Polarized wolf groups battle with billboards

[bearpaw]

Polarized wolf groups battle with billboards
 
By Rich Landers Jan 11, 2015 The Spokesman-Review
 
Opposing views of gray wolf recovery in Washington are on display in a Spokane-area battle of the billboards.
 
The Defenders of Wildlife, a national wildlife advocacy group, has contracted for nine billboard posters that appeared this month. The message responds to a similar outdoor advertising campaign initiated in November by an anti-wolf group called Washington Residents Against Wolves.
 
Four of the eight WARAW billboards feature photos of a deer, an elk, a calf, a dog and a young girl on a swing with the text: “The Wolf – Who’s Next on Their Menu?”
 
“What we want is for people to ask very serious questions about the presence of wolves in Washington State before the reality confronts them,” said WARAW spokesman Luke Hedquist in a media release introducing the campaign.
 
continued:
http://tinyurl.com/m9qmccv

[idahohuntr]

I wonder how much good could be done if these polarized groups, each supposedly caring deeply about wildlife, put their billboard money into conservation, habitat, and access projects?

[zwickeyman]

The same could be said for Wolf advocates and PETA, PAWS, Humane Society etc, etc , etc

[idahohuntr]

My comment is inclusive of all polarizing groups...both pro and anti.

[ribka]

Is it just me or is it weird someone would support/defend anti-hunting anti-firearm groups on a hunting forum?

Do a quick check to see how much money radical anti-hunting anti-gun groups  like PETA, HSUS, PAWS take in ( tens of millions of $) verses  WARAW. And members of radical groups like PETA  have been linked to acts of terrorism.

Really really weird

[pianoman9701]

Is it just me or is it weird someone would support/defend anti-hunting anti-firearm groups on a hunting forum?

Do a quick check to see how much money radical anti-hunting anti-gun groups  like PETA, HSUS, PAWS take in ( tens of millions of $) verses  WARAW. And members of radical groups like PETA  have been linked to acts of terrorism.

Really really weird

Nope, not just you.

[bearpaw]

I wonder how much good could be done if these polarized groups, each supposedly caring deeply about wildlife, put their billboard money into conservation, habitat, and access projects?

How do you know that supporters of either side don't put money into conservation, habitat, and access projects? Perhaps some of these people put more money into conservation, habitat, and access projects than you do?

Perhaps the people who put up signs wanting wolf management have come up against a brick wall, maybe the only option available is to educate the public regarding the need for wolf management. You may be overlooking the benefits of advertising to educate the public. Isn't advertising what the wolf groups have done to get public support for wolves? If that billboard advertising wasn't effective why are the wolf groups putting up their own billboards? Maybe in a perfect world your comment would apply, but given the circumstances of wolf management it seems that one side has benefitted from advertising cute cuddly wolves to the public and the other side has figured out that perhaps the other side of the wolf story needs to be made public.

[pianoman9701]

I wonder how much good could be done if these polarized groups, each supposedly caring deeply about wildlife, put their billboard money into conservation, habitat, and access projects?

How do you know that supporters of either side don't put money into conservation, habitat, and access projects? Perhaps some of these people put more money into conservation, habitat, and access projects than you do?

Perhaps the people who put up signs wanting wolf management have come up against a brick wall, maybe the only option available is to educate the public regarding the need for wolf management. You may be overlooking the benefits of advertising to educate the public. Isn't advertising what the wolf groups have done to get public support for wolves? If that billboard advertising wasn't effective why are the wolf groups putting up their own billboards? Maybe in a perfect world your comment would apply, but given the circumstances of wolf management it seems that one side has benefitted from advertising cute cuddly wolves to the public and the other side has figured out that perhaps the other side of the wolf story needs to be made public.

I know very well, Dale, as do you. Hunters put more money into habitat than all other groups combined. HSUS spends nothing on habitat yet is a big money supporter of the big, diseased dogs. The Defenders of Wildlife, as well, puts very little if anything into habitat. Their money goes into litigation for efforts to tie up hunts and responsible management of wolves. Anyone who doesn't know what hunters do for conservation and what these greenie groups don't do, doesn't want to know.

[timberfaller]

"HSUS spends nothing on habitat yet is a big money..." tax write offs.

What they spend their money on is, buildings, cages and how to not get caught euthanizing overcrowding problems.

They go on PR campaigns about how broke they are so please donate FOOD and money and volunteer to help these poor abandoned pets.

