Wildlife and People

Moving Forward on Solutions for Wolves

Note: The following is a series of letters sent to share with permission to publish from the Yellow Pine Times. My own response is attached last. - MD

Moving Forward on Solutions for Wolves

by Don Peay, Founder, Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife, June 9, 2010

1. Judge Malloy will hear the case next Week and then by Sept. 1, both Molloy and Judge Johnson should have made their rulings

a. Montana has proposed to increase wolf harvest to 216 wolves

b. Idaho Game and Fish and Commission are discussing reducing wolves down to 500 if Judges allow for Management.

c. Wyoming is waiting for Judge Johnson Ruling.

d. Wolves will be reduced in all three states this coming fall season, if the Judges allow management. Sportsmen will have to come out and support increased wolf harvest at commission meetings.

For Political solution – Congress acting, be ready to introduce legislation the day the Judges rule, if the Judges rule against state management authority :

Ryan Benson working for Big Game Forever is working with Congressman Jason Chaffetz office to get the exact language for the legislation. We had an hour private meeting with Congressman Chaffetz this past Monday. We had a meeting with Utah Democratic Congressman Jim Matheson 3 weeks ago, he is supportive to move forward, the day the Judges rule. Steve Kiesel, President of SFW Nevada had a private 10 Minute conversation with Nev. Senator Harry Reid last Saturday on this issue. Congresswoman Lummis of Wyoming came to the SFW Wyoming Jackson Hole event in May and had a 20 minute conversation with Ryan Benson and is 100% on Board with this effort. Wyoming’s Senators Barras so and Enzi are on Board as well. The Idaho delegation – Senators and Congressman are supportive of wolf management.

So, now it comes down to the State of Montana. The only way such legislation can pass right now is to have Montana’s two Democratic Senators Bacchus and Tester sponsor the bill and lead.

The goal is within three weeks to have some Congressional Language ready. And then just wait and see what the Judges do, but be ready to pounce the day after they rule, if they rule against management of wolves.

The real KEY to CONGRESSIONAL ACTION is the Sportsmen of Montana need to request a meeting with Senators Bacchus and Tester and get their support and commitment. Most importantly, make sure they know the VAST majority of Montana people support reasonable wolf management. It would be nice to see if Montana Game and Fish would do a public opinion survey about wolf management. Based on my on the street conversations with non hunters in Montana last month, the vast majority of Montana people clearly support wolf management and do not want wolves destroying game herds, livestock and pets.

The next major phase will be to get the Sportsmen of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan on Board and have the Congressional language address wolves in those states. Those states have hundreds of thousands of hunters in each state, and their senators are Democrats who hold all the cards right now in Congress. So, it should not be too difficult for the sportsmen of MI, WI, and MN to get their Senators on Board. Additionally, Congressman Peterson is a prominent democrat from Minnesota and is an avid sportsmen. Congressman Ryan from Wisconsin is a Co-Chair of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus and should be sympathetic. And Senator Ben Nelson a democrat from Nebraska is also Co-chair of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus and is an avid hunter.

So, with this information, it is not completely IMPOSSIBLE to see Congress Acting within a year. But yes, sportsmen must get engaged and get behind a plan.

Congress is all wound around the axle on so many issues, but the recent elections clearly show the existing elected officials that being an incumbent isn’t all that popular and they had better get some things done. Why do you think Harry Reid, the President of the US Senate showed up last week at a wildlife conservation fundraiser ?

Unless some organization has a better plan, or better idea, we propose that all sportsmen rally behind http://www.biggameforever.org and make this the flagship and single point of contact and reference on the wolf delisting issue.

Ryan Benson is heading that effort up. Ryan has a degree in Political Science, worked in Washington DC, got his law degree from Harvard, is an avid hunter, and is working full time on this effort.

Jeff Crane, CEO of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation is also keenly aware of the importance of this issue, and is willing to help in DC when the time is right.

If the Judges rule against management, sportsmen are going to have to pony up $3 to $4 Million to get this done. Not that much money - $30 from 100,000 big game hunters if they would just do so.

So, I hope this email shows that getting Congressional Action is not just hollow words or a wish list. It can and will be done, if that is what the judges force us to do.

And it must be done within the YEAR.

Unless someone has a better idea, a better organization, etc, we ask everyone to get behind the effort of http://www.biggameforever.org and lets get it done.

At some point, SCI, WSF, RMEF, NWTF, Whitetails Forever, NRA etc, etc, etc, are going to have to come out and make their intentions known. I have spent considerable time and effort getting everyone on Board, but everyone is kind of waiting and seeing what is going to happen.

Don Peay, Founder, Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife
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Moving Forward on Solutions for Wolves

by Ryan Benson, Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife, June 9, 2010

I completely concur with Don’s comments.

We will be in court on the 15th as an intervener in the case. I had a very good conversation with our courtroom attorney today discussing the strategies moving forward. Furthermore, I have been consulting with several high powered attorneys who litigate almost exclusively in federal court.

Political strategies are fully underway as set forth by Don. We are building a true national campaign to implement comprehensive strategies to fix failed wolf policies. The numbers, statistics and political environment are there for sweeping change. We must organize and mobilize in a collective effort.

