After numerous humiliating defeats on whether to allow sheep grazing on the Payette National Forest, woolgrowers are going back to court to argue that domestic sheep don’t transmit deadly pneumonia to bighorn sheep. Idaho Wool Growers Association, American Sheep Industry Association, Public Lands Council, and sheep ranchers from Wyoming and Colorado have filed a suit…
Fire burns into Montana, threatens U.S. 93, 9/3/12, 210,000 215,000 221,000 acres in size- 9/3-2012. Update: check with Inciweb for latest evacuations along or near U.S. Highway 93, North Fork, or in the Montana portion of the fire (such as Hughes Creek). These evacuation levels have been increased. There are now 933 960 personnel, including…
A rally honoring the dead from the Idaho 2011-12 hunting season set as the unlimited 2012-13 seasons nears- Surveys show that there are many people, maybe a plurality, in Idaho who favor wolves. Some favor a reasonable wolf hunt, which the planned hunt arguably is not. Others are completely opposed to wolf hunting. The Idaho political establishment…
American Prairie Reserve has purchased as huge ranch next to the C.M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge- The American Prairie Reserve is trying to put together a huge private wildlife reserve in NE Central Montana. This is a place where there is a lot of open space and a fair amount of public land. The C.M. Russell…
Famous family of conservationists says change policy or give up the Olaus Murie Award- Olaus Murie is often called the “father of modern elk management.” His seminal scientific study of elk and many other kinds of wildlife such as caribou, which he learned about for 6 years in the field with has brother Adolf, was coupled with…
Mitt and Don up in a tree (stand), . . . A huge, two-page centerfold ad in today’s Bozeman Chronicle by Big Game Forever (biggameforever.org) urges readers to sign a petition to demand predator management and support for H.R. 509 and S. 249, American Big Game and Livestock Protection Act, which would exempt gray wolves…
Update: June 27, 2012 Congressman Mike Simpson has withdrawn his proposed new rider which the story below is about. He said he is going to try to bring people together in a roundtable soon. He also said his new rider had amplified the rhetoric on the issue which was not what he wanted. Ralph Maughan…
Farm bill being debated will not permit votes on savage anti-conservation amendments- The Farm Bill in the Senate originally had over 300 proposed amendments, including several that would be real outdoors wreckers such as deliberately misnamed “Sportsmens Heritage Act“. . A few beneficial amendments that would have truly helped conserve our land and water were…
Ken Cole is a 5th generation Idahoan, an avid fly fisherman, wildlife enthusiast, and photographer. He is the interim Idaho Director for Western Watersheds Project.
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