RMEF Warns of Colorado Wolf Reintroduction Ballot Initiative

[Irving]

I’m fine with wolves coming in on their own, its going to happen and it will be a good way for the prey animals here to ease in to the transition with minimal impact vs just dropping off a few packs all at once. In places where wolves have been introduced yes populations of deer and elk dropped but even the decimated elk herd of yellowstone that is often cited is now learning how to deal with wolves and the herd size has been expanding again after years of losses.

Eventually the state will be forced to publicly acknowledge that they are already here but it will be advantageous for CPW to delay that anouncement as long as possible. CPW is already complaining about lack of funds and raising license fees, just wait until they have to expand to meet all of the requirements needed to manage a protected species.

I think you're correct in that the reality of what needs to happen as far as proper management, and the reality of pressure from adverse groups and the realities of the budget will lead to less than desirable outcomes. State managed vs Federal managed is a much more complicated issue than people realize.

I enjoy this discussion very much. Hope no one thinks I'm doing anything but having fun volleying stats and ideas about this topic.

[sniper7]

If they want to bring them in immediately, then a hunting season needs to start immediately as well.
That’s the balance I’d be ok with.
And ranches have open fence grazing where cattle can be almost anywhere on national forest with the proper permits, they also need to be able to shoot predators on sight
Same with private property, wolves come down during calving season and starting eating the calves as their born, license to shoot on site.

[Irving]

It wouldn't make sense to have an immediate hunting season with only a handful of wolves unless there is one tag available and it requires six points.

Usually I get irritated when cattle are grazing at 10,000 in State Trust Lands that are closed year round except for hunting