Wolf poachers - would you turn one in?

[boneaddict]

You can see how well we control the coyote population.....

[huntnphool]

I believe we're already too far along to control wolves with illegal poaching. In my opinion, legal hunting of wolves is the only hope we have of controlling them.

Legal hunting in every other state has done nothing to control the wolf population Bob. Just as vice chair Duvia asked WDFW, I'll ask you, what makes you think it will work here when it completely failed in those other states?

Please provide evidence that poaching is working well in the other states.  Thanks.

Um...........I never said it did, I simply asked you a question.

Ok. I cannot provide a definitive answer but I believe legal hunting does help in other states. It certainly does not eliminate the problem, and possibly has no significant effect. My concern is that illegal activity may not solve the problem either, but without question will cast hunters in a negative light by anti hunters and may also delay legal hunting indefinitely.

Obviously any wolf killed helps, regardless of how its killed, thats easy, but its been proven that it indeed has no significant effect...........................And as far as hunters being seen by anything other than negative light by anti's, well I think we both know that anti's are never going to see hunting/hunters in anything but negative light, regardless if wolves are left alone or not.

[Bob33]

"And as far as hunters being seen by anything other than negative light by anti's, well I think we both know that anti's are never going to see hunting/hunters in anything but negative light, regardless if wolves are left alone or not. "

That may be true, but there are lots and lots of non hunters that aren't anti hunting...yet.

It's the independent "swing" voters that matter, right?

[kentrek]

I believe we're already too far along to control wolves with illegal poaching. In my opinion, legal hunting of wolves is the only hope we have of controlling them.

Legal hunting in every other state has done nothing to control the wolf population Bob. Just as vice chair Duvia asked WDFW, I'll ask you, what makes you think it will work here when it completely failed in those other states?

Please provide evidence that poaching is working well in the other states.  Thanks.

have you been to idaho ?? been to a place ran by wolves ?? a place void of big game ??

wolfs are a much bigger threat to hunting than poaching

the gamies told us to shoot em all when there wasnt even as season yet  and now the trappers are really puting a damper on the wolfs by trapping in illegal trapping areas,some how never get caught  ..people in id went "above" the law to take care of the problem an i believe its the only reason there is still some good hunting left over there

look at what the legal system has done here with yotes...bears... cougars...


wolfs need to be treated before they get to the point of no control like yotes,which involves moving faster than what fish an game can..and they know it

[huntnphool]

That may be true, but there are lots and lots of non hunters that aren't anti hunting...yet.

True, but you said anti's, not non hunters or "swing voters"

[Bob33]

That may be true, but there are lots and lots of non hunters that aren't anti hunting...yet.

True, but you said anti's, not non hunters or "swing voters"

You're right. I still think the good that comes from advocating illegal poaching may not outweigh the negative consequences.

[Colville]

non issue, PR that is.

No one blames the Sierra Club or Nature Conservancy or any other environmentalist org, or environmentalists as a whole when earth first spikes trees or burns a lumber yard.  People typically place blame on individuals when it comes to law breaking.  Rest assured there have been numerous MB threads at enviro web sites complimenting enviro-terrorism.  It's had no effect on the movement as a whole. Same holds true as it relates to hunters vs poachers.

[Bob33]

non issue, PR that is.

No one blames the Sierra Club or Nature Conservancy or any other environmentalist org, or environmentalists as a whole when earth first spikes trees or burns a lumber yard.  People typically place blame on individuals when it comes to law breaking. 

Have you read any comments on here about PETA (the organization)? HSUS?  Bank Of America? Do the posts all blame only individuals, or the organization?

Do you not blame these groups?

[boneaddict]

Personally Bob, I think its like trying to convince an OBAMA supporter to vote for Mitt.    They are going to believe what they are going to believe.

[Bob33]

I just don't agree. I think there are lots of people who don't understand or are ignorant about hunting. They don't have an anti-hunting mentality. They will be swayed by either the good or the bad they see in hunters.

My eight year old daughter had some friends over the other day. She told them that her dad was hunting. Several of them said something equivalent to "yuk". My daughter then proceeded to tell them what really happens in nature: animals die of disease, get eaten alive by predators, starve to death, get run over by cars, and so forth. She asked them where their meat came from. She changed some of their minds because she educated them.

Look at the black eye "hunters" got in the public's eye from the octopus killing at Alki. (For starters, when did harvest of marine creatures become hunting?)

[pianoman9701]

I just don't agree. I think there are lots of people who don't understand or are ignorant about hunting. They don't have an anti-hunting mentality. They will be swayed by either the good or the bad they see in hunters.

My eight year old daughter had some friends over the other day. She told them that her dad was hunting. Several of them said something equivalent to "yuk". My daughter then proceeded to tell them what really happens in nature: animals die of disease, get eaten alive by predators, starve to death, get run over by cars, and so forth. She asked them where their meat came from. She changed some of their minds because she educated them.

I absolutely have changed non-hunters misconceptions about hunting. I do it by listening to their ideas and concerns, and then addressing their concerns in an informed and non-confrontational manner. I know population statistics, safety statistics, and I use reasoning based on common sense and man's history with regards to hunting. I don't waste my time on antis. You can't use reason with someone who argues with none.

93.5% of our population doesn't hunt in WA. Less than 1% of those are anti-hunting. The rest are fairly ignorant to what we do and open to discussion. 97% of our population eats meat in some form or other. You may not convince these people that they should hunt, but you should certainly be able to convince them that what we do is sound and worthy of their support.

[Skyvalhunter]

lets hear some of your justifications

[Bob33]

"93.5% of our population doesn't hunt in WA."

It's actually closer to almost 97%.

[pianoman9701]

"93.5% of our population doesn't hunt in WA."

It's actually closer to almost 97%.

Sorry, it's 95.5 because 4.5% hunts here I believe. Thanks for the correction, Bob.

[Colville]

Bob,

Hunters aren't a homogenous or even an affiliated group. We aren't a club. Neither are hikers or bike riders or any other outdoor users. Now RMEF is a club. If an RMEF exec is caught poaching or if RMEF is caught allowing it's membership to openly promote poaching that would be a problem.... FOR RMEF.

The public takes out it's anger at organizations or individuals but not against user groups that are unaffiliated in any way.  As I said before. No one is going to attack Sierra club tomorrow if some eco-warrior burns some logging equipment, because they weren't involved and didn't promote it. Nor will the public at large blame the green/enviro movement. Poachers aren't "hunters" as a group anymore than eco-terrorists are environmentalists as a group.

You can find non membership goup, non affiliated blogs or message boards for environmentalists that promote or accept the acts I described above. That doesn't create some sort of cascade against the law abiding movement as a whole.