Over the past few years I've had many conversations (both discussions and arguments) with people I call "wolvers" i.e.-those in favor of the reintroduction of wolves into the wild. Many of these people are friends, some business associates, some customers and some actually relatives. I've noted a few things and drawn a few conclusions that I'd like to get off my chest. (most of been pounded on this forum before, but I write them out as much to organize my thoughts as anything else)
Catagories; I find these people fall into 3 basic catagories
1) Hard Core animal rights people- i.e. PETA types - wolves are just one of many issues on their plate-not a priority but another "mans inhumane treatment of animals" bandwagon they can jump on. These people cannot be talked to on the issue or changed!!!
2) Passionate Wolvers-wolves are their lives!!! They are absoulutely driven to see the wolves make a comeback. I also call most of these people "Urban Outdoorsmen" (and women). They shop at REI, TIVO every nature program they can't watch live, join every conservation movement that contacts them and bascially go to Northwest trek and Wolf haven often and even venture out on hiking trails and vistit national parks occasionally. They can't explain why they are so compassionate about wolves, but it's almost like a religon to them. They see the wolves plight as the embodiment of everything bad man has ever done to the earth. They are not necesaarily bad people and, in most cases, can be reasoned with.
3) The "sounds OK, why not" group-this is the group that prides themselves on staying current on all topical subjects. They feel an obligation to have an opinion on most things and since this seems to be the most commonlly held opinoin in most urban circles they'll go along with it until given a reason not to. They can not only be reasoned with, they can be changed.
THEY ARE NOT STUPID PEOPLE-quite the contrary. Naive-Yes-Stupid -not. Most all of the people in these catagories are well educated, well employed and often guided more by intellect than common sense. They are willing to discuss issues and be assured they will usually go back and research or cross check statements made or facts quoted. (I throw out members of the 1st catagory as they beyond reason or help)
THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY ANTI HUNTING-In fact, I know some who are hunters! While there is no question that the leaders of many of the groups and the groups themselves are anti hunting, many wolvers don't have an opinion or are sitting on the fence. Many true wolvers are much more anti big landowner and livestock people because they believe they were the ones that actually trapped, poisoned and "bounty hunted" the wolves to near extinction. Many actually truly understand the role hunting plays in the dynamics of wildlife management.
THEY ARE SKEPTICAL OF WDFW-many feel that wdfw is in the pocket of the big landowner/livestock interests and are only paying lip service to wolves and wolf protection (just goes to show, again, the precarious position wdfw people are in)
THEY KNOW HOW TO GE THINGS DONE-Many of these people know the "system" and they know how to get things done. They are members of many groups, they are willing to contribute as needed and THEY VOTE.
CONCLUSIONS:
1) The first battle is lost-wolves are here and they are going to be here for the foreseable future. Move on to the next battle-limiting their numbers.
2)DONT MAKE THIS A HUNTING/ANTI HUNTING ISSUE - If we push the wolvers into a corner they will come out on an anti hunting bandwagon. WE WILL LOSE!!! We are the 7th calavary at the little big horn-if we let the anti hunters in these groups draw us into this ambush, we'll all go down. We are badly outnumbered. Beleive me-these people will exterminate hunting before they'll let hunters exterminate wolves!! Stay on tract- this is an issue concerning the effect wolves will have on our ecosystems-dont expand it and don't let them expand it.
3) Quit giving them "Bulletin board" material-as i know, many others on this forum have pounded on this, but all this talk of "killing on sight", :"shoot if i get a chance", "glad they got killed" etc. etc has got to stop. I've already had one fairly influential person suggest that "large tracts should be set aside so that hunters can't get at the wolves until they have a chance to get established"-I hate to see something like that come to a vote in Washington. WE are all entilteled to our own thoughts, but just think how these statements look to those in the two catagories that contain people we can still resaon with or convert.
I guess this all came to mind when I read in the paper that this saturday there would be approimately 120,000 hunters out. Sound like a lot? Our population is just under 7,000,000 . On the biggest hunting day of the year less than 3% of the population will be out! That's what we are up against!! Get to know some of these people if you dont-talk to them and get to know the facts-don't pass on rumors or nonsenscial "I heard this or that" things-they are going to check and they will use it against you. Quit calling names-nothing knocks someone off a fence quicker than to have an insult thrown at them.
Guess i could go on, but I'll jump off my soap box. Sorry if Ive just pounded on old subjects
but I wanted to get it off my chest. These are just my thoughts and not intended to insult or alienate anyone.
