Wolf poachers - would you turn one in?

[h2ofowlr]

Pianoman, you must work at Columbia Sportswear where they give large donations to the anti's along with donations to the hunting groups.  Play both sides of the field.  You aren’t going to fix stupid with these anti's.  It doesn't matter how nice you try to play with them, they have an agenda.  No compromise.  The agreement with Conservation NW to remove the wedge pack was a political move to stop all the negative publicity.  It is hard to push a bad agenda when the media turns on them.  If you could report every wolf cattle kill to the radio and news station that is the only way we can push back.  If the public actually start getting facts on these killers, they won't be as tolerant and let these anti's run amuck with this plan.

[pianoman9701]

Pianoman, you must work at Columbia Sportswear where they give large donations to the anti's along with donations to the hunting groups.  Play both sides of the field.  You aren’t going to fix stupid with these anti's.  It doesn't matter how nice you try to play with them, they have an agenda.  No compromise.  The agreement with Conservation NW to remove the wedge pack was a political move to stop all the negative publicity.  It is hard to push a bad agenda when the media turns on them.  If you could report every wolf cattle kill to the radio and news station that is the only way we can push back.  If the public actually start getting facts on these killers, they won't be as tolerant and let these anti's run amuck with this plan.

This is exactly the kind of in-fighting crap that will break us down as a group and empower the antis to beat us in public opinion.

H2O, you couldn't be farther from the truth. I've opposed the wolf program every step of the way. I have never wavered in my opposition to having wolves back in WA. I've written letters, emails, made testimony, dozens of phone calls and opposed the appointment of Jay Kehne, a member of Conservation Northwest, to the Wildlife Commission very vocally, both on this forum and to the DFW and our Wildlife commission, as well as with all of my state reps. I got in a heated battle with Don Benton's (R) office when they told me they don't oppose those gubernatorial appointments out of "courtesy" and took the matter up with the state GOP chair. I've worked with the Cattleman's Association, WFW, and several other groups in absolute opposition to the wolf program every step of the way. I'm not sure what you've done in opposition to the plan and don't really care. That fact that you call me a friend of the wolf lovers shows you speak without any knowledge of the topic. Your comments are ignorant of my efforts and typify the ignorance that would have someone publicly flaunt illegal actions and poaching, giving the antis all of the ammunition they need.

It's one thing to take matters into your own hands out of necessity and protection of one's land, family, and livestock. It's another altogether to announce it to the world as a banner of pride. You guys go ahead and continue to publicly promote illegal actions. I'm sure it'll be received quite well by the general public, who for the most part don't know the issue and think of wolves as being cuddly and cute like their doggies. Good luck with that. I'm done being called a wolf lover and partaking in this damaging thread.

[bearpaw]

People in Idaho do not call it wolf poaching, it's called Protecting Idaho!

In another year or two it will be called Protecting Washington!

When some of you guys have as many wolves as we do a little closer to home, you will see the light!

Yes, and they have the support of their governor to do so. We do not. This is a huge distinction. This, however unfortunately, is not ID.

Isn't it ironic, and sad, that issues like wolves are not even touched on in the political arena? We know Jay Inslee can drive a bulldozer. Woo hoo: I guess that makes him the best candidate for governor.

The politicians know that wolves are loved by the masses in western Washington, any politician who wants elected by western Washington voters is going to avoid this topic. 

In Montana/Idaho that's different, wolves are now a part of those campaigns. Once wolves infiltrate western Washington and problems come to the suburbs, politics will change in Washington.

I totally hate the fact that wolves were reintroduced and have become the huge game management disaster that they have become.  I worked as a hunting guide and chased the north Yellowstone elk herd in the area north of Gardener MT in the late 80's and early 90's.  I also worked on a cattle ranch on which we had forest service grazing permits in that same area for as many as 1100 head.  I know how it was then and I know how it is now since the wolves totally decimated that area.  The funny thing is there were already wolves in there that we saw on a regular basis on the north boundary of Yellowstone when the snow came.  They hung out in the area where the bighorns wintered.  We saw them and their tracks in the Ramshorn Peak area.  I have friends who hunt and guide in a lot of areas in the West and it is a disaster.  I am 100% in favor of Wyoming's wolf plan since it designates portions of the state where wolves can be and it also designates portions of the state where they just aren't going to work out.  It provides for the means to keep them out of those portions since they are basically considered a predator there.  I love that plan and wish Washington had the same one instead of the little pansy-ass plan we have.  I also know that there is "rumor" that wolves are shot on a regular basis in various western states and that the powers that be don't care.  I don't have a problem with that either, I can't afford to break a law because it could cost me my career but I don't care if discretionary enforcement is applied sometimes when it makes sense.  I just don't think we should make a point to encourage or emphasize breaking the law on this forum.  Just my opinion obviously and I accept the fact that others don't agree.

