This is an intersting exchange of messages that has been cc'd to many Sportsman's Group leaders and many of Montana's legislators. I will start with what appears to be the first message sent to Wolf Watch's Toby Bridges from Y2Y's Rebecca Lloyd:
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On Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 9:46 AM, Rebecca Lloyd <Rebecca@y2y.net> wrote:
Dear Mr. Bridges,
I am the US Director for Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative and I am increasingly puzzled by your characterization of Y2Y. We are a conservation organization but we are not an anti-hunting organization, not pro-predator, and certainly not anti-human. Most of the people who I work with are active sportsmen who both hunt and fish. I grew up hunting and I don’t hunt anymore because frankly my grandfather who taught me to hunt and took me with him is no longer with us not because I don’t believe in hunting rights and protecting that privilege. Y2Y worked very hard to stay out of debates about predator control and thought we were clearly stating that, so I am unclear why you are dragging us into it. Y2Y decided a long time ago that the environmental organization model of sue and litigate to change management is not where we could be effective. We don’t have a legal team or any strategy or desire to change state, federal, or local wildlife management. We do emphasize the importance of exiting protected areas like National Parks and wilderness as core wildlife habitat, but in no way think that the entire Y2Y region should be a park excluding people. We support community and industrial use of the landscape, though we would advocate for that growth to happen in a way that doesn’t result in the loss of sustainable and healthy wildlife and fish populations, like incorporating fish or wildlife passage on major roads. I think you are an effective advocate for your position but depicting Y2Y as any kind of leader of the opposition or suggesting we have any influence on wildlife management policy is just wrong. I am a fairly new employee and the only US employee and I feel like my goals are pretty small and simple, they include helping community groups find funding for and begin the analysis necessary for wildlife/fish crossings where communities have identified them as important to reduce collisions, continue my work and research in forest/watershed restoration, and helping to support other groups if my expertise can help them.
I am not sure why you believe so strongly in what you do about Y2Y, it just doesn’t fit with my experience at all. I am more than happy to talk to you if you want too.
Rebecca
Rebecca Lloyd
U.S. Director of Conservation, Science and Action
YELLOWSTONE TO YUKON CONSERVATION INITIATIVE
Missoula, MT 59803
Phone: (406) 830-0998,
Email: rebecca@y2y.net
www.y2y.netMaking Connections, Naturally
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From: Toby Bridges
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 1:16 PM
To: Rebecca Lloyd
Subject: Re: hi and question
Rebecca...
Apparently you have not spent that much time on your own website. Following is a quote directly from your website...
"The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative neither endorses nor condones the hunting of carnivore species such as grizzly bears, black bears, wolves and cougars."
So...You don't think such a staunch stand against hunting/controlling predators is in no way "pro-predator" ?
There's an old saying...you are only as good as the company you keep. Among your Y2Y partners are extremely anti-hunting organizations/groups such as the Defenders of Wildlife...and the anti-human inhabitants Wildlands Network. Likewise, many of your "Wild" or "Wilderness" partners are all too quick to call for closing access to many areas that current residents have long enjoyed. Many such areas have already been closed...for the sake of allowing grizzly bears to roam freely. And quite honestly, we now have more of these predators than this land can stand - it's time to reduce grizzly numbers here in Montana.
The sportsmen and residents of the Northern Rockies no long trust any of your radical environmental partners individually...and we sure as hell don't trust them collectively, disguised as the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative. We've seen what happens when such enviro groups pool their resources - WE LOSE EVERY DAMN TIME.
And we are tired of losing our big game populations, hunting opportunities, and the ability of ranchers to make a living off the land. Quite honestly, the sportsmen and ranchers are far better stewards of the land than most of the money mongering beggers you have partnered up with.
There is no way that the Y2Y corridor can be realized without major removal of existing infrastructure, and forcing many residents off the land. Too many of your radical partners in this greenie pipedream have already boasted too loudly too long that their goals are to reduce human presence in the West.
