolf archery season along with baiting, calling and trapping for the now cancelled 2010 wolf hunts. They didn’t seem to care one whit what was happening to wolves and their social structure. 500 wolves died in 2009 alone in the Northern Rockies, yet when wolf advocates questioned what effect the “Russian Roulette” killing was having on wolves, this is what we heard.
Wildlife officials mull ‘research hunts’ for wolves
By MATTHEW BROWN – Associated Press writer trib.com | Posted: Thursday, August 12, 2010 12:00 am
http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/article_28438ab2-503c-5f24-848d-ea8ad28ce4eb.html
Now they want us to swallow the notion they’re interested in the impact of the slaughter. If only they could hold research hunts, they could find out what you and I already know. The double whammy of the hunts and WS killings is wrecking havoc on wolves, one of the most highly social animals on earth, second only to humans and African lions. Doesn’t take another wolf killing season to figure that out.
Are all the “stakeholders” (I hate that word and apparently we’re not on the list of “stakeholders), sitting in smoke filled rooms “turning over rocks” to see what crawls out from under them to circumvent ESA? I think so. Maybe the rooms aren’t smoke filled but the plotting is definitely going on.
UPDATE: Research Hunts nixed. They were too transparent even for Montana FWP and USFWS. Now they are concentrating on “conservation hunts”, basically killing wolves for existing. They want to use the horrible 1oj rule to kill wolves for “prey declines” as a way to circumvent the ESA. Idaho announced they will slaughter 80 wolves in the Lolo zone, just for being on this earth. They claim the wolves are killing the elk in the Lolo. OMG wolves are killing elk? How shocking? The Lolo elk herd has been declining since the early nineties and IDFG knows it.
They are disgusting and should NOT be managing our predators. More on the 10j coming soon.
‘Research hunt’ for wolves dropped as officials balk
By MATTHEW BROWN • Associated Press Writer • August 13, 2010
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Any and all attempts to circumvent the ESA should be met with HELL NO from wolf advocates. Please don’t take any of this lightly. I know we just won a victory but this is a war on wolves. Their relisting was an important win but the war rages on.
I urge you to write, call, raise your voices in protest over the jiihad against wolves, not just wolves in the Northern Rockies but all wolves.
I beg everyone to write their congressman and senators to tell them in no uncertain terms they may not change the ESA to remove wolves protections. They work for us, not the other way around. I’ve included a link at the bottom of the post for all contacts. Be sure to write to Senator Baucus and Representaive Rehburg of Montana to express your outrage over there intentions to manipulate the ESA to remove wolves protections.
Contact Senator Max Baucus, (D) Montana
http://baucus.senate.gov/?p=contact
http://baucus.senate.gov/?p=office_locations
Senator Baucus is holding a “listening session” tomorrow, Friday the 13th, in Columbia Falls, Montana, on general subjects but I’m sure his statement to meddle with the ESA and deny wolves their federal protections will surely come up.
Baucus hosting Columbia Falls meeting
By Dax VanFossen
Updated: Aug 12, 2010 12:20 PM
http://www.kaj18.com/news/baucus-hosting-columbia-falls-meeting/
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Contact Representative Denny Rehburgh, (R) Montana
http://dennyrehberg.com/contact.php
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I didn’t want to write this post. I was trying to enjoy our victory but the happiness was short lived. As long as this tiny, vocal minority in the West has a stranglehold on wolves and other native carnivores, the battle will continue.
Stand up and speak out for wolves before it’s too late, the other side will do anything to get wolves killed. This is Wolf Wars part 3000!!
Click here for contacts. We must act!!
I’m going to post a link to the contact info for the entire Congress. If anyone has access to that link, could you pass it on to me? We need a big push to shut down any meddling with the ESA by Congress. We cannot let them touch the ESA or all protected species will be at risk. The grizzly bear could be next.
Photo: Japaense vessel, Courtesy Greenpeace
Photo: wolf, Courtesy kewlwallpapers.com
Posted in: Wolf Wars
Tags: wolf hysteria, playing dirty, 10j, IDFG, Montana FWP, USFWS, war on wolves: part 3000, thwarting ESA, tampering with 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 
Way to go, Nabeki!
I love that your blog actually posts charts, graphs, and sources to the facts you post, instead of just “it’s true cuz I said so”.
This is no longer just about wolves. Once they start messing with the ESA, there is no telling what damage they could do. If H.R. 6028 passes and it becomes illegal to list wolves as endangered or threatend, which species is next? Apparently any animal that gets in the way of someone with alot of money. And if they allow “researched hunts” of protected wolves, what other protected species are going to be “researched”? This is an assualt on everything the ESA stands for. Once they start crippling the ESA, it is going to crumple and fall.
