A wolf and coyote derby taking place this weekend has turned a small Idaho town into a battleground between hunters and animal rights activists. Animal rights groups such as WildEarth Guardians had protested the event, supposedly on the grounds that the derby organizers needed permits from the U.S. Forest Service for the hunts to take place. However, U.S. District Magistrate Judge Candy Wagahoff Dale ruled the permits weren't necessary, and the event could proceed.
Derbies, such as the one taking place in Salmon, ID, are nothing new around the western state. Bliss holds its annual Hannah Bates Memorial Rock Chuck Derby, which raises money for various charities in honor of Bates, who died of cancer in 2008. There are other smaller hunting derbies in both Idaho and the surrounding western states; these derbies are held for the purpose of reducing both predator and rodent populations, as well as for fundraising. Coyotes, fox and, of course, rock chucks, are all subjects of these derbies; famed rock chuck Punxsutawny Phil would get no special protection here.
What has made this derby so different, however, is the addition of one specific animal - the wolf. Since wolves were reintroduced into the Idaho wilderness in 1995, they have been surrounded by controversy. Animal rights groups lauded the reintroduction; but farmers, ranchers and hunters were far from keen on the idea, and the hatred of the wolves has steadily risen among these groups.
Part of the problem with the wolves now found in the Idaho wilderness is the fact that they are not native to Idaho, as the indigenous populations had all been nearly wiped out. These wolves are from Canada, and are much larger and stronger than those native to the state. Not only that, but the ...
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...tivists are hoping for, especially when these threats are aimed at families and children. Salmon, like most of the tiny Idaho towns, is centered on family and community, and its residents do not take kindly to having either endangered; no child's life is worth than of an animal, no matter how beautiful, noble or majestic that animal may be.
Besides, a good number of Idaho's population took Hunter's Education by the age of 12.
The owner of the Savage Grill, Dave Larson, said the majority of the protests were coming from those who lived out of state, and "who don't have a clue what we do here or how we live here.”
Truth is, Larson is right; the activists most likely do not know how Idahoans live or what Idahoans do, and this lack of knowledge about a state, an area, a way of life, as well as the Wolf and Coyote Derby, has turned a tiny Idaho town into a battleground.
The U.S. Department of Interior’s, Bureau of Land Management, (BLM) was appointed to carry out the Act and given the task of managing the herds of wild horses and burros. Consequently, BLM’s management of wild horse herds has been highly criticized by animal rights activists, horse advocates, news media, as well as members of Congress. There have been numerous lawsuits filed against BLM regarding their management practices and their appalling wild horse round-ups. However, unimpeded BLM continues with the controversial issue of wild horse round-ups, resulting in the death and injury of many wild horses and burros. The vast majority of these round...
In this research paper, I will address the changes that occurred within the ecosystem of Yellowstone National Park since the reintroduction of the grey wolves. The paper will consist of four sections; the first section will include the history behind the extirpation and subsequent reintroduction of the gray wolf in Northern America. The second section will explore the political controversy that surrounds the reintroduction of the gray wolf in Yellowstone. The third section will contain discuss the gray wolf and its impact on the ecosystem of Yellowstone. I will conclude my essay by explaining how the gray wolves act as climate change buffers in Yellowstone amidst global warming.
Wolves are a natural mean of controlling the number of deer, elk, and other large game in an environment. The larger populations of herbivores are a problem for farmers and ranchers. The herd's winter grounds could be the same ranchers use for their cattle. In 1983 the case of Allen Nelson, a rancher in Montana, came to the attention of the Forest Service. Nelson owned land about twenty miles north of Yellowstone National Park. During the winter, elk would eat the grass on his land that he needed to feed his cattle. After Nelson's efforts to persuade the National Park Service elk were migrating form Yellowstone National Park failed he turned to the Forest Service. The Forest Service owned land next Nelson and did not want the degradation of the grass in the forest. Partnering with the State of Montana, Nelson and the Forest Service placed radio collars on a dozen elk. After tracking the elk through the next ...
