STATE WILDLIFE OFFICIALS DECRY WOLF DECISION

[bearpaw]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 5, 2010
Contact Ron Aasheim, (406) 444-4038; Dave Risley, 406-444-9817; or visit FWP's Web site at fwp.mt.gov

STATE WILDLIFE OFFICIALS DECRY WOLF DECISION

Montana wildlife officials decried today’s federal court decision that placed the recovered Rocky Mountain gray wolf back on to the federal list of threatened and endangered species.

“We believe we made arguments to the judge that he could have relied on to uphold the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to delist the wolf,” said Joe Maurier, director of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. “We will carefully examine the ruling to determine what options remain open to Montana’s wildlife managers.”  

While today’s decision by Federal District Judge Donald W. Molloy in Missoula takes away state management of the wolf, the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission officially asked FWP to immediately appeal the ruling to the 9th Circuit Court and to aggressively seek management options with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  

"If we understand the ruling correctly, Judge Molloy is telling the federal government that because Wyoming still doesn’t have adequate regulatory mechanisms to manage wolves, you can’t delist the wolf in Montana and Idaho.” Maurier said. “We simply can’t manage wildlife successfully in that environment. We must have the ability to manage wildlife, to do our job, to seek a balance among predator and prey. As a practical matter, as wildlife managers, we need the authority to respond to the challenges wolves present every day."

Today’s federal court decision reinstates Endangered Species Act protection for wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains, with federal law guiding Montana's wolf management options. With today’s ruling, a general wolf hunting season in Montana is prohibited.

Wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains were removed from federal protection in March 2009, a decision that was almost immediately challenged by a coalition of 13 groups seeking to put wolves back on the endangered species list.

The recovery of the wolf in the northern Rockies is one of the fastest endangered species comebacks on record. In the mid 1990s, to hasten the overall pace of wolf recovery in the Northern Rockies, more than 60 wolves were released into Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho.

The minimum recovery goal for wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains was set at a minimum of 30 breeding pairs—successfully reproducing wolf packs—and a minimum of 300 individual wolves for at least three consecutive years. This goal was achieved in 2002, and the wolf population has increased every year since.

The wolf population in the Northern Rocky Mountain Recovery Area, which comprises parts of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, was estimated to be at least 1,706, with 242 packs, and 115 breeding pairs at the end of last year. About 525 wolves were estimated to inhabit Montana, in 100 packs and 34 breeding pairs.

[denali]

Ed Bangs just sent this email out:

“Subject: MT court just ordered delisting rule vacated.

Wolves throughout NRM are now protected by ESA just as they were before delisting was finalized May 4, 2009.

Please be sure to treat all wolves- as is appropriate per their location- as either endangered or experimental.

Please coordinate all activites that may involve take with USFWS. … ”



Well this just sucks           And can we please stop with the blame Wyoming for every thing ??  Wyoming has a plan and it will probably work fine if they were allowed to implement it.  

[bearpaw]

denali you are exactly right, I hope WY stands by their plan

[bearhunter99]

Judge Malloy's picture should be officially placed next to the definition of friggin moron 

[Elkaholic daWg]

  E mail from enemy on friday.




Save America's Wolves
Big Win for Wolves!

Young Idaho Wolf (www.defenders.org)
A federal judge restored Endangered Species Act protections for wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies.

This huge victory is thanks to your dedicated support and that of people like you who wrote federal and state officials, attended hearings and contributed generously to support our work.

Learn more about this win for wolves and the challenges still ahead.


Spread the word: Tell others about this victory!

Forward this message

Dear George,

Late yesterday we received some great news: As a result of a lawsuit brought in federal court by Defenders of Wildlife and other conservation groups, wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies are again protected under the Endangered Species Act.

A federal judge in Montana sided with Defenders and other conservation groups, overturning the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to remove gray wolves in the Northern Rockies from the endangered species list.

This is incredible news that will save the lives of hundreds of wolves that would have otherwise been targeted and killed in hunts this fall. And it opens the door to developing a science-based plan that will ensure wolf recovery continues in the Northern Rockies.

This hard-fought victory would not have been possible without the hundreds of thousands of Defenders activists like you who wrote federal and state officials, attended hearings and supported our legal fight and on-the-ground work financially. Thank you so much for making this victory for wolves happen!

This legal decision is not only a win for wolves, but also for science-based conservation -- the judge clearly ruled that recovery decisions for our most vulnerable wildlife must be based on science, not politics.

Although this victory means that wolves in the Northern Rockies will regain federal protections, the fight for their recovery is far from over.

In fact, this is just the beginning of another potentially more difficult chapter in the continued battle for wolf recovery.

We must continue our on-the-ground efforts to prevent conflicts between ranchers and wolves, counter anti-wolf misinformation in the media and work with all stakeholders to ensure these wolves fully recover and can then be legitimately delisted.

You made this victory possible -- and we’ll need your help to continue our important work for these wolves.

Learn more about this win for wolves -- and the challenges that lie ahead.

Thank you for all your efforts!

Rodger Schlickeisen    
Sincerely,
Rodger Schlickeisen, President Signature
Rodger Schlickeisen
President
Defenders of Wildlife

[Idabooner]

      This hard-fought victory would not have been possible without the hundreds of thousands of Defenders activists like you who wrote federal and state officials, attended hearings and supported our legal fight and on-the-ground work financially. Thank you so much for making this victory for wolves happen!

