Comments Needed! WY Wolf Plan

Photo: Britannica Advocacy for Animals

"Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead recently concluded an agreement with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to save 100 to 150 wolves in lands near Yellowstone National Park. But in the remaining 80% of the state, wolves can be killed year-round because they are considered vermin. Roughly 60% of Wyoming's 350 wolves will become targeted for elimination."  LA Times 

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of the Gray Wolf in Wyoming From the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Removal of the Wolf Population's Status as an Experimental Population; Proposed Rule

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or USFWS), are 
proposing to remove the gray wolf (Canis lupus) in Wyoming from the 
List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. This rule focuses on the 
Wyoming portion of the Northern Rocky Mountain (NRM) Distinct 
Population Segment (DPS), except where discussion of the larger Greater 
Yellowstone Area (GYA) or NRM metapopulation (a population that exists 
as partially isolated sets of subpopulations) is necessary to 
understand impacts to wolves in Wyoming. The best scientific and 
commercial data available indicate that wolves in Wyoming are recovered 
and no longer meet the definition of endangered or threatened under the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Wyoming's wolf 
population is stable, threats are addressed, and a post-delisting 
monitoring and management framework has been developed. However, 
additional changes to Wyoming State law and Wyoming Game and Fish 
Commission regulations are necessary for implementation. We expect the 
State of Wyoming to adopt the necessary statutory and regulatory 
changes within the next several months. If this proposal is finalized, 
the gray wolf would be delisted in Wyoming, the nonessential 
experimental population designation would be removed, and future 
management for this species, except in National Parks and National 
Wildlife Refuges, would be conducted by the appropriate State or Tribal 
wildlife agencies. We seek information, data, and comments from the 
public about this proposal including the post-delisting monitoring and 
management framework.

DATES: Public Comments: We will accept comments received or postmarked 
on or before January 13, 2012. Please note that if you are using the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES), the deadline for submitting 
an electronic comment is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on this

date.
    Public Hearing: We will hold a public hearing on this proposed rule 
on November 15, 2011, as well as an informational open house 
immediately preceding the public hearing. 

  
Click here to comment

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ID Begins Aerial Gunning Wolves This Week

Idaho is more than eager to begin their Palin style warfare on wolves. US Fish Wildlife Service will likely have the wolves delisted by Thursday or Friday.  The new Idaho Fish and Game Director, Virgil Moore, who became director March 31, 2011, will implement the states science-based plan to reduce wolf numbers in the Lolo area where elk herds have already experienced mass die offs in the severe weather.

We believe there is still enough snow on the ground that we can pursue those animals via aerial gunning and try to reduce those numbers. Moore says.

The department is scrambling to find aircraft to carry out the mission before snow melts and will seek assistance from federal wildlife agents to do the shooting. Once snow has melted, trapping will be used in the Lolo Zone. 

Scrambling to find aircraft to carry out the mission. ROFL. Those red necks are trying to be bad ass making soo much hype over wolves.

But, as all Palin aspirants believe, aerial gunning is not enough. Director Moore will also immediately issue trapping of wolves as soon as the snow melts. This fall, he will work with FWS to implement a wolf hunt.

An interesting tidbit about Moore..He was chief of fisheries for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game but in 2006 went to Oregon and became director for Oregon Fish and Wildlife. Then, 11 months later he says  for personal reasons, I’ve decided to return to Idaho.

ID F&G is an agency with a $78 million annual budget and 567 full-time employee.


This year the department is facing shrinking revenue from hunting licenses, less federal money, and a Legislature that’s been leery of fee hikes for residents. (boohoo)

Moore says he intends to seek direction from the hunters and anglers who finance much of the department through license and tag fees.

If you'd like to contact Director Moore

virgil.moore@idfg.idaho.gov

US Recovers Gray Wolves to Kill Them

Severe Winter in NW=Severe Game Die-Off

A record number of big-game animals perished this winter in parts of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming from a harsh season of unusually heavy snows and sustained cold in the Northern Rockies, state wildlife managers say.

Wildlife managers estimate die-offs in the tens of thousands across thousands of square miles that span prairie in northeastern Montana, the upper Snake River basin in Idaho near Yellowstone National Park and the high country of northwestern Wyoming near the exclusive resort of Jackson.

Can't blame the wolves for low game numbers this year.

Russia to Send Wolves to Sweden

Russia has too many wolves in some areas according to them. Sweden wants to increase genetic diversity of wolves. They say this after issuing a wolf hunt in January. Why the change?

Animal advocates, however, are in a strong position. They secured the backing of the European Commission who ruled that the hunt was contrary to EU law; the Commission has suggested the viable population is 1,000 wolves and hunting should be suspended until that level is reached.