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Thank you Katie…that was a tough post to complete. I have to admit I was going cross-eyed before I finished it. But I feel a responsibility to include links and giving credit as well. I do have opinions but I like to back it up with facts.
I personally don’t think there will be any taste for this in Congress…most of the country is distracted by the bad economy. Baucus and Rehburg are playing to their base but I still don’t dismiss any attack on the ESA. It would be a disaster if they tampered with it, not only for wolves but as you said it’s a slippery slope. I hate how many of the Western politicians are jumping on the “I hate wolves” bandwagon. Anything to change the subject.
N.
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Dear Nabeki our celebration dint last long enough. I read your excellent post and i have to admit i was socked reading about Wolf haters ranchers Governors and others who have just one purpose to drive to extinction the Wolfs. Well this is something we not going to allow. But i need to know how possible is judge Molloy changes the decision who take recently. Also i cant believe people who they business is to protect the nature having this stupid behavior against Wolfs. I read 2 days ago one great article about Great Britain and the plan for a reintroduction of Wolfs to the Scottish Highlands in order to deal with the 350,000 red deer damaging young trees in commercial forests. See this people trying to fix the huge problem they cause in nature chain. Now in Wyoming Montana people hunt the Wolfs with such sickness passion and trying to find many managing solutions to kill them in the name of what ever. I think this must have to stop. The people of USA must aware all the citizens who pay taxes for this types of organizations who work for the nature but with different rules must know how they act and all the lies about any damage on livestock Wolfs can cause. I will start sending all the necessary emails and i have to say how lucky all the Wolfs are to having you on they side. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to fight for all my Brothers and Sisters. Wolfs belong to nature chain without them the consequences will be huge period…
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Hi Vasileios…I was sad to have to write this post. I’ve been trying to ignore the bad news for days but the possible assault on the ESA and “Research Hunts”…I just couldn’t ignore it. I think most of what’s happening is pre-planned. I think they believed all along that Judge Molloy would relist, he said as much last year when he denied the injunction. To me this is an orchestrated power grab to kill wolves and change the ESA.
Thank you for all the kind words, I really appreciate it. Hopefully it’s doing some good, giving people info they won’t read in the media. We have a long road ahead but we have to keep fighting for wolves.
For the gray wolf, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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I am glad you emailed Dave Allen Nabeki. His data says elk #s are up. Yes, I think most of us realize/accept that elk #s where wolves are may be down, but that should be expected and it’s natural. I mean do these hunters expect elk #s in certain areas to be up all the time when you have numerous different predators hunting them? Where is the common sense of the hunter? Having elk #s down in certain areas is NATURAL and should be expected and accepted by hunters, but they don’t clearly care about that or want to accept that. All they care about is dam, the wolves are killing my hunting opportunities, but the truth is there are plenty more elk, so the hunters are basically given up using the wolves as a scapegoat and a reason why they fail to get their elk. Hunters want elk #s UP in all areas, but that just isn’t going to happen when you have numerous different predators killing them. Not only that, but wanting to have an overabundance of elk just so you can hunt isn’t natural. What is natural is elk #s going up and down in certain areas This is the way it should be, but no, hunters turn into crybabies and cry about the competition wiping out “their” elk.
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Actually Jon, David Allen wrote to the blog back in October 2009. I predicted the RMEF would take this turn because they were stung by how their own statistics of elk success was turning around and biting them in the posterior. They had to move more to the right to please their upset members. And thanks to your research, we all know what his resume looks like!!
I’m so tired of talking about elk and cattle. I once wrote a post called, About Elk. That was many months ago but I think I’m going to repost it. These people don’t have clue there is a whole world out there to discover besides obsessing about hunting elk. Of course they’ll never experience it because most of them have tunnelvision. Do they ever look around them and thing how lucky they are to live in a place that supports apex predators? Nope, they just think of ways to kill them. Sad.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Nabeki, Awesome post with a ton of facts and research… I am glad we are on the same side. I honestly don’t believe the haters will be allowed to weaken the ESA. However, I am not going to sit on the sidelines and hope this does not happen. I will crank up the machine today and start writing and calling people. To weaken the ESA and then Sime and company trying to hold research hunts? It seems that just when you thought you could take a deep breath and relax the haters turn the heat up a notch or two. A couple of things bother me. I made a point to not whine daily to most people I know and have daily interactions with. You and JB were the only ones who were aware of my sniveling! It was not easy watching many wonderful creatures just slaughtered for no other reason then hate, fur, bragging rites and of course their sick, twisted photo op. Now because Judge Molloy had the courage to do the correct thing they (Haters) are crying and sniveling louder then a thousand jet engines. This is what I have to say to them. SUCK IT UP! If I had to deal with the pain and misery while you were having your way with wolves …so should you!
