Public Approval of Hunting Hits 17-Year High

A new survey shows 79 percent of Americans approve of hunting. That marks the highest level of support since 1995.

RMEF: Wolf Management is Working

New data shows there were a minimum of 1,674 wolves and a minimum of 321 confirmed packs in the Northern Rocky Mountain region. David Allen says the numbers prove states can successfully manage wolves.
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RMEF Files to Intervene
in Great Lakes Wolf Suit

RMEF filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit by several animal rights groups seeking to return gray wolves in the Great Lakes region to the Endangered Species List.
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Famed Yellowstone National
Park Bull Elk Dies

An internationally famous Yellowstone elk, known for defending his harem from challengers and tourists alike, was likely killed by the Canyon wolf pack, which was seen feeding on his carcass.
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Washington Rule Allows Killing of Wolves

An emergency rule adopted in Washington allows landowners, family members or employees to kill a wolf “caught in the act” of attacking domestic animals.
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Elk Thriving in Virginia

A group of elk, a native species not seen in southwestern Virginia since Civil War times, is flourishing thanks to an RMEF reintroduction program and cooperation from nearby Kentucky.
WATCH NOW

By Julie Cart, Los Angeles Times

April 25, 2013, 6:20 p.m.

Living With Wolves: The Cost for Ranchers

By Mark Holyoak/KPAX

Idaho for Wildlife.com

 http://www.idahoforwildlife.com/Website%20articles/Living%20with%20wolves-%20the%20cost%20for%20ranchers.html

Posted: Feb 15, 2010 7:08 PM
Updated: Feb 17, 2010 6:02 PM

As  wolves spread across the Montana landscape, ranchers find themselves  looking over their shoulder to protect their animals and their  livelihood.

Last year alone, there were at least 367 confirmed wolf kills of livestock – and there are at least six so far this year.

But for long-time cattleman Ron Skinner near Drummond, the cost of wolves runs much deeper than an occasional cow carcass.

It’s  auction day on Ron Skinner’s ranch in Hall, where fellow ranchers  bought 174 of his cattle, but it’s the money that got away that really  hurts.

Skinner  explained, “”We had severe weight loss in calves that came out of wolf  areas compared to calves where there are no wolves.”

Those  heifer calves were an average of 97 pounds lighter than others. With  the going rate of beef at 93 cents per pound – that’s a $90.21 loss per  animal. Multiplied by 150, that’s a loss of $13,531.

A more  visually disturbing loss is wolf depredation, with Skinner noting, “I’m  a purebred breeder.  This was an embryo transplant heifer and she was  worth a lot of money and we don’t know what she would produce in her  lifetime, but the compensation wasn’t even close.”

On a  nearby mountain, we come across a still-warm elk carcass–tangible  evidence of perhaps Skinner’s greatest problem. Skinner said, “The  environmental damages and range management damages are worse than  depredation.”

Skinner leases this land to graze his cattle, but  he’s not getting anywhere near his money’s worth from it because wolves  continually push the cattle off the grassy slopes, away from the feed,  and back into over-grazed riparian areas below, forcing him to buy 200  extra tons of hay this year.

Skinner says there are many other  wolf-related effects on ranchers such as stress, which can lead to  lower pregnancy rates and young cattle that don’t grade as high, extra  manpower to monitor wolf activity, injury to livestock, damage to  fences and danger to humans – like when wolves showed up in his corrals  right next to his house driving the black bulls through the fence onto  the highway at night.

“The first thing I did was get on the road  with my flashers so somebody didn’t get killed and it will eventually  happen,” Skinner remarked.

Despite the constant threat  of wolves, Skinner carries on as a third-generation Montana rancher  with a wary eye on the future.

Skinner said, “The  real question is, do you want ranchers to produce food for you?  If we  go through the economic pressures of wolves, some ranchers won’t  survive.”

The Willow Creek wolf pack preyed on sheep and cattle  belonging to Hall ranchers in 2008, so wildlife officials removed its  15 members. But three new wolves returned this past summer, killing  another calf and a heifer.

Tomorrow in our “Living with Wolves” series, we’ll look at how wildlife managers track and manage Montana’s wolves.

Related Articles

• Living With Wolves: Timeline of Wolves in Montana

OR-7 has crossed I-5  twice in recent months

By Mark Freeman

For the Tidings

 Posted: 2:00 AM April 27, 2013

Wandering gray wolf OR-7 is back on the trail locally as he spends the lion’s share of this spring as perhaps the most famous resident of the mythical State of Jefferson.