We've simply been lied to too many times. We no long believe anything your side has to say. The previous lies and deceit of many of those under your umbrella have left an extremely foul taste in our mouths. This time, we're going to resist this *censored* before it has a chance.
But, these are just my objections to the Y2Y idiocy. I'll share this with many other stakeholders here in the Northern Rockies, and hopefully a few of them will share their feelings just as freely.
Toby Bridges
LOBO WATCH
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On Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 1:57 PM, Rebecca Lloyd <Rebecca@y2y.net> wrote:
Dear Mr. Bridges,
Thank you for your response. I am sure we do have legitimate disagreements about conservation; but, please quote the hunting policy accurately, here it is from the website (
http://www.y2y.net/Default.aspx?cid=193&lang=1):
Y2Y's Hunting and Fishing Policy
The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative recognizes that hunting and fishing are:
• an Aboriginal right;
• a part of the cultural heritage and economy of the Y2Y region; and
• appropriate activities within the Y2Y region, provided these activities are conducted in an ethical manner that includes fair chase principles and do not compromise ecological integrity or the long-term health of habitats or species.
The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative neither endorses nor condemns the hunting of carnivore species such as grizzly bears, black bears, wolves and cougars. We acknowledge that individuals and groups within our network may support Y2Y’s hunting and fishing policy while having a diversity of views with respect to hunting carnivores.
I do think our policy about what constitutes a partner should be clearer, we believe we can collaborate with a diverse network of partners on projects we agree on without there being an implied endorsement of everything that organization does and the same for organizations and agencies who work with us. I believe that all of us who care about the region we live in and value the resources and quality of life here have more in common than we don’t and it is finding those commonalities that build successful collaborations. Like I said, my goal is to have a few successful projects accomplished on the ground and that requires collaboration. I do understand that in order to achieve your goals in policy change as an activist that you may not be able or even find it strategic to take a broad concept of collaboration as we have and that your passion for your advocacy makes such a liberal definition of partner seem objectionable. We should make our definition clearer on the website.
I am disappointed that you feel entitled to decide what Y2Y’s goals and agenda are without any facts. I guess I don’t understand that approach myself, it would seem like spreading false accusations about an organization would ultimately weaken your advocacy; but, maybe we are so small an organization that is doesn’t matter on the whole. For my part, I would prefer deal openly and honestly with my work and with issues related to conservation and I am happy to do so with anyone on the mailing list if there are questions I can answer.
Thank you again for being willing to email me back,
Rebecca Lloyd
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From: Toby Bridges
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 4:31 PM
To: Rebecca Lloyd
Subject: Re: hi and question
Rebecca;
That's exactly why we don't...cannot...trust you people. You try your damdest to twist things around. The fact is...hidden in amongst all that aboriginal b.s....remains the one policy...
"The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative neither endorses nor condemns the hunting of carnivore species such as grizzly bears, black bears, wolves and cougars."
In your earlier e-mail...you outright lied about Y2Y NOT being "pro-predator". Would you please then tell me just what the hell does that statement mean...if it does not mean that Y2Y does NOT "endorse" or "condone" the control of predators...which if left uncontrolled will devastate practically all other wildlife resources.
I'm sorry, the people who live inside of your planned dreamscape wildlife corridor are not as stupid as you and other Y2Y freaks may take them to be. The fact is...those of us who your type like to look down their noses at are the one who have footed the bill for wildlife conservation in this country for the past 75 years. Now you bunch of Johnny Come Lately radical enviro types want to waltz right in here...take over...and dictate how these resources are managed and utilized.
Well, the sportsmen of this country ARE NOT going to let that happen. We're going to fight Y2Y and your greedy gang of collaborators every damned inch of the way. And we're going to start by taking back our legislatures and purging their ranks of your implants. One piece of legislation that I will push all sportsman groups to fight for this next session will be legislation which will prohibit our state wildlfie agency to ever again enter into any kind of collaboration or partnership with ANY group that is strongly anti-hunting.
