As soon as federal protection ended, the slaughter began.
By J. William Gibson
December 8, 2011
Congress removed wolves in Montana and Idaho from the protection of the Endangered Species Act in April. And this fall, the killing began.
As of Wednesday, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game reported that 154 of its estimated 750 wolves had been “harvested” this year. Legal hunting and trapping — with both snares to strangle and leg traps to capture — will continue through the spring. And if hunting fails to reduce the wolf population sufficiently — to less than 150 wolves — the state says it will use airborne shooters to eliminate more.In Montana, hunters will be allowed to kill up to 220 wolves this season (or about 40% of the state’s roughly 550 wolves). To date, hunters have taken only about 100 wolves, prompting the state to extend the hunting season until the end of January. David Allen, president of the powerful Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, has said he thinks hunters can’t do the job, and he is urging the state to follow Idaho’s lead and “prepare for more aggressive wolf control methods, perhaps as early as summer 2012.”
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 
I wish I could do something, BUT there is a loud silence everywhere? I have e-mailed Anderson Cooper twice requesting he take on the Livestock Industry, etc., sent letters to both of my senator’s – received the canned reply, stopped memberships in all groups that abandoned the Wolves AND told them – no more money ’til they do something, sent your articles to friends and my rabid animal lover niece in Oregon who forwards to other people, BUT the slaughter continues and it makes me sick and very angry
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Pat that is the problem. The msm WILL NOT cover this story. Are they waiting for all the wolves to die? And it’s not just Montana and Idaho…Wyoming wolves are next and so are wolves in the Great Lakes Region. It is sickening, grass roots wolf advocates must organize.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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I’m sorry but this is disgusting, why is it happening? When the scientists and ecologists are saying that the wolf population is very low and should still be on the endangered list yet certain politicians, ranchers and landholders seem to have twisted the science just so they could legally start shooting them again. Is that about right? I think we should learn to live with magnificent predatory species like wolves, leopards and bears but there seems to be no attempt at accommodation. In fact we demonise them when we inevitably come into contact, competition or conflict as every year we encroach further and further into their territory and their world that has lasted for thousands of years shrinks more and more. I dunno, it makes me indescribably sad.
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Me too michelle.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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And they are only once species in one corner of the world struggling for survival in a world which seemingly does not care…
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i want to express my deep apritiation to your wanderfull blog and dedicated struggle. here in israel the harvest mentality is no different. do you have any connection with the famed pianisdt helene grimaud? she help thr cause’ and might talck about it or something.
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Thank you for writing orna and what a tremendous video. I had no idea helene had a wolf conservation center. I’ll try to find her contact info and ask for her help. We need a celebrity to bring attention to the wolf slaughter happening in the Northern Rockies.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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There is something very wrong here. I see the situation as excruciatingly horrible and the politicians and ranchers should be ashamed for corrupting the scientific truth. Of course, people like this will never truly be satisfied until wolves are completely gone from the area. How cruel can they be to exterminate the predator, the ancestor of our dogs, that has been around for so many centuries? What drives them to believe that this is the right thing to do?
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Ashley it’s up to us to let the world know what’s happening. Toni was mentioning holding a candlelight vigil in Missoula, Montana. What if we picked a date and people around the country held candlelight vigils on the same day??
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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This is what Sarah Palin started. We need to stop this before it goes the wolves are all gone.
How do we stop it when people will not listen. They are held back because of the lies of the wolf-haters.
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Barbara…we have to try change our tactics, they are not working. It’s because we’ve largely been absent in real time. We have to have a visible presence outside the Internet. We need media coverage and not the pathetic coverage of the local papers that spew the party line. I hope Bill Gibson’s article is read around the country. Do as much as you can and tell all your friends, this has to be a national effort.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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My heart is breaking for the Wolves. Why is it so hard for the ranchers to understand they have nothing to fear from the Wolf. There is a war and the Wolf and their families are losing. Let the Wolves live their lives in peace – please stop this madness before these beautiful creatures are gone from us forever.
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There minds are closed – they are living in the 1800’s & do NOT listen to sound science.
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What to do? How to stop the wolf slaughter? Only numbers will stop it. Write the editors of your local ; Attend a rally; Tell your senator(s) how you feel You think the ranchers are part of the problem…then stop supporting them…hit them where it hurts most…stop eating meat. If we all do something, anything, to stop this slaughter, it will end. Let your voice be heard.
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These people who are in Congress do not know what the heck they are doing to our environment. The Federal Government has given the right of way for the extinction of our beautiful Wolves.