Swedish Wolf

The European environment commissioner, Janez Potocnik, claims the hunt violates an EU directive that protects endangered species..

Wolves are an endangered species in the EU? At least someone is doing the right thing.
With increasing the wolf population in Sweden it'd be interesting to see how demographics and geography compare to that of the Northwest states in the US.


Let's look at human population, land size & wolf populations. US wolf numbers from MT FWP

• Sweden
• 9 million people
• 158,663 sq mi
• currently 200 wolves soon to be 1,000

• Montana 
•  989,000
• 45,388 sq mi
• 524 wolves in 2009
• Wyoming 
•  563,000
• 96,989 sq mi. 
• 843 wolves in 2009
• Idaho 
• 1.5 million
• 82,412 sq mi.
• 320 wolves in 2009

Total land size in NW  
224, 789 sq mi.

Total human population in NW  
3,052,000

Total wolf population in NW 
1, 687

Looking at the math

The NW has almost 1.5 times as much land as Sweden and a population of just 3 million.

The NW has more land and not much more wolves than Sweden wants to gain. If Sweden is increasing their wolf population with less land and 3 times as many people than the Northwest states, then why can't US handle their current wolf population?

Idaho Declares Disaster Emergency

"The uncontrolled proliferation of imported wolves on private land has produced a clear and present danger to humans, their pets and livestock, and has altered and hindered historical uses of private and public land, dramatically inhibiting previously safe activities such as walking, picnicking, biking, berry picking, hunting and fishing."

Excerpt of Otter's Declaration Letter

Idaho Conservation League commented:

This action is over the top, even by Idaho standards.

Gov. Otter enacted H0343 to deal with this drama. Here's a snippet:

 67-5807. GOVERNOR -- EXECUTIVE ORDERS. (1) Pursuant to this act, the governor may issue executive orders and proclamations and amend or rescind such orders and proclamations. Executive orders and proclamations have the
force and effect of law. A disaster emergency may be declared by executive order or proclamation of the governor if the governor finds any of the following:

(a) Any Canadian gray wolf within the state is a carrier of a disease harmful to humans, livestock, pets and wild game and that there is a risk of transmission of such disease to humans, livestock, pets or wild game;
(b) The potential of human–wolf conflict exists and that the Canadian gray wolf is frequenting areas inhabited by humans or showing habituated behavior toward humans;
(c) That the potential for livestock–wolf conflict exists and that the Canadian gray wolf is frequenting areas that are largely ranchland with livestock or showing evidence of habituated behavior toward livestock;
(d) The numbers of Canadian gray wolves are such that there is an impact to Idaho big game herds as identified in the wolf management plan of 2002, and that there is evidence that increasing the number of wolves beyond one hundred (100) has had detrimental impacts on big game populations, the economic viability of the Idaho department of fish and game, outfitters and guides, and others who depend on a viable population of
big game animals;
(e) The numbers of big game animals have been significantly impacted below that of recent historical numbers and that there has been a measurable diminution in the value of businesses tied to outfitting and other game or hunting based businesses.

Wolves to be Slaughtered as Part of Federal Budget

Photo-Wikimedia Commons

The wolves will be slaughtered in 60 days in Idaho and Montana. There are no packs in Utah and no plans to hunt in Oregon. In Washington wolves will remain endangered. In Wyoming, wolves will remain federally protected until the state develops a wolf management plan that’s approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Idaho and Montana, intend to kill many of the 1,270 animals last counted in their two states, which include approximately 80 breeding pairs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is likely to ramp up aerial gunning of wolves and campaigns that destroy pups in their dens.

There are 1,600 wolves in the Northern Rockies. 

Here is the text of the "wolf rider"

SEC. 1713. Before the end of the 60-day period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall reissue the final rule published on April 2, 2009 (74 Fed. Reg. 15123 et seq.) without regard to any other provision of statute or regulation that applies to issuance of such rule. Such reissuance (including this section) shall not be subject to judicial review and shall not abrogate or otherwise have any effect on the order and judgment issued by the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming in Case Numbers 09–CV–118J and 09–CV–138J on November 18, 2010.

In Washington state Fish & Wildlife will keep wolves listed as endangered. There are only 2 wolf packs in Washington.

Here's a Q&A from the Spokesman Review with Madonna Luers, a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife spokeswoman:

Q. How will the rider affect Washington’s wolves?

A. Washington has a much smaller wolf population than Idaho with only two confirmed wolf packs – one in the Methow Valley and one in Pend Oreille County.
Wolves will remain a “state endangered species,” said Madonna Luers, a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife spokeswoman.
The department is working on wolf management plan to reduce future conflicts as Washington’s wolf population grows.
A public meeting on the draft plan is planned for June in Ellensburg.

