Delisting Wolves In The US

[bearpaw]

Resolution

WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCIES
DELIST THE GRAY WOLF AND RESTORE MANAGEMENT TO THE STATES

WHEREAS, the northern Rocky Mountain distinct population segment of gray wolves
exceeded the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recovery level of thirty or more breeding pairs
in 2002; and

WHEREAS, population estimates as of 2009 include at least 1,700 animals well distributed
among Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming; and

WHEREAS, the remarkable increase in gray wolf populations was only possible because of
the historic management and stewardship of ungulates by state fish and wildlife agencies;
and

WHEREAS, a primary purpose of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is to “provide a
means whereby the ecosystems upon which endangered species and threatened species
depend may be conserved, to provide a program for the conservation of such endangered
species and threatened species, and to take such steps as may be appropriate to achieve
the purposes of the treaties and conventions set forth in subsection (a) of this section.”; and

WHEREAS, the primary purpose of the ESA has clearly been achieved for the gray wolf,
and gray wolves have recovered in the States of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming; and

WHEREAS, a lack of delisting, given the species has met recovery goals, can result in an
erosion of public acceptance of wolves and the ESA; and

WHEREAS, State wildlife agencies are the competent authorities to manage resident
species for their sustained use and enjoyment; and

WHEREAS, the overall aim of the ESA is to recover species such that the species can be
managed by the appropriate entity. State wildlife agencies are the appropriate entities to
assume management of the gray wolf as a resident species; and

WHEREAS, delays in federal decision-making, induced partly by citizen-suit litigation over
virtually all aspects of Mexican gray wolf recovery, have, after 34 years of protection under
the ESA, including 12 years of reintroduction efforts, resulted in failure to recover the
Mexican gray wolf; and

WHEREAS, the States of Arizona and New Mexico, the White Mountain Apache Tribe,
various local governments and local stakeholders are willing and able to use incentives and
interdiction measures without being encumbered by the gridlock resulting from federal
listing, to increase the Mexican gray wolf population to levels in both states that, coupled
with conservation efforts in Mexico, would establish and maintain a rangewide population of
Mexican gray wolves that is self-sustaining and managed at levels sufficient to meet
scientifically-valid population objectives.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife
Agencies supports and endorses immediate delisting of gray wolves in the WAFWA
member states from the ESA, either through legislative or administrative means, and that
this species be managed by the respective State wildlife agencies.

Adopted in Convention
Tucson, Arizona
January 9, 2011

[bearpaw]

January 21, 2011
The Honorable Kenneth L. Salazar, Secretary
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C. Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20240

Dear Secretary Salazar:

At its recent mid-winter meeting in Tucson, the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife
Agencies’ (Association) directors discussed - at length – the current situation involving gray
wolf delisting. Those discussions led to the development and eventual passage (17-0, with
Montana abstaining) of the attached resolution titled Delist the Gray Wolf and Restore
Management to the States. The language of the resolution expresses the collective view of
member agencies. At its core, the resolution - without ambiguity - clearly states the
Association’s support for and endorsement of immediate delisting of gray wolves in the
WAFWA member states from the Endangered Species Act, “…….either through legislative or
administrative means, and that this species be managed by the respective State wildlife
agencies”.

Founded in 1922, the Association represents 23 states and Canadian provinces, spanning from
Alaska to Saskatchewan to Texas to Hawaii. The Association is a strong advocate of the rights of
states and provinces to manage fish and wildlife within their borders. The Association has been a
key organization in promoting the principles of sound resource management and the building of
partnerships at the regional, national and international levels in order to enhance wildlife
conservation efforts and the protection of associated habitats in the public interest. Our mission
statement reads, “Delivering Conservation Through Information Exchange and Working
Partnerships.”

