New West News Brief
TERRA Video Series Explores Bison Issue
As the controversy over the Yellowstone National Park’s population of bison continues, Bozeman-based TERRA shares a three-part video series on the “free-ranging” population’s scenerio and the hazing that is occurring. (Click video above for a preview of the series.)
As there are passionate people on both sides of the debate, this series tries to understand all sides of this issue.
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COMMENTARY
On Energy Development, Hunters and Anglers Push Back
Eight months ago, President Bush signed an executive order directing federal agencies to do everything necessary to "facilitate the expansion and enhancement of hunting opportunities and the management of game species and their habitat."
The president gave those agencies--specifically the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (FS)--a year to come up with a plan to implement this order, which was, conceptually anyway, drafted to combat news that participation in hunting was waning in the United States.
About the same time, the BLM announced plans to lease the Roan Plateau in Colorado for natural gas development. Plans were also announced to lease nearly 45,000 acres of land in the Hoback River drainage of western Wyoming, and the West was--and still is--in the throes of a full-on energy boom. Sportsmen--the very people who stood to benefit from Executive Order 13443--were deeply involved in important campaigns to protect a number of special places throughout the West from irresponsible oil and gas drilling that would not only trash important fish and game habitat, but significantly reduce hunting and fishing opportunity.
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Guest Commentary: George Wuerthner's "On the Range"
State Management of Wolves Recipe for Conflict
A month ago the wolf was delisted under the Endangered Species Act and state wildlife agencies were permitted to take over wolf management. Most state wildlife agencies profess a desire to minimize human-wolf conflicts. Yet their management plans are, without exception, guaranteed to create greater conflicts.
All state wildlife agencies (and FWS employees in charge of managing wolves are as guilty) conveniently ignore the socio-biological relationship of predators like the wolf which makes any indiscriminate killing of animals counter productive. Just as a hundred years of coyote persecution has failed to reduce rancher/coyote conflicts, so called wolf "management" by the states will have the same effect.
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12 Groups file on first day allowed
Environmental Groups Sue to Reverse Wolf Delisting
As expected, a coalition of 12 environmental and animal-rights groups filed suit today in U.S. District Court in Missoula, Mont. seeking to overturn the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to remove gray wolves in the Northern Rockies from protection under the Endangered Species Act.
The lawsuit seeks a immediate injunction to protect gray wolves from public hunting and aims to return the wolf to federal management under the Endangered Species Act. Gray wolves were officially delisted on March 28th.
“We’re trying to prevent the wolf slaughter from going forward,” said Doug Honnold, managing attorney of the Bozeman office of Earthjustice, the legal organization representing the coalition.
The groups argue state management plans fail to provide adequate protection for the species, especially against indiscriminate public hunting. Instead of protection, state management actually promotes the killing of wolves, Honnold said.
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GUEST COMMENTARY: A PRACTICAL STEP FORWARD
Royal Teton Ranch Deal Critical for Yellowstone BisonYellowstone bison have been mired in hopeless controversy for more than a decade. Some people argue for killing every bison that leaves Yellowstone Park. Others believe that bison should be allowed to roam without restriction. Practical people all ask the same question: isn’t there an option that treats bison like a valued wildlife species, while respecting the needs of private landowners and livestock interests? The National Wildlife Federation believes there is, and leasing of grazing on the Royal Teton Ranch north of Yellowstone National Park is a critical first step in that vision. [more]
SO SAYS THE MAN WHO MADE IT HAPPEN
Wolf Recovery Turned Out as Planned
Some NewWest.Net readers might be a bit "overwolfed," but I thought the views of the man who probably did more to return the Big Dog to the Rocky Mountain West than any other person on Earth could be interesting.
And surprisingly, to me at least, he thinks it all turned out about how he expected.
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Bison Update
Yellowstone Bison and the Fate of the Royal Teton Ranch Lease
As changing land use and attitudes toward bison open the possibility for reduced conflict between bison, cattle and humans on the west side of Yellowstone National Parl, a potential deal on the north side of the park could allow bison to follow a traditional migration corridor for the first time in a long time. But the deal is short some $1.5 million from the federal government, and it is also not without criticism from bison advocates. [more]
DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LEGAL LOOPHOLE
A Message to Wolf Haters: Fight Trigger Itch
Here's something you probably never heard a western rancher say: "Government is a wonderful thing."
But that might be precisely what they're saying down in the coffee shops and saloons in Idaho and Wyoming because they could be thinking the federal government has accidentally given them the opportunity to shoot as many wolves as they can for the next 30 days with no consequences.
To this, I say: Don't even think about it.
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New West News Brief
Anti-Wolf Activist Allegedly Assaults Pro-Wolf Activist
An Idaho anti-wolf activist was arrested and has been charged with assault and battery on a wolf advocate, according to reporter Matt Christiansen of the Twin Falls Times-News.
Ron Gillette, head of the Anti-wolf Coalition, allegedly “violently shook” Lynne Stone, director of the Boulder White Clouds Council, an environmental group based near Sun Valley.
Stone later told police that Gillett shouted, "If you were a man, I'd beat the crap out of you," as he was leaving the scene of the assault. She cut her hand as Gillett tried to get her camera, according to the police report.
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