Petiton to bar OYOA from airing

[Ben Lamb]

Was wondering how this made it this far along without a peep from you LOL.....

There were bass to catch and beers to drink.

We didn't have any pig wrestling like youse guys.

 

[MNElkNut]

Randy,
I think there is an opportunity with the writer of that NY Times piece. He seems to come across as potentially reasonable and it might be worth some of your time to sit down with him and discuss the situation using the facts of the matter. If I am interpreting his email correctly, he would be interested in elk/deer/sheep population crashes statistics vs wolf numbers, what the wolf numbers were supposed to be, etc. Presented chronologically, it makes a pretty compelling case. I think you could do more good with a well thought out presentation to him than bantering with all of those idiots at CBD. Just my 2 cents and with all of the attention this is getting, I didnt want you to possibly overlook that nugget...

 

[BeeTee]

Randy,

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist Craig Jourdonnais (Missoula office) is both an avid elk hunter and resident expert on wolves here in western Montana. His duties include counting elk & deer and calculating cow/calf ratios, and his data is used to manage wildlife and set hunting quotas. He also writes an occasional related editorial for local newspapers. Craig tries to walk the thin line between predator & prey species management from a biologist’s standpoint, but the decline in game numbers he reports can only be described as grim. He is a valuable resource who would add considerable credibility to any discussion about wolves, wolf management and their effect on deer & elk populations. I suggest spending a couple hours with him to gain a more complete perspective for wolf impacts on wildlife management.

In fact, an interview with Craig would make a tremendous hour long program for the Sportsman channel. BT

 

[Big Fin]

You suppose I have to worry that GCI, the biggest cable carrier in Alaska, is going to take Sportsman Channel and On Your Own Adventures off their program packages, just because their employee, David has hurt feelings over Critter making a great shot on a wolf?

Last I looked, wolves were not "a limited animal" in Alaska and where I am going moose hunting, I can shoot one for the price of a $30 tag.

Name: david stringer

Email: [email protected]

Comments: hunting wolves? 500 yards. Your quite the hunter. Pathetic. Whose the asshole randy who said "if you hunt, you hunt everything. Ya i guided in alaska for 14 years. We dont hunt such a limited animal. Keep your shit off our network. I work now for the company that carries your so called hunting show. We will see for how long.

 

[shoots-straight]

Randy,

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist Craig Jourdonnais (Missoula office) is both an avid elk hunter and resident expert on wolves here in western Montana. His duties include counting elk & deer and calculating cow/calf ratios, and his data is used to manage wildlife and set hunting quotas. He also writes an occasional related editorial for local newspapers. Craig tries to walk the thin line between predator & prey species management from a biologist’s standpoint, but the decline in game numbers he reports can only be described as grim. He is a valuable resource who would add considerable credibility to any discussion about wolves, wolf management and their effect on deer & elk populations. I suggest spending a couple hours with him to gain a more complete perspective for wolf impacts on wildlife management.

In fact, an interview with Craig would make a tremendous hour long program for the Sportsman channel. BT

His duties are no longer associated with MTFW&P's, as he's retired from that job, and now works out of Missoula for a private entity.

 

[Big Fin]

Bee Tee:

Craig and I have known each other for a long time. He was based in Region Three before going to the 'Root.

This is not a science story. The science became moot once we met the recovery population objectives in 1999.

Since that time, it is a cultural story, a social conflict. It is about rural culture v. urban culture, conservationist v. environmentalist, almost like the same disputes between Roosevelt and Muir over one hundred years ago.

My goal was to show the side of our culture, our values, our priorities. A side you will never see on big media. A side that we all know is what has conserved the great places of the west that can support these species.

If it was a science story, I would have left it to PBS. They could have scientist from each side. In my mind, and the mind of the three scientists I talked to, this is a human story, not a science topic.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

while were talking wolfs here I was wondering why montana charges $300 or $350 for a non-res wolf tag versus Idaho non-res wolf tag at 31.75?why is montana holding the price high for non-res hunters?Im gonna pick up a idaho wolf tag if one happens along while im on my elk hunt there.

 

[L. I. Yankee]

You suppose I have to worry that GCI, the biggest cable carrier in Alaska, is going to take Sportsman Channel and On Your Own Adventures off their program packages, just because their employee, David has hurt feelings over Critter making a great shot on a wolf?

Last I looked, wolves were not "a limited animal" in Alaska and where I am going moose hunting, I can shoot one for the price of a $30 tag.

I soooo hope you shoot a wolf in Alaska

 

[Southwind]

Bee Tee:

Craig and I have known each other for a long time. He was based in Region Three before going to the 'Root.

This is not a science story. The science became moot once we met the recovery population objectives in 1999.

Since that time, it is a cultural story, a social conflict. It is about rural culture v. urban culture, conservationist v. environmentalist, almost like the same disputes between Roosevelt and Muir over one hundred years ago.

My goal was to show the side of our culture, our values, our priorities. A side you will never see on big media. A side that we all know is what has conserved the great places of the west that can support these species.