They should take a look at the problem and stop the killing of the wolves.
Dear GOD, Please stop this senseless killing of the Wolves. Put a stumbling block in front of the hunters, gassers, poisioners and trappers. Let the wolves left be able to live out their lives in peace. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
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[…] The New War On Wolves… (howlingforjustice.wordpress.com) […]
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I believe that many people do not realize what is happening to our animals. When I speak to some about the wolves they do not believe that wolves are being demonized and slaughtered. They ask why would we want to kill wolves. The organizations that were supposed to protect our wolves did not. Organizations that I have helped support with donations for years have turned against the wolves. Recognition of this situation through education is one way to enlighten people as to the plight of the wolves. Wolves are an important part of nature and should be protected. The alternative is unspeakable in a country that God has blessed with so much. Everyday I pray for the world and those i love, and the wolves are part of those I love.
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There were three coyotes who after a dog. The owner of the dog screamed and the coyotes ran away. This happened in Chicago, ILL.
Police have said do not call 911, to call 311 and the animal control will come out where the coyotes were sited.
Animal Control will set up traps to catch them in.
Why can’t the FGWS do this with the wolves and move them to a safer area.
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Because there is no “safer area.” Hunters will not even tolerate wolves in the depths of the wilderness, because they are angered by the fact that they eat elk.
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We have to let the hunters know captain sakonna that our wild places, forests and plains belong to all Americans, not just them.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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This is very upsetting,I can’t believe it.Is it just going to get worse,or what?It’s like people don’t care.Soon will have no wildlife,all will be gone.We do what we can…
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I am Heart broken, both by this. And by the heartless killers out there. Yesterday on my bus, you could see deer out the window. (a good sign) I heard some one say “Let’s go shoot them! Hey that will be fun! How ’bout we go get some cute little bunny’s to!” that girl broke my heart. And that only added to, two of my pets having died that day.
Because of this mess. I have managed to come up with a quote to get us going.
“Down with Hunters! Up with H.O.W.L!”
(and other wolf saving organizations)
“I’m the most furious I’ve ever been, and will stop at nothing till we win!”
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wazaiyata, I’m so sorry to hear about your pets, I lost my 14 year old dog recently, so i understand how you’re feeling.
Most of us are tired and fed up with this. The wolf haters have accused conservationists of going to far with lawsuits, etc. Well for one thing lawsuits are the only way to get their attention since we literally have no voice in government. But now they have gone too far killing wolves, they are enraging people and moving them to become involved, like they never have before. The sleeping giant is waking and the hunters and ranchers who think they have won this battle are sorely mistaken. We the people will be heard.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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I don’t understand how these states can think that their wolves are overpopulated. Question (with background info): Montana is bigger than Italy. Italy is more densly populated than Montana, and as such has less wilderness regions. Yet, Italy has more wolves than Montana. In Italy, wolves are protected as an endangered species and (to the fullest extent of my knowledge) does not plan on removing those protections anytime soon. But Montana is treating their wolves as overpopulated pests that should be slaughtered to reduce their population. So the question is: why is it that Italy continues to protect their wolves while Montana shoots them, when Montana’s wolf population is smaller than Italy’s? (I’m glad that Italy continues to protect it’s wolves; it’s Montana’s wolf policy that is confusing and has caused me to ask this question)
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People are so crazy because of the Anti-wolfers. They believe the lies that the hater are putting out.
I am so tired of hearing these stupid people. They are such deceivers. These haters.
Wolves are the best thing for our ecosystem and the environment.
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NoonvaleWolf…The same scapegoating and persecution which has dogged wolves since the first European settlers arrived on these shores is alive and well in America today and I say America because I’m also including the Great Lakes Region, where the anti-wolf forces have targeted with their hate mongering. Now we’re hearing the same vitriolic BS concerning wolves coming from that part of the country. If the wolf rider had not been stripped out of this budget bill it would have not only delisted Wyoming wolves but also the wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, who are planning wolf hunts once the wolves are no longer protected. They’ve also been trapping and killing wolves in Minnesota for thirty years…a little known fact. Demonizing wolves is not limited to just the Northern Rockies, unfortunately.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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Nabeki, I can’t believe that they are talking about killing the wolves in the Great Lakes area. That just blows my mind. I thought the folks out here were a tad more sophisticated than the assholes out west ……
but alas I was wrong (not the first I might add)
Here’s hoping that the Lummis Wolf delisting rider in this year – end spending bill WON’T be added in.
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