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Author Topic: Washington House committee OKs bill to move wolves  (Read 14272 times)

Offline Ridgeratt

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Washington House committee OKs bill to move wolves
« on: February 07, 2018, 05:53:45 PM »
Washington House committee OKs bill to move wolves
The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee votes to direct wildlife managers to work on redistributing wolves
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Don JenkinsCapital Press
Published on February 5, 2018 9:46AM
 
Don Jenkins/Capital Press
Washington House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Brian Blake, D-Aberdeen, listens to testimony Jan. 31 in Olympia on a bill to redistribute wolves within the state. Blake opposes translocating wolves to unoccupied regions, but let the bill through his committee, saying current state policy was unfair to northeast Washington.


OLYMPIA — Legislation directing the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to move wolves from east to west passed the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee Feb. 1.
The bill, sponsored by northeast Washington Rep. Joel Kretz, was supported by urban lawmakers, but was opposed by Western Washington legislators whose rural districts would be candidates for receiving wolves.
“This is a difficult one for me. I may be a lone wolf on this one and be a ‘no’ vote. I understand why the bill is needed. and I think it’s going to pass here today, and so let’s call the roll,” said committee chairman Brian Blake, D-Aberdeen.
The committee voted 12-3 to recommend the House approve the bill. Two Republicans who also represent rural southwest Washington cast the other no votes.
House Bill 2771 declares that the eastern one-third of Washington has a host of thriving wolfpacks and urgently needs relief. Under the bill, WDFW would start a scientific review to translocate wolves to suitable regions unoccupied by wolves.
A review could take several years. The department would be required to report to the Legislature on its progress by the end of 2020.
Wolves are well established in northeast Washington and are showing signs of migrating toward the North Cascades. Wildlife managers also expect wolves to colonize the South Cascades, though WDFW has yet to document a pack in that region.
Wolves are a state-protected species and under current law will be until they are reproducing at least as far west as the Cascades.
Redistributing wolves within the state is an option to spur recovery, according to the state’s wolf plan. WDFW, however, says it expects wolves will disperse without help.
Kretz, whose expansive district has a majority of the state’s wolves, said he was more concerned about immediately taking pressure off his constituents, particularly ranchers.
“I appreciate people working with me on this,” he said.
Although against relocating wolves, Blake said the state’s wolf policy is unfair to northeast Washington. “We do have to deal with this,” he said.
The vote itself was highly unusual. Committee chairmen rarely allow votes on bills they oppose.
The Washington Farm Bureau and Washington Cattlemen’s Association supported the bill at an earlier hearing.
“It is an urgent, dire situation in northeast Washington,” the Farm Bureau’s director of government relations Tom Davis said, testifying on behalf of both organizations.
WDFW has culled wolfpacks five times since 2012 to stop chronic attacks on livestock.
Kretz has introduced bills to translocate wolves in prior years. This is the first time the proposal has won support from a committee. There is no similar bill under consideration in the Senate.
Wolves that were moved to the western two-thirds of Washington would come under the more-stringent protection of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

http://www.capitalpress.com/article/20180205/ARTICLE/180209950

About Darn Time   :tup:


« Last Edit: February 07, 2018, 06:22:16 PM by Ridgeratt »

Offline Skyvalhunter

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Re: Washington House committee OKs bill to move wolves
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2018, 06:14:12 PM »
I am all for moving them to Alaska where they can take care of them.
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Offline Harbor_hunter

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Re: Washington House committee OKs bill to move wolves
« Reply #2 on: February 08, 2018, 08:41:39 AM »
I am with you Skyvalhunter!   Obviously there needs to be something done to help the wolf problem in the northeast, but moving them over to the west side is not the solution.  I am curious to know more about the review process to see where to relocate them. 

Offline pianoman9701

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Re: Washington House committee OKs bill to move wolves
« Reply #3 on: February 08, 2018, 09:36:19 AM »
The intention is to move them into the remaining regions required for delisting so we can reach the goals established by the outrageous wolf plan. I don't want to see them in my camp, but I'm damned sure neither do those who live in NE WA. Move 'em.
"Restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens based on the actions of criminals and madmen will have no positive effect on the future acts of criminals and madmen. It will only serve to reduce individual rights and the very security of our republic." - Pianoman

Offline winshooter88

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Re: Washington House committee OKs bill to move wolves
« Reply #4 on: February 08, 2018, 09:39:22 AM »
It's really funny, everyone says that something should be done to help out the Northeast part of the state, but "noooobody" wants them moved anywhere near where they live. I bet the wolf lovers don't want them where they live either.