Q. Will Washington someday have a public wolf hunt?
A. “The short answer is maybe,” Luers said. “In our state, it’s probably a long way down the road.”

At least one Washington has sense :)


For a truthful, to the point article on the delistings go here: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/04/12/966283/-Tester,-Simpson-put-anti-ESA-rider-in-budget-bill

Structure in Nature

Photo by: Gifford Pinchot Task Force

The structure of a wolf pack creates and maintains order, sustaining the pack. Clear division of rank allows for clear efficiency in sustaining the group--alpha is the decision maker, beta is the hunter and cares for pups, and the omega is the stress diffuser. Just like the structure of the Unified Field interacting with itself through numerous laws of nature in perfect orderliness. On the surface, the physical reality, things can be out of balance, but they can also be brought back into balance through the knowledge of the Unified Field and using technologies that operate from that level i.e. indigenous ceremonies.

For example, right here in Yellowstone in 2008, Arvol Looking Horse performed the "Releasing of the Spirits" ceremony for all the slaughtered buffalo. Also, helping with the ceremony was Rosalie Little Thunder.

Rosalie says that in Lakota tradition, when buffalo die, we must honor them with songs so they can come back again. When the Park Service and DOL kill them so disrespectfully, they sing no songs and the buffalo's spirits can't be let go. So the Ceremony was necessary to help the buffalo move on. Songs were given to the buffalo. They will come back.

Wolves- An Example of Unity of Nature

The wolves show how a group can live together and take care of each other. They live for their pack, each in their own role/rank. The diversity sustaining unity, like the universe itself. All the diversity within Nature is the Laws of Nature. The source of these being the Unified Field. Maharishi says universe is simply the combination of unity and diversity.
Below is a video by Dr. John Hagelin explaining the Unified Field.

Conservationists Turn Back on Wolves

The feds decided to delist wolves in Montana and Idaho. 14 conservation groups had filed a suit to maintain Endangered Species protection for wolves. All but 4 of these groups backed down. The four who stood by the wolves are: Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Western Watersheds, Humane Society of the United States and the Friends of the Clearwater.

The 10 who agreed with USFWS and abandoned the wolves are: Cascadia Wildlands, Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Hells Canyon Preservation Council, Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, Natural Resources Defense Council, Oregon Wild, Sierra Club and Wildlands Network.

The good news about the settlement is that wolves in Oregon, Washington, Utah and Wyoming are now listed endangered. 

The court case settlement can be viewed here: http://www.newwest.net/pdfs/NRM%20wolf%20settlement%20agreement%203.2011.pdf

Native American Wolf Story

Here's a story I came across. It has a sad ending.

photo by John Wiles

I wanted to give something of my past to my grandson. So I took him into the woods, to a quiet spot. Seated at my feet he listened as I told him of the powers that were given to each creature. He moved not a muscle as I explained how the woods had always provided us with food, homes, comfort, and religion. He was awed when I related to him how the wolf became our guardian, and when I told him that I would sing the sacred wolf song over him, he was overjoyed. In my song, I appealed to the wolf to come and preside over us while I would perform the wolf ceremony so that the bondage between my grandson and the wolf would be lifelong. I sang.

Read the rest here: http://www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/lore141.html

 

Anti-Wolf Meeting at Boise State University

Jim Beers gave a speech at Boise State University. What you are about to read is unscientific, impractical, and plain stupid.

Here are a few quotes with a link to the full article with more lunacy below:
http://wolves.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/jim-beers-speech-in-boise-anti-wolf-tea-party-nullificationist/

Wolves killed Indians and spread a lot of disease, including smallpox.

Countries that allowed wolves to persist don’t have an advanced civilization now – they’re like Africa.

How did America allow wolves back in? It was the love/drug culture of the 1960s-70s. Lots of turbulence resulted in the formation of enviro and animal-rights groups. This is when the term charismatic megaspecies came into use.

WA Wolf Howls

Judge Molloy Supports the States

After days of waiting, Judge Molloy finally reached a decision on September 9th. The judge said FWS violated the Endangered Species Act when it kept wolves protected under it in Wyoming while delisting the wolves elsewhere. In addition, FWS numbers for a viable wolf population are political and not based on science. Therefore, the wolves should be hunted. The wolves will bounce back even if over 30% of their population was killed! (Typical Montana)

That's the judge's decision--Exterminate the gray wolves.

Target: Gray Wolves

With no decision made yet by Judge Molloy regarding the Northern Rocky gray wolves, the hunt in Idaho began yesterday. So far, 3 wolves have been killed. Molloy could still approve an injunction which would stop the current hunt in Idaho and prevent the hunt in Montana which is set to begin September 15th.

In Idaho alone over 9,000 tags have been sold. In Montana over 3,000 tags.

