TAKE ACTION: Contact Montana Governor Bullock Concerning Wolf Killing House Bill 73

January 29, 2013

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. I hold that the more helpless a creature the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of humankind.
— Mahatma Ghandi

We have doomed the wolf not for what it is but for what we deliberately and mistakenly perceive it to be: the mythologized epitome of a savage, ruthless killer — which is, in reality, not more than the reflected image of ourselves. We have made it the scapewolf for our own sins.
— Farley Mowat, from the preface of the 1993 edition of his book, Never Cry Wolf

Montana is a big and beautiful state in the Northern Rocky Mountains of the United States. But… during the past two years this big and beautiful state has allowed a small number of its citizens, and others from outside the state, to persecute and kill over 300 innocent and ecologically vital wolves that lived within the state. In 2011, Montana’s own Division of Fish, Wildlife and Parks estimated the total wolf population there to be about 550 wolves.

When will the persecution and killing of these vital, innocent and beautiful wolves end? When will the humane American majority, including the many voices of humane, respectful and wildlife-loving Montanans, be heard above the brutal and heartless voices of cattlemen, animal abusers and sport killers?

There is a glimmer of hope, of positive change for wolves in Montana, and for all of us who respect and admire wolves and want them protected. Montana has a new Governor, Steve Bullock, who campaigned with reason and decency. He did not pander to the wolf haters and kept an open door to the many wolf defenders who met him.

Now, Governor Bullock quickly has the opportunity to demonstrate that he is indeed a man and a leader who respects ecology, healthy ecosystems and the importance of natural predators, including wolves.

The Montana House of Representatives just passed House Bill 73, that is intended to accelerate the torture and massacre of the remaining wolves in Montana. This wicked legislation would allow each sport killer to kill more wolves, reduce the cost of out of state licenses to kill wolves, allow sport killers to use electronic calls of wolf pups in distress, allow killing of wolves on the perimeter of Yellowstone National Park with no buffer zone and on and on.

The facts speak for themselves:
There are approximately 2,500,000 cattle in Montana. In 2011, just 74 cattle were confirmed to be taken by wolves. 74 out of 2,500,000. That tiny tiny number is statistically zero. But, pathetic cattlemen continue to spread hysterical lies about wolves killing their  non-native cattle in numbers too numerous to count. These same cattlemen rely on the ignorance and apathy of the general public and the media, so they can continue their demonetization and slaughter of America’s native wolves and coyotes and mountain lions and bison and wild horses and prairie dogs and anything else that moves.

As for elk, the principle prey of wolves in the Rockies, Montana had 90,000 elk before wolves returned to their native homeland in Montana. Today with wolves back on the land, the state of Montana estimates the current elk population at 140,000. More wolves equals  more elk and the elk are much healthier now that wolves are keeping them on their toes, just as nature intended.

Wolves are vital, innocent, highly social, intelligent and family-oriented beings. It is humans that are the mass killers of wolves and every other animal they can shoot, trap, poison and destroy. It is ignorant and violent humans who must be managed and restrained, and who must finally learn to live on this Earth respectfully and with compassion for non-human beings who have as much right as humans to live and prosper across the planet we share.
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This week’s WOLF DEFENDER ACTION is to contact Montana’s new Governor, Steve Bullock. Please be respectful and polite. Gov. Bullock is brand new to his position and has taken no action to hurt wolves.

Ask Governor Bullock to put an end to the persecution and massacre of wolves in Montana. Ask him to veto Montana House Bill 73. Ask the governor to be the first governor in the Rocky Mountains to show compassion, decency and respect for living wolves, in Montana and throughout the Rockies. Ask Gov. Bullock to acknowledge the indispensable and positive role, wolves and every other natural predator performs in every healthy ecosystem. Ask him to protect America’s wolves.

Here are three ways to contact Governor Steve Bullock:
(Please be polite and respectful and consider doing all three. I was told he reads letters that are mailed to him directly.) 

1. By Phone: 1-406-444-3111
2. By EMail:   governor@mt.gov
3. By US Mail:
Governor Steve Bullock 
Office of the Governor 
PO Box 200801 
Helena, Montana 59620

Thank you, for Montana’s and America’s ecologically vital and beautiful wolves,

Robert Goldman
Protect America’s Wolves!
http://signon.org/sign/protect-americas-wolves

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Montana Seeks More Aggressive Wolf Hunting

January 29, 2013

Even as Wyoming’s wolf management policies are under fire in the courts again, a bill that would prevent the closure of wolf hunt areas near Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks before the quota is reached, allow multiple wolf licenses and generally expand wolf hunting in Montana has been unanimously approved in the Montana House of Representatives and now moves on to the Montana Senate for consideration there.  The bill would allow hunters to purchase more than one wolf tag and use electronic calls to lure the animals. It also reduces the price of a nonresident wolf license from $350 to $50.

http://jacksonholeradio.com/?p=12486

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HOUSE BILL NO. 73

INTRODUCED BY K. FLYNN, T. WASHBURN

BY REQUEST OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH, WILDLIFE, AND PARKS

Click HERE To READ

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Photo: Flickr Commons

Posted in: Wolf Wars, Montana wolves

Tags: MT. war on wolves, HB 73, K. Flynn, T. Washburn, Montana FWP, Montana Governor Bullock