Feeding often makes things worse, especially when done half-heartedly- Expect predators to show up– Perhaps millions of Americans feed the birds, squirrels, feral cats, much larger animals too, such as deer. All animals are interested in food and as a population they obviously know how to find it, or they would not exist. They probably…
Controversial wildlife bills are only part of it- Most of the attention by those interested in wildlife in this year’s Idaho legislature have focused on Governor “Butch” Otter’s 2-million dollar wolf killing bill as it continues to advance toward law. Nonetheless, there are other wildlife bills and a host of additional scary, strange, and backwards…
5 Keys to Reforming Wildlife Management in America- Over the years, I have come to realize that the current wildlife management model in America, at the federal level, and particularly, the state level, is broken. The system is such, in which, politics trumps the best-available science, the special interest-minority overwhelms the democratic-majority and the almighty…
Bozeman, Mont.—Conservation groups entered into a settlement agreement today that will require the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to prepare a new Biological Opinion before grazing domestic sheep this summer in southwest Montana. Cottonwood Environmental Law Center, Western Watersheds Project, Gallatin Wildlife Association, Native Ecosystems Council and Yellowstone Buffalo Foundation…
Also, black bear cub nailed by mistake in wolf trap. Will be rehabilitated. Idaho Fish and Game news release, Jan. 8, 2014 Idaho Falls- Fur trapping was one of the major reasons for exploration of Idaho and is still a legitimate wildlife management tool. Advances in trap design have resulted in more efficient traps capable of…
Please comment on beaver trapping- Mike Settel in Pocatello asked us to post an alert to The Wildlife News regarding beaver trapping. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is setting trapping regulations for beaver and other species throughout the state. Beaver play a very important role in the ecosystem. Their numbers are greatly depleted…
Already 6 dogs caught and one grizzly bear- There is probably even more by catch than reported below in Montana’s second wolf trapping season, which just began. In addition to last year’s by catch, wolf traps took a tremendous toll on Yellowstone Park wolves that wandered across the Park’s straight line border. Not reported, it…
Valuable wildlife reports can be downloaded by the public- While it might seem — it might be true — that most politicians and many of the public get all their knowledge about Yellowstone from “urban” legends, interest groups, and lobbyists, there is a segment that read scientific reports and, especially the summaries of naturalist’s observations,…
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan’s Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of “Hiking Idaho.” He also wrote “Beyond the Tetons” and “Backpacking Wyoming’s Teton and Washakie Wilderness.” He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.