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Marc, Jerry, or anyone else from Montana, are you familiar with this Mark French character? He seems like a total nut. Watch this video.
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Jon….yes, I’m aware of this nut job. Problem is, we’ve got lots of these guys that will be running for the legislature and the ones that advocating killing the most wolves will probably win.
What’s important in Montana?………NOT education, health care, lack of mental health facilities etc……..it’s all about guns, killing wolves and whether or not “you got your elk this year”.
Simple minded bastards!
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Anything to get into congress or any other political position.Give a line of bull or throw a line with bait on a hook and just reel them in.People take this hook,line,and sinker because it is what the want to hear.If the facts were right in front of them,they still whould believe the facts are lies.The do not want to change/not willing to change.The fight continues.
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Onward Wolf Warrior!!
N.
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Wingnut but never heard of him Jon?
N.
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these nuts who hate wolves, they repeat the same lies time after time like if you heard Mark French in the video I posted, you will hear him talk about the disease that wolves carry that threaten human life even though there has not been one case yet of anyone being infected with this supposed dangerous tapeworm/parasite. Also, you hear Mark say these introduced wolves on average weigh more than 200 pounds. If this parasite/tapeworm is such a big threat to people like Mark French and others like him claim, why hasn’t there been one case of a person being infected? Atleast if you are going to claim the diseases wolves carry are a big threat to people, atleast have some proof to back it up, but the fact is these wolf haters have nothing. 15 years since wolves were reintroduced and not one person that I am aware of has been infected with this so called dangerous parasite/tapeworm. Only people it may present a threat to are those who handle wolves and even Dave Mech has said no wolf biologist who handles wolves has been infected. Any wolf hysteria.
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Nabeki, I am aware of this bonehead. I read some literature from his PR office that said something about allowing hunters to use gunships to hunt wolves and other predators. I realize this is a strong statement and if I offend anyone I apologize in advance. Some desperate politician or wanna be politician are nothing more then political whores! They will compromise their integrity to get a vote!
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Thanks so much Mark, you also deserve so much credit for being the dedicated wolf warrior that you are!!
The post was a tough one to write, it took me an entire day. Whew… but I wanted to try and cover all the myriad of ways the haters were plotting against wolves. I have to say the Research Hunts top the list and the very disturbing attack on the ESA, which I believe was their plan all along. As I mentioned, I believe the Safari Club is behind much of the negative push against wolves. They would love to see the ESA weakened or gutted. Very scary.
As for all the whining, as you pointed out, we had to suffer for over a year and watch in horror as wolves were mowed down. I didn’t hear any wolf hunters offering us condolences, no they were too busy taking smley pics with dead animals . That creeps me out so much!!
So you’re right, they can suck it up.Their only complaint is they can’t kill wolves in the hunts. What does that tell you about this whole sick situation?
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Dear Nabeki,
You are so right about our victory being short lived. I expected it, but not to this magnitude. I think what is going to be necessary to really have our voice as wolf advocates heard is to have someone of a high profile physically go to Washington and deliver thousands of letters, just like Madeline Pickens is doing for the wild mustangs on September 1st.
And it needs to be a private citizen, not somebody from the HSUS. You know as well as anybody who the wolf supporters are Nabeki. Is there anyone that comes to mind that can really step in and make a difference?
This just makes me psychically sick.
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SoCalWolfGal………….
“to really have our voice as wolf advocates heard is to have someone of a high profile physically go to Washington and deliver thousands of letters, just like Madeline Pickens is doing for the wild mustangs on September 1st.”
Yes, this is what we need. A high profile person with the guts to align themselves with the mission of protecting the wolves.
Everyone who reads this blog>>>>>PLEASE , try to come up with a high profile “someone”…ASAP!!!!!!
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Hi SoCalWolfGal,
The perfect person would be Jane Valez Mitchell. She is a true animal rights advocate and she has a tv show. She’s featured wolves on her show before. I’ve tried to get in touch with her but no luck. She’s incredibly busy but she would be someone to consider. I think she cares enough about animals that she might do it. She also has a feature on her show, where you can make a video and send it to her about a cause you’re passionate about. If someone made that video and told the story of what’s happening to wolves, who knows, she might run it.