If it was a science story, I would have left it to PBS. They could have scientist from each side. In my mind, and the mind of the three scientists I talked to, this is a human story, not a science topic.

Very well said!

 

[BeeTee]

.....If it was a science story, I would have left it to PBS. They could have scientist from each side. In my mind, and the mind of the three scientists I talked to, this is a human story, not a science topic.

You're correct in that this has become a cultural/political debate, but science can provide the credibility necessary to move opinions, if moving opinions is important to saving or preserving the future of elk hunting in Montana. Preaching to the choir isn't enough.

Here are a couple of futures I see for the next decade.... 1- Hunters acquiesce, and elk hunting fades to a memory in large parts of Montana. Equilibrium is reached where few elk and few wolves share the landscape. 2- Hunters take wolf management more seriously....

In 1992, I participated in a January cow elk hunt in the exact same area as where you killed the wolf. From just one spotting location, we could see literally thousands of elk with a spotting scope on the foothills above the valley floor. BT

 

[Southwind]

You're correct in that this has become a cultural/political debate, but science can provide the credibility necessary to move opinions, if moving opinions is important to saving or preserving the future of elk hunting in Montana. Preaching to the choir isn't enough.

Here are a couple of futures I see for the next decade.... 1- Hunters acquiesce, and elk hunting fades to a memory in large parts of Montana. Equibrilium is reached where few elk and few wolves share the landscape. 2- Hunters take wolf management more seriously....

In 1992, I participated in a January cow elk hunt in the exact same area as where you killed the wolf. From just one spotting location, we could see literally thousands of elk with a spotting scope on the foothills above the valley floor. BT

The big problem is having a format in which to frame the debate or even present the story. The management side of the story has not and will not be presented through the non-hunting public media outlets.

I feel it is the Shiras moose that is at the greatest danger presently and the window for recovery is closing everyday. I don't think we have another fifteen years of experimenting.

Randy's episode is the first that I am aware of that has even made the airwaves presenting the urgent need for wolf management.

 

[nidahunter]

Quote:
Name: david stringer

Email: [email protected]

Comments: hunting wolves? 500 yards. Your quite the hunter. Pathetic. Whose the asshole randy who said "if you hunt, you hunt everything. Ya i guided in alaska for 14 years. We dont hunt such a limited animal. Keep your shit off our network. I work now for the company that carries your so called hunting show. We will see for how long.

Randy, maybe you should forward this email to his superiors at that station so they can see what a great professional they have working for them.

 

[Big Fin]

Randy, maybe you should forward this email to his superiors at that station so they can see what a great professional they have working for them.

Done.

 

[308reloader]

Randy, I watched both episodes and thought they were great! I even rewound it a few times and hollered at my wife to come into the room to watch too! Needless to say, dinner took a few minutes longer, but it was worth it. I live in the Flathead and we see plenty of what the wolves do up here. I agree that those posting negatively haven't seen what the rest of us have!
Great work, great hunt and a fantastic show. I too, can't wait for you to shoot a wolf in Alaska, along with a moose! As long as you air it, I'll watch it!!

 

[BeeTee]

The big problem is having a format in which to frame the debate or even present the story. The management side of the story has not and will not be presented through the non-hunting public media outlets.

I feel it is the Shiras moose that is at the greatest danger presently and the window for recovery is closing everyday. I don't think we have another fifteen years of experimenting.

Randy's episode is the first that I am aware of that has even made the airwaves presenting the urgent need for wolf management.

Of course, you're correct. I appreciate the effort to produce the program. I enjoyed watching, and look forward to seeing more. BT

P.S. (Couldn't resist).... Please include elk population decline info in the next installment.

 

[ol_spark]

Randy
The links you posted at the beginning of this thread were a great help in letting me air my views through the proper channels. Keep up the good work. Your show is one of the truly sincere shows on the Outdoor Channel. Remember you can't fix stupid

 

[silverado11]

Randy I would like to thank you for the quality of shows you produce. They truly are the best that are on the air. None of these people have a clue about management, I am sure they can not even mange there own lives since they are to busy disrupting yours. These two episodes were two of my favorites. Thanks again and your work is amazing.

Please let me know if there is any way at all to help you with this current situation as I am sure it is going to last a long long time.

Jarred

 

[ladysportsman]

Thanks to all OYOA and Sportsman Channel Supporters!

I know many of you emailed us thanking us for airing the wolf episode and well, I just wanted to give you thanks right back. You see, I'm the one answering those emails and yes, we did receive our fair share of "crazies" after that piece ran in the NY Times. Death threats and just general stupidness made me not even want to sift through the emails and read them. But eventually, I knew I had to and you have no idea what it meant to see positive emails from you guys.

I recorded all the good and bad emails and sent them off to the "powers that be" and I'm happy to report we had more positive than negative.

Thanks again for offering your support of Randy and the network!

 

[NVLongbow]

Glad it was a positive.