ODFW Wolf Intro Comments

[Gun Rod Bow]

ODFW is taking public comments on wolf re-introduction to Oregon. I encourage you to comment. You can e-mail them direct at odfw.comments@state.or.us

My Comments:

Thanks for the opportunity to comment, I'll try to keep it breif.

Generally I am against introduction of Wolves to Oregon.

The oversimplified argument that they were part of the eco-system prior to "white man's development" is naive. Unless, we want to dissmantle every highway that blocks migration, turn every farm back into wilderness, remove all cities, stop all fishing, breach every dam, let every forest fire burn, remove all but about 5% of current human inhabitants of the state we can't have it back.

We have to live with the environment as it is now.

The biggest problem I have seen in other states is lack of local control. Lack of a plan to control (shoot) problem wolves without weeks of study. Lack of any plan to control (shoot) wolves at all.

We have seen recent major damage to game and fish due to overpredation by commorants, terns, seals, sea lions, cougars, bears, coyotes, etc... because in the modern era, no one wants to go ahead with predator control. It isn't pretty, just necessary.

Since "White Man's Development" we have seen huge INCREASES in deer, elk and new species that are generally liked. IE. Pheasants.

Logging and farming are the biggest reason we have the increases in deer and elk. The money it takes to manage MOST wildlife projects comes from sportsmen via lisense and tags and Pittman/Robertson funds. Without hunting of deer and elk, there will be no money for wildlife management.

Situations like preying on Bighorns. Instead of the other animals you want them to eat, has been an ugly problem with wolves that no one likes to comment about.

In Oregon we are still trying to find the balance with bears and cougars due to lack of hound and bait hunting. It is painfully apparent the past few years have seen radical declines in deer and elk heards in NE and other parts of Oregon.

Adding another primary predator can be nothing but negative.

It sure seems the designed increase of animal preditors is an attempt to reduce/eliminate the need for human hunting.

Thanks for the opportunity to voice my Opinion.

GRB

[husker]

bring them back......save all wildlife.....not at the expense of others....but they should have some space also.....

[CATCH AND EAT]

Can't say I support the reintroduction of the wolves. I don't see the merit and it certainly does not make economic sense. Wanted only by a few the pressures of these animals will cause more stress and cost more money than it is worth.

I do tire of having supposed endangered species rule our lives. However I am for preserving what we do have now. Reintroduction? NO THANKS! :depressed:

[Deepslayer]

Our great grand parents eliminated the wolves from Oregon for a reason! I am not the type of person to call anyone's relatives stupid, by voting to reverse something they did, probably for a good reason! I wasn't here then and don't know what it was like with another predator competing with us. Next they will want to re-introduce grizzly bears in down town Portland! Hey wait that's where they should re-introduce the wolves and then fence them in!!! :grin:

[birdhunter]

"ODFW is taking public comments on wolf re-introduction to Oregon. "

Could you please tell me who is planning on "reintroducing" wolves into Oregon.

[Gun Rod Bow]

Birdhunter,

ODFW is currently in "Public Comment" phase of a study. It was at The Foresty Center last night at 7:00PM. The have already met around the state, K Falls, Coos Bay, Eugene, etc. I hear that Lars Larsen was taliking it up on KXL yesterday.

I'm not making this stuff up.

Try a web search with wolves and oregon.

Now is when we need to comment.

GRB

[SeanD]

Deepslayer,
Remember, our great grandparents darn near eliminated elk too. What do you call that? smart?

[ 12-18-2002, 09:18 PM: Message edited by: SeanD ]

[Gun Rod Bow]

Sean D,

Actually, ALL elk were hunted completely out of Eastern Oregon. They were re-established with elk from Wyoming in 1914. Market hunters wiped out the elk to feed the growing territory (without eating their beef and sheep).

Hunter money is what makes game management work.

At Lewis and Clarks time there were estimated to be less than 50,000 elk in Oregon. Deer were quite scarce. Early loggers hunted bears for meat. There are now over 250,000 state wide. There are elk now in parts of the state that were historically devoid. Predator control is a main reason.

Wolves have a place in the world, just not in Oregon.