Or another idea is to have a young child do it…maybe thirteen or so. People love children and I think that might be the perfect person. Thanks for the idea it’s a good one. Wolves need help and we have to get the word out.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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We need a gordon haber type here in the states Nakebi standing up for wolves like he did in Alaska.
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Do I ever wish we had a Gordon Haber to stand up for wolves in the Northern Rockies, unfortunately he was one of a kind. And of course the biologist I thought who would champion for wolves, Doug Smith, agrees with the hunts and advised they be held later in the winter so wolves coats would be thicker. He has even stated wolves shouldn’t live in agricultural areas. So that was a huge disappointment to me, yet he still gets lots of kudos as a wolf advocate?
N.
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Are you familiar with Mike Wagner nabeki?
http://www.heartofthewolf.org/
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Hi Jon….I have Mike’s wolf site on my blog roll.
N.
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I rather agree with Jon on that we need someone like Gordon Haber.
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Hi Nabeki, now I know why the name Jane Valez Mitchell rang a bell. Madeline Pickens has been on her show twice about the wild Mustang roundups. Maybe if we all bombarded her with requests we could get a segment on for the wolves like they did for the horses. It is so amazing to me when you really start looking, there are many, many wolf blogs and advocates, but you are right, we are just not getting the message out and I am not sure what to do. Can we set a goal to have a more concrete plan by next week?
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Hi SoCalWolfGal,
Jane did a piece on wolves last year. She had someone from the NRDC on that was not doing a very good job defending wolves, he kept making excuses for the Obama adminstration. Jane kept saying, stop making excuses, how can we help wolves? So there is a good chance she would be someone that would advocate for wolves but she doesn’t stay on an issue very long. She is an animal rights activist and cares deeply about animals but her show time is limited, so she does little snippets and then leaves the subject for months. I tried writing to her, I even posted wolf info on her FB page but no answer. Although I think she is a perfect person to champion wolf issues it’s almost impossible to get her attention.
N.
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Well another one person who can speak about Wolfs is Shaun Ellis. He live and he raise Wolfs and i am pretty sure he will accept every call for help..
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That’s a very good idea Vasileios. He might just be the person to contact. He certainly loves and cares about wolves. Good choice.
N.
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Hi Nabeki,
Is the Doug Smith you refer to little ways down the page the Doug Smith with the Yellowstone Wolf Project? I was looking at the WolfWatcher site/blog and was rather impressed with Dave Hornoff. I think maybe if we contacted maybe Dave and Mike Wagner of Heart of the Wolf and banded together so to speak, that would be a good way to become better organized and find someone who knows the wolves and how necessary as apex predators they are to take our cause to Washington.
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Hi SoCalWolfGal,
Yes it’s the same Doug Smith, I used to be a big fan but not after he made those statements. Good idea for wolf groups to band together, the hunting groups are.
N.
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“RESEARCH HUNTS”…..does this mean that the helicopter gun ships will have “RESEARCH COPTER” painted on the fuselage and the ground “troops” will wear jackets identifying them as “wildlife researchers”?
This is getting uglier by the friggin minute.
REMEMBER……..it’s the LIVESTOCK industry that’s pushing this. The “hook and bullet” crowd is being cheered on by the cow and sheep growers.
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Jerry….is this the Twilight Zone? I keep thinking I’ll wake up and this wolf nightmare will be over but no such luck. This is what it must have been like when wolves were exterminated in the West the first time.
N.
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People need to be writing to Grihalva (I know I spelled his name wrong)to ask him about legislation to make the killing of a protected wolf a federal crime and a felony. These SSS scumbags really piss me off, the arrogance is truly shocking. People get that attitude from these wildlife departments full of livestock and hunting special interests. I have called the white house several times, I know Gov Richardson is working on getting the president to do an executive order. These conservatives snivel and whine when they don’t get their way, always threatening to take out their 2nd amendment remedies. I would not be able to handle the constant negativity if I lived in Montana or Idaho.. I would snap and hit someone upside the head with a shovel. Sometimes that’s all these people know is violence!
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William, I cannot stand these scumbag hunters who threaten to sss or the ones that actually go through with it. I agree, the laws should be must stiffer, but the problem is catching these scumbags in the act and that isn’t always an easy thing to do. I can’t even imagine how many hunters turned poachers who have gotten away with killing a wolf. They were never brought to justice. The sad thing is when you have a high powered rifle, it is quite easy to kill a wolf if you have a got shot at it. These people are nothing more than cowards with guns.
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That’s a very good idea William to contact Grijalva, he’s a supporter of Mexican gray wolves. What is Governor Richardson trying to get the president to do an executive order for?
