Colorado Wolf Reintroduction - CPW

[WapitiTalk1]

I grabbed this from another forum (AT) and figured it should be shared here also. Please respond to email link with your thoughts even if you don't reside in Colorado.

"The CO CPW is planning to adopt one of two alternative resolutions regarding wolf reintroduction in Colorado. The meeting is this Wednesday, January 13th. The pro-wolf people, in-state and nationally (Defenders of Wildlife among them) are rallying hard, flooding the CPW with emails, and planning to have "hundreds" of supporters at the meeting.

Pro-hunting groups will also be represented, but are likely to be outnumbered. The pro-wolf people are going at this very hard, may be bussing people in from Boulder. There is a thread on this on the Bowsite CO forum, too.

The alternatives are shown below. If you ever want to hunt big game in CO, this is a HUGE issue. The best alternative for hunters is Alternative 2.

Please send emails to the CPW at dnr_cpwcommission@state.co.us This is an important step in delaying or prohibiting the reintroduction. The pro-wolf people are all over this. We need the help of hunters!

______________________________ ____________________ _______

Original version: NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission affirms its support of the Wolf Working Group’s recommendations adopted by the Wildlife Commission in May 2005 and hereby opposes any introduction of Mexican or intentional reintroduction of gray wolves in the State of Colorado.

Alternative Version 1: NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission affirms its support of the Wolf Working Group’s recommendations adopted by the Wildlife Commission in May 2005, recommends that Mexican wolf recovery efforts be confined to the subspecies’ historic range, and emphasizes the importance of bi-national recovery planning with Mexico.

Alternative Version 2: NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission affirms its support of the Wolf Working Group’s recommendations adopted by the Wildlife Commission in May 2005, opposes the intentional release of any wolves into Colorado, recommends that Mexican wolf recovery efforts be confined to the subspecies’ historic range, and emphasizes the importance of bi- national recovery planning with Mexico."

dnr_cpwcommission@state.co.us

[saddlesore]

They tried this last year and it was shot down,even with all the petitions.

Although it is good to send in those emails, the CPW is totally against wolf reintroduction.
The majority of CPW funding comes from elk license sales and most of that is from Non Residents.

They saw what the wolves did up north in WY and MT ,ID and are not about to let that happen here.. A big reduction in elk and deer herds would mean 75% of their funding would go away and they could not sustain the CPW.Even now they are trying to come up with more funding avenues. But by all means, send in those emails and letters.

[CurlyTail]

Email sent

[js80138]

sent

[Indian Summer]

They tried this last year and it was shot down,even with all the petitions.

They saw what the wolves did up north in WY and MT ,ID and are not about to let that happen here.

A comment from a very good friend who lives in Colorado: "Colorado lost spring bear and all baiting and hounds in massive landslides in ballot initiatives backed by HSUS. Same with trapping. This state has a very high idiot-voter ratio."

He was talking about the wolf reintroduction when he said that. Don't be surprised. Times are changing Saddlesore. You and I would have though that Minnesota and Wisconsin wouldn't let this happen after seeing what happened in WY, MT, and Idaho. The thing is... they DID see. But "they" are the people who are running this country these days and "that" is what they want. Before that they, and we, saw what happened in Alaska, Canada, and Russia. So MT WY & ID weren't the first examples.

Go on to Facebook some time and post a picture of a dead wolf. I've done it. the comments are interesting.The majority of people. kids, students, housewives, white collar workers and the average Joe know absolutely NOTHING about the wolf situation anywhere in this country. Zero. It's easy for the pro wolf folks to get them to jump on the bandwagon. Wolves are pretty. Majestic. Beautiful symbols and freedom and the wild lands in this country. Back here in the east you see wolf bumper stickers, t-shirts, license plates and spare tire covers. We are the minority. Plus we are busy hunting are busy spending our dollars and time on wildlife conservation. Those schmucks have nothing better to do. They promote their cause 24/7/365 days a year. One reason is job security. Lots of them don't even necessarily give a crap about wolves. They are just making boatloads of money from the controversy. They use free government representation while we have to spend millions to counter their efforts.