Toby Bridges
LOBO WATCH
www.lobowatch.com _____________________________________________________________
On Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 6:06 PM, Rebecca Lloyd <Rebecca@y2y.net> wrote:
Dear Mr. Bridges,
I think I assumed you knew this, but you clearly don’t and I added to your frustration and mistrust, I apologize. I have said this to many people already, but the earlier wording on the website using the word condone rather than condemn was a mistake, not a policy. An unfortunate and costly mistake, but it was just that, a mistake, and we fixed it. Honestly, rather than try to explain our policy of not having a policy on predator control, we should have just not said anything at all. It would have been simpler and clearer, but too late for that now. It really isn’t the best worded policy but I was told in order to actually re-write it other than just fix the typo would require Board approval and adoption and that might be some months out.
I absolutely respect and support your right to lobby for whatever legislation you feel is important to your organization even though we disagree about the benefits of collaboration. I understand that your anger results from feeling like your rights are being trampled on and I respect your commitment to change things. I wish I could convince you that Y2Y has no interest in taking away your rights and that our agenda is not as you describe below, but I don’t how. For now we may just have to respectfully disagree.
I appreciate your willingness to discuss this with me.
Thank you,
Rebecca
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On Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 8:21 PM, Toby Bridges <lobowatch1@gmail.com> wrote:
Rebecca...
Spare me more excuses. I own and host two websites. Making changes as simple as that take minutes. There's no end to the lies you people will tell to achieve your goals...and you wonder why we don't believe anything you say...and we sure as hell do not trust anything you claim.
Radical greenie environmentalists burnt the bridge of trust long ago. So, go spread your lies elsewhere...and stop pissing down my back and telling me it is only warm rainwater!
Toby Bridges
LOBO WATCH
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On Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 8:42 PM, Toby Bridges <lobowatch1@gmail.com> wrote:
Strange...Rebecca...in your last e-mail you stated that it takes board approval and months to get changes made on the website. But since earlier today, when I first brought it to your attention...the wording of your hunting and fishing policy has miraculously been changed.
What a bunch of phonies all of you are. To all in the "Cc:" field...meet your enemy. Y2Y must be stopped dead cold in its tracks. Keep them at an arms distance...and always in the crosshairs.
Toby Bridges
LOBO WATCH
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On Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 8:42 PM, Toby Bridges wrote:
Rebecca...thank you ever so much for opening this door. This is what the collaborators of the Y2Y Conservation Initiative have unleashed on the Northern Rockies. Please, let me ask, are you people so brain dead that you think we are going to sit idly and allow this destruction of our wildlife resources to continue?
Do you really have any clue about who you are working with...and their agenda?
ELK DATA
A lot is happening fast right now, and I apologize for firing off emails to you close together. Our situation with elk is tenuous, and we need the most current data possible before decisions can be made. Because we’re still right smack in the middle of gathering our mid-winter data, we have dang little time between the time we collect the data, analyze it, figure out the best course of action, and get all that out for everyone to consider. The attached file is the same info as below, but I need to include it that way because some email programs won’t show the graph I included.
First a little quick background on calf ratios, and then what we’re seeing and where it’s pointing us.
Yes, we spend a lot of money managing elk, but that really only goes so far. There’s a lot that has to be pieced together from more general information, talking with people, and looking for patterns. The past several years you’ve heard quite a bit about changing patterns in calf ratios, and what that implied for management.
Calf recruitment doesn’t mean everything, but this statistic is often an indicator of whether a population is robust or hurting. Problems often show up in low calf ratios, although the reason it’s low isn’t often entirely clear.