The 4-year-old collared wolf has spent the past six weeks traveling in and out of Jackson County, venturing into eastern Douglas County before doubling back and earlier this week even returning briefly to California, where he flirted with Interstate 5 traffic for the first time.

GPS-transmitting equipment on his collar shows that, while in Northern California earlier this week, he crossed west over I-5 near Yreka, Calif. — venturing the farthest west he’s gone in his 19-month odyssey, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Then just as quickly, he jumped I-5 again, biologists said Thursday.

“Hopefully, he’ll stop doing that,” says John Stephenson, a USFWS biologist tracking OR-7 from his Bend office. “That’s not a good strategy for longevity.”

And Wednesday he headed back north, crossing into southeastern Jackson County where he was Thursday morning in the hills south of Emigrant Lake east of Ashland, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Each time he enters California OR-7 reclaims his stature as the only known gray wolf in the Golden State since 1924. And when he slips back into Jackson County, he becomes the first known gray wolf west of the Cascades since the last was shot in 1937 to protect livestock.

“Man, that wolf can travel,” says Mark Vargas, an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Rogue District wildlife biologist. “The distances he’s covering is amazing. He could be back in Siskiyou County (California) as we speak.”

This pattern of toggling between Southern Oregon and Northern California is what OR-7 did last spring before crossing into California for what turned into an 11-month walkabout in his on-going search for a new home territory and a mate.

That trek took him as far east as almost into Nevada before this spring he did an abrupt about-face and virtually retraced his steps back into Jackson County on March 12.

But don’t read anything into these latest movements, Vargas warns.

“Who knows where he’s going,” Vargas said.

It seems the world has been watching and wondering the very same since Or-7 left his Imnaha Pack near Enterprise, where young wolves looking for new territory and mates head north or east. Instead, this animal headed south and west, with his lonely search for a companion lobo has been followed on web sites and in news accounts that have hit five continents.

Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 541-776-4470, or email at mfreeman@mailtribune.com.

http://www.dailytidings.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130427/NEWS02/304270306/-1/NEWSMAP

                    Published: April 23, 2013

          By DAN JOLING — Associated Press

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2013/04/23/2876022/rabid-alaska-wolf-prompts-health.html#storylink=cpy

PNP comment: There are too many wolves. Let ranchers kill the problems ones. — Editor Liz Bowen

by Katy Nesbitt/The Observer

Wolves were on the itinerary when representatives from the governor’s office and the state Legislature visited Wallowa County this weekend.

The first stop on the tour was the Patton Ranch in the Wallowa Valley, which sits on what is known as “the wolf highway,” a path between the mountainous Divide Country in the eastern part of the county to the Zumwalt Prairie and its healthy elk population.

The Pattons have lost several head of cattle in the last three years.

“It’s a never-ending saga,” said Karl Patton. “Two days ago they were here.”

The Pattons have used all of the customary non-lethal wolf deterrents. Electrified flagging, or “fladry,” encircles their smaller calving pastures in the spring. A radio-activated guard box, which emits loud sounds like helicopters and gunfire when a collared wolf is in its vicinity, is just outside of the same field.

Russ Morgan, the state’s wolf coordinator, said, “Fladry is not for the forest range. You can’t expect to use these on the large landscape.”

Cleaning up old bone piles was recommended by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife when wolves started killing cattle in the valley. Patton said before the wolves were present on the ranch, “When a cow died I’d put her on a bone pile and let the coyotes pick at them. Now I take them to the dump.”

 Scott Shear runs cattle on the Triple Creek Ranch between Pattons and the Divide country. He’s used fladry and RAG boxes, but agreed that removing bone piles made a noticeable difference.

“The wolves quit hanging out there,” said Shear.

Human presence is lauded as one of the best deterrents. In less than two years, Patton said he’s put 8,000 miles on his ATV and attributes half of them to patrolling for wolves.

“I spend a lot of time with my cows, but I’m not covering other projects like fixing fence.”

Brett Brownscombe, natural resources policy adviser to Gov. John Kitzhaber, asked, “If you had a range rider, would that help? Another body watching for wolves?”

Patton said, “Nobody knows cows besides the guy checking them. Maybe hiring someone to mend the fences would help.”

Wallowa County started using range riders in 2010. The problem, Patton said, is that a rider is usually looking for something dead, and that’s too late.

Luke Morgan of the Grouse Creek Ranch said, “I have found two or three elk kills, but no cattle, and I ride seven days a week.”

To avoid wolf interaction, many ranchers have adjusted what fields they use and the time of year they use them. Karen Patton said they’ve added new pasture, and Karl Patton said he doesn’t take his cattle to
his forest allotment in mid-July, but now waits until Aug. 1.

