Wolves, Who's In Charge?

[bearpaw]

Wolfbait I had talked to a Methow Valley rancher who said another cow had been killed and he wasn't sure yet if it was his or the neighbor's. Did you ever hear the results of that?

[WDFW-SUX]

I think Scott Fitken is a bad guy.

[mulehunter]

I think Scott Fitken is a bad guy.

AGREED!

 


Mulehunter

[mulehunter]

Sorry mulehunter - Scott Fitkin is not a bad guy.  He is, however, a WA state employee

Can u explain more detail how u think he is A good guy?

U know him  very well??


Mulehunter

[wolfbait]

Sorry mulehunter - Scott Fitkin is not a bad guy.  He is, however, a WA state employee

Can u explain more detail how u think he is A good guy?

U know him  very well??


Mulehunter

Personally Scott Fitkin might be a hell of a nice guy. As a biologist for the WDWL I do not believe he is being honest. I think he is an enviromentalist at heart and has very close ties with defenders of wildlife. He has been pushing for these wolves in Washington for a long time. I wish that WDWl would be honest about the wolves that we have here. But it has not happened yet and I don't see it ever happening. The difference between us and the pro-wolf people is all of our information  has to be true blue, there cannot be any shades of gray. The pro-wolf people lie left and right. Why? Because they have to, their wolf has done so much damage and continues to do damage. Lying is the only way they can promote the wolves. Who will be the fall guy when things turn sour in the Methow Valley, Scott Fitkin's name is at the top of the list, among others.

[wolfbait]

Wolfbait I had talked to a Methow Valley rancher who said another cow had been killed and he wasn't sure yet if it was his or the neighbor's. Did you ever hear the results of that?

I am going to check in on that today, I would imgine they would like that one swept under the rug,

[DOUBLELUNG]

Sorry mulehunter - Scott Fitkin is not a bad guy.  He is, however, a WA state employee

Can u explain more detail how u think he is A good guy?

U know him  very well??


Mulehunter

Personally Scott Fitkin might be a hell of a nice guy. As a biologist for the WDWL I do not believe he is being honest. I think he is an enviromentalist at heart and has very close ties with defenders of wildlife. He has been pushing for these wolves in Washington for a long time. I wish that WDWl would be honest about the wolves that we have here. But it has not happened yet and I don't see it ever happening. The difference between us and the pro-wolf people is all of our information  has to be true blue, there cannot be any shades of gray. The pro-wolf people lie left and right. Why? Because they have to, their wolf has done so much damage and continues to do damage. Lying is the only way they can promote the wolves. Who will be the fall guy when things turn sour in the Methow Valley, Scott Fitkin's name is at the top of the list, among others.

I know him quite well.  He is a very competent biologist, and yes he is an environmentalist in the sense that he thinks wolves belong in Washington.  So far, Defenders is the only group that ponies up any compensation for livestock losses, there are suspected livestock losses, no surprise there is contact there - pretty sure he's smart enough to not be in anyone's pocket.  I think wolves belong in Washington too, but should be managed as the highly prolific, large carnivore that they are.  Opinions aside, though, I am quite confident nobody has brought wolves into the state from out of state.  Scott has a tough job, highly constrained by working for WDFW, which is in turn highly constrained by being part of state government, in turn constrained by the majority opinion of Washington voters, who are liberal, Democratic, urban and don't hunt. 

No extremist is going to be happy with a state biologist.  Wolf lovers want hunting ended, livestock off public land, and hunting constrained to produce more wolf food.  Wolf haters want them eradicated, again.  Some hunters want wolves eradicated, some are happy they are here.  A lot of hunters are unhappy that WDFW works for the Washington public, rather than exclusively for hunters and fishermen.  Tough - that's reality.  It's not created by an individual employee.

I worked for both WDFW and Wyoming Game and Fish, 17 years total.  I am glad to be out of the WDFW, but not because of the quality of their employees.  The vast majority are good, and competent, and many strongly support hunting, including every employee of the Game Division.  I am glad to be out because Washington state government SUCKS, THE STATE IS INVASIVE, GREEDY AND DISHONEST, apparently just the way the MAJORITY of voters must want it.  The tofu-munching, crosscountry skiers from Pugetropolis have adopted all of eastern Washington's scenic public land, and the Methow in particular, as their playground, and are doing their best to buy up all the private, either individually or through the state.  That's good news for wildlife, bad news for traditional rural residents in agriculture, forestry, mining and other extractive-type industries.  It's a mixed bag for hunters and fishermen.

I am sure the wolf situation in the Methow in particular, and Washington in general, would be exactly the same regardless of who the Okanogan County district wildlife biologist is.  The credit - or blame - lies ultimately with the voters, and their elected officials and their appointees.  A state employee cannot openly voice their opinions, or professional judgement for that matter, if they want to stay employed.  There is a lot of good in the job, but there is a lot of implementation of STUPID policy in which the employee has NO SAY.

Hate wolves?  Everyone is entitled to an opinion.  I don't.  Hate the Washington wolf management plan?  Me too.  Blame WDFW for not creating a biologically rational management plan.  Ultimately, though, blame the mis-educated, liberal urban majority that calls the shots, for putting together a stupid plan that is exactly what they want.  It is not that they don't know about the impacts on game populations, or livestock producers - the voting majority here DOES NOT CARE.  They will happily trade every rancher and hunter for a chance to hear a howl.  That's reality.  And yes, it really sucks.

Don't blame a guy for doing his job the way his employer demands.

