http://www.idahostatesman.com/2014/01/16/2976203/with-9-wolves-now-dead-fish-and.html#storylink=cpy
by Rocky Barker
Stabe Hedges of Boise spoke quietly before a crowd of 150 people and the Idaho Fish and Game Commission on Wednesday.
But he spoke for hunters across Idaho who no longer find it relatively easy to find elk in the place where they have hunted since their youth.
“I know what we used to have here and I know what was lost,” Hedges said.
As Hedges looked around the room, most of the people were there to protest Fish and Game’s elk management plan authorizing the agency to hire a hunter-trapper to eliminate two packs of six wolves in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. John Robison, public land director of the Idaho Conservation League, asked the people filling the Washington Group Center auditorium for a show of hands for people angry about the killing.
The majority raised their hands.
“Its upsetting to me that so many people support an animal that has decimated the state,” Hedges said.
Despite the great differences in opinions, hunters and animal lovers passionately expressed their feelings about wolves and elk but also listened to each other. The hearing was a far cry from the angry confrontations that have marked past hearings on wolves in Idaho and perhaps reflected the shift since the animal was removed from federal protection and opened to hunting.
“Restoration must include predator harvest on a consistent basis as research indicates that wolf populations can withstand human-caused mortality of 30 to 50 percent without experiencing declines in abundance,” said Grant Simonds, executive director of the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association.
Boise resident Pam Marcum told the commission to “please have some grit to cancel the wolf eradication.”
And Jen Pierce, a geology professor at Boise State University, read a statement from 15 scientists, including professors at the University of Idaho and Idaho State University, protesting the killing.
“We feel your decision to hire a professional hunter to exterminate two wolf packs in the Frank Church Wilderness does not demonstrate informed management, both economically and ecologically, and contradicts the mission statement of the Idaho Fish and Game,” Pierce said. “Sending in the hunter-trapper prior to the IDFG state elk management meeting on January 16th is also perplexing.”
So far the agency’s hunter-trapper has killed nine wolves in the wilderness area, said Jon Rachael, Fish and Game’s big game manager.
Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2014/01/16/2976203/with-9-wolves-now-dead-fish-and.html#storylink=cpy
Exposing the Big Game 
More disturbing to me is that whether people are rabidly furious or civilly vocal, not a goddamn thing changes–and in fact, in 20 years, things have just gotten worse for the wolves.
How interesting…Idaho cannot stop the killer while waiting for the court to rule on an injunction, because the trapper has limited communications, and only turns on his phone once a week. However, they can have an updated body count.
Yes, I have wondered about this. Doesn’t make any sense at all. Seems even if his phone is off, well, he stays in a gov’t cabin. Can’t someone snowmobile out there, or ski or something? And really, what bullshit. He is CALLING IT IN!!!
It’s very disturbing that Idaho state gov’t and F&W are not listening to the majority of the people, or scientists, or even other hunters. There’s no need at all to remove wolves from the Frank Church Wilderness. They shouldn’t have prolonged hunting seasons and increased takes, and government eradication programs. They don’t say that elk are no longer there – just no longer ‘relatively easy’ to hunt! Go out and hunt for them, for crying out loud! They are a migratory animal. I’m tired of hearing that hunters are the only ones who preserve wilderness. They are not.
Reblogged this on Wolf Is My Soul.
I feel so ill thinking about this. I am literally heartbroken most of the time
Louise Kane louise@kaneproductions.net 508-237-8326
From: Exposing the Big Game Reply-To: Exposing the Big Game Date: Friday, January 17, 2014 1:38 PM To: louise kane Subject: [New post] With 9 wolves now dead, Fish and Game meeting provides outlet for supporters, detractors
WordPress.com Exposing the Big Game posted: “http://www.idahostatesman.com/2014/01/16/2976203/with-9-wolves-now-dead-fis h-and.html#storylink=cpy by Rocky Barker Stabe Hedges of Boise spoke quietly before a crowd of 150 people and the Idaho Fish and Game Commission on Wednesday. But he spoke f”
This is a perverse manipulation of a healthy ecosystem.
Apparently, SCIENCE is a dirty word in Idaho.
They can’t even use the word “decimated” properly in a sentence.
Restoration must include predator harvest on a consistent basis as research indicates that wolf populations can withstand human-caused mortality of 30 to 50 percent without experiencing declines in abundance,” said Grant Simonds, executive director of the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association.
Whaaaa? Isn’t this a contradiction? And human-caused mortality isn’t the only thing they face. Is this guy a biologist? No, he’s an outfitter.
we here in Arizona are dealing with the same kind of mentality-specifically the releasing of bighorn sheep into an area they left a long time ago-probably due to human “encroachment” anyway the hunters who own Fish & Game ( just the name of the agency will clue you in to who its masters are) of course the mountain lions are now being killed because they are eating the sheep-big surprise…and the end result if it “succeeds” will be more “trophy animals” for the bloodsporters.
Friends of Wild Animals(facebook page) here in Tucson/Pima county has organized opposition and we are small but mighty.