The group traveled to what is called the “Cat’s Back,” where the road narrows on the top of the Divide Country. To best appreciate the ruggedness of the country, the group huddled behind a rock outcropping, out of the wind, with a view of the breaks of Big Sheep Creek and Idaho’s Seven Devils Mountain Range in the distance.

Todd Nash has lost cattle over the past three years in the same pasture.

“I’m not going to run cows in that pasture this year. I’ve leased other land,” said Nash.

Nash said all of the privately owned, neighboring pastures are for sale and have had depredations. Porter said if one was to Google “Grouse Creek Ranch,” stories about their interaction with wolves would fill the screen.

“When people ask a realtor about ranch land, they ask, ‘Are there wolves around?’” said Porter.

Bill Hansell, Wallowa County’s state senator asked, “What kind of legislation do you need to help you?”

Patton said, “We need to put fear in them and the ones that are chronic killers need to be removed.”

Per the Oregon Wolf Conservation and Management Plan, ranchers must have a kill permit before they can take a wolf caught killing livestock. Kill permits are issued only after several nonlethal steps are taken to prevent depredation, and only after a rancher has suffered depredation. More than 60 Wallowa County ranchers have been issued permits, but no one has had the opportunity to use one.

Permit-less take

Senate Bill 197 was introduced this legislative session at the request of Gov. Kitzhaber. It would have given the state authority to allow what is known as permit-less take when the state’s wolf population reaches four breeding pair for three consecutive years.

The bill was assigned to the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Sen. Jackie Dingfelder, D-Portland. Bill 197 never had a hearing this spring and it died in committee.

Senate Bill 197 said, “Any person who owns or lawfully occupies land does not need a permit to take a gray wolf if it is caught in the act of attacking livestock or working dogs.”

House Bill 3452 recently was introduced by Rep. Bob Jenson, R-Pendleton, and Sen. Bill Hansell, R-Pendleton. It added the language, “or harassing, or are
reasonably believed by the person to have attacked or harassed.”

Morgan said, “With the vastness of this country, you could have 30 range riders and a million miles of fladry and still lose livestock. I’m a supporter of non-lethal, but the hard reality to some is some people want to think there’s always something you can do.”

Rod Childers, representing the Oregon Cattlemen, said, “I think we’ve been very patient the last four years. Give us the right to protect our livestock.”

Brownscombe said, “Right now the key point is the state is under litigation and there is no lethal response. I appreciate that people have persevered under tough circumstances. Chronic depredation is a bad deal. If we had that authority, we might not be in this position.”

READ it:

http://www.lagrandeobserver.com/News/Local-News/State-legislators-visit-wolf-highway

PNP comment: Apparently killing 306 wolves is NOT enough. Yes, there are too many wolves in Idaho. Hum, guess wolves really, really are NOT endangered — even with a hunting season on them! — Editor Liz Bowen

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission on Thursday, March 28, extended the current wolf hunting season in the Middle Fork and part of the Dworshak-Elk City wolf management zones.

The commission extended the wolf hunting season through June 30 in the Middle Fork units 20A, 26 and 27 and in the part of the Dworshak-Elk-City Unit 16 north of the Selway River. These seasons were scheduled to end March 31.

Most other hunting and trapping seasons closed March 31, except hunting seasons in the Lolo and Selway zones, which also run through the end of June.

As of April 1, hunters had killed 192 wolves and trappers 114 for a total of 306 wolves. Last year, hunters and trappers killed 379 wolves.

For information see http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/wildlife/wolves/.

Grandview Outdoors.com

3/27/2013

Breaking News from Big Game Forever

On Friday, 72 members of Congress sent a letter to US Fish and Wildlife Service director Dan Ashe in support of expanded wolf-delisting.  This letter shows strong bi-partisan support for sportsmen and our efforts to protect abundant wildlife.  You may recall that over a week ago, 52 members of Congress sent a letter opposing expanded delisting.  There is a reason for all of this activity.  US Fish and Wildlife Service is currently reviewing the status of Canadian Wolves in the United States.  Many observers expect that the service will delist wolves in states where wolves are not mandated. This would return management authority over Canadian wolves to the states.

The effort on this “Dear Colleague” letter was led by US Senators Orrin Hatch and John Barrasso in the US Senate and Representatives Cynthia Lummis and Doc Hastings in the US House of Representatives.  Big Game Forever remains committed to its efforts to protect abundant wildlife and to ensure states have full authority to manage wolves.  We will need your support in coming days and weeks.  Stay tuned for any action alerts from Big Game Forever.  As always Big Game Forever will make it fast, easy and free to make your voice heard on this important issue.

