This was expected, and it isn’t really the news.
Story in the Casper Star Tribune. Montana approves wolf hunting season. By Eve Byron. Lee News Service
The news is that Montana rejected things like trapping wolves (a grave danger to grizzly bears and dogs) and the use of artificial lures, baits, scents, electronic calls, aerial hunting, and night vision hunting. Moreover, the wolf hunting season does not go on for an extended period of time. Idaho’s proposed season goes on through the winter and will maximize the disruption of wolf packs and replacement of the wolves that packs loose due to the hunt.
Ed Bang’s statement, however, is as usual, superficial but popular crap public relations that “It’s time. It’s past time, and the sooner we just start treating wolves like any other animal — mountain lions, black bears, deer or elk — the better it will be for everyone, including the wolves.”
Each of the animals he names is different and in terms of hunting they are not treated the same. Moreover, there are far fewer wolves in Montana than cougar and bears.
Montana knows that they are the state that could most easily slip to an insufficient number of breeding pairs of wolves, and I think a hunt is premature on a statewide basis, so if they misjudge, emergency relisting of the wolf will quickly be on the agenda.
I think Idaho and Wyoming are going to be the real problem states when it comes to wolf killing.
Comments
Is there anything that Ed Bangs likes about wolves? Has he ever had anything positive to say about wolves? He puts out his Friday wolf report detailing the latest about “problem” wolves, while completely failing to ever recognize that irresponsible ranchers are the reason that wolves (and other predators) are attracted to the smelly, messy business of calving, a time when dead calves are thrown into the brush and no wonder wolves show up to get an easy meal.
Well i dont under stand why any one would shoot a animall just for fun, i think that it is crule and unjust. I am a avid hunter, i was taught to kill only what you can eat and no more. And as far as the live stock owners are concerned, they are putting their cattle in the wolfs, mountian line, and so on in their domaine, so what do they expect.I think that to shoot anamils for sport or money is just pure bull #$%_@#.
Red Riding Hood will feel a lot safer now that hunting the wolf has reopened. Is there nothing sacred anymore. The wolves were reintroduced for what to shoot them all over again. Stupid
I tell ya, I have to really wonder what the hell people in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho have got against the natural wildlife that was there before they came along. My husband and I have vacationed in national parks in all 3 states and truly feel at one with nature when we are out there. We would consider moving there to further enjoy nature, but knowing that we would be going into the “devils den” as far as hunting is what stops us. We are not against hunting per se, but are more for very heavily managed hunting. With a focus of always letting nature have it’s way first and hunters come second. Meaning that I believe hunting in these 3 states especially should be extremely limited and managed. Allow people to still have an elk each season and whatever “game animals” they are used to taking, just as long as it does not affect what’s there for the wolves. Because after all, wolves are like what sharks are in the oceans, top of the chain predators who are needed to keep everything in balance with the surrounding ecosystem. This isn’t rocket science for goodness sakes. Nature would do much better if we pesky weren’t even here. But since we are, the best thing we can do is stop hunters from taking what “they” want and instead limit them to one type of animal a season so that nature can further do IT’S job. Nature takes care of itself far better than humans could any day. That is proven over and over again in various ways.
Nobody up here has anything against the natural wildlife up here. We love it. I find it’s real easy when you are not living it, to be the most judgmental about it. You make it sound like hunters take a real big toll on wildlife. Not so. The vehicles and people moving in building their big houses and fences, not to mention the wolves, are killing the game. Balance is great. Man is here whether you like to figure him in or not. We hunt up here. We take what we want??? Where did you get that idea? Legally we can’t. Why would we take more than we need? We need a deer/elk in the freezer. If you saw the deer and elk populations a few years ago and compare them to now, you’d be shocked. Let the wolves stay, it’s time to put tags out on them and it’s time to be realistic. The wolves have made a comeback big time. Time to face reality though. A management tool is hunting. If you don’t move up here, maybe there will be a little more room for the wildlife, and it would probably save a couple deer from being hit in the road.
Mindy,
Your comments indicate you think that those who produce or frequent this blog are not familiar with “natural wildlife,” or the backcountry and rural parts of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, etc.
This is not true. Most of us have a lot of outdoor experience and many live in places like West Yellowstone or Crowhart, Wyoming.
Many who participate hunt and are familiar with various hunting techniques and in inevitable controversies.
So read the blog a bit more and I think you will see the variety of views and the strong element of those who live in the interior West and are more than passing familiar with what it’s like in places like St. Regis or Eureka.