I just received this email from our regional director.



Elk Foundation Voices Support for Wolf Management


MISSOULA, Mont.—The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this week hopes to remove wolves from endangered species lists in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. But with anti-hunting emotions and lawsuits threatening to forestall sound conservation science, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is reaffirming its longstanding support of hunter-based wolf management.

Wolf populations are now well above federal recovery goals and increasing.

The time has come to manage wolves like other game animals, says Elk Foundation President David Allen.

“Long before anyone dreamed of an Endangered Species Act, hunters were restoring and managing elk, mule deer, whitetails, wild turkeys, black bears, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, mountain goats and a host of other wildlife. In fact, it was hunter-funded big-game populations that made wolf recovery possible. You’d think the people who argued longest and loudest to bring wolves back would be slapping backs and saying thanks. Instead, they’re filing lawsuits,†said Allen.

Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said, “We strongly support hunting wolves. Look at the success we’ve had with hunting mountain lions and maintaining strong lion populations. There is no reason wolf management cannot be just as successful.â€

Regulated hunting has never reduced any species to threatened levels. It is, however, the premier tool for balancing game populations within carrying capacities of habitat as well as public tolerances. Allen said wolves in certain areas have exceeded those tolerances.

Allen urged Elk Foundation members to support hunter-based wolf management controlled by respective state wildlife agencies, saying, “I hope all of our members will voice their support for de-listing wolves as prescribed by US. Fish and Wildlife Service, and continue to show how hunters lead the wildlife conservation process.â€


About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Missoula, Mont., the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the future of elk, other wildlife and their habitat. The Elk Foundation and its partners have permanently protected or enhanced over 5.2 million acres, a land area larger than Connecticut, Delaware and District of Columbia combined. More than 500,000 acres previously closed to public access are now open for hunting, fishing and other recreation. To help protect wild elk country or learn more about the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, visit www.elkfoundation.org or call 800-CALL-ELK.

FWIW

MFH

Where were they when the wolves were released???? Cheering the feds and the wolves! That was what the RMEF was doing.

Screw the RMEF! I support real pro hunting organizations, DU, NRA, SFW. Not enviromental fence stradlers!

Back when Dart was the RMEF President, I thought I'd just wait him out. He did seem a bit too quick to "hug a tree" for me though. And under his leadership I was disappointed with a gross lack of response to the Wolf issue.

Plus there was the Zumbo debacle brought on by Dan Crockett's Back Page comments. The final straw was when Crockett decided the Bugle would be a fitting place to utter X-Rated comments where the kids could "learn" from his pen.

So, back in Feb I sent this to Mr. Allen(the guy they put in Dart's place after axing him).
-----

RMEF
Attn: Mr. David Allen
5707 Grant Creek Road
Missoula, MT 59808

20Feb08

Subject: Delete my Membership

Dear Mr. Allen,

Back when Jim Zumbo made his unfortunate remarks concerning semi-auto firearms, I’d hoped everyone at RMEF would let it set for awhile. But as quickly as possible Dan Crockett fanned the flames with his Back Page Zumbo support column. As soon as I saw Dan Crockett’s post, I simply tore the Bugle in half and trashed it, knowing it was only going to make things worse. Member responses within the "Bugling Back" section of the next magazine, from the majority of those who responded, as grossly anti-NRA, convinced me to simply let my membership lapse as it came time for renewal.

Then yesterday I received the March-April 2008 Bugle and found Crockett’s column disgusting, sophomoric and totally unfitting. See attachment – pitiful!(EDIT IN: I ripped the last page out of the Bugle and sent it back to Allen.) I could not imagine how such trash could get into the Bugle. Then I looked to see who you all have appointed as Editor, and who should I find but Crockett himself.

That explained to me why the anti-NRA comments were allowed in support of his inflaming column and the current base, trash. I am an Inactive MARINE and certainly have uttered my share of profanity. Though I do not now take pride in it, nor do I ever do it in front of women and children.

And the refusal of the RMEF to adequately and properly address the Wolf issue simply makes the organization way too green for me. I do support your efforts at creating vast tracts of habitat accessible to Hunters, which is why I was a member to begin with. I’ve never Hunted Elk yet, but intend to.

So, I’ll just stick more money into the NRA that would have gone to the RMEF and wish you all - all the best.

