Posted on 11/24/2007 6:50:43 PM PST by george76
PRAY - For rancher Randy Petrich, the removal of gray wolves from the endangered-species list - a move that would open up the animals to hunting in the Northern Rockies for the first time in decades - couldn't come soon enough.
Petrich has seen fresh wolf tracks almost every morning this fall - close enough to threaten his cattle.
"I believe that any wolf on any given night, if there happens to be a calf there, they will kill it," ...
Just 12 years since the wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park ... federal officials say the sharp rise in the wolf population in the region justifies removing them from the endangered species list.
It took $24 million of federal funds and more than two decades to bring wolves back ...
After years of debate, an initial 66 wolves were transplanted into the park from Canada beginning in 1995. Now, an estimated 1,545 roam Idaho, Montana and Wyoming - more than enough, federal official say, to justify removing them from the endangered-species list.
"The more of something you have, the less valuable each individual piece becomes," said Ed Bangs, the Fish and Wildlife Service's wolf recovery project leader. "If you have more wolves than you have now, it's really going to start causing a lot of problems."
David Mech, a University of Minnesota researcher considered one of the world's leading experts on wolf behavior, predicted populations in the Northern Rockies could hold steady or keep expanding, even with hunting permitted...
Since reintroduction, wolf numbers have increased 20 percent to 30 percent a year as the animals thrived in a habitat flush with elk, moose and other prey. Even where entire packs were taken out to curb livestock kills, new packs have quickly filled the gap.
(Excerpt) Read more at billingsgazette.net ...
This concept of $ 90 Billion farm subsidy is a typical liberal spin. These city people never provide a link ...they just throw in a bomb and run away.
The forest service and BLM have been taken over by the eco-nuts. Most of the old managers who understood the ‘land of many uses’ concepts are gone.
The new DUmmies have been successful in ‘vacating’ allotments which eliminates summer grazing. As we know, feeding cows all year is expensive.
The next trick to kill family operations is water rights. Big city lawyers can easily out spend a farmer to steal his water rights.
Then the city puts government housing projects on the stolen land under the title of ‘affordable housing.’ Another government name for stealing private property for more government land ownership.
> Sometimes, I consider the costs and try to figure out why I got into this business,
That’s right, it’s a business and a marginal one at that. If you can’t manage the assets, the business should pass.
One of the chain food stores in my area sells buffalo burgers for about that price per pound. I’ve grilled regular hamburgers and there is always a disgusting layer of fat and lard left on the grill. WIth buffalo burgers you get just cooked juices.
If they started raising more of them, my guess is the price would drop. They are far cheaper to raise. THEY do all the work. Just a little more difficult to handle.
If I was young enough, I’d start a buffalo ranch mayself.
Love buffalo - would pay more for it. It tastes great.
You’ve got a lot of good points there, especially about the tragedy of ordinary folks being thrown off their land and replaced by gentry who could scarely give a rip about the countryside they’ve just bought.
I know wolf populations are rising. That’s all the more reason to increase hunting pressure and make them wary of human beings and livestock.
Still don’t know how to post a photo here, though. LOL
I would love to see your pictures.
This was borrowed from another thread :
“How do you attach a picture?” ...
1. Go to PhotoBucket and register for a free account http://www.photobucket.com/
2. When you’re in your album, under Add Pictures, there is a place to click if the photo you want to place is somewhere on the internet, or there is a Browse button if the picture is somewhere on your own computer.
3. Hit the Submit button to upload the picture to your PhotoBucket account, and look at it. There are 3 boxes under the picture with coding in them. Pick the middle one (the one that starts with “img”, highlight it and copy it (edit—>copy)
If you’d like to be on or off this Upper Midwest/outdoors/rural list please FR mail me. And ping me is you see articles of interest.
I think a lot of these ignorant comments about ranching are coming from people who think meat originates in the grocery store.
Isn't it amazing what great insights and authority folks can draw when they live in a place where an estate is anything larger than a postage stamp?