Look at the facts: Nice guys that we are we actually agreed to their introduction proposal. BUT that was the end of the agreement. Once we reached the numbers outlined in the proposal they immediately blocked any efforts to manage those numbers. In other words no hunting or trapping. They wanted wolves to remain on the endangered species list regardless of the number because of BS things like genetic diversity. Things lawyers dream up for their job security. They know hunters will never stop the wolves so they put huge emphasis on anti trapping, which could have an affect. They look the other way in denial at documented disasters like the decline of the famed Yellowstone herd. If that herd can be decimated like it was without helping our fight against the pro wolf people nothing will.

The vast majority of funding for wildlife management in Montana and the other states, lots of jobs mind you, comes from the sale of hunting licenses mostly high priced non resident ones. That didn't even amount to a speed bump in wolf reintroduction. Ranchers have a huge voice in politics and game management in the west and their loss of income didn't help get us a wolf hunting season when their wasn't one. "They" say the state can make big money from wolves through tourism. "They" have it all figured out. "They" also have a history of not being honest with the management plans they sell our fish and game departments and....they have a history of being successful at what they do. Right now the wolves in Wyoming are protected and look at Yellowstone!

My guess is wolves are coming soon to a neighborhood near you. Colorado has way more pro wolfers than Montana or Wyoming. In my experience and knowledge of what happened in MN and WIS once you hear the rumblings of wolf reintroduction it is coming. So when it does DO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID. I lived around lots of wolves. Saw and heard them all the time. Called them in with cow calls. But..... never shot any. Looking back that was a huge mistake. There is the law and then there is ethical. The ethical thing to do is shoot them. You can send emails or letters or sign petitions. It won't help. When the time comes there is only one way to help.

[Indian Summer]

Here's a really good read if you have a few minutes. Dr Valerius Geist and the others in the article are some of the most respected biologists in the world.

http://www.skinnymoose.com/bbb/2010/03/ ... llowstone/

[wawhitey]

Man, this is getting ridiculous. Why would they need to be reintroduced in colorado? Its not like the species is endangered in any way. They spread fast, theyll ruin colorado on their own soon enough, why expedite the proccess? My little wolf free sanctuary of the last several years is now getting wolves moving in from packs to the north and south. Ive even had one come out of my woods and cross my driveway into a large section of bordering state timber land recently. Unfortunately it didnt pass by any of my tcams. Im expecting my already small local elk herd to get a bit smaller over the next several seasons.

[Lefty]

Man, this is getting ridiculous. Why would they need to be reintroduced in colorado? Its not like the species is endangered in any way. They spread fast, theyll ruin colorado ,... ,..... Im expecting my already small local elk herd to get a bit smaller over the next several seasons.

One of the problems there are "secret" private introductions to.
Some of you may get to read this again
Four years ago a student of mine killed a wolf that responded to a predator call in the calving pasture, the taxidermist found a chip, and the owner of the dead wolf(from Utah) wanted compensation. I told the kid to go to the IDFG.
As the story strung out the owner of the wolf said the wolf got away on a camping trip in a nearby canyon a few weeks earlier. This was February.
Basically the IDFG said he was not to bring his wolves to Idaho for anymore camping trips., And reminded him they didn't believe his story and that he would be charged

[saddlesore]

If it is a petition driven ballot issue that amends the Colorado Constitution like the spring bear hunts and trapping, the CPW can do nothing about it. What will needed to be done is residents of CO must educate the voters and get them out to vote.That is the crux of the problem. Most of those elections are held in the spring and we get very low voter turn out. Another problem is that the CPW,being a govt. entity cannot come out and campaign against it using their funds.