Remove my name from your Membership – immediately!
-----

I seem to remember our old buddy VarmintGuy used to get a bit "upset" about their lack of a Wolf stance. Straddling the Fence never works well and in this instance is bad for the overall Elk population.

Great post!


And when you get ready to do that intended elk hunt and want to try Wyoming, let me know.

I'm no longer a member beacuase they sat on their thumbs when the wolves were first released and did nothing. Instead I join SCI,NRA.

Steve

simple cover your arse.

quote:

I support real pro hunting organizations, DU, NRA, SFW.

DU has pussed out repeatedly on the subject of predator control unfortunately.

Delta Waterfowl has been much more proactive on that issue.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Lefforge:
I'm no longer a member beacuase they sat on their thumbs when the wolves were first released and did nothing. Instead I join SCI,NRA.

Steve

What exactly could they have done?

quote:

Originally posted by kudu56:
...And when you get ready to do that intended elk hunt and want to try Wyoming, let me know.

Hey Kudu56, Thanks for the invite. Maybe we can blast some Wolves too.

Good hunting and clean 1-shot Kills.

Hot Core,

Has the NRA Conserved and Enhanced over 5.5 Million Acres???

Because While they help with Gun Rights I am not really sure if they have done much for conserving ground to hunt on for future generations.

The RMEF has conserved and enhanced over 5.5 million acres in 25 years. I think thats pretty good for an organization.

RMEF stood for state management of wolves. They are not a political organization. They are whats called a Habitat Conservation Organization. They raise money for habitat.

quote:

Originally posted by sierrabravo45:
Hot Core,

Has the NRA Conserved and Enhanced over 5.5 Million Acres??? ...The RMEF has conserved and enhanced over 5.5 million acres in 25 years. I think thats pretty good for an organization. ...

I agree with you, it is an excellent thing to do.

quote:

As I said in the letter:
I do support your efforts at creating vast tracts of habitat accessible to Hunters, which is why I was a member to begin with.

The "selection" of the anti-NRA letters by crockett was both an effort on his part to provide support for Zumbo's ignorant remarks as well as "bash the NRA" because they were against Zumbo's anti-firearm comments.
-----

There are times to support organizations that have internal problems, like when Warren Cassidy was VP at the NRA. Neal Knoxx got him, as well as his backers among the Board Members, tossed out with the support of the rank and file Membership.

Obviously with the axing of Dart, there is change going on within RMEF. Hopefully crockett will be one of the "used to work there" folks. And if by my telling them he has helped loose a member speeds the process, then they did get the correct message.

Best of luck to you.

There's going to be ups and downs in any organization.

To be honest, I am far more concerned with the recent slippage of the RMEF financial efficiency rating that with the who-said-what about wolves and all.

I've been an ardent supporter of the RMEF because they are one of the very few outfits that can pull off the BIG projects, and they traditionally were among the very most efficient conservation organizations. The current trend is something that bothers me a lot (don't want to raise funds for salaries), but hopefully the Dart canning will reverse the trend. JMO, Dutch.

Salaries, fat cat fringe benefits, and mack daddy attitudes! A few habitat enhancements (burning sage brush) in conjunction with the BLM and states, does not make them the save all conservation/hunting group they allude to. They are not a hunting group! Or even totally pro-hunting, hunting is a tool according to them, the same as wolves.

Kudu56,

I don't know how or why the RMEF got your panties in a wad, but you could use to step back and review their record objectively. RMEF has always been a pro-hunting organization, but they are formeost a wildlife conservation group, in the true meaning of that phrase. Habitat, research, and sound management of the species has always been their main focus. They have always supported hunting as an approriate and typically best managment tool.
They have even provided support to groups like USSA. RMEF is not a "hunting organization", as you say. They are far more than that. And by your definition, neither is DU, MDF, or even NRA. RMEF certainly has its weaknesses. It went through a couple rough years with ineffective leadership lately. The new CEO (Allen) seems to speak his mind and have a tighter hand on the reigns. Only time will tell.

Good Hunting.

Bill

The more we fight, argue and slander eachother, the further separated we, as hunters become. This is why a handful of anti's can do so much, because they stick together and help eachother. Not hunters, it's all about US! Me,Me,Me......

Let's grow up and stick together

quote:

Not hunters, it's all about US! Me,Me,Me......

That's the RMEF!

I have no use for them, it is my choice, I was a long time member, 20+ years, always attended at least one banquet yearly, Cody, Lander, Thermopolis, or Saratoga. A person and a community can only support and donate so much.

