While I am grateful that Sen Klobuchar helped get the money to continue removing wolves I can't for the life of me understand why we would want to spend $727,000 a year for wolf removal in MN,WI, and MI rather than take in money on licenses and tags.


MN STAR-TRIBUNE:
Federal trappers will continue to remove problem wolves in Minnesota under a program that had run out of funding last week -- but now has received a three-month reprieve.

The wolf predation management program removes wolves that threaten livestock, pets or humans. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said Tuesday that she had secured program funding for the rest of the year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services has been removing problem wolves for decades in Minnesota, but funding ran out last week. Klobuchar said she worked with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to find funding for the program until the end of the year, when the wolf is scheduled to be delisted and management will return to the state.

It's a significant issue for livestock owners who operate in wolf territory. Last year, federal trappers removed 192 problem wolves, which killed about 100 cows and sheep, and 15 dogs.

"We expect there will be limited activity in the next three months, so the cost will be less than $70,000," said Carol Bannerman, a public affairs specialist with the federal Wildlife Services. Annually, the program costs about $727,000 for Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Wolf experts said that control of troublesome animals is vital to ensure the long-term public acceptance of wolves, and that the state will have to find a way to fund a similar program after the wolf is delisted.

Because goverment trappers and hunter honor the ppor wolf more the us mere hunters and trappers.

What BS sell lic hunt the problem wolves.

Typical government thinking, tax and spend money to solve a problem that could actually generate it.

Then we wonder why....

If they allowed hunters to do the removal it would validate hunting. They don't want that!

Because i government is throwing larges sums of money at it, it must be the right thing to do.

Hunters and trappers that would pay for permits are just not the understanding type.

PLUS "What bentframe said".

Just put the word out and pay a 100 dollar bounty per wolf, and keep the other 600000 for something important, like paying off some of the debt run up. Or god forbid let the people who are paying the bills keep more of their money.

I'm afraid that this is a major part of the problem. If the story line in the film "Cry Wolf" is correct, and I have no reason to doubt it, the Federal Fish & Wildlife agency is primarily focused on expanding its own budget, and the wolf stocking program is an excuse for allocating funding away from true conservation and supporting the hunting community.

In fact hunters are a vital force in both conservation and the economies of many States.

quote:

Originally posted by bentframe: If they allowed hunters to do the removal it would validate hunting. They don't want that!