I was at a wolf "scoping" meeting a few years ago. I suggested Leupold but the facilitator was a CO DOW professional and didn't know what I was talking about. Anyway, the sinapu dork told everyone that there was no need to worry about their cows because the preferred food of wolves was elk. (Given the several thousand dollar fee to hunt an elk on most local ranches, that didn't go over very well.) If the Wyoming wolves are now turning to cows it just means they've finally destroyed the elk herds.
A FACT, no doubt.
But would draw your attention to the regional dispute as well- How the hell does California and New Jersey tell Montana what to do?
Much to my chagrin, I must confess a similar fault in myself, back in the day:
When the Fed started protecting alligators I was all for it... Little did I know, though, and my attitude was changed in one night when when working as a guide/packer for a hunting party.
Two of the members were woolly dawgs from the South... Honest to God swamp folks, one from the Everglades, another from Louisiana, both excellent shots, both good trackers... bona fide back-woods boys. I mean these guys had all their hair, and I could respect them.
Both of them were quick to deny any need to protect the gator, and were offended by my pokin' my mountain boy redneck nose into their affairs. Both relayed stories of their kin and neighbors... dogs and kids disappearing, right out of the back yard... giant gators they had dispatched in 3S fashion, and etc.
Then came Bald Eagle protection, eagle flyways, etc... Thought that was my come-uppance, but no. Add the grizzly (and road closures for habitat), then the ^%#&^% Spotted_friggin_owl (tasty, btw) and all the logging destroyed. Now the bloody wolf is back, there is virtually NO PLACE to 4 wheel off road, and most areas are closed to any motorized traffic, and I wish the rest of the country would just keep their damn noses outta our business.
To my Southern friends, I apologize for my naivety. Granted, I was young and stupid, but I know now it was none of my affair, and understand the impact of such things.
If only the rest of y'all would take heed. What they take away from me, they will eventually take away from you, mark my words.
See kangal dog of asia minor, south russian sheep dog, komondor, irish wolf hound, and others.
Most meat originates from a feed lot. Ranching is going going going...
Questions are: [1] Did he file a claim w/ Defenders. [2] Were they able to verify that the cattle in question died as a result of wolf predation.In the absence of “yes” to both those questions, Defenders wouldn’t pay him.
Commissioner Tim French said the “biggest consequence of an investigation is loss of credibility and a giant black eye” for the F&WS.
“I don’t feel any trust with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” commissioner Marie Fontaine added. “Ed Bangs said they didn’t realize they were on private land ... there are so many questions.”
Kruger said the wildlife agents appeared to be “hiding in the bushes under a high bank by a road” when he drove past and spotted them. The tranquilized wolves were lying nearby.
“If you have nothing to hide, why are you out there hiding?” French asked. “Did those two guys fall from the sky with a wolf under each arm?”
Morrison said Kruger was “stressed,” and “didn’t know if they had a right to be there,” adding, “there were two of them and one of him.”
“Just be up front,” French added. “But hoping you’re not seen? That’s just suspicious, to me.”
http://www.codyenterprise.com/articles/2004/03/02/news/news2.txt
Yup. These are the same urban dwelling jerks who make the rules that prevent rural folks from subdividing or otherwise developing their property. The urbanites want to drive around in the “country”, and see all of the pretty little farms.
I’ve never handled buffalo, but I believe that they are much harder to handle than cattle.
Jerseyites can’t run their state so they have to look elsewhere to run their mouths.
What? You run cattle, and you aren’t rich? Why, who ever heard of such a thing. Besides, I’ve watched lots of movies, and the cattle ranchers are always evil, land grabbing, water hoarding, rich guys with thugs working for them.
“...overall goal is to re-establish wolves in Montana.
What genius thought this one up?
Shall we introduce locusts into our Iowa corn fields too?”
Or antibiotic resistant germs in the Blue Cities along with killer virsuses?
How about re-establishing rats, rabid skunks, racoons and other critters in the Blue Cities.
Sorry, glory, but it appears from your post that you are assuming the business of ranching or farming is not being deliberately targeted for destruction by the socialism impaired.
Therein lies your error.
Remember “Cow Free By ‘93”? ? ? ?
There was such an enviro-whacko campaign.
There are lots more, and some of them are in your neighborhood. Guaranteed.
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