These wolf lovers get to agitating all those liberals in Boulder and Denver and get them out to vote. If they showed up in Colorado Springs,they would be run out,but the liberals are slowing gaining a foot hold here.

There is no doubt about it that voting block in Denver controls politics in Colorado .
However, 99% of elk and of deer hunters will follow the S&S policy

If you remember initially the RMEF supported the wolf reintroduction and then quietly pulled that years ago.We need to make sure that doesn't happen again'

[bald9eagle]

I did some googling after reading this. They really make it sound pretty. On the surface I could see how a lot of folks wouldn't have an issue with reintroduction. Conservation is after all what we as sportsmen are about.

The issue obviously comes in after the fact. I have no issue with allowing a natural balance to occur. The problem seems to be that wolf lovers don't understand how that balance needs to be eased into. Maybe I don't even understand it fully. I mean right now elk numbers are still not up to historic levels. The elk have yet to threaten the habitat. Seems like there would be a harder push to make sure that prey numbers for wolves would be at all time highs before seeking reintroduction.

There's a lot going through my head on the issue. This movement is so much different than things like RMEF, NWTF, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, or Quail Unlimited. I've been a member of a few of those organizations so I understand the plight of the wolf people. My endgame was to see that habitat was maintained to ensure sustainable populations for future hunters. I'm not sure what the wolf movements endgame is. Maybe it is a back door way to end hunting. Threaten elk and deer numbers so that hard limits are placed on harvest numbers. I just don't know.

Personally I would just let nature takes its course as far as wolf numbers in Colorado. If they find a way to establish themselves in Colorado than so be it. There is only so much room for apex predators in any ecosystem. Colorado already has bear, cougar, and human. No need in increasing it.

[Pop-r]

We as hunters must KILL EM' ALL!!

[CurlyTail]

I believe it is only a matter of time before wolves from Wyoming and Utah find their way into the deer and elk rich ecosystem of Colorado. Certainly no need to accelerate that process.

I grew up in Colorado and in the 70's and 80's there very few bears, few mountain lions, and no moose. Now I see bears constantly. Populations can and will rebound quickly.

I want to be eating all that Elk meat, not the wolves.

[Waygoner]

The only way this will pass is if it makes it to ballot. With Bray at the helm this will never pass - too much rancher influence on the commission.

[Indian Summer]

Don't kid yourself Waygoner. Wouldn't you think that states like Montana and Wyoming where ranchers have a huge voice in all aspects of game management and politics in general wouldn't have become the victims that they did. But these days there are liberal types in all of the mountain states and they are the type to get involved. Ranchers aren't going to spend millions on it. They don't have it. But the pro wolf folks do spend millions and they have a loud voice. Their progress has been very steady. They have people in the right places such as Judge Malloy in Missoula.

I'm not a very political type of person. I think they are all crooked. So I just do what I can as one person out there in the mountains.

[saddlesore]

I think what Waygoner is saying, it won't pass thru the CPW Commission.The ballot box for are referendums is completely different. Outside money will finance the campaign,just as Bloomberg financed the campaign for the anti gun initiatives.

If it makes it to a ballot,it will pass because Denver and Boulder control the majority of voters and the are all liberal

The CPW,State Senate, House and governor have no say in it because it will be a Colorado Constitutional amendment.

[under H2O hunter]

You guys do know that this was shot down on Wednesday night and didn't pass correct? It failed by a vote of 7 to 4.

[saddlesore]

You guys do know that this was shot down on Wednesday night and didn't pass correct? It failed by a vote of 7 to 4.

Yes,by the Commission.

Whole other story of the wolf lovers try to get it on a ballot.Same ast raps and spring bear hunts

[Trophyhill]

who are the 4 who voted for? what can you all in CO do to get them outta there?

[saddlesore]

All Commission members are appointed by the governor. Voters have no say in it.

The wolf lovers say they only want a small number. Remember back when they were pushing for wolves in Yellowstone to begin with. They said they only wanted ten breeding pairs. You see where that went don't you?