The wolf is the largest member of the dog family Canidae, making it a real pest if it goes unchecked in agricultural systems. The wolf is one of the most efficient and effective predators in this region, preying on large ungulates; elk, deer, big horn sheep, moose, and even bison and cattle; however they will eat small mammals if there is no other food source available. Prior to 2002 estimates of the loss of livestock due to wolves were 19 cattle and 68 sheep, however in 2002, 33 cattle, 71 sheep and 1 dog were confirmed killed by wolves (Wyoming Wolf Management Plan, 2003). These kills are significant...
Maughan, Ralph. "Overview and history of the central Idaho wolf reintroduction." September 25, 1999. visted: October 4, 1999. http://www.poky.srv.net/~jjmrm/wpages/idaho-o.htm
Over the past several years, the gray wolf, native to the Wisconsin area, has been listed federally as an endangered species due to the graphic and horrific treatment they had received during the industrialization periods of America, when they were frowned upon and hated because they are predatory creatures and did, on occasion, attack livestock and pets. Because the government was encouraging the hunting, including bounties for the animals, the wolves were hunted to near extinction. However, now Wisconsin faces a new problem. With the reintroduction of the wolves to the state, and their continued endangered status federally, the population has increased well beyond expectations, reaching what could be considered a problematic state. A regulated hunt and a population control procedure has become necessary in Wisconsin to protect state's economic endeavors of game, wildlife, and agriculture, and also the wolves themselves, to keep them from overpopulating and facing starvation and lack of land.
Rodeo is a sport with long American traditions and loved by many spectators and participants. Past history has shown that rodeo needed to make way for a new era of riders and trainers with a larger emphasis on the welfare of the animals and not be discontinued or banned entirely. Today’s rodeos do not present a danger to the animals because the animals are well-cared for and protected, rodeos have strict rules and the stock are treated as prized animals.
Phillips, Michael K., Smith, Douglas W. The Wolves of Yellowstone. Voyage Press, Inc. 1996, pgs 25-30.
In the middle of lake superior there is an island. This island is called Isle Royale. On this island there is a population of certain animals. These animals are Moose and Wolves. There is one problem on the island though. The wolves are disappearing, they are endangered. If they see Wolves go extinct, it could cause many problems. This essay will talk about how we humans should intervene with the wolves and find a way to get more wolves on the island.
Gibson, J. William. "The New War on Wolves." Los Angeles Times. 08 Dec. 2011: A.25. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 21 Feb. 2014.
The controversy surrounding the reintroduction of the wolves are many from both sides. Some local farmers are against it because some wolves hunt their animals. However, if the farmers can prove their animal was attacked by a wolf, then the government would reimburse them for the animals value. Another problem is that some taxpayers are against the reintroduction because it cost them money to get the wolves back into the park. Another issue for taxpayers is that they have to pay for the damage the wolves do to the farmer’s animals.
"Training for Iditarod Means a Life Gone to the Dogs." Alaska Dispatch. Web. 14 May 2014. .
The wolves’ were hunted in late 1800 s’ and early 1900‘s in the United States because farmers wanted more land for their cattle’s to graze upon. As farmers were moving out west they felt threaten that the wolves would hunt their cattles so the farmers thought that the best solution would be to take them out of the picture. This was possible because at the time there were no government regulations on hunting....
Let me tell you something. In 1970, Gray Wolves used to have a population of 250,000. But now due to mass wolf hunting, the numbers are down to 500. Hello everyone. Today, I’d like to speak on behalf of the Wolf Conservation Center about the importance of wolves, and why they should be protected. Wolves are too often a misunderstood creature, instead of showing fascination, we always fear them, which is the exact opposite of what we should be doing. The society of wolves is just like ours, sorted by ranks, defined by confidence, and full of emotions. We are more like them than we think. Except they are being hunted, and we are not. In many parts of where they range, all types of wolves are being persecuted for killing livestock. As a result, humans have been killing wolves for years, because of us, their numbers are decreasing by thousands.
Refuges are trying to help these wonderful animals. “In 1973 the Red Wolf Recovery Sharp 2