Lol on upside the head. Yes unfortunately Montana and Idaho have many people that despise wolves BUT I think they skew the polls and yell so loudly, they get all the press. There are actually some really decent people that live here but they never get any press when it comes to wolves.
N.
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Fair enough, there are good people everywhere. I just get frustrated- I still don’t get where the hatred comes from. Hunters post you tube showing wolves killing moose calves and they are outraged- where is the outrage at hunters killing female bears with cubs present or the hundred of other wildlife abuses they propagate?
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One can not judge animals for killing other animal in order to obtain food.To bad someone can’t get photos of elk,deer,or any other animalthat has an arrow or a bullet in it that the hunter did not have the decency to follow it and finish the job. The animal will most likely die from infection or be taken down by a predator due to the weakened condition.There are two sides of nature and if you can’t see all of it as it is than you live in a fairy tale.They should stop being so self centered and wake up and see whatgoes on around the United Stated and what man can inflict on other human beings and animals.
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100% true Rita. No one with a functioning brain would fault wolves for killing elk. Only hunters do this. Wolves eat elk and they have every right to. This is how they survive. Whether hunters want to admit it or not, they don’t need elk to survive. Most hunting nowadays is not done for survival purposes.
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/apps/surveys/10tenj/
E
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Everyone send comments in if you want. I doubt it will make a difference as we know Idaho fish and game caters to the hunters. I am sure the anti wolfers will be coming out of the woodwork and sending in their comments to tell Idaho fish and game that they want most of the wolves killed in the lolo zone.
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Why is it that theses nuts have to drag in things that has nothing to do with this issue? I know I am tired of hearing about the cow but now I am as tired of hearing about the elk.The system is messed up.The wild life services are just game wardens making sure hunters get or buy their tags so the wild life serviced get paid.No one wants to lose their jobs or thier importance.The only thing that loses is the wild life.
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They love changing the subject and putting us on the defensive Rita. When we’re talking about elk and cows we’re not talking about wolves or if we are talking about wolves it’s connected to cows and elk. That’s a typical ploy by people that have no real argument but want to keep their opponent on the defensive. I think I wrote a post called. “wolf advocates should play offense not defense”. But then I’m guilty of it too…always having to defend wolves. I’m going to try really hard to do a couple positive posts every week about the benefits of wolves and not mention elk or cows….lol.
N.
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Futhermore,they don’t consider how other people contribute by just taking pictures or just observing wild life(nature) without a gun.They think just because of my support for the wolves that I’m going make them go hungry if they don’t have enough elk or moose to kill in order help feed their families.
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They only cater to hunters because hunters supposedly pay their salaries. wildlife was not put here for us to kill for pleasure/sport/fun. Wildlife should be respected. These hunters do not care about balance. They are purposely manipulating wildlife populations for their own benefit. They want less predators and more more prey animals just so they can shoot. We all know their true agenda.
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Jon, it seems their only agenda.
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http://news.opb.org/article/11042-idaho-game-commission-consider-wolf-reduction-proposal/
Conservationists like Jesse Timberlake say the state is making wolves a scapegoat.
Timberlake works for the group Defenders of Wildlife in Boise. He says the elk population has been dying off there for years, even before wolves were reintroduced in Idaho.
Jesse Timberlake: “They had some large fires there back in the day and the forests are growing back. The canopy is covering the area and that means less food for the elk. They’ve had some severe winters; that has seriously brought down the populations of elk.”
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Montana and the rest are going the way of what Alaska is doing.
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Nabeki
The president could sign an executive order making it a FELONY to kill a protected wolf- currently it is a misdemeanor- i talked with the head of the law enforcement div in NM named Nick Chavez. There is no deterrent or punishment that would make someone think twice about poaching this animal. I have several conversations with Gov Richardson’s staff concerning his apparent lack of leadership during these killings- I know he is a wolf supporter but there was nothing from his office while these poachings occurred. Now he has stepped up and he implemented this trapping ban. I’m not sure how much of that was due to our activism. With senators like Baucus, Crap in your pants from ID, Bourrasso, any wolf legislation would die in the senate like the hundreds of other good bills.
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I feel,also,that any legislation that is brought up in the senate will die.They will try to find a way by legislator to instal a wolf hunting season. If it means changing the ESA,they will try.No one seems to accept the rulings from judges or respect it,just continue to fight against it,or just do what you please.
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Prevent wolves from being listed as protected?
HELLO? The law that made wolves a species to be ‘protected and conserved’ by the FWS no less was written in the late 1970’s.