Honestly, I haven't seen one ounce of benefit. I quit RMEF when they came out in support of the wolves, and their constant begging from little communities for donations, to support banquets, and the fat cats and good ol boy groups are the ones that benefit.

What's a membership now days? $35, you get 4 conservation magazines full of pretty pictures with borderline granola hunter articles. Then you attend a banquet $100 for a shitty meal, spend a $1000 on raffles and silent auctions, and the chairman doesn't even recognize individual business's that donate. I prefer DU SFW and NRA! My choice! So screw RMEF!

If you knew all the details of the upper eschelon, and how your dollars are spent, and what they get and you don't, you wouldn't belong either!

The RMEF has conserved 5.5million acres... I'll bet 5.4 million of it is off limits to public hunting. Sweet! They're pro hunting as long as they make money off it.

On the other hand an organization that was founded roughly the same time NWTF, has "conserved" nearly 3 times as much land (mostly in the east and not in huge chunks at a time like the RMEF) and one of its main goals is hunter opportunity on conserved land.

The RMEF doesn't give two craps about the average hunter, they intersted in getting as much land as they can locked up to development... good for them I'm glad they do that, but to say they are a pro hunting organization is... well miss leading IMO. Ted Turner himself has conserved more land than the RMEF. The RMEF is more intersted in creating wildlife sanctuaries/park enviroments than they are about hunters. Thats a fact. The valley I grew up in has more RMEF conservation easments than you can shake a stick at, yet I'll bet the average hunter could only get on 1-2 ranches, and like only get to hunt a cow. BFD.

The elk need about as much 'saving' as the whitetail deer.

quote:

Originally posted by Ivan:
The RMEF has conserved 5.5million acres... I'll bet 5.4 million of it is off limits to public hunting. Sweet! They're pro hunting as long as they make money off it.

On the other hand an organization that was founded roughly the same time NWTF, has "conserved" nearly 3 times as much land (mostly in the east and not in huge chunks at a time like the RMEF) and one of its main goals is hunter opportunity on conserved land.

The RMEF doesn't give two craps about the average hunter, they intersted in getting as much land as they can locked up to development... good for them I'm glad they do that, but to say they are a pro hunting organization is... well miss leading IMO. Ted Turner himself has conserved more land than the RMEF. The RMEF is more intersted in creating wildlife sanctuaries/park enviroments than they are about hunters. Thats a fact. The valley I grew up in has more RMEF conservation easments than you can shake a stick at, yet I'll bet the average hunter could only get on 1-2 ranches, and like only get to hunt a cow. BFD.

The elk need about as much 'saving' as the whitetail deer.

what you said...

I would add that I have no problems with the conservation easements on land I'll never hunt because I couldn't get on it before it had an easement anyway! At least it won't have a have a dozen McMansions on it. A publicly accessable area I hunted on for over 20 years was ruined by development on adjcent private ground I never had access to. I do my elk hunting in wilderness areas, tougher but at least it won't be F***ed up by some developer.

quote:

Originally posted by Ivan:
The RMEF has conserved 5.5million acres... I'll bet 5.4 million of it is off limits to public hunting. Sweet! They're pro hunting as long as they make money off it.

Yes and of the $20k to $30k raised by the local chapter here, yearly, I think the most that was given back to the local area was $2500, in the form of matching funds for prescribed sage brush burns on private ranches that benefit cattle as well as elk.

I quit the RMEF in 2004 after being a Sponsor for several years for 1 reason. I was at a banquet and got a look at one of their financial statements and on it was where they donated $10,000.00 to the wolf recovery program. When I went to Missoula and confronted them about it they first denied it then when I showed them the statement they backed off and said it was for political reasons. So to this day I refuse to help the RMEF.

I think they do more good than harm. I continue to support them. I am glad they support the opening of wolf season. Good hunting. "D"

Just got an opportunity to Win 21 firearms from the good old NRA in yesterdays mail. In todays outgoing mail will be the money I would have sent to RMEF headed to the NRA. Should I win, I don't see many on the list I really desire, so I can sell them and head that money back to the NRA as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Mtfury:
...they donated $10,000.00 to the wolf recovery program. ...

They had me fooled. Pitiful!

quote:

...they donated $10,000.00 to the wolf recovery program. ...

Doesn't surprise me at all! I wonder what other little knick knacks they have hidden over the years.