Offline vandeman17

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Re: Washington House committee OKs bill to move wolves
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2018, 09:50:57 AM »
we get this paper in our office and I just read this article about Idaho. Pretty good

http://www.capitalpress.com/Idaho/20180201/idaho-ranchers-live-with-wolves
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Offline hunter399

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Re: Washington House committee OKs bill to move wolves
« Reply #6 on: February 08, 2018, 09:52:00 AM »
I think moving them west is the best thing we can do,spread the love around a bit. :tup: :chuckle: :chuckle:

Hope it happens sooner than later.
I rather piss in the wind,then have piss down my back.

Offline pianoman9701

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Re: Washington House committee OKs bill to move wolves
« Reply #7 on: February 08, 2018, 09:52:07 AM »
It's really funny, everyone says that something should be done to help out the Northeast part of the state, but "noooobody" wants them moved anywhere near where they live. I bet the wolf lovers don't want them where they live either.

Actually, I just said to move them over here. Wolf lovers will think they want them closer until they get closer. Then they'll freak out when the realities set in.
"Restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens based on the actions of criminals and madmen will have no positive effect on the future acts of criminals and madmen. It will only serve to reduce individual rights and the very security of our republic." - Pianoman

Online bobcat

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Re: Washington House committee OKs bill to move wolves
« Reply #8 on: February 08, 2018, 09:52:19 AM »
I bet wolf lovers will love having wolves in and around all the big cities on the West side of the state. They will be able to go out and hear them howling at night. A wolf lover’s dream come true. Myself, I just see it as a big waste of money.

Offline JimmyHoffa

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Re: Washington House committee OKs bill to move wolves
« Reply #9 on: February 08, 2018, 09:59:06 AM »
They won't leave out Vashon, Bainbridge, Whidbey and San Juan Islands, right?

Offline pd

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Re: Washington House committee OKs bill to move wolves
« Reply #10 on: February 08, 2018, 10:10:04 AM »
They won't leave out Vashon, Bainbridge, Whidbey and San Juan Islands, right?

I am going out a very shaky limb here......

I live on one of those islands that you mention.  And, I support this bill.  Rep. Kretz is doing his constituents a favor, and Chairman Blake is to be commended for moving this bill through committee.  I know both of them, Chr. Blake better, and I can say with certainty this bill reflects a great deal of frustration by committee members with WDFW.

What would happen if wolves were released on the islands?  Well, the first immediate impact would be the elimination of the local coyote population---those spoiled dogs would have zero chance against a wolf.  Also, as there are no other large predators here (no bears, no cougars, no bobcats), the wolves would have first grabs at a dwindling blacktail population.  Then, wolves would start nabbing backyard chickens.  At the same time, wolves would be spotted everywhere, and occasionally become roadkill.  It would be awful, and traumatic.

But that is exactly Reps. Kretz and Blake's point: The wolf problem is real and awful and traumatic for NE Washington residents, and the westside urbanist elite have for too long turned a blind eye to this fact.  Relocate the wolves, and let the reality sink in, and then we will finally have some sound policy.

By the way, the governor lives on one of those islands.  Let the wolves be released near his house as well.

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Offline DOUBLELUNG

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Re: Washington House committee OKs bill to move wolves
« Reply #11 on: February 08, 2018, 10:14:27 AM »
I'm in favor of moving them to meet the state plan's goals faster.  I suggest moving them to the firearms restriction areas, not only will the most people be able to enjoy seeing, hearing and interacting with wolves, it should end that pesky problem of urban deer that so many are opposed to killing.  What could possibly go wrong?
As long as we have the habitat, we can argue forever about who gets to kill what and when.  No habitat = no game.

Offline WSU

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Re: Washington House committee OKs bill to move wolves
« Reply #12 on: February 08, 2018, 10:16:48 AM »
Honest question - would wolves remain near populated areas if they were released there?  Clearly WDFW isn't going to release them in Seattle, but I'm curious if they were released somewhat near a populated area if they would even stay there?  Given how far they move and how quickly, it seems like they would end up 100 miles from where they were released in no time.


Offline KFhunter

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Re: Washington House committee OKs bill to move wolves
« Reply #13 on: February 08, 2018, 10:18:15 AM »
It's not going to happen, it's merely a symbolic gesture to raise awareness and pressure Olympia to do something.

Offline Ridgeratt

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Re: Washington House committee OKs bill to move wolves
« Reply #14 on: February 08, 2018, 10:26:11 AM »
It's not going to happen, it's merely a symbolic gesture to raise awareness and pressure Olympia to do something.


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