Whether or not wolves were ‘forced onto’ these states, I just don’t care any more. It doesn’t matter what some hunter or rancher thinks, it doesn’t matter if ‘they didn’t want them here’ because their ancestors had their heads so far up their colons they couldn’t see the bigger picture. This ‘entitlement’ BS has gone on long enough, ok so hunters give money to wildlife and wilderness – big deal. Why don’t they, if they were so generous, cut out the middleman and buy a -considerably cheaper- camera? Heck, buy a nice DSLR camera if you have the money to blow so frivolously.
Do they? No! Because they have a ‘heritage’ of hunting and livestock, that time has to stop where they are and anything new learnt about the wildlife around them is so restricting on their violent destructive behaviour that they just don’t want to accept it. WAKE UP. Unless there’s a zombie outbreak or some divine mass restoration of settler lives, the west is not going to be like it was in the 1800’s. Its the middle of 2010 for crying out loud. Since 1995 there has been a grand change in the American ecosystem, the nation had the opportunity to fix a mistake made by their settlers over a century ago.
No matter the bragging of hunters how they claim to be helping the ecological balance by shooting a certain number of animals every year, no matter how farmers bitch that their families have been there since 1872 and haven’t decided to change the way they look at the land and creatures on it that weren’t cattle/sheep/other livestock. If this restoration of the wilderness has taught us anything its for us as a species to take a damn number, stand at the back of the line or just shut the hell up when it comes to our input in the wild world.
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Edit: Why don’t they, if they were so generous, cut out the middleman and donate to a wildlife fund or buy a -considerably cheaper- camera? Heck, buy a nice DSLR camera if you have the money to blow so frivolously.
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ATTENTION CAROLINE SIME…MONTANA WOLF EXECUTIONER…..RESIGN!!
Well now we have this quote from Bob Lane, the attorney for Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks…..
“We want to hunt wolves as part of our management. But we can’t justify it as far as research and it would probably be too limited for our purposes,” Lane said.
This, after Caroline Sime, the state wolf coordinator(executioner), said that research hunts were a great idea!
GEEZ!!….they aren’t even on the same page.
Caroline Sime continues to dig a deeper hole for herself and is an embarrassment to her profession and the State of Montana.
Caroline, if you’re reading this…..do yourself and the State a favor and RESIGN!
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Jerry, There is a simple explanation for this ambiguous behavior. It seems to change with the wind. Sime and company are not making sciences based decision. Their decisions are based on political wants and needs. Therefore, unlike science …political decisions change like the wind. Unlike You, Nabeki and I who tell those willing to listen the whole truth. (Not hard to recall the truth) Sime has to remember lies and misinformation that supports the current political agenda. On a sad note…Why would anyone spend the time, money and energy into become a specialist in a field like wildlife biology and then become a political puppet and never apply the science that at one point in their life defined who they wanted to be?
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They’re called, BIOSTITUTES, I believe.
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I agree. Caroline Sime RESIGN!!!Great idea,JerryBlack.
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It is all political.We all basicaly know that, even the judge.Everyone jumps on a band wagon when blaming predators for their livelihoods or sport.The elk are not being wiped out totaly by predators but probably by the lack of food and the time and effort in finding it.Fires started, either by nature or man,in heavy forested areas,allowed new growth in the past. In just asking a question,how is their habitat now in the last 10 years or so?Are they finding enough food? Just maybe,for once,greed and selfishness,doesn’t make eveyone so short sighted,and blind by the real causes.It is never just one thing.Wolves and bears are not the problem here but man.
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http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/opinions/polls/poll_26675fb2-a304-11df-8787-001cc4c03286.html?login_success=true#user-comment-area
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Rita
Predators are scapegoats. Coyotes and wolves have it the worst. Coyotes are trapped by trappers(who I despise)and then sent to hunting clubs who turn loose their dogs on these poor animals. They fight for their lives as these scumbag hillbilly hunters get this twisted perverted pleasure from seeing these dogs rip apart the coyotes. Wildlife penning was finally banned last month in Florida, after the Conservation Commission let this happen for over two decades.
I have to laugh at the NTA and these hunting groups that call people like us “antis” because we question these dispicable practices. I hate these people. I see these penning videos when I go to sleep at night sometimes I get so angry I want to storm the NTA headquarters and FU*& up some of these scumbags.
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I hear what you are saying,William.I find it disgusting and that is just putting it lightly.They are not hunters by any means.Between you and me and a fence post,hunters tend to stretch that word freedom around.They,in their perversion,think the dogs need exercising when they tear up a coyote.Yeh,they love their hunting dogs, if they do not preform well or get lost they end in the dog pound and put down.Yeah,they love their dogs to death.