Given the Association’s long history and stellar conservation record, the resolution – in sum -
reflects the all too common and unacceptable level of frustration that directors are currently
experiencing when it comes to the status of the gray wolf in the West. It is the sincere hope of
our member agencies that a way forward can be found, and found very soon - one that removes
ESA protection for the gray wolf and returns management to the respective States.
The Honorable Secretary Kenneth L. Salazar

January 21, 2011
Page #2
We appreciate your serious consideration of the Association’s position on this important
resource issue. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Joe Maurier
WAFWA President

Attachments: (1)
JM/LLK:llk
cc: FWS Acting Director Rowan Gould
WAFWA Directors
AFWA Executive Director Ron Regan

[Wenatcheejay]

Will they listen?

[woodswalker]

Will they listen?

Dont hold your breath...you might turn funny colors.   

[bearpaw]

At least it is being talked about in congress now. The fate of hunting in many states rests in the hanbds of congress to put an end to the madnesss.

The wolf worshippers are actively working on a lawsuit to bring wolf recovery across the United States. At some point something is going to give. 

[bearpaw]

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51128092-76/wolf-bill-matheson-state.html.csp
Utah's Democrat Rep. Mathis signs on to legislation.

Just recieved this message from Don Peay of Sportsmen For Fish & Wildlife and Big Game Forever:


Today, is hopefully, the final epic push towards nationwide delisting of wolves, so that Each State can manage wolves without lawsuit, without continued Federal process mismanagement and allow each state to protect game herds, livestock, pets, and rural jobs.

Today, Democratic Congressman Jim Matheson of Utah, Leonard Boswell of Iowa, Dan Boren of Oklahoma, Dennis Cardoza of California and Mike Ross of Arkansas joined Republican Congressman Denny Rheberg of Montana, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Rob Bishop and Jason Chaffetz of Utah, Greg Walden of Oregon, Raul Labrador and Mike Simpson of Idaho, Dean Heller of Nevada, John Kline of Minnesota, Don Young of Alaska and Paul Broun of Georgia as the Original Co sponsors of the what was known last session as HR. 6028.

With animal rights extremists filing litigation to force wolves into every US state, Congressional leaders have seen the disastrous outcomes of wolf over populations in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Minnesota.  Congressional leaders in surround states realize and can see the need to proactively solve this problem for each state, and let each and every state manage all wildlife as they have done successfully for the last 100 years.

In similar legislation a few years ago that exempted state hunting license allocations from the Interstate Commerce Clause Act, Senator Reid of Nevada stated four things in his testimony considering that legislation that are exactly parallel to this legislation:  State are best equipped to manage all wildlife, hunting is an important part of the rural economies, sportsmen and landowners have invested tremendous amounts of money to restore game herds, and time is of the essence.

The animal rights groups will fight this biologically sound, economically important, and public opinion supported legislation tooth and toenail.  It is their agenda to use wolves as a biological weapon to end ranching and hunting in the west.  These extremists do not care about wolves, they do not protect wildlife habitat, they simply use the courts to win HUGE settlements of public funds because of some technical error.

32 Different state fish and game agencies, filled with literally thousands of professionally trained biologists, have all gone on record supporting Congressional Action to return wolf management to every state.

We encourage EVERY SPORTSMEN, LANDOWNER and SMALL BUSINESS person in AMERICA to join with us at www.biggameforever.org  and help us fix this, just one of many, examples where Federal Government over reach and courts are destroying business, jobs, and now even America's cherished wildlife populations on our great public lands of America.

WE thank these bi-partisan Democratic and Republican leaders who see the need to solve this important problem to 10 plus million big game hunters and America's ranchers and farmers, and all the small and large businesses associated with the hunting, tourism and ranching economies.

Don Peay

[Schwag173]

The wolf worshippers are actively working on a lawsuit to bring wolf recovery across the United States. At some point something is going to give. 

As soon as a pack of wolves kill a couple of kids waiting for a school-bus ... THEN it'll be a 'good idea' to take action.

[Kain]

A show on wolves is going to be on OPBnews.org at 6 am tomorrow.  Should be interesting.