Most monies go to the higher ups and DNC politicians. 

I don't suffer from the Rodney King Syndrome!!

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Polarized wolf groups battle with billboards
 
Four of the eight WARAW billboards feature photos of a deer, an elk, a calf, a dog and a young girl on a swing with the text: “The Wolf – Who’s Next on Their Menu?”
 
“What we want is for people to ask very serious questions about the presence of wolves in Washington State before the reality confronts them,” said WARAW spokesman Luke Hedquist in a media release introducing the campaign.
 

If they want to ask serious questions, then they need to get real. That would be a billboard  which asks the question “The Family Dog – Who’s Next on Their Menu?” because that is the real danger to children. Wolves are not out stalking people's children. But dogs kill children on a regular basis. In 2013 and 2014 there were 18 children each year who died from dog attacks. And the average number of fatal dog attacks each year in the US is around 30. (including adults)

Then there are the non fatal dog attacks. http://dogbitelaw.com/images/pdf/MMWR_5226.pdf

"In 1994, the most recent year for which published data are
available, an estimated 4.7 million dog bites occurred in the
United States, and approximately 799,700 persons required
medical care (1). Of an estimated 333,700 patients treated
for dog bites in emergency departments (EDs) in 1994 (2),
approximately 6,000 (1.8%) were hospitalized "

Over 150,000 of these victims were children 14 and under.

Meanwhile these billboards are trying to get people to freak out about something that isn't happening.

[JimmyHoffa]

How many millions of dogs are there that are in proximity to children?  Now wolves?  In some areas where wolves were introduced, they have started stalking kids waiting for school buses.  They had to build enclosed areas for the kids to wait in.

[idahohuntr]

I wonder how much good could be done if these polarized groups, each supposedly caring deeply about wildlife, put their billboard money into conservation, habitat, and access projects?

Maybe in a perfect world your comment would apply, but given the circumstances of wolf management it seems that one side has benefitted from advertising cute cuddly wolves to the public and the other side has figured out that perhaps the other side of the wolf story needs to be made public.

Yes, my comment was idealistic and I acknowledge hunters in general have put most of their money where their mouth is...I just loathe the idea of putting lots of money into pr and legal fees etc. like the antis do...even if it's 'necessary'. 

Sitka you make great points on the effectiveness of said billboards.

[pianoman9701]

Polarized wolf groups battle with billboards
 
Four of the eight WARAW billboards feature photos of a deer, an elk, a calf, a dog and a young girl on a swing with the text: “The Wolf – Who’s Next on Their Menu?”
 
“What we want is for people to ask very serious questions about the presence of wolves in Washington State before the reality confronts them,” said WARAW spokesman Luke Hedquist in a media release introducing the campaign.
 

If they want to ask serious questions, then they need to get real. That would be a billboard  which asks the question “The Family Dog – Who’s Next on Their Menu?” because that is the real danger to children. Wolves are not out stalking people's children. But dogs kill children on a regular basis. In 2013 and 2014 there were 18 children each year who died from dog attacks. And the average number of fatal dog attacks each year in the US is around 30. (including adults)

Then there are the non fatal dog attacks. http://dogbitelaw.com/images/pdf/MMWR_5226.pdf

"In 1994, the most recent year for which published data are
available, an estimated 4.7 million dog bites occurred in the
United States, and approximately 799,700 persons required
medical care (1). Of an estimated 333,700 patients treated
for dog bites in emergency departments (EDs) in 1994 (2),
approximately 6,000 (1.8%) were hospitalized "

Over 150,000 of these victims were children 14 and under.

Meanwhile these billboards are trying to get people to freak out about something that isn't happening.

Household pets are a choice each of us is allowed to make. Wolves are not are not a choice. The argument is oranges to apples and is false. They are two separate issues.

And, as far as something that's not happening is concerned, that's untrue. We know that around the world, there is danger from wolves and people do get attacked. The misleading argument that the wolf lovers love to use is that there's statistically no danger from wolves in The US. That's only true because they haven't been around. Give them a chance. They will change the statistics, especially if we keep coddling the greenies and not wiping out the problem animals.