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The modern day hunter needs to clean up their act. Some wildlife departments actually allow sows to be shot even if cubs are present! That blows me away. I have never heard a hunter ever admitting to going to a wildlife preserve to hunt! everyone knows it’s reprehensible and not hunting yet almost 25 states allow it! Trapping is a whole other issue- don’t get me started. A bunch of sadists stuck in a 19th century hunter-gatherer mentality spouting off about how much they do for conservation and the environment- just don’t bring up the incidental take issue which is their dirty little secret. I’m facinated with the old pictures of these dirty illiterate trappers with hundreds of animals they have killed. Considering they have a fourth grade education they are proud of their accomplishment. Conservatives have tried to weaken the ESA with no success, primarily with Bush trying to weaken scientific oversight. I remember Audubon I think 2006 (maybe jon can find it) did an article called “The feds and the developers cozy up” which showed how Bush instructed the USFWS to have the developers write the Biological impact statements ( which is the third party scientific oversight)of how a certain project would impact Endangered Species. Developers were building Golf courses in prime panther habitat with no accountability. What a nightmare!
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William,I know how you feel.Yeh,I feel that there is alot of cozy up in alot of departments when it comes to alot of things especally wildlife. I still can’t get rid of alot of pictures in my head of a mother cougar being killed in front of ther cubs,and the penning scenes with the coyotes or foxes;just to mention a few.No,I won’t go into trapping for its an occupation that should have gone bye bye in the 19th century, even earleir for me.No reason for it.Get an education.
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[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Onyx_Wolf, Nabeki. Nabeki said: Assault on the Endangered Species Act and the War On Wolves…: http://wp.me/pDTDG-21U […]
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thank you for your patience my MS is flaring up and I am having troulble typing.
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Hmm, you know it is SO strange to see all these guys complaining, ya know? I can’t damn belive it. After all, according to this Mark French wolves weight 200 pounds, right?
Really, people need to stop being so ignorant. Clearly that guy doesn’t know a wit about wolves.
Excellent article, btw. It’s great you were able to have a good discussion with Mr. Allen.
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Hi Everyone,
One of my beloved pets died today and I’m pretty sad, so I haven’t been able to answer all your comments. I didnt want you to think I was ignoring you. Feel free to talk amongst youselves as you always do. I’ll be feeling better soon.
N.
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Losing a pet is just devastating. Sorry to hear that she’s not with you physically any more……..but she’ll always be with you.
Jerry
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I’m very sorry to hear that Nabeki.
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I am sorry too Nabeki. I hope you feel well soon..
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Thank you Rita, Animal Annie, Jerry, Jon, Vasileios and everyone for your kind words, I really appreciate it. Life has a way of knocking us off track sometimes, loss is always the hardest thing.
For our beloved pets,
Nabeki
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Nabeki I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your pet. No matter how many pets are in your life, when you lose one, it leave a hole in your heart. Grieve and hold the others close to you.
I have been so busy at work, and did not check back as I should have. We have had so many good comments here. I think if we can all find a Wolf Advocate like Gordon Haber (that is easier said than done I realize). This is what it is going to take. And we need to keep bombing Salazar and President Obama. If we had a proper Secretary of the Interior these “hunters” in Montana and Idaho would not be such a threat.
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I’m so sorry, nabeki! 😦 I hope you feel better soon.
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Thank you Loua, it’s always hard losing a beloved pet, there just isn’t any easy way to deal with it.
N.
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Sorry about the death of your pet.
I agree that much of this is due to misinformation about wolves, and that human hunters do not have to compete with wolves for food, such as elk.
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Nabeki,My heart and prayers go to you.After my loss of my pet,saraI was heart broken.She was a part of the family.She still lives in my heart.Anyone that had the privilege of owning/sharing their lives with their pet shares your loss.
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I would be interested to know what is the landscape like on this Lolo area that they want to reduce the wolves in order to increase the elk.I don’t live there and I do not recall it when I went there 20 years ago.Can anyone point me in the right direction for the information?
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DEAR NABEKI! I AM WITH YOU. I KNOW VERY WELL HOW YOU FEEL.PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
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Dear Agnes,
I hope you are doing well!! Thank you for your continuing support and your dedication and love for gray wolves!!
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Vasileios.Shan Ellis would be a good contact and I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try.Isn’t he still living in England.I am still trying to look up the info about the review of His book,co-authored by Monty Sloan.If I rember correctly some time ago on the web site of Heart of a Wolf,it didn’t get good review from in fact just like Doug Smith ,when it came to livestock,the wolves didnt fair there any better and should be removed.I haven’t heard much about him lately.He has a website,so it wouldn’t hurt to try. Thank you.