GRB

[speyfly]

Thank God hunter don't run things. Very narrow minded. I guess it was OK to gill net the river cause they could. Guess it was OK for the early settlers of Central Oregon to just about wipe out the rainbow, bull trout, salmon and steelhead. You guys amaze me.

[skein]

Wolves aren't even the big question - or ultimate goal. They are just the catalyst and poster child to further the agenda of various environmental groups. The real goal? To keep us out of the woods! Let me repeat that: The ultimate goal of many of the most vocal species re-introduction groups is to keep us out of our public lands, whether those public lands are managed by the Forest Service, BLM, or the state.

Have we forgotten the ellusive (as in fictitious) lynx?

---------------------------------------------------------------

Environmental News Network
January 29, 1999

Habitat loss and modification, increased human access to suitable habitat and human induced changes in habitat that have allowed other species such as bobcats and coyotes to move into lynx habitat and compete with them have contributed to the species decline.

As well, timber harvest, road construction, urban sprawl and the development of skiing facilities have also adversely affected the secretive cat.

A radical and elusive environmental group known as the Earth Liberation Front claimed responsibility for torching a ski lodge and other facilities at Vail, Colo., last October, saying it did it "on behalf of the lynx."

Oregonian
January 3, 1999:

Environmentalists said the rediscovery of the Canada lynx strengthens their case that logging, road building, snowmobile riding should be further curtailed in the national forests of the Cascades.

Then finally the truth:

Seattle PI
December 18, 2001

State and federal biologists recently admitted to planting fur samples in a survey to determine the distribution of Canadian lynx in national forests. Three samples taken from captive cats were added to samples reportedly found in the Wenatchee and Gifford Pinchot national forests.

---------------------------------------------------------------

I personally don't know if wolves will significantly and negatively impact the elk, deer, cougar, and coytes in our state, but I do know it will be impossible for me to tell if I am locked out of my public lands simply because there is a pack or maybe a "denning" pair out there somewhere - real or imagined.

The wolf in Oregon will be used as an excuse to deny us access to as much of our public lands as possible. Don't lose sight of their ultimate goal!

Skein
PS - I grew up with wolves in Alaska and developed a tremendous respect for their intelligence, social structure, and ability to kill. Kinda like us.

[ 12-19-2002, 09:56 AM: Message edited by: skein ]

[garyk]

I truly feel sorry for the people that fear native wildlife and try to devide it into 'good' or 'bad' species.

Or that somehow they'll deprive you of your share.

Pretty sad.

BTW, it's not 're-introduction'. The wolves are already here - came back on their own.

'Welcome Home' I say.

[nerta]

other post

[skein]

Gary,

You read me wrong. I'm not afraid of any wildlife, native or introduced. I'm afraid of the mentality that will resort to lies to further their agenda. I'm afraid of a mind-set that will resort to invented ecological scenarios and in some cases eco-terrorism to accomplish their goals. And I'm afraid of a population that will pave and plasticize and pollute their neighborhoods, then stand up full of righteous indignation and tell me how to run mine.

Look around you. The local Walmart parking lot is a clearcut that will never grow back - yet these people hate the loggers. The subdivision they live in has displaced more wildlife and habitat than my rifles ever will - yet they demand that I quit hunting. They tell me it's terrible for me to harvest a tree, but it's okay for it to burn.

Yeah, these folks worry me. Wolves don't.

I also honestly believe that if either one of us saw the other alongside the road, broken down, we would stop to help - because we're that kind of people. I listen to your posts, and even though I may disagree, I learn something. Discussion - and even disagreement is healthy. So is compromise.

Skein

[Gun Rod Bow]

Skein,

Great thoughts and very well presented. I'm sorry in my rookiness I posted this topic on both the hunting and fishing page. Jennie move the one from fishing over here.

There is some good points on the other strand with same topic.

Thanks again Skein.

GRB

[birdhunter]

GRB,

The point that I was trying to emphasize is that there is no "reintroduction" of wolves into Oregon. Wolves are naturally dispersing into Oregon as the population in the Rockies increases and seeks new territory. Neither ODFW or the USFWS have any plans to actively reintroduce wolves into the state. All ODFW is currently seeking is to get public comments on wolves and wolf management, not on reintroduction.