[ribka]

It would of course seem logical that the public could /would be persuaded by engaging in factual arguments and propaganda. Especially when it comes to wolf propaganda ( politics) . Yeh right . We live in the Kardashsian, hashtag, twitter "Hope and change"  age now. (See the anti hunting, anti-gun HSUS ads during Christmas TV of poor puppies shaking in animal shelters and cats missing an eye during their annual fund drives. Very little of that money actually goes to help animal welfare as you know)  People are persuaded by sound bites and short videos and emotional half-truths.  When the wolf luvers post falsehoods in their anti-hunting campaigns the few on here her that support wolf introduction are silent or are apologetic.  Big surprise

I applaud the use of the same type propaganda against the wolf luver  anti- hunting anti- gun crowd. Good for WARAW. They should post billboards of wolves ripping fetuses out of elk and moose cows, pics of the  family pet fluffy  ripped apart from wolves and a child crying near by the torn apart carcass. Post historical stats noting the well- documented 100's of  wolf human attacks in Europe and Asia over the years.
 
Commercials during the Super bowl would be even better. 

Polarized wolf groups battle with billboards
 
Four of the eight WARAW billboards feature photos of a deer, an elk, a calf, a dog and a young girl on a swing with the text: “The Wolf – Who’s Next on Their Menu?”
 
“What we want is for people to ask very serious questions about the presence of wolves in Washington State before the reality confronts them,” said WARAW spokesman Luke Hedquist in a media release introducing the campaign.
 

If they want to ask serious questions, then they need to get real. That would be a billboard  which asks the question “The Family Dog – Who’s Next on Their Menu?” because that is the real danger to children. Wolves are not out stalking people's children. But dogs kill children on a regular basis. In 2013 and 2014 there were 18 children each year who died from dog attacks. And the average number of fatal dog attacks each year in the US is around 30. (including adults)

Then there are the non fatal dog attacks. http://dogbitelaw.com/images/pdf/MMWR_5226.pdf

"In 1994, the most recent year for which published data are
available, an estimated 4.7 million dog bites occurred in the
United States, and approximately 799,700 persons required
medical care (1). Of an estimated 333,700 patients treated
for dog bites in emergency departments (EDs) in 1994 (2),
approximately 6,000 (1.8%) were hospitalized "

Over 150,000 of these victims were children 14 and under.

Meanwhile these billboards are trying to get people to freak out about something that isn't happening.

[bearpaw]

Polarized wolf groups battle with billboards
 
Four of the eight WARAW billboards feature photos of a deer, an elk, a calf, a dog and a young girl on a swing with the text: “The Wolf – Who’s Next on Their Menu?”
 
“What we want is for people to ask very serious questions about the presence of wolves in Washington State before the reality confronts them,” said WARAW spokesman Luke Hedquist in a media release introducing the campaign.
 

If they want to ask serious questions, then they need to get real. That would be a billboard  which asks the question “The Family Dog – Who’s Next on Their Menu?” because that is the real danger to children. Wolves are not out stalking people's children. But dogs kill children on a regular basis. In 2013 and 2014 there were 18 children each year who died from dog attacks. And the average number of fatal dog attacks each year in the US is around 30. (including adults)

Then there are the non fatal dog attacks. http://dogbitelaw.com/images/pdf/MMWR_5226.pdf

"In 1994, the most recent year for which published data are
available, an estimated 4.7 million dog bites occurred in the
United States, and approximately 799,700 persons required
medical care (1). Of an estimated 333,700 patients treated
for dog bites in emergency departments (EDs) in 1994 (2),
approximately 6,000 (1.8%) were hospitalized "

Over 150,000 of these victims were children 14 and under.

Meanwhile these billboards are trying to get people to freak out about something that isn't happening.

Household pets are a choice each of us is allowed to make. Wolves are not are not a choice. The argument is oranges to apples and is false. They are two separate issues.

And, as far as something that's not happening is concerned, that's untrue. We know that around the world, there is danger from wolves and people do get attacked. The misleading argument that the wolf lovers love to use is that there's statistically no danger from wolves in The US. That's only true because they haven't been around. Give them a chance. They will change the statistics, especially if we keep coddling the greenies and not wiping out the problem animals.

The biggest difference is that the wolf groups like to use statistics from large cities and areas where there are no wolves. In areas with wolves there are wolf problems. It is a favorite ploy to water down the stats by including data from other areas that are not impacted by wolves.

It is important to teach the urban population that these problems do exist and these problems are affecting other people. Can you imagine the press and uproar if a pack of wolves went into Seattle or Spokane and killed dozens of dogs and other pets and then attacked someone jogging down the street, all within the city limits.

That is what happened to the McIrvin's, Dashiel's, and the hunter who was attacked by wolves, all in Stevens County.