I find it interesting if the feds are willing to give this management option to the states to keep wolf numbers down, to keep from affecting big game herds, there must be something to the fact that wolves are affecting big game numbers! I know, this goes against the walt disney mentality of some folks on this forum!



Associated Press writer
Tuesday, January 29, 2008 2:05 AM MST

BILLINGS, Mont. -- Environmental groups have sued to block a federal rule that would allow state wildlife agents to kill more endangered gray wolves in the Northern Rockies.

Federal officials want to empower state wildlife agencies to kill off packs of wolves in Idaho, Wyoming and Montana if they are having a "major impact" on big game herds, particularly elk.

Environmental groups claim as many as 600 of the region's 1,500 wolves could be killed as a result. Seven groups announced Monday they had filed an injunction request in U.S. District Court in Missoula to block the rule.

Wolves rebounded from near-extinction in the region over the past decade, after they were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho.

Earthjustice attorney Doug Honnold, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the environmental groups, said the federal government had caved in to pressure from state officials who "want to kill those wolves as soon as possible."

State and federal officials responded Monday that the environmental groups' claims were exaggerated and that far fewer wolves -- possibly in the dozens -- would be killed.

The rule also would allow for the killing of wolves caught attacking stock animals or dogs.

Montana FWP has a proposed wolf regulations up. They look fairly liberal. Proposed Wolf Regs

Looks like they propose a $19 permit with harvest based on quotas not on number of permits issued.

I think the first thing that should be looked at is the number of members of any of these groups that actually live in any of those states and where these groups are headquartered out of.

If those folks don't live in the effected state and the organization is not based in the effected state, then they have no basis to file a suit, since they are not being impacted in any way by the abundance or lack of wolves in the wild in the effected states. JMO.

the wolf meeting here in cody wy on the 24th was 2/3rds ranchers and sportsmen and 1/3 "green" gist of the meeting had to do with legal wording in the regulations concerning the proposed hunting and damage claims for loss of livestock.stated numbers provided by the the feds to the state game and fish "13 packs totaling 170 wolves in the state not including the nurserys of ynp and teton park."
the greater yellowstone confusion claimed at the meeting they had no litigation planned at "this" time,but there were alot of under breath mumblings by the other greens everytime the topic of controling wolf numbers was mentioned.doesn't surprise me the follys have begun.lets add to living in the "infected" area,time spent off the sidewalk,at least 150 days a year in the outdoors,in the last 10yrs i have personally witnessed the loss of a wonderful moose population and the collaspe of elk herds that don't seem to matter as long as the greens have the chance to view a wolf.you want to see a wolf go to yellowstone! if you have never seen a wolf outside of yellowstone SHUT YOUR PIEHOLE

The greenies are useing the same BS that they have used for years. The same tired old agruments that they quoted many years ago.

I read in the paper the other day about a deer cull they wanted to do in some sort of a park in New Jersey. Seems as though the park has the carrying capacity for something like 60 to 80 deer and thre is actually over 300 in the park. Like all over populated areas, the deer are causing problems with vehicle crashes and over browsing the vegetation. So, Jersey wants to cull. Makes sense to me.

The problem lies with the fact that almost all the people living around the park work and are from New York City. So, they are obviously against the culling and want to use some sort of contraception, even though there has never been an efective contraceptive develeoped for wildlife.

Here's a solution to both problems, let's ship all the surplus wolves to NJ, NY,CT, MA, RI etc. That way all the greenies will be happy because we aren't killing the wolves, the liberal New Egland states won't be bothered by having to do deer culls, and the country will still have wolves.

After all, wolves were native in the New Endland states just like they were native in the Rockies. So, they should have them to help "balance out" their ecosystem just like Yellowstone.

Let's send them home to their native areas. I'd bet a pack of wolves would clean out the muggers and thugs from Central Park in a hurry.

Mac

I too have watched the decline of deer,elk and moose here in Montana,the greenies haven't been sucessful in stopping hunting so they approach it another way,just reduce the hunted animal to such low numbers that hunters have no other options.I hate wolves and those that forced them on us should be prosecuted or persecuted,either works for me.Drop-Shot

The early winter predation study in Yellowstone National Park fell back into its typical pattern of nearly all elk. Kills were about 40% calves, 40% bulls, and 20% old cows. Dec 2007.

Looking forward to the March 1st report.

quote:

Originally posted by MAC:
I read in the paper the other day about a deer cull they wanted to do in some sort of a park in New Jersey. Seems as though the park has the carrying capacity for something like 60 to 80 deer and thre is actually over 300 in the park. Like all over populated areas, the deer are causing problems with vehicle crashes and over browsing the vegetation. So, Jersey wants to cull. Makes sense to me.

The problem lies with the fact that almost all the people living around the park work and are from New York City. So, they are obviously against the culling and want to use some sort of contraception, even though there has never been an efective contraceptive develeoped for wildlife.

Here's a solution to both problems, let's ship all the surplus wolves to NJ, NY,CT, MA, RI etc. That way all the greenies will be happy because we aren't killing the wolves, the liberal New Egland states won't be bothered by having to do deer culls, and the country will still have wolves.

After all, wolves were native in the New Endland states just like they were native in the Rockies. So, they should have them to help "balance out" their ecosystem just like Yellowstone.

Let's send them home to their native areas. I'd bet a pack of wolves would clean out the muggers and thugs from Central Park in a hurry.

Mac

MAC.....YOU ARE SOOOO RIGHT......LETS SEND THEM A BUNCH OF THEM SO THEY CAN STAY THERE AND LOOK AT THEM!!!!!

We can snare in New Jersey so wolf's will be a great addition to the trap line.