A copy of the letter is attached here: 72 Member Wolf Delisting Letter   Below is a copy of the press release about the letter.

72 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS URGE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE TO DELIST THE GRAY WOLF FROM THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

WASHINGTON – A bipartisan group of 72 Members of Congress have written to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to urge that the Agency delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the Continental United States. The letter was spearheaded by Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and John Barrasso (R-WY), and Reps. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Doc Hastings (R-WA), Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee.

In the letter, the Members of Congress write that “[w]olves are not an endangered species and do not merit federal protections. The full delisting of the species and the return of the management of wolf populations to State governments is long overdue. As you know, State governments are fully qualified to responsibly manage wolf populations and are able to meet both the needs of local communities and wildlife populations.”

The lawmakers added that an unmanaged wolf population poses a threat to the communities and surrounding livestock and indigenous wildlife, but that “currently State wildlife officials have their hands tied any time wolves are involved.” They add that State wildlife managers “need to be able to respond to the needs of their native wildlife without being burdened by the impediments of the federal bureaucracy created by the ESA.”

In addition to Hatch and Barrasso, Senators signing the letter were Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Dean Heller (R-NV), Mike Lee (R-UT), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), James Risch (R-ID), John Thune (R-ND), and David Vitter (R-LA).

Members of the House signing the letter in addition to Lummis and Hastings were Reps. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Dan Benishek (R-MI), Rob Bishop (R-UT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Kevin Brady (R-TX), Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), Howard Coble (R-NC), Tom Cole (R-OK), Mike Conaway (R-TX), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Steven Daines (R-MT), Ron DeSantis (R-FL), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Stephen Fincher (R-TN), Bob Gibbs (R-OH), Sam Graves (R-MO), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Bill Johnson (R-OH), Steve King (R-IA), John Kline (R-MN), Doug Lamalfa (R-CA), Bob Latta (R-OH), Blayne Luetkemeyer (R-MO), Kenny Marchant (R-TX), Jim Matheson (D-UT), Patrick McHenry (R-NC), Candice Miller (R-MI), Jeff Miller (R-FL), Mick Mulvaney (R-SC), Randy Neugebauer (R-TX), Kristi Noem (R-SD), Alan Nunnelee (R-MS), Steve Palazzo (R-MS), Collin Peterson (D-MN), Mike Pompeo (R-KS), Jim Renacci (R-OH), Reid Ribble (R-WI), Dennis Ross (R-FL), Paul Ryan (R-WI), Steve Scalise (R-LA), David Schweikert (R-AZ), Austin Scott (R-GA), Pete Sessions (R-TX), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Adrian Smith (R-NE), Steve Southerland (R-FL), Chris Stewart (R-UT), Steve Stivers (R-OH), Steve Stockman (R-TX), Marlin Stutzman (R-TX), Glenn Thompson (R-PA), Tim Walz (D-MN), Randy Weber (R-TX), Lynn Westmoreland (GA), Rob Wittman (R-VA), Don Young (R-AK).

The full text of the letter is below:

The Honorable Dan Ashe

Director

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

1849 C Street, NW

Washington, DC 20240

Dear Director Ashe:

We understand the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is in the process of reviewing the Endangered Species Act (ESA) recovery status of the gray wolf in the lower 48 States and is preparing to announce the delisting of the species. We support the nationwide delisting of wolves and urge you to move as quickly as possible on making this a reality. We were supportive of the USFWS decision in 2009 when most wolves were delisted in the Northern Rocky Mountains, again in 2011 when wolves in the Great Lake States were delisted, and the 2012 delisting in Wyoming.  It is unfortunate that these decisions were met with lawsuits from environmental activists.

Wolves are not an endangered species and do not merit federal protections.  The full delisting of the species and the return of the management of wolf populations to State governments is long overdue. As you know, State governments are fully qualified to responsibly manage wolf populations and are able to meet both the needs of local communities and wildlife populations.

Unmanaged wolves are devastating to livestock and indigenous wildlife. Currently State wildlife officials have their hands tied any time wolves are involved. They need to be able to respond to the needs of their native wildlife without being burdened by the impediments of the federal bureaucracy created by the ESA. During the four decades that wolves have had ESA protections, there has been an uncontrolled and unmanaged growth of wolf populations resulting in devastating impacts on hunting and ranching in America as well as tragic damages to historically strong and healthy herds of moose, elk, big horn sheep, and mule deer.

As you consider these much needed changes to federal protections with regard to the gray wolf, we urge you to expand the delisting of the species to all of the lower 48 states.  It is critical that the states be given the ability to properly manage all of the species within their boundaries.

 72 member wolf-delisting letter