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My typing is terrible right now so please bare with me. I would like to know if Jim and Jamie Dutcher would be a good representiative for the wolves? They have their own website,Living with Wolves.I would like you opinion,thank you.
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Rita….I know the Dutchers have a wonderful website and much experience with wolves. We really all need to band together…what a force we could be!
N.
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Jim and Jamie Dutcher address is (P.O. Box 896,Sun Valley,Idaho,83353) and their email (livingwithwolves@cox.net )
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Rita, I honestly don’t see anyone as of now as a savior to help wolves. There aren’t many Gordon Habers in this world, people who love and care for fights and have the time to do it. The wolf biologists who are supposed to love and care for wolves have failed us, Doug Smith and Ed Bangs come to mind. They advocate hunting. As of now, the only way to protect wolves is through the court system and the only people who can get that done are animal rights groups and environmental organizations. nabeki and all, I am sure you are aware of some senators I believe from MT Renberg and TX Chet Edwards who are trying to get a bill passed that would keep wolves off the esl.
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I know Jon, two politicians from Montana are attacking wolves but as I said before, Baucus wants to talk about anything except the horrible health bill he created. Rehburg is preaching to his base. They are going to have a real fight on their hands if they think they can meddle with the ESA. That might be what it takes to rally our base!!
N.
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I want to help the wolves because as a high school student they want you to know what you want to do in life and what I want to do is to become a wolf biologist. And to do this I am focusing my senior project on wolf conservation. But I don’t know where to start.
Could you help?
I believe that the reasons why and how the government and hunters are killing and so called management IS wrong. I want to help but don’t know where to start.
I don’t want to list my name, as of yet, until I know how to go about things with my project.
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Hi Student of Ohio,
Great to hear you’re interested in becoming a wolf biologist. I have lots of information and places to visit for your project. First there is a ton of information on this blog. Sometimes it’s a little hard to find but if you look in the category section on the right hand side of the page you will find it. It’s a drop down menus, so click on it and all the categories will come up. I’ve documented what wolves have experienced since their delisting but also have written on many subjects concerning wolves. So that’s a start. Here are a few more links to get you started and help with your research:
1. Center For Biological Diversity National Wolf Recovery Petition to Ken Salazar (Secretary of the Interior)
Click to access GrayWolfNationalRecoveryPlanAPAPetition.pdf
2. Cristina Eisenburg (wolf biologist)
Tracking science: Biologist’s findings show forest diversity, health influenced by wolves
http://missoulian.com/lifestyles/territory/article_3ec9fc54-c01f-11de-bf16-001cc4c002e0.html
3. Lobos of the Southwest (a wealth of information on the critically endangered Mexican Gray Wolf)
http://www.mexicanwolves.org/
4. Lords of nature ( the defining film on wolves and other native carnivores) I have a friend that will send you a copy. Let me know and I will send you his email address)
http://lordsofnature.org/
5. Gudrun Pflueger(field biologist) Her amazing Journey with the Coastal Wolves of British Columbia
A Woman Among Wolves (full episode)
Running With Wolves
http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/site/sn/show.do?show=135974
6. WildEarth Guardians
Carnivore Project
http://www.wildearthguardians.org/Wildlife/ProtectingEndangeredSpecies/CarnivoreProject/tabid/123/Default.aspx
Abolishing Federal Wildlife Killing (Warning Graphic Photo in the header)
http://www.wildearthguardians.org/Wildlife/WildlifePolicyReform/AbolishingFederalKilling/tabid/127/Default.aspx
Petition to End the War on Wildlife
http://wg.convio.net/site/Survey?ACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUESTS&SURVEY_ID=1321
=====
That’s to get you started. If you need any more help please let me know. If anyone else has suggestions for Student of Ohio, please post them.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Thank you. I’ll let you know how my project comes along as the school year goes.
I am pretty upset though about the Mexican gray wolves being killed because I had done a thesis project on them and was looking forward to their release into the wild. But after reading these stories I am not so sure. I have gotten attatched to them and I don’t want to read in the news that the wolf that I spent six months observing was shot and killed by a poacher.
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Your welcome Student of Ohio, I’m sure you’ll do a great job on your project. I would suggest highlighting how important wolves are to the ecosystem, ie. trophic cascades.
I too am very upset about the Mexican gray wolves, it’s no longer time to give a half hearted effort. They need to release wolves and PROTECT THEM!!
N.
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