Montana gov: Kill wolves hurting elk herds

17 February 2011, 05:23

kudu56

Nice to see Montana nutted up and taking a stance on a long over due problem. Now if the rest of the Western states would follow.

Montana gov: Kill wolves hurting elk herds
Wednesday, February 16, 2011 4:15 pm

BILLINGS, Mont. — Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer says the state will defy federal protections for gray wolves and kill packs that have been hurting elk herds.

Schweitzer also told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he is encouraging livestock owners north of Interstate 90 to shoot wolves that harass their animals. He says state game wardens would stop investigating wolf shootings in that part of the state.

Livestock owners in southern Montana already have authority to shoot wolves that harass their animals.

The Democratic governor says he is fed up with years of litigation that have kept wolves on the endangered species list even as their population has grown to more than 1,700 across the Northern Rockies.

17 February 2011, 05:40

Cazador humilde

quote:
Originally posted by kudu56:
...The Democratic governor ...

Very impressive. God Bless Montana (and you know how hard that is to say for a Texan). 'Hunted there, 'hope to return, 'saw wolf tracks, 'experienced their impact on the elk herds.

17 February 2011, 05:47

Aaron Neilson

Glad to hear it, and he's a Dem too!!!

17 February 2011, 06:28

p dog shooter

I would like to see the Wisconsin gov do the same thing.

17 February 2011, 06:31

2drifters

This is great news. I think Gov. Schweitzer did a pretty popular thing with this announcement. He also stopped the Feds from transferring bison out of Yellowstone Park for slaughter. Put the onus on the Feds to take care of the 400 animals penned up inside the park.

17 February 2011, 06:39

Brian Clark

Let's hope more Goveners continue this trend, it kills me how the rest of animals must suffer for this stupid cause.

17 February 2011, 08:20

ravenr

By god!that's the spirit!
Might as well delist,we already have

17 February 2011, 19:02

smarterthanu

Hey Flags, where you at on this one? Where is your little oath to follow game laws to the letter and rebuke all that don't? I bet you are having a real moral delimna right now about how to think.

How about you Crazy horse, Is the governor encouraging people to "steal" from you.

Maybe yall can see how childish your arguements have been and how complicated game management, conservation, and the future of hunting really is.

17 February 2011, 19:35

Mikelravy

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_...gered_wolves_montana

17 February 2011, 20:35

rcamuglia

quote:
We went into D Day this week with 50 Co-sponsors of the Delist wolves from the ESA, I bet there will be more than 100 by noon today.

The BOLD and GUTSY move by Montana Governor Brian Sweitzer who told his fish and game personnel to kill packs of wolves to protect elk herds, to kill the entire pack of wolves if they kill one cow or sheep, and told Game and Fish Personnel NOT to prosecute any landowner from shooting wolves on private property has sent a SHOCK WAVE through Congress – we had already pounded them for two solid days.

So, Victory on this issue is imminent. We must stay focused and win a few more battles, and not relent until final and complete victory is achieved.

Congress must act by Friday night on a Continuing Resolution (CR) by this Friday or the Government Shuts down.

Senator Hatch and Barrasso and Congressman Rheberg, Chaffetz, Bishop, Matheson, Ross, and Congresswoman Lumis had anchored a great position, and had some strong support by Senators Crapo, Risch, Lee, McCain and Kyle.

So, stay tuned.

US Senator Orrin Hatch has been a complete STUD on this issue. Ryan Benson is still in DC working to make sure we get the exact right language in the final bill on wolf delisting, which could be signed by the President within 48 hours.

Ted Lyon, our top tier Texas Trial Attorney put together a very interesting meeting Tuesday night with one of Leader Reid and the Entire Democratic Senate’s Senior advisors.

I called some friends after that meeting and told them, we won. Sweitzer’s bold move, without a doubt will sealed the deal

So, it has been a long road.

Ted Lyon said it best today in DC, “This is a Roosevelt Moment”

Stay tuned.

Thanks to the tens of thousands who really dug in and helped deliver a monumental victory for Conservation.

Ryan Benson and I have been keeping some notes, we are going to write a book about this, if nothing else, It might become a Harvard case study about how to do what most say can’t be done. It will be a fascinating read for all who love wild places and wild things.

In a few hours I have breakfast with Fmr Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. I spent a couple fun days in December hunting elk with him in Western Montana, it will interesting to see what he thinks about this bold move in leadership.

Don Peay

17 February 2011, 20:56

Randy Routier

Best news all day and hopefully help keep them out of South Dakota.

17 February 2011, 21:14

don444

Damn good!

17 February 2011, 21:48

steve f

Good news.

I hope the rest of the western states with wolves will do the same.

17 February 2011, 23:08

Bear in Fairbanks

First of all, thanks for the "heads up", kudu56.
Secondly, I followed the link that Mikelravy provided.
Man, if you guys want/need some laughs for the day, go to his link then scroll down to the comments. Lets just say that there are a lot of people that posted there that only have mush between their ears.

Don't think Ive ever heard more bsflag

in such a condensed form in my life.
Enjoy!!
Bear in Fairbanks

18 February 2011, 00:55

Scott Spencer

This is a great day in Montana!!! Idaho first and now Montana....maybe WY will now finally stop being the thorn in the process and get on board!

18 February 2011, 04:23

kudu56

I don't have a clue why our new Govenor hasn't jumped aboard. Our previous Govenor, made the same statement as Montana several years ago, he was almost lynched by the feds..

18 February 2011, 06:32

oakman

Thats Great---about time he told the feds to shove it.........

18 February 2011, 07:58

ravenr

Hey Scott
I've scraped 2 replies to your post for being
Too hostile.
Let's just say, you don't know what the hell you are talking about, when it comes to where Wyoming fits in all this

18 February 2011, 09:37

SDhunter

Super,

It is a start.

18 February 2011, 19:59

Scott Spencer

quote:
Originally posted by ravenr:
Hey Scott
I've scraped 2 replies to your post for being
Too hostile.
Let's just say, you don't know what the hell you are talking about, when it comes to where Wyoming fits in all this

Thank you for the decency.

Would you mind providing a link to WY management plan for wolves? I can't find one on their G&F website but I may be looking under the wrong subject. I know one of the reasons for overturning the delisting was because WY wouldn't/couldn't come up with a management plan like ID and MT.

Thanks

18 February 2011, 22:04

ravenr

I can't provide a link and the wy g and f doesn't
Have current info.
What I can tell you is that the Feds accepted wyomings
Management plan as biologically sound and population sustaining
In 2005.their words.then changed their mind after the tree hugger
Bent their ear.
At this stage it doesn't matter, we are " managing"
Them without their permission and have been for years.
MIGHT AS WELL DELIST, WE ALREADY HAVE

22 February 2011, 05:31

Snapper

quote:
Originally posted by Mikelravy:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_...gered_wolves_montana

Projections made last year by wildlife officials showed that killing off all packs that attack cattle, sheep or other livestock would have quickly reduced wolf numbers below sustainable levels.

ie... all wolves prey on domestic animals?

24 February 2011, 23:35

Idaho Sharpshooter

We are doing a similar thing here in Idaho.

It is long overdue IMHO...

Rich