[yelp]

 

Totally agree Doublelung, great comments.

[spikehunter]

Hey fellow hunters, another one to ponder, Bro-in-law works for Insurance co. He has told me insurance co's. fund a lot of rehab for wolf intro. More wolves= less game animals. Less game animals = less loss on auto insurance. Something else that pisses me off to think that I could be supporting !!!!!

[bearpaw]

Don't blame a guy for doing his job the way his employer demands.

I agree with much of what you said but wonder about this comment....

Does his employer demand him to claim all these kills are not wolves. I have to ask, do you think he is being told to deny wolves are making kills.

[wolfbait]

Don't blame a guy for doing his job the way his employer demands.

I agree with much of what you said but wonder about this comment....

Does his employer demand him to claim all these kills are not wolves. I have to ask, do you think he is being told to deny wolves are making kills.

Biologist have alot of input for wolf plans. I know for a fact that both the usfs and wdwl biologist were given proof without a doubt that we had wolves in the methow Valley 2 years before the 'New Wolf Pack" bull. The surprise new wolf pack the same day as Oregon says it all. So in my opinion Scott Fitkins needs to wash his hands quite often. I don't think he would give anyone a fare deal where the wolves are concerned unless it benifited the wolves or his, and the environmentalists agenda. I think we are seeing that here with the livestock that has been killed by wolves, and like in other states where they have had the same problems with getting the truth out in the open, we will go through the same sh-t.

[bearpaw]

A state employee cannot openly voice their opinions, or professional judgement for that matter, if they want to stay employed.  There is a lot of good in the job, but there is a lot of implementation of STUPID policy in which the employee has NO SAY.

I know this is a fact, I have heard this on numerous occassions. Current political powers dictate much of the policy.

I am very interested in what doublelung's take is on these questions? I know he can't speak for Fitkins but I am curious what he thinks about these questions.

Does his employer demand him to claim all these kills are not wolves?
Do you think he is being told to deny wolves are making kills?

[SHANE(WA)]

I am interested too in those comments! Hes a good guy, but is forced to lie for a cause?? Deny that wolves killed any livestock when he knows they did? if that is the case and he being the man that he is in his position he is a POS. No different than someone taking there car in for a miss, mechanic finds out that its a faulty plug, but his boss says to tell them its a blown cylinder. BS!

[mulehunter]

Who is in CHARGE in this County of Okanagon?  BUNNY HUGGER BIOLOGLIST!   Thats EXPLAINS A LOT!

I want to show this CLEAR... I understand Gamedept were in Charge FIRST ARRIVAL! He was told it possible Wolves! But... Scott Fitkin Biologlist Walked AFTER in said No... IMPOSSIBLE Hard to tell, Well BUT.... He have NO RIGHT to Explain this Crap to Local News just because HE JUST SAVED Thousand dollar on LOSS of CATTLE and Missing Calf by telling them NOT wolves because that way they cant ERASE LOCAL NEWS HISTORY and make it look STRONG ON HIS SIDE!
I cant believe He walk stright to Local News FIRST THING! No wonder why He is BUNNY HUGGER!

Scott Fitkin just RIPPED LARRY OFF and He SMASH his HEART with FULL PAIN because they wouldnt Help him anything to Manage it and FEDS Dept just THANK HIM for doing his job to HURT all RANCHERS!! I am surprised He wouldnt HIRED HOUNDMAN to put on tracks after what? Was it Cougar? Bear? Coyote? Well.... HE KNEW IT! Thats why he wouldnt do anything about it to not MANAGE IT  why they wouldnt even TRY to go up mountain SEEM NOT TRY HARD ENOUGH!
Obviouly He tell to Local News about that were NOT wolves. Hard to tell. Maybe He doesnt want to be HONEST! Because he want to keep his JOB that way Feds have enough money to pay his salary instead pay some livestock Loss.

I believe Larry were having Coffee with LOT LOTS of Ranchers! U know why because THEY ALL are ANGRY at Biologlist! 


Mulehunter 

DOUBLELUNG, please give ur a moment.

Under reply # 25 please look at picture again.

Cow mother were trying to protect her BRAND new calf baby.  Next thing Brand calf is missing and mother is laying DEAD. How impossible would it be cougar? Coyote? Bear? No way... But..... WOLVE!!! Yes... must be 5 or more to attack and 1 or 2 wolves took brand new calf up hill feeding to pups.
And other rest of pack stay with Cow mother ate all night.

That is a BIG mother cow got killed by wolves its proved.

Scott Fitkin is a LIAR PERIOD!!!  He tells whole public people its NOT wolves caused. He destroy our trustful with WDFW people.


Mulehunter

[WAcoyotehunter]

A state employee cannot openly voice their opinions, or professional judgement for that matter, if they want to stay employed.  There is a lot of good in the job, but there is a lot of implementation of STUPID policy in which the employee has NO SAY.

I know this is a fact, I have heard this on numerous occassions. Current political powers dictate much of the policy.

I am very interested in what doublelung's take is on these questions? I know he can't speak for Fitkins but I am curious what he thinks about these questions.

Does his employer demand him to claim all these kills are not wolves?
Do you think he is being told to deny wolves are making kills?

Obviously I can't answer that question either, but I suspect that's not the case.  Actually documenting the depredation is a challenge, I'm sure there are times when it's questionable and they just can't pinpoint the culprit.  It's a shame when that happens, but imagine how many ranchers are using wolves as a scapegoat for every dead animal they find...  We really need a WOLF SPECIALIST (or two) that is highly trained in the area.