Schweitzer and new wolf management

[tjones]

Schweitzer says Montana will defy feds, kill wolf packs that prey on elk



BILLINGS - Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer says the state will defy federal protections for gray wolves and kill packs that have been hurting elk herds.

Schweitzer also told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he is encouraging livestock owners north of Interstate 90 to shoot wolves that harass their animals. He says state game wardens would stop investigating wolf shootings in that part of the state.

Livestock owners in southern Montana already have authority to shoot wolves that harass their animals.

The Democratic governor says he is fed up with years of litigation that have kept wolves on the endangered species list even as their population has grown to more than 1,700 across the Northern Rockies.

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
STATE OF MONTANA
February 16, 2011
The Honorable Ken Salazar
Secretary
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20240

Dear Secretary Salazar:

I write to you today regarding wolf management in Montana.

While almost everyone acknowledges that the Northern Rocky Mountain gray wolf population is fully recovered, as the Governor of Montana I am profoundly frustrated by the lack of any actual results that recognize Montana’s rights and responsibilities to manage its wildlife. Montana has for years done everything that has been asked: adopting a model wolf management plan; enacting enabling legislation; and adopting the necessary implementing rules. Our exemplary efforts have been ignored

I cannot continue to ignore the crying need for workable wolf management while Montana waits, and waits, and waits. Therefore, I am now going to take additional necessary steps to protect the interests of Montana’s livestock producers and hunters to the extent that I can within my authorities as governor.

First, for Montana’s northwest endangered wolves (north of Interstate 90), any livestock producers who kill or harass a wolf attacking their livestock will not be prosecuted by Montana game wardens. Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) wardens will be directed to exercise their prosecutorial discretion by not investigating or citing anyone protecting their livestock.

Further, I am directing FWP to respond to any livestock depredation by removing whole packs that kill livestock, wherever this may occur.
Still further, to protect the elk herds in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley that have been most adversely affected by wolf predation, I am directing FWP, to the extent allowed by the Endangered Species Act, to cull these wolves by whole-pack removal to enable elk herds to recover.

At this point, I can do nothing less and still maintain my commitment as Governor to uphold the rights of our citizens to protect their property and to continue to enjoy Montana’s cherished wildlife heritage and traditions.

Sincerely,


BRIAN SCHWEITZER
Governor

 

[drahthaar]

Whooaaaa! Where did this come from? Geez Brian, didn't know you had it in ya!

Isn't he a (D)?

 

[Big Fin]

Whooaaaa! Where did this come from? Geez Brian, didn't know you had it in ya!

Isn't he a (D)?

Funny as hell.

 

[Big O]

WOW--- sounds too good to be true.....hope not.

 

[tjones]

Yep an evil "D",,,this is going to be fun to watch.

 

[drahthaar]

Would be very interested to have been a fly on the wall in his office for the past week or so. Just to see what spurred this on all of a sudden. Kind of huge.

 

[trevore]

WOW. Putting the stones to the test. I wish more would put the hunters at the forefront of their concerns.

 

[drahthaar]

I also like how its worded. Not telling everyone to go shoot wolves, not saying FWP is out of it, hands off, but just injecting some common sense into a bad situation.

Very good.

 

[Big Fin]

Would be very interested to have been a fly on the wall in his office for the past week or so. Just to see what spurred this on all of a sudden. Kind of huge.

The worst fear of those using the wolf as a money maker, or wolf bankers as I call them, is if the current political powers were to solve the problem. What will be their next cash cow?

I think this is about as funny of a development as I could ask for. I spent all morning grinding out emails and phone calls to legislators, getting PO'd, only to have the day end with something as funny as this.

Should be interesting reading tomorrow when the "wolf bankers" come out with their slant on this one, and why it is bad policy.

 

[Drake4]

I've never been more proud of a democratic vote.

 

[Sytes]

Schweitzer in the past has been pretty bold on his comments re: wolves over the course of this subject heating up...

Was there not a heated letter from Schweitzer prior to or just after Molloy's position? I tried to find it... I posted it in one of the prior thousand wolf threads here...

Good stuff - Governor. (D, R, I, TP, LB, GP) whatever.

Should be interesting reading tomorrow when the "wolf bankers" come out with their slant on this one, and why it is bad policy.

Haha!
Remember this response to one of his earlier stated opinion?

Subject:
Wolf Hunting

To:
Governor Brian Schweitzer

September 4, 2009

I understand that the wolf species needs to be managed, in order for a save environment for people. This could be done by the use of nature parks, even secure nature parks where there would be an electric fence around the perimeter, to eliminate the possibility of escape. This way wolves that are living creatures just like yourself and I, could enjoy their existence. I realise there are rules and regulations regarding the hunting of wolves, but who is actually going to police this? And how can you control how many wolves will be killed? Since they have only recently been saved from extinction and the hunting which is due to commence on the 15th of September 2009 will drastically affect the wolf population in Idaho and Montana. Thus the millions of dollars of tax payer's money that was used to save their initial extinction will be wasted.
Therefore, I strongly urge you to stop and put an end to the Wolf hunting. As does every single person who signed the petition sent to you by The Defenders of Wildlife. As a representative of the people you must listen to the people, your people. And this is what we plead for.

Cambridge, CB1 3DD , MT

Haha! "Nature parks" Instead of "drug free zone" signs around the electrically fenced boundries... (Little Red Riding Hood Free Zones)

 

[JCS]

That's my governor? Wow

 

[----]

I just got done trying to convince a coworker that Schweitzer is exactly the kind of governor we need right now, then come home and pull this up.
I don`t know if this is the smartest move or not, but its definitely the ballsiest.
Should be interesting watching it pan out...

 

[6speed]

As much as I wonder if this is the right way to go about it deep down inside I have to say WOOHOO get on board Butch!

 

[shoots-straight]

Might be hunting wolves pretty soon after all. Getty up!

 

[nidahunter]

Hopefully the Governor of Idaho will take note and follow the same path! Way to go!

 

[Lawnboy]

Might be hunting wolves pretty soon after all. Getty up!

Wish it would open back up in our neck of the woods. I think I found the wolf honey hole this fall. I just need a tag

 

[mdhunter]

Well you guys...SSS.

 

[sweetnectar]

And I was just getting harrassed when I was saying how Wyoming has true grit when it comes to wolves. So now our govenor is demonstrating some true grit. Good for him....and Montana.

 

[----]

Well you guys...SSS.

What`s SSS mean?