The Times-News covers an Idaho Department of Fish & Game open house on the upcoming wolf hunt. Unlike the meeting in Boise, an area that enjoys wolf support, it appears that the Jerome meeting was attended by many of the commissioners themselves. Additionally, unlike in Boise, it appears that the public was given the opportunity to make comments in “hearing” format – a format which enjoys the attention of all in attendance – including the commissioners themselves. Blaine County residents did not enjoy the opportunity to attend any such meeting.
Who’s tired of the big, bad wolf? – Times-News
The coverage includes video in the top right corner in which members demand widespread removal of wolves and in which one likens wolves to “terrorists”.
The Idaho Statesman notes that hunters are pushing hard to reduce wolf numbers:
Hunters push Fish and Game commission to reduce wolf population to protect big game industry
Northern Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery Plan (p. 8):
Although Native Americans admired and emulated wolves, Europeans seemed universally to
associate wolves with the Devil, pegan worship, evil, and man’s baser emotions with debaucher,
sacrilege, witchcraft and sorcery. This traditional view of the wolf came to the New World with the first colonists and persists in television productions today.
It is becoming clearer and clearer who the Idaho Department of Fish & Game is interested in listening and responding to.
Comments
The “right” who I will call the “industrialists” verses the “environmentals” play “good offense” in that they keep the environmentalists on the defensive. Industrialists describe wolves as “terrorists” and defenders of wolves as “tree huggers” always using language to marginalize those who speak for clean air, water, biodiversity & such. Have you ever heard an industrialists described as extremists? It’s like Stalin said during World War 2: “kill one person and it is murder, kill millions then it is a statistic”. Environmental extremists “spike trees” while industrial extremists, under cover of the majority, leave holcausts like the Exxon Valdez oil spill or do not want to pay for the the cleanup costs of post mining activities. It’s all a matter of scale.
Monty, it’s true – and their media (in this case the Times-News) shroud their crimes against nature.
The Times-News has Gillette quoted in the article as if he were joe-six-pack. Hopefully the judge considers this rampant intolerance and irrational hysteria.
Well that was the biggest load of crap I have heard in a long time. Now the statesman says the state of Idaho is going to allow up to 500 wolves to be killed. I can see the state of Idaho losing control of the wolves and it going back to the feds.
Have you ever encountered one person who has personally suffered ill effects beyond a doubt from a wolf since reintroduction. Few have. Who could imagine the support being raised to absolutely undo over ten years of successfull wolf expansion. I will guarantee you unless placed back under protection, Idaho will keep it up until the population will be devastated. For every legal kill there will be at least one more illegally.
Back where and when I was raised, hunters were the great conservationists. Whatever happened to that? I believe it started with all of this mixing of capitalism, free market, and hunting, along with the selfish attitude of a lot of Americans today. Some people would hunt the last elk or deer just to get “theirs”. I didn’t see that attitude 25-30 years ago before hunting merchandise and outfitting was big business. Even the hunting magazines believed there was a place for predators in the environment. You won’t see that now. Ignorance is rampant (and from this meeting, it is rampant in Idaho) Listen to those outfitters—-what respect do they have for the environment? And THAT is where they make their living. These supposed outdoorsman would rather see their entire state as an elk or deer farm instead of wilderness and healthy ecosystems. Disgusting selfish examples of “outdoorsmen”.
whoa, jimbob…..were all not that bad:
http://www.backcountryhunters.org
AJ,
that website/organization is great !
Interesting how you have to read that entire article of diatribes against the wolf until you get to the very last sentences, and find a little sanity:
“”Boise bowhunter Jonathan Matthews supported the goal of 500 to 700 wolves but said he was probably in the minority. He said hunters need to be better at their sport. Wolves haven’t drastically reduced game herds, he said, but they have made prey animals smarter.
“The behavior of elk has changed,” Matthews said. “Elk are a more difficult animal to hunt because of wolves.””””
Right on Jonathan.
Regarding that segment of the hunters who get red in the face over the subject of wolves. . . especially the outfitters. What an awful way to attract clients! They tell the world that Idaho’s elk are decimated, when of course, they are not. But would a potential client book a trip with someone who poor mouths the size of the game herds?
And no doubt they say their bookings are way off! They might be telling the truth about that.
I have been told that one outfitter in particular actually tries to perpetuate that feeling because it has increased his success rate. In other words his competition with non-guided hunters has decreased due to the hysteria and he has the area to himself and his guided hunters.
Buffaloed,
I think you are right. I’ve thought there are those outfitters who are sitting back, grinning, and telling the their competitors, “keep telling the media how all the elk are gone. It’s just awful 😉 “
I should add that Ron Gillett hasn’t been an outfitter for some time and he’s had, and may have sold his motel in Stanley. . . . Moving away it looks like.
I hope he moves to the Custer County Jail.