The US Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it is extending the public comment period on wolf-delisting until December 17th, 2013. I strongly encourage all hunters who have not yet commented to please do so. We need to write a letter in support of state management of gray wolves.
This link is below:
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=FWS-HQ-ES-2013-0073You can even comment anonymously. These were my comments:
I am in complete support of the proposed rule change. I would like to present the following comments:
1. Wolves in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) are a mix of canis lupis nubilus and canis lupus occidentalis.
2. The PNW wolves are not listable because they do not constitute a population under the US Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) regulations.
3. The PNW wolves are not discrete enough from other listed wolves to merit a separate Distinct Population Segment (DPS) listing.
4. This delisting should occur based on the health of these subspecies.
5. In Canada, and in the United States, in the absence of the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), the existing regulatory mechanisms are currently adequate to provide for the long-term conservation of the two subspecies.
6. These subspecies are healthy and robust and therefore do not merit an ESA listing.
7. In Washington State, we have a vibrant and dynamic wolf plan that provides adequate protection for wolves.
8. State and local wildlife agencies have a better handle on wolf populations and are better able and equipped to manage these populations than bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.
9. State management and control of wolves is more workable than a Federal ESA listing in the PNW.
10. One of the most important aspects necessary for wolf recovery is gaining social tolerance by those people whose lives are affected by wolves. This will best be accomplished by the USFWS immediate adoption of this proposed rule.
11. The proposed action of the USFWS to remove the current listing for the gray wolf subspecies, canis lupus nubilus and canis lupus occidentalis, from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife List is the correct one, because neither of these subspecies is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their range.
Therefore, I urge the USFWS to immediately adopt the proposed rule to remove the current listing for the gray wolf subspecies, canis lupus nubilus and canis lupus occidentalis, from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife List.
Please in you comments state that you are from Washington so that they know you are in an area affected by wolves. You can use some or all of my points if you like, but please make you at least use points 2 & 3. The antis want a new Pacific NW DPS for wolves. Also stress that you support the proposed rule. Thank you.