It's hard to tell what Molloy will decide. Just last week in Dillion, Montana, gray wolves killed 120 sheep in one raid! The ranch was left to one person, the owner's son, to supervise. The owner boasted that his ranch has been there for 50 years and the wolves were "intruders." (WOW! A whole 50 years. The wolves have been there for how many thousands? The ranch is the intrusion.)

In Montana, Ed Bangs, the Helena-based U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regional wolf recovery coordinator said that the wolves are already being culled. With 23 percent of gray wolves in Montana being killed each year by the following:

10% By "agency control"
10% Illegally
3% Accidentally, such as by vehicles

Back in Idaho the stupid hunters are now boasting about their kills with photos of themselves with a dead wolf. Here are a couple news sites with photos.
KOMO
LA Times

Idaho to Kill 50% Wolf Population

Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) wants to kill 518 gray wolves in the state out of the 1,000 that live there. This is 8 times the recovery goal and the wolves are increasing in population by 20% annually (too bad we don't have the same rules about invasive species). Hunters will be used to "manage" wolves (just like the buffalo). The focus areas for hunting will be where invasive livestock have taken over and in the Lolo Elk Zone where the number of elk is decreasing by 13% each year. IDFG puts a good portion of the blame on the wolves (what a surprise), saying that other predators such as, black bears and mountain lions kill elk too, but when the wolves are "managed" the elk numbers will increase. This decrease in elk has caused a decrease in hunting ($$$)

So, the mindset of the European settlers lives on in Idaho.

Gray Wolves are Back to Judge Molloy

On June 2, 2009, Earthjustice filed suit on behalf of conservation groups challenging the decision to delist the wolves. But, once again the arrogant MT FWP, who are kneeling to ranchers, is out to stop them. The case is once again in the hands of Judge Donald Molloy.

FWP news release, "FWP will also oppose any preliminary injunction requests that seek to reinstate federal Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in the northern Rockies."

"Montana’s wolf population is growing and is well protected by Montana law and well-managed under the state’s federally approved wolf conservation and management plan, [b.s.]" said Joe Maurier, director FWP in Helena. "Montanans have worked hard for more than a decade to recover wolves and FWP will work equally hard to ensure that wolves in Montana are managed under a highly regarded and science-based state plan." (livestock interests are the basis of the plan.)

U.S. Wolf History & Present Day

In Europe wolves were almost extinct by the time settlers arrived on this continent. At this time there were an estimated 250,000 wolves in the now lower 48 states alone. The settlers brought the same mindset as they had in Europe, wolves are evil. Manifest destiny led the way and the rest is history and present.

Just 10 years after the Mayflower landed the Massachusetts Bay Colony began offering rewards for killing wolves. The wolf was the enemy just like all Native peoples and wildlife. The wolf was made into a scape goat for the uncontrolled, power hungry settlers. (sounds like today) The settlers over-hunted deer. So, they blamed the wolf for low deer populations. (just like today)

In the 19th century the good ol' ranchers came to the west for cheap, abundant land they could destroy with their invasive cows (again with the cattle) Things didn't go so well. This non-native species (the cows. not ranchers. too bad it wasn't both.) began dying of diseases. Again the wolf was falsely blamed. Now for killing livestock. It wasn't long before livestock began replacing the wildlife wolves eat; buffalo and deer. So, fearing wolves would kill the livestock a campaign went out to exterminate the wolf. Professionals working for the livestock industry (no not FWP this time) would use various methods to kill wolves including laying strychnine-poisoned meat in up to 150 mile lines!! When wolves began to be hard to find, they were searched out and killed in various ways: set on fire, shot, poisoned, clubbed, trapped, and inoculated with mange! Good ol' Montana takes credit for killing over 80,000 wolves in 25 years.

In the 1970's less than 1,000 wolves remained in the lower 48. Today there are only 50 Mexican wolves, 100 Red wolves in the wild and between 7,000-11,000 gray wolves in Alaska as well as more than 5,000 in the lower 48 (no where near 250,000) with about 15,000 of these in the Greater Yellowstone Area

Now once again history repeats itself with a rancher, the Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar removing the gray wolves from the endangered species list. So, the killing of wolves continues for the same reason as the past--power hungry, immature, people.

Contact Obama and tell him to put the gray wolf back on the endangered species list.

More wolf history

Montana Sets Wolf Quota

The number is set at 75.

“Today, we can celebrate the fact that Montana manages elk, deer, bears, mountain lions, ducks, bighorn sheep, and wolves in balance with their habitats, other species, and in balance with the people who live here,”said FWP Director Joe Maurier. What a bunch of BS! Send him an email and let him know it is.

What Montanans think about this.
Most of the 180 public comments submitted to the commission said the proposed range for the wolf quota of 26-165 was too low. (what a surprise)

For more info. Check out the HelenaIR