This legal decision is not only a win for wolves, but also for science-based conservation -- the judge clearly ruled that recovery decisions for our most vulnerable wildlife must be based on science, not politics.


  Talk about speaking with FORKED TOUNGE.
No wonder so many uninformed sheeple support wolf recovery.

[mulehunter]

I  have a AMAZING IDEA!  I guess no one interested!   


Mulehunter   

[NWBREW]

Where is Rockholm66. I know he usually has a lot more info on the wolf re-introduction then most. If you are reading this....please post. I have gained much knowledge reading his post and appreciate his dedication and input.

As for the judges decision.. ..I don't even know where to start. This could be the start of the end to hunting as we know it. ALL HUNTERS MUST STAND TOGETHER.

[bowhunterforever]

Where is Rockholm66. I know he usually has a lot more info on the wolf re-introduction then most. If you are reading this....please post. I have gained much knowledge reading his post and appreciate his dedication and input.

As for the judges decision.. ..I don't even know where to start. This could be the start of the end to hunting as we know it. ALL HUNTERS MUST STAND TOGETHER.

X2

[wolfbait]

Where is Rockholm66. I know he usually has a lot more info on the wolf re-introduction then most. If you are reading this....please post. I have gained much knowledge reading his post and appreciate his dedication and input.

As for the judges decision.. ..I don't even know where to start. This could be the start of the end to hunting as we know it. ALL HUNTERS MUST STAND TOGETHER.

This new ruling is going to be the start of a public who takes over wolf control, the public has played the other game too long already. Talk to people who have had to deal with these wolves first hand and see what they have to say. This new ruling was no victory for the wolves, it has worked out just the opposite. Wyoming stuck to their gun from the start, ID and Montana made deals and they are still no further ahead. Remember when the wolves were first brought in and the deal was 150 wolves per state? And now the new number is 2000 wolves. It really doesn't matter what deals are made, the environmentalists speak with forked tongue. I think this is the beginning of the end of wolf control managed by the states or USFWS, they had their chance and they pissed it away.

E-mail I received this morning
As I look back on the last 15 years and the time spent trying to manage our
wildlife I am a very frustrated person this morning.
 
We spent many frustrating hours working on a wolf plan.  This plan was accepted
by our State Legislators, our IDFG, the Fed Government, and the enviro
community.  We said we could live with 150  wolves in idaho with a min. of 10
breeding pair.  Montana did the same.  Wyo. presented a plan that 11 of the 12
scientist reviewing it agreed with.  I HOPE WE LEARNED,DONT MAKE A DEAL WITH THE
DEVIL, AS IT WILL COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU!!!!!!!!!!!  We kept our word, who let
us down?  Who kept dealing after the deal was done?  Was it our Governor?  Was
it the dept of Species Conservation and their lawyers?  Was it our IDAHO
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME?  Was it our Idaho Fish and Game Commission?  AGAIN,
YOU TRY AND MAKE A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL AND YOU GET BURNED.
 
I have had several calls in the last 12 hours.  1)Should we raise money for some
large bill boards?    2)SHOULD WE START A RECALL PETITION FOR THE RECALL OF
THOSE WHO TRIED TO MAKE THE DEAL WITH THE DEVIL?  (a) OUR F&G COMMISSION WHO LET
OUR MINIMUM POPULATION GO FROM 150 WOLVES TO 500 AND THEN MADE THE WOLF A BIG
GAME SPECIES.  (b)OUR OFFICE OF SPECIES CONSERVATION AND THEIR LAWYERS THAT
TRIED TO MAKE A DEAL?  (c)OUR STATE LEGISLATORS THAT LET THEM GET BY WITH
IT, THAT LET A DIRECTOR OF IDFG AND HIS EMPLOYEES SOFT SOAP THEM INTO THINKING
HE COULD MAKE A DEAL?
 
 DO WE NEED TO FIRE IDFG EMPLOYEES THAT BROUGHT 700 WOLVES TO THE TABLE FOR
IDAHO TO LIVE WITH?
 
WHEN WILL WE LEARN, DONT MAKE A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
WE DONT NEED A FISH AND GAME DEPARTMENT, AS WE HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO MANAGE.   
TURN IT OVER TO PARKS AND REC.  THEY CAN'T SCREW IT UP ANY WORSE.   

 
WE HAVE HIT ROCK BOTTOM.  IT IS TIME FOR FARMERS, RANCHERS BUSINESS PEOPLE AND
THE REAL CONSERVATIONISTS TO RAISE UP AND FIGHT LIKE HELL!!!!!!!!!!


Jim Hagedorn
Idaho For Wildlife
Phone: 2088833423

[NWBREW]

I hope your right wolfbait.

[Bighorse]

One good thing happened in the world of predator management recently.......The Alaska State supreme court upheld the Arial Wolf Control Program because it met the goals of the state constitution.  I don't know the exact wording but the judge essentially decided that indeed killing some wolf via airplane did maintain and or enhance game populations increasing harvest and use by other users.

At least one state in the union has a strait head on the wolf issue. 

[haus]

didn't hear bout that bighorse. Thanks for the update!