Wildlife Photography ©Jim Robertson
The Profanity Peak wolf pack was wrongfully slaughtered. They were set up for the kill. The rancher, a known wolf-hater, put his cattle to graze on pristine, forested public land in the core of the pack’s territory. His cattle, of course, displaced the wolves’ normal prey–elk and deer. The cattle then became prey. The rancher did not use anywhere close to an adequate level of nonlethal deterrents to prevent predation. He also put salt blocks near the pack’s den, according to WDFW, which drew the cattle right to the wolves. And so, the wolves predated on the cattle.
After this WDFW’s Wolf Policy Lead had the gall to state in a TV interview: “Is that really the wolf population we want to repopulate the state? Wolves that have demonstrated that behavior and see livestock as prey items.” In other words, wolves being wolves (let alone being set up!) and doing the job nature gave them as apex predators should not be themselves?!
So WDFW has now killed at least 6 of the 11-member pack and is actively trying to kill the rest. This situation is an outrage! The slaughter of the Profanity Peak Pack must be stopped. And cattle should cease being placed in wolves’ territory unless truly adequate nonlethal control methods are in use. There are also areas where it is inappropriate to have livestock, and this is surely one of them.
Brooks Fahy
Executive Director, Predator Defense
http://www.predatordefense.org
Exposing the Big Game 
Hi Jim, we are updating our website homepage right now. You might want to take a look at it.
Brooks Fahy Executive Director brooks@predatordefense.org (541) 937-4261 Office (541) 520-6003 Cell
PREDATOR DEFENSE Helping people & wildlife coexist since 1990 http://www.predatordefense.org
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Thanks for the heads up and for all you’re doing for wildlife!
Right, the killing is an outrage. But all our “musts” and “shoulds” don’t help. Ranchers and hunters have what it takes to win–organization, money, and access to those who will comply with their demands.
Reblogged this on Council for all wildlife.
Excellent Sal…. and so friggin disgusting! Good for you and Brooks!
Sent from my iPhone
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As usual I’m left with my all too frequent feelings of impotent rage because I’m not sure just what the hell I can actually do to change any of this. Surely the people who want to see all wildlife thriving on public lands outnumber the ranchers and hunters who are slavishly catered to in our current system. Again, is it possible to garner support for a license to be purchased by wildlife photographers, bird watchers, or any person who gives a damn about wild lands management catering to wildlife? We will have no voice at all unless it is backed by money.
I think that was tried in Montana, where ‘non-consumptive’ users (blech, what terminology) wanted to buy a ‘wolf stamp’ so that they could contribute along with the ‘over-consumptive users’ to wolf and wildlife conservation.
Well, the wildlife advocates were virtually shut out by the hunters, and the idea has been ‘tabled’ (read: never to be heard from again). So, I guess we just need to keep hammering away until we get equal representation.
I don’t know much about this organization, but I thought it was a pretty good summation:
http://wildlifemanagementinstitute.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=774:lessons-from-the-montana-wolf-management-stamp&catid=34:ONB%20Articles&Itemid=54