Very well said, I definitely agree on most of your points. I am still not certain one way or the other if this hurts or helps to discuss this. I wonder how people will fully understand the issue if they are shielded from some of the facts and realities?

The big problem is that Eastern WA is having to live under a wolf plan adopted by Western Washington. The feds themselves have delisted eastern Wa and we could hunt wolves in Eastern Washington if we changed our wolf plan. I see the WDFW as being at fault for subscribing to the wolf groups.

It is clearly proven that the drug wars have not worked, people openly talk about being able to get drugs whenever they want and one of the big arguments is that we need to change the law and tax marijuana to help resolve the crime caused by high priced drugs. As the drug issue evolves we are learning that we must talk about other ways to help with the issue.

I may be wrong, but I think that the wolf lovers need to know that rural people are not going to put up with unregulated wolf numbers. Idaho is a priime example, the wolf lovers pushed the people too far. Now there will be fewer wolves in the end than if the wolf lovers would have been more reasonable.

Maybe we should remove this topic and maybe nobody should talk about what is happening where I live and where some other members live or hunt, maybe we should stop posting any wolf topics, let the problem explode, maybe in the end that would cause a stronger reaction and we end up with fewer wolves. But it is hard to watch the damage that is being done in your own backyard.

Good Example: We have a friend in Idaho who is not a hunter or cattle rancher, he and his family owned a restaurant in a small town, 3 or 4 years ago when hunters quit coming in the fall it was too much of a loss of business, he lost the restaurant and now has to travel away from the area to work. He comes home on weekends to see his family. That family hates wolves and this is how unregulated wolf numbers affect whole communities. I do not want to see this happen in Stevens County.

Wolves are in my backyard and for the first time this year I have been forced to look at other hunting areas and avoid areas I have hunted since I was a child that the wolves are impacting. If we do not talk about this problem and resolve it, it can only get worse. These wolves are like a cancer, they will grow in numbers and soon destroy the whole area, then they move to the next area.

No, I will not stand idly by and allow this to happen again in yet another area, especially my own backyard, I am drawing a line in the sand. State government is failing for Stevens County and I will not report anyone for actually helping our county by killing wolves. The more I think about it, it seems the only way to counter this problem is to hope and pray that more people break the law, because these wolves are not waiting, they are eating every day more and more animals as their numbers grow.

As I said many times, I cannot break the law, but the future of this county depends on law breakers because government is simply failing. Fix government and you fix the problem, this wolf plan needs changed, until then I will encourage people to break the law in Stevens County before more livlihoods are damaged or completely lost as I have seen happen in so many other areas.

This is really a sad situation. My friends and family tell me that I am too straight laced and that I am a law abiding fanatic. Yet here I am saying that people need to break the law to save the county, yet I hope we can get the state to reconsider their ignorant wolf plan and delist NE Washington.

For a quick reminder of the realities of this situation I need only look at the areas where many friends in Idaho live to know that waiting for government to save the county will probably not happen, those people had to step in and do what was neccessary to protect what was left of their counties or the problem would be even worse.

So I hope government will wake up soon and do something right. Most of you do not yet have wolves in your backyard, but those of us in Stevens County have them in our backyards now. 

[bearpaw]

As oddly as it may sound, I don't blame the wolves, I blame the government. These wolves have to eat to survive, everything eats to survive. As wildlife managers the agencies must manage the wolf numbers to be compatible with the land and with local residents.

[bonkellekter]

Well said Dale! Thanks for voicing your opinion on this critical matter!!

[RG]

I agree with you, if the citizens who are affected by all of this sit idly by and say nothing the wolf lovers win.  The WDFW was undoubtedly influenced by the unending radio, newspaper, emails, and whatever else that was making this information public during the McIrvin's cattle problems with the Wedge pack.  I think the residents of eastern Washington and wherever else there is or soon will be a wolf conflict need to continue to pound this problem through the media or whatever other means is possible to get it to the attention of as many people as possible.  This will hopefully force the issue to be handled sooner rather than later.  The one thing that makes a difference is that there are elected officials who represent each of the areas where the wolves live.  They will certainly be influenced if a majority of their constituents make it clear they are angry and fed up and don't plan to bend over for the wolf lovers or for the politics of wolves.  If lawsuits make sense then maybe that would work too since the wolf lovers certainly use that tactic as well.  I also believe that wolves will be killed, probably illegally.  I'm not saying there won't be some good that would come from that but the slogan shoot, shovel, and shutup makes more sense than to publicize it if it does happen.

