Gray wolf extermination begins TODAY in Montana and Idaho
I never liked Interior Secretary Ken Salazar not just because he wears a cowboy hat, which makes him appear sympathetic to the whines of the ranchers and farmers who make the claim that the wolves are destroying their lives, but he just looks like a corporate bloated toad. Today, Salazar’s real loyalty will be realized, as America’s beautiful Gray Wolves are removed from the Endangered Species List (ESA) so as to satisfy the bloodthirsty hunters that are even now readying themselves for the wolf hunt.
The goal of the western state ranchers and their elected politicians? Wipe out the wolves once again, but this time do it right, so wolves will never again be allowed to live in thrive in America. A fortune will be made by the ranchers who will lease their lands to the fat cat hunters and those of their ilk who just can’t wait to “bag” the evil man-eating wolf, destroy the species and move on to the next, just like they have for centuries.
No one knows how many animals were killed during the last half of the 19th century, when the anti-wolf campaign was most active in the western part of the United States. Perhaps 1 or 2 million wolves died, and thousands of other creatures fell victim.
By 1900, there were not many wolves left in the western United States. The few remaining animals were still being pursued by wolfers, ranchers, and herders eager to eradicate the species completely from existence in America, In 1919, the government joined the antiwolf campaign, passing a law that called for the extermination of wolves on federally owned lands. By 1942, when the law was abolished 25,000 more wolves had been killed by the government plan.
This was the last phase of the organized campaign to eradicate the wolf. By this time, the innocent wolf had been virtually exterminated in most parts of the country.
The situation remains almost unchanged today…
Yesterday the wolf was classified as an endangered species in most parts of the United States. This classification meant that the killing of wolves was strictly controlled by federal law. For most wolves, such protection had come too late. The killing had already taken place, and the millions of animals slaughtered in the past cannot be brought back to life. Ironically, most people, excepting the politicians and their wolf hating constituents, now agree that the world is a poorer place because of their loss. Today the world will be an even poorer place as the killers stalk the range once again.
Here’s the official story:
Gray wolves in Montana and Idaho will officially start fearing two words today: hunting season. The US Fish and Wildlife Service will lift federal protections for the animal under the Endangered Species Act, reports Reuters. The two states have an estimated 1,200 wolves, which is way too many for farmers and hunters who say they pose a big threat to livestock and big game. Another 4,000 wolves in western Great Lakes states are expected to be in the same boat by the end of the year, notes AP.
“To be sure, not everyone will be satisfied with today’s announcement,” says Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. “Wolves have long been a highly charged issue. These delistings are possible because the species is recovered in these regions. That is a remarkable milestone for an iconic American species.” The wolves’ fate was sealed during the budget debate, marking the first time an animal lost protection via an act of Congress rather than a scientific review. Click for the official news release.
Enough is enough. The Obama administration needs to do the right things for the wolves. Stop the hunting!
stop being stubid we have to safe these beutfiul creatures for the futer
Wolves were delisted by Congress because the USFWS kept getting sued every time they tried to delist.
The best available science contends the wolves are recovered, but deep-pocketed enviro groups used the beauracratic process to keep them listed.
DoW and HSUS used politics to keep wolves on the list, so the states used politics to remove them…thats fair right?
And anybody seriously concerned about wolf extermination should think real hard for a moment. After 11 years of recovered wolf populations with the presence of federal intrusion(gov’t management), do you really think the states will let the population dip low enough to warrant re-listing and renewed federal management?
Get real. Wolves are recovered, they will be managed, and they will be around forever.
Quit crying.
Up until your last sentence I was buying it, and still admit that it makes sense, but in my experience states never manage anything well and I suspect that the wolves will once again be driven close to extinction before the feds are forced to get involved once again. So I guess I’m crying again….
I understand your sentiment, I just don’t agree with it.
Wolves, under state management, are now a source of income for local citizens, similiar to bears and mountain lions…both of which are thriving in the state. Since the state can now control populations and benefit monetarily from them, they have incentives to keep wolf populations healthy. The last thing these states want is renewed federal protection and big government intrusion.
The wolf hunts that Montana and Idaho hosted in 2009 proved their ability to manage these animals. In a full hunting season, both Idaho and Montana failed to reach their harvest objectives. Gray wolf rate of increase went from between 30-40% down to 5%. Simply put, the anti-wolfers couldn’t kill enough wolves to reverse their positive recruitment. If, during a full season, wolf hunters couldn’t kill enough wolves to meet management quotas, how will they kill enough to jeapordize long term wolf survival?
Wolf eradication in the early 1900’s was a result of intense government poisoning and trapping…both of which are not likely to happen again. A several month long hunting season will hardly dent wolf populations…so completely eradicating them isn’t even realistic.
You have given me food for thought and I readily admit I can be somewhat of a tree hugger. Like many others I hold a romantic view of wolves and feel they have suffered enough persecution. I don’t completely accept the rancher’s position of “they kill all my calves” as justification to kill wolves. As I understand it the government reimbursed them for every calf killed. I think the bigger picture speaks to these so-called aggrieved ranchers making money off the killing by leasing their lands for the hunting of these animals, and that concerns me. Out of state hunters may not show the same respect for the natural resources of states other than their own.
This has been a most interesting discussion, nonetheless, and I learned to look at this from a different perspective, but I don’t have to like what is happening. I just don’t see the need to persecute the wolves, or the bears or mountain lions.
Thanks again.
Your comments have been proven to be totally, and conclusively, fallacious! Likely, in the aftermath of the recent slaughter of about 600 wolves, none remain in Idaho at all, just as Salazar, Obama, and Otter had intended! When Otter presented his blatantly fraudulent wolf population figures(1500), a month or so after his own state wildlife biologists had presented the true count(about 600), it was clear that gray wolves were gone from Idaho for good.
No more murderous creature has ever existed in all of nature then white men, surely if there is a creator he is ashamed of himself indeed for having made them. I have become a fan of abortion if only because it is a superb vector for eliminating these murderous whites from the face of the earth mother…
Be ashamed humanity. Be very ashamed.
The bits of humanity who agree with this won’t be you know.
That’s the sad part.
Some bits of humanity think WE are the priority and every other life form secondary – and sometimes inconvenient.
Humanity are such utter utter SHITS aren’t we…
…and I do say WE.
Whilst I understand travelling there to protest is not realistic for many – you’ve a waaaay larger country than me – are there any at MMA close enough to actually join or even start a protest in these areas?
…just asking…
Greedy, stupid morons. Make me ashamed of my species.
What would you expect from people who believe their invisible sky daddy gave them ‘dominion over all animals’? Ecological soundness, species and genetic diversity? Who needs that kind of stuff when we can just move in and destroy anything that gets in our way? Stupid bipeds…
I reckon Sarah Palin will bring her helicopter down to the lower 48 and do what she does best.
This is a terrible thing.
This makes me very, very sad.