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WILD BILL
Idaho Doesn’t Deserve DelistingLast Thursday, the so-called Idaho Sportsman's Day, was a sad day for hunters--and not just in Idaho; all of us, everywhere. But at least young people now understand why and how the wolf was wiped out in the early 1900s. They say we should understand history so we don't repeat our mistakes, but are political hysteria and irrational, factless hatred once again turning the wolf into a four-legged devil in the public consciousness?
Under these circumstances, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service should not move forward with delisting the wolf from the protection of the Endangered Species Act, not until Idaho can display some sense of rationality and guarantee we can expect professional, balanced wolf management.
Right now, Idaho does not deserve delisting.
WILD BILL
What Happens Next? Outdoor News Predictions for 2007This time of year you see lots of writers reflecting on what happened during the year just ended, but how hard is it to look into the past and be a visionary? Being a forward-looking sort of guy, I prefer to look ahead and predict what will happen instead of looking back to predict what did happen.
As far as wildlife and outdoor issues in the New West, and in particular to the subjects I've covered in my column, I predict the following will be the biggest stories of 2007--and what will or will not happen in the coming year.
WILD BILL
New Year’s Resolutions for Fun HogsYou've probably heard about people who never do today what they can put off to tomorrow. Well, I've been guilty of that of late. I’ve been putting it off for months, but I finally made myself go back and look at my new year’s resolutions, posted precisely a year ago, to see how I was progressing in my self-improvement efforts. And it seems like a good time to make a few more resolutions that really matter for 2007.
First, as promised a year ago, here are last year's New Year's Resolutions for Fun Hogs and my truly honest status report.
WILD BILL
Comments Worth Repeating, 2006As I'm sure many of you have noticed, NewWest.net has engaged readers who take the time to make excellent comments that frequently add value to stories. This week, I read through the hundreds of comments I've received on my weekly columns this year and picked out some gems worth repeating.
The hard part was narrowing down the list of insightful, well-written comments to a manageable size. Even though there are obviously many more comments worth repeating, here, in chronological order, are some of my favorites from a whole year of Wild Bill columns. Enjoy.
WILD BILL
The Most Pro-Wolf State of Them AllMirror, mirror, on the wall.
What is the most pro-wolf state of them all?
What state has done more for wolf recovery than any other? What state made it possible to have twice as many wolves than even avid wolf fans expected? What state wants the feds to keep the wolf on the endangered species list for years longer than expected. What state prevented state agencies from unleashing aerial gunners to kill more than half of the wolf population? And most of all, in a wolf lover’s dream-come-true, what state is making it possible for the wolf to expand its range into Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Utah where it will be considered endangered for many years into the future?
My answer might surprise you.
ONE OF RAMMELL'S ELK NOT SO PURE
Red Deer Genes ConfirmedAll the testing and re-testing has been done, finally, in the aftermath of the Great Elk Escape, and the Idaho Department of Agriculture, regulatory agency in charge of the investigation, has determined that one of Rex Rammell’s elk definitely carried red deer genes.
The State of Idaho has ordered that single elk, a live cow that did not escape, “destroyed, neutered or removed from the state,” according to Ag Department spokesman John Chatburn, and that order is “currently being accomplished.”