During early-starting, severe winters for example, we often see low calf ratios due to nutritional stress. That nutritional stress can be from poor summer/fall forage (for example with a lack of fall green-up due to lack of fall rains), early concentration on key winter ranges (say if snows come particularly early), lack of forage quality (for example with decadent brush fields), or simply unusually severe winter weather sapping energy via very cold temperatures and high energetic demands of moving through unusually deep snows.
Low calf ratios can also be due to heavy predation during summer (often with bears as a predator), or late fall/winter (often with wolves as a predator). Severe winter weather concentrates elk, and problems come from both nutritional stress and increased predation from a highly concentrated elk prey base.
High calf ratios therefore usually (not always) signify an elk population that is doing well, and low calf elk ratios usually signify an elk population that is doing poorly. Sometimes the cause may not be clear for low calf ratios, but the immediate health of the elk herd usually is clear.
We monitor calf recruitment several ways.
The most obvious is our aerial surveys, which are currently underway here in the Panhandle. We don’t really need to know how many calves exist in a herd, but we do need to know the ratio of calves to cows. Generally, we’ll talk about the number of calves per 100 cows so we can deal with numbers rather than percentages or fractions.
We can’t fly in all units every year though, but we’re still able to track general patterns by looking at the harvest data. The male calves in one year are the yearlings (usually spikes) the following fall, so we monitor the percentage of yearling bulls in the harvest reports. We don’t get that type of information of course until after the hunting season, which is about now. It’s a year old, but at least it covers all the units well.
So, now down to brass tacks. The table includes our most recent flight data for calf ratios. It’s still incomplete, but some of the picture is already unfolding.
Calf recruitment has changed a lot in just the last 4 years. In (February) 2008, we had high calf ratios across the board despite a severe winter. We saw a substantial decrease in the percentage of spike bulls in fall 2009, indicating poor survival after those February 2008 flights. Since then, we’ve seen ups and downs, but no return to the high levels we had 2003 – 2008. We really need to be above 30 calves per 100 cows to offer an either sex hunting season on a sustained basis. With the exception of the St. Joe, it looked like we were starting to head again in that direction last year.
Data from Units 6 and 7 are complete and calf ratios remain poor. Our counts indicate this elk herd has declined by about 60% in just the last 3 years, and projections indicate another 15% decline in yearling and older elk by next year. We’ve cut back on elk seasons, going to bull only in Unit 7 (and 9) last year. Proposals for 2012 will include more liberal seasons for bears, lions, and wolves, and more restrictive seasons for elk. We may have a bitter pill to swallow to rebuild these elk herds.
We’ve done some flying in the central and eastern portions of Unit 4 as well, and with only 16 calves per 100 cows, half of what we need to sustain a cow elk harvest without pushing the elk herd down. Modeling suggest that this part of Unit 4 may have suffered as much as a 30% decline over the past 3 years, with further declines in at least yearling and older elk projected for next fall. Silver Valley elk ranges usually fare better, having higher calf ratios. We hope to fly Silver Valley early next week.
Sample sizes in Unit 1 (NE of Sandpoint) and 3 (Silver Valley) are too low to give us a definitive answer, but early indications are that these units may be in better shape. Unit 4 is key, however, and that will be our priority if flying time is limited.
Fixes in one area can produce problems for other areas, the domino effect and that’s a very important consideration as we all know. It’ll probably be another couple days before our 2012 season recommendations are hammered out, but substantial changes are likely – more pressure on bears, lions, and wolves to reduce predation, and much more restrictive elk seasons to increase survival. Again, we’re looking at public meetings to go over all this next week (Sandpoint, Coeur d’Alene, Silver Valley, and St. Maries) and I’ll be sending you a survey for your opinions separately as soon as I get final proposals back. You’ll also be able to go to our website to comment or attend the public meeting in Boise.
Thanks to all,
Jim Hayden
Regional Wildlife Manager
Coeur d’Alene
You people are the worst criminals in America's history.
Toby Bridges
LOBO WATCH
www.lobowatch.com _____________________________________________________________