[bearpaw]

I cannot think of a single politician from NE WA that is not opposed to unregulated wolves, I have spoken to nearly every single one of them from all 3 counties. They are all on board or they would soon be voted out, current candidates are using management of wolves as part of their platform. Three or four years ago myself and a few others were the lone voices concerned about wolves, now that wolves have exploded here that has dramatically changed, it is a major issue.

Honestly, I doubt many wolves have been taken illegally in Wa, most people are hoping WDFW handles the problem before it gets to the point where we all lose confidence. But in Stevens County I am telling you the people are quickly getting closer to that point. In Idaho I can tell you that the people have passed that point and have been handling the problem since the time that Judge Malloy shut down wolf hunting. I am a firm believer that Malloy caused the killing of more wolves in Idaho than any other single person. The people of Idaho are taking care of business all over that state now, season never ends in most areas, the residents will tell you that on the street in any small town in Idaho, except for maybe a few small towns near the Sun Valley area. People in Idaho talk about killing wolves more openly than drug addicts talk about pot. 

[bearpaw]

For the safety of these innocent face licking wolves and the benefit of the wolf lovers who want wolves frolicking in the meadows with butterflies so badly, I propose we relocate 3/4 of NE WA's wolves to the wooded areas of Puget Sound. Those counties who want these wolves can keep them protected and let them multiply. Whenever NE WA exceeds our share of the wolf plan (about 3 packs) we simply relocate the excess to Puget Sound where the people who want them can have them.

PROBLEM SOLVED!

[Fl0und3rz]

For the safety of these innocent face licking wolves and the benefit of the wolf lovers who want wolves frolicking in the meadows with butterflies so badly, I propose we relocate 3/4 of NE WA's wolves to the wooded areas of Puget Sound. Those counties who want these wolves can keep them protected and let them multiply. Whenever NE WA exceeds our share of the wolf plan (about 3 packs) we simply relocate the excess to Puget Sound where the people who want them can have them.

PROBLEM SOLVED!

NIMBY

[KFhunter]

This is a much bigger issue than hunters, if it only affected hunters then I wouldn't have made this poll and pianoman's arguement would have more merit. As it is I see hunters a ways down the list of those most impacted. WA state wildlife belong to all people in Washington not hunters, we are stewards.

When ranchers, one who's never owned his own gun, has never fired a gun in their life until recently, are coming to me asking how to predator hunt and protect their livestock from wolves.....then somethings changed?


I've taken him out coyote hunting, and let him borrow my foxpro.  His expression when 5 yotes came blasting in from all directions was something like   

[washelkhunter]

Anyone who shoots a wolf in wa. st. is doing more to enhance and promote wildlife than all the other socalled interested parties combined. SSS.

[Curly]

For the safety of these innocent face licking wolves and the benefit of the wolf lovers who want wolves frolicking in the meadows with butterflies so badly, I propose we relocate 3/4 of NE WA's wolves to the wooded areas of Puget Sound. Those counties who want these wolves can keep them protected and let them multiply. Whenever NE WA exceeds our share of the wolf plan (about 3 packs) we simply relocate the excess to Puget Sound where the people who want them can have them.

PROBLEM SOLVED!

NIMBY

 

Not all of us in the Puget Sound area are wolf lovers.  I'd rather transplant the wolf lovers to the NE........   

[bearpaw]

For the safety of these innocent face licking wolves and the benefit of the wolf lovers who want wolves frolicking in the meadows with butterflies so badly, I propose we relocate 3/4 of NE WA's wolves to the wooded areas of Puget Sound. Those counties who want these wolves can keep them protected and let them multiply. Whenever NE WA exceeds our share of the wolf plan (about 3 packs) we simply relocate the excess to Puget Sound where the people who want them can have them.

PROBLEM SOLVED!

NIMBY

 

Not all of us in the Puget Sound area are wolf lovers.  I'd rather transplant the wolf lovers to the NE........   

  Yes, I know, I was only trying to make a point, you guys don't want them any more than I do. Can we put them in downtown pugetropolis?   

[Curly]

For the safety of these innocent face licking wolves and the benefit of the wolf lovers who want wolves frolicking in the meadows with butterflies so badly, I propose we relocate 3/4 of NE WA's wolves to the wooded areas of Puget Sound. Those counties who want these wolves can keep them protected and let them multiply. Whenever NE WA exceeds our share of the wolf plan (about 3 packs) we simply relocate the excess to Puget Sound where the people who want them can have them.

PROBLEM SOLVED!

NIMBY

 

Not all of us in the Puget Sound area are wolf lovers.  I'd rather transplant the wolf lovers to the NE........   

  Yes, I know, I was only trying to make a point, you guys don't want them any more than I do. Can we put them in downtown pugetropolis?   

I suppose so.........just have to make sure they have enough liberals to eat so they don't wander outside of Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia.   

[Boss .300 winmag]

I don't know if my eye's could ever see such an act take place!