[This isn’t all that surprising considering the attitude of the Washington Department of Wildlife Assistant Director quoted in an earlier post entitled, What Really Motivates a Hunter.]
by GARY CHITTIM / KING 5 News
Posted on October 7, 2013
Four Washington State legislators are crafting a letter questioning the State Department of Fish and Wildlife’s decision to support federal delisting of the gray wolf.
One of the four, Senator Kevin Ranker, said he was shocked a state agency would advocate dropping federal protection of wolves when a recent poll shows the vast majority of Washington State residents support it.
Wolves are currently protected under both the state and federal endangered species acts.
State Fish & Wildlife Director Phil Anderson argued the state protection is more than adequate and the federal listing only gets in the way of Washington State’s approved plan for wolf management. He said he has clearly stated on several occasions that WDFW supports federal delisting but is committed to protecting wolves until they fully recover in the state.
Ranker said he can find no evidence WDFW tried to gather public input before sending a manager to a hearing in Washington D.C. to formally support the delisting.
Anderson said the state has developed a comprehensive protection plan scientifically based on the state’s unique wolf population.
Exposing the Big Game 
What does he mean by unique population ? Wolves are unique while they are free and alive (un-managed !) Other wise the state’s people who want them protected are the ones who are unique and special.But these people are being ignored,and they are the majority…and there is nothing unique about that.It has become common place in our “democracy”.
You can’t make this stuff up–unbelievable. Now WDFW is a dictatorship.
Yep
i’m glad this made it into the news:
“One of the four, Senator Kevin Ranker, said he was shocked a state agency would advocate dropping federal protection of wolves when a recent poll shows the vast majority of Washington State residents support it.”
The have to protect these wolves for future generations they were here first with the Indians and humans have taken their lands. Show some compassion
It shows that the state and federal wildlife agencies are renegade, ignoring the public, science, tourism and wildlife viewing dollars, apex predator place in healthy wilderness ecology; and that they are cow towing to rancher and sportsmen political clout and their hysterical, superstitious big bad wolf nonsense.
I am so sick of WDFW’s going rogue. Ever since the wolf issues have been considered in this state, WDFW has steadily and rabidly gone against the will of the people. They are NOT a totalitarian regime, and need to be called out on it, very loudly and clearly.
As far as I can tell, WDFW needs a quick lesson in representational democracy. This is hard with elected officials, it’s much harder with political appointees. From what I read, folks, roll up you overalls, it’s too late to save your shoes… sounds like you have four good elected officials to work at moving up the political food chain? Maybe get one to run for what ever position in your state that appoints WDFW leadership? 🙂
We need, as evolved humans, to all understand wolves as Keystone Species and Apex Predators. Killing a wolf is killing a highly intelligent being that mates for life and puts family above all things! The death of any alpha wolf profoundly changes their family dynamic and if people continue to kill them, younger, less able wolves will be more likely to prey on rodents primarily so chickens and small farm animals make the difference between starvation or survival. The idiot trophy hunters don’t want to take the rap for farm losses involving wolves but the truth is there for anyone to read about. There should be no wolf hunting, ever. Selfishness and ignorance drive wolf hunting. As does greed. The most frightening thing is that opening a wolf season brings a lot of psychos out from under their wet rocks and into our forests and onto public lands where we bring kids and grand kids. It is a disaster waiting to happen! A friend said recently that anyone who enjoys killing wolves for fun would have no problem killing a person. I think that is true and someday will be another sad statistic?
Melody,
The Director is appointed by the WFW Commission. It is very very difficult to find and convince anyone who is not a hunter or fisherman to submit their name to the governor to be on the Commission. We need a larger coalition of active concerned citizens.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/343/829/766/stop-public-lands-ranching/The Public Lands Ranching Industry is destroying National Forests, BLM lands,
These agencies were set up many decades ago to manipulate and exterminate native wildlife, to make room for the western livestock industry. And so it goes today. Many hunters are also ranchers. If we continue to allow public lands (National Forests, wilderness areas, BLM lands, state lands and wildlife refuges to have livestock grazing on them, we will never effectively save any wildlife species. The livestock industry opposes ALL reintroductions of wolves, badgers, beaver, bears, and other so-called “competitors” for livestock grazing, and they vehemently hate the coyote, which has suffered terribly because of this environmentally destructive industry. No wild animals will be safe until All Livestock Grazing if Off Public Lands. The wolf will continue to be slaughtered in the Northwest and in the Southwest because ranchers are on the public lands these animals need to roam and live. What are we going to do to save them? Will we continue to genuflect, and “collaborate” with this industry, (as some wildlife groups have done), or will we demand that the Livestock Industry be removed from public lands, for the sake of wildlife? The Livestock Industry (as a whole) will never change its 1800’s mentality of wildlife killing and prejudice towards “predators.”
For more information: http://www.foranimals.org
SO awful Jim! I am outraged…
And they’re the ones who make decisions for our wildlife. We need to support our representatives who are on the side of wolves, or at least on the side of public opinion.