Fishermen did this recently to stop some Obama administration policies aimed at fishermen. We can do the same to fix wolf overpopulation in the west. We must act now!

Ryan Benson
Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife (SFW)
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Moving Forward on Solutions for Wolves

by Bud Martin, Redbone Outfitting, June 9, 2010

It is my opinion that everyone has some very good points and opinions. However I also think next year is to late, for that matter this fall could be to late in some areas that are highly impacted. 216 wolves in Montana will make virtually no impact on the existing problem, we are almost beyond the point of no return in some areas. ALSO federal regulations will have no effect at all as long as we have a Governor in Montana who appoints liberal wolf lovers such as Ream or the rest of the commissioners for that matter to our FWP commission. We must also have a Governor AND commissioners who are willing to help. At this time we do not.

Bud Martin
Redbone Outfitting
www.redboneoutfitting.com
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Moving Forward on Solutions for Wolves

by Senator Bruce Tutvedt (R-MT), June 10, 2010

I would like to comment from the perspective of a citizen and now senator who has been in the trenches of this wolf battle for 15 years. To the groups that are now joining the fray: your passion and love of your state, its big game and the livestock industry can be very positive thing in this battle to protect our Montana heritage.

Farm Bureau went to court in the 90s to stop Bruce Babbitt and the release of the illegally imported wolves into Yellowstone Park. We fought a valiant battle and the courts let the release occur. It is a very costly and steep hill to prevail in court. The political battle will also be a very tough battle to win. Senator Burns was a great friend of the livestock industry and the sportsman in the wolf battles as was Congressman Pombo from California. The amount of money the environmental groups put into getting these two of our best friends unelected was staggering.

On the money battle front: When a famous wolf outside Yellowstone Park was legally shot in the last hunting season an environmental group raised $350,000 dollars at one fundraiser. The amount of money that The Schweitzer for governor campaign was able to raise from out of state environmental organization was amazing. Roy Brown out raised governor Schweitzer in in-state campaign contributions in every reporting period. But with the out of state contributions, Brian was able to out raise the Brown campaign by several million dollars in total campaign contributions. That is one reason why the Governor’s political appointments are so pro-wolf.

The pro hunting and livestock groups are correct to give Judge Molloy, Senators Baucus and Tester, Governor Schweitzer and his appointees all the credit for the mess we are in on the wolf reintroduction. The Montana FWP permanent staff has been, in my opinion, very professional in trying to put reasonable practices in place to manage the wolf.

Solutions:

The folks back east in the Democrat party will take notice if we replace their democrat senators and governor as soon as possible. The ballot box can have a huge impact. Support the hunting and trapping of wolves. Support a greater take of wolves and other large predators that are impacting our big game herds. Avoid curtailing the delisting process. The Montana wolf management plan will work if Montana FWP is allowed to use it liberally. While not perfect, it allowed Montana to have a hunting season that killed 73 wolves last fall. Those are 73 wolves that will not be reproducing, and it could be up to 216 wolves killed this year. Something is better than nothing.

Senator Bruce Tutvedt (R-MT)
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Moving Forward on Solutions for Wolves

by Robert T. Fanning, Jr., Chairman & Founder, Friends of the Northern Yellowstone Elk Herd, Inc., June 11, 2010

Dear Senator Tutvedt,

Drs. Geist, Kritzke, Moyer and Jim Beers USFWS ret. and Will Graves have all been warning the state of Montana for year of the fatal consequences of wolf born Echinococcus granulosus tape worms or Hydatid disease. In response to an interview question in the Daily Interlake on May 21 ,2010; A potentially dangerous tapeworm carried by wolves has raised growing concerns, but some state officials say the issue is an overhyped, alternative way to demonize wolves. You stated for the record: “I believe that there are some who wish it … to be the silver bullet to remove the wolf,” said state Sen. Bruce Tutvedt, R-Kalispell. “And it isn’t going to work.” [here]

Do you actually think that these esteemed scientists are scheming and conniving to “remove the wolf” or that instead, the real issue is that of the public health and safety and healthful environment guaranteed by Article 2 Section 3 of Montana’s Constitution and your collective voices and oaths to uphold it ? Do you actually believe that fatalities in Alberta, Canada is “overhype” or that a young Idaho trapper currently crippled with the disease feels government had an enormous role in his health crisis when the political class looks at the wolf protection rackets as a way to raise “several million dollars in out of state campaign contributions”? Has wolf protection rackets payola and pay to play oozed down to the Legislative branch campaigns too?

I open with the above, because for over a decade Montana’s political leadership has been too timid and unwilling to confront the wolf fiasco or feds head on. Montana wolf management policy has brought us to environmental cataclysm and public health crisis. The protection of Montana’s environment, public health and safety, customs, culture, heritage and economy are the sworn duty of our state agencies and the Executive, Legislative and county branches of government. Those elected to our state government were not placed there to auction off Montana’s environmental policy, public health and safety, customs, culture, heritage, economy and ultimately the very lives of our citizens to the highest out of state bidder who greases and greased the skids for the Executive Branch that exclusively oversees Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks. We are now forced to demonstrate at Judge Molloy’s court house because for 15 years Montana’s political leadership took the path of least resistance.

Now look where we are at: scapegoating everyone except those who took an oath of office to protect Montana. Covering up the truth with agency spin and talking points instead of peer reviewed science that can withstand cross examination. Checking our change purses instead of examining our consciences. Compromising our values for meaningless, toothless wolf related legislation that went unenforced for a decade.

On page 8 of Dr. L David Mech’s (undisputed king of wolf biology) 2008 declaration to Molloy’s federal court [here], Mech stated that Dr. Wayne’s “genetic connectivity” argument was based on a “highly theoretical and contradictory” flawed computer model that looks out and speculates six decades into the future. Molloy leaned over his bench in May of 2008 and in essence and in summary said to NRDC/Earthjustice attorney Honnold, “Sixty years! You’ve got to be kidding!” I was there.

The Mark S. Boyce computer model sterilized Yellowstone Park, and a computer model crashed America’s credit markets and financial system [here]. Now faulty computer models hold the Intermountain West hostage in federal court? Mech went on to state on page 11 that the wolf breeding term “alpha” is “outdated” [Mech 1999, 2000 ]. Thus our three state legislatures bought into the scientific fraud that wolves can regulate their own numbers with celibacy and chastity, along the lines of some fantasy-based breeding hierarchy invented by Walt Disney.

In short, the people of America and especially the Intermountain West have bought into a criminal enterprise based on scientific fraud for 30 years. They’ve been played for suckers and saps by lawyers, academics, 501(c)(3) abusers and Marxists.

Molloy needs to see that this situation is 8 years past critical. Outfitters, hunters, ranchers, hikers and parents will be there Tuesday June 15th at 8 A.M. sharp in front of Molloy’s court house at Broadway St. and Pattee Street for sure [here] , but how about those who swore an oath to defend and protect the people of Montana and their Constitution? Will they be there?

What has happened in Yellowstone will eventually happen everywhere that there is any sort of prey, wild or domestic, for wolves to kill.

Robert T Fanning Jr., Chairman & Founder
Friends of the Northern Yellowstone Elk Herd, Inc.
http://www.fotnyeh.org/
Editor : http://allamericanpatriot.com/
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Moving Forward on Solutions for Wolves

By Mike Dubrasich, Exec Dir W.I.S.E., June 17, 2010

I concur with all of the above. The question remains, however, the best way to organize sportsmen, outfitters, hunters, ranchers, hikers, and parents into an effective political voice.

That’s the rub. All concerned recognize the problem, and that it’s a political problem in the main, not a wildlife management problem or even a judicial problem.

Don Peay says:

I have spent considerable time and effort getting everyone on Board, but everyone is kind of waiting and seeing what is going to happen.

Not to be disagreeable or contrary, and with all due respect, everyone is not on board and the “board” is not yet an effective political consortium.

Nor do I wish to be defeatist. I believe an effective land and wildlife stewardship political consortium can be organized. I salute and honor the efforts of all the writers above. My point is not that it can’t be done; it is that it hasn’t been done as yet.

Two aspects of the organizational strategy deserve greater consideration:

1. There should be greater recognition that a suite of issues are related. These include wolves, elk, other ESA animals such as spotted owls, salmon, sage grouse, bison, etc.; forest management, wilderness, roadless, Let It Burn; the Wildlands Project, SB 501, EAJA, rural cleansing; rural economics, ranching, farming, property rights; the global warming hoax, energy development and policies; water rights, gun rights and other Constitutional rights; the Border and illegal immigration; Agenda 21, the Montreal Protocol, and other international interference in our sovereignty; a Congress and administration gone haywire; and more.

This is a multi-front battle. America as we know it is at stake. Our children and our children’s children are threatened with the loss of a host of essential rights, freedoms, and resources.

2. In order to mount an effective defense against the onslaught, we need better organization. Political power grows from organizing, not the barrel of a gun. A more united front is needed. I’m not talking about Tea Parties. I’m talking about unifying the various factions and interest groups across the entire spectrum of issues mentioned above. The wolf problem must be seen as one aspect of a larger set of related issues, and all the related interest groups must be banded together if we are to wield effective force.

The struggle is bigger than just “wildlife”. We must work together on all fronts.

To that end, I suggest using the Internet to build a meta-organization that unifies the disparate groups (who might be generally referred to as “conservative conservationists” or “environmental realists” or something like that). The value of a meta-organization would be cross-fertilization of ideas, understanding, and strategies. I see the meta-organization as largely educational, not controlling, an online campus of related institutions and organizations where inter-communication is our paramount objective. Every individual member group would continue to pursue their specific objectives, but with the aid and comfort of similar and related groups.

I hope that soon some of the better funded players will come the realization that organizing a state-of-the-art Internet campus and social networking site for conservative conservationists across the spectrum of related interests is the modern way to organize effectively and to pursue our shared agenda.

Mike Dubrasich, Exec. Dir., The Western Institute for Study of the Environment