Letter written by a wa rancher

[jasnt]

It is a mistake for cattlemen or hunters to anthropomorphize cows or wildlife.  We all lose when we use tactics out of the animal rights playbook. 

He says "in human terms, she would have been a 5 or 6 year old girl-halfway between birth and puberty, with-hopefully-her whole life ahead of her"...so that's bad that the wolf killed her so young and he wants to tug at those emotions...then how does he explain when this calf becomes older, is loaded into a truck hauled somewhere, shot in the head and butchered to be sold off at market? 

To be fair...I bristle when I hear hunters who oppose late season cow hunts by attacking wildlife agencies with "you're killing pregnant elk". 

hefers are not sold for slaughter unless barren.  No one likes to see one of their animals suffer , food or not all of us try to kill quickly as possible.  Killing an animal does not bother me in the slightest. Seeing one suffer is a different story.  That is where the emotions come into play.

[mburrows]

Need to get more of these stories out to the public.

[wolfbait]

The main reason many livestock producers no longer notify WDFW, it is less expensive to take care of predator problems without the USFWS or WDF&Wolves prolonging the slaughter.

Sad situation, imagine what the wolves have and are doing to the game herds, while WDFW play with their fake studies.

[bornhunter]

Anything us readers/hunters can do to help the ranchers? I feel like such a dumb ass not being aware of this sooner. Always knew the wolves were devastating the big game herds but didnt give much thought to ranchers loosing their livestock until I joined here. Would like to help some way if possible.

[ribka]

It is a mistake for cattlemen or hunters to anthropomorphize cows or wildlife.  We all lose when we use tactics out of the animal rights playbook. 

He says "in human terms, she would have been a 5 or 6 year old girl-halfway between birth and puberty, with-hopefully-her whole life ahead of her"...so that's bad that the wolf killed her so young and he wants to tug at those emotions...then how does he explain when this calf becomes older, is loaded into a truck hauled somewhere, shot in the head and butchered to be sold off at market? 

To be fair...I bristle when I hear hunters who oppose late season cow hunts by attacking wildlife agencies with "you're killing pregnant elk". 

hefers are not sold for slaughter unless barren.  No one likes to see one of their animals suffer , food or not all of us try to kill quickly as possible.  Killing an animal does not bother me in the slightest. Seeing one suffer is a different story.  That is where the emotions come into play.

People who never owned raised and cared for livestock would never understand
Huge disconnect in our culture because majority live in urban areas and have no idea where their food comes from plus there is a lot of hatred for ranchers here in WA.

[jasnt]

It is a mistake for cattlemen or hunters to anthropomorphize cows or wildlife.  We all lose when we use tactics out of the animal rights playbook. 

He says "in human terms, she would have been a 5 or 6 year old girl-halfway between birth and puberty, with-hopefully-her whole life ahead of her"...so that's bad that the wolf killed her so young and he wants to tug at those emotions...then how does he explain when this calf becomes older, is loaded into a truck hauled somewhere, shot in the head and butchered to be sold off at market? 

To be fair...I bristle when I hear hunters who oppose late season cow hunts by attacking wildlife agencies with "you're killing pregnant elk". 

hefers are not sold for slaughter unless barren.  No one likes to see one of their animals suffer , food or not all of us try to kill quickly as possible.  Killing an animal does not bother me in the slightest. Seeing one suffer is a different story.  That is where the emotions come into play.

People who never owned raised and cared for livestock would never understand
Huge disconnect in our culture because majority live in urban areas and have no idea where their food comes from plus there is a lot of hatred for ranchers here in WA.

sadly I believe you are correct.  They couldn’t completely understand without walking that mile.

[Skyvalhunter]

Why do you believe there is a hatred?

[jasnt]

Hatred?  I’m not sure what your referring to

[Skyvalhunter]

RIBKA mentioned a hatred for ranchers.

[jasnt]

That I don’t understand.  Where I live ranchers are not hated but I do see and hear a lot of dislike on the web. 

[Jpmiller]

I can agree with the overall message but I'm on board with not trying to humanize the animals. The overall reason for any of these creatures is consumption and death, and while as human a lifestyle and death as possible is desired the end result is still death. Should my heart break when I take the mother, son, daughter or father of a deer or elk? Certainly the fawn I had to chase off so I could clean and quarter it's mother a few years back felt similarly to the mother cow in this story.

Wolves need managing and sooner than later. Cattlemen and anyone else for that matter have a right to reasonable protection from predation on their animals but I don't like trying to use the narrative involving the emotional hardships on an animals "family".

I've raised animals for personal consumption, cows, pigs, chickens, and turkeys.

[2MANY]

Hatred?  I’m not sure what your referring to

I believe jealousy is a better word.
Most people are jealous of the ranchers large tracks of land.

Others take issue with the ranchers BLM grazing agreements.

Haters gonna hate.
Basically ignorant people.
The same people you catch trespassing on the ranches and full of excuses when caught.
They are also the first to feel like they are entitled to trespass on large ranches but the minute the buy 10 acres out west the first thing they do is post it.

Like my dad has said for years, "California's right wingers will move to the Rockies and become the mountain state's new left".
So true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[WSU]

I have to say that I wasn't impressed by humanizing the calf either.  The whole time I was thinking that if it was a bull/steer calf it'd have a little over one more year before it gets slaughtered.

I raise cows for meat (a hobby more than anything) and understand how you get connected.  Comparing a cow to a human girl is unpersuasive to me. 

[2MANY]

I believe the rancher was attempting to put in terms that the screaming libertards could understand.
Not to mention most ranchers have strong family values.

Try to remember the new series Yellowstone isn't reality.

[jasnt]

I believe the rancher was attempting to put in terms that the screaming libertards could understand.
Not to mention most ranchers have strong family values.

Try to remember the new series Yellowstone isn't reality.

my thoughts as well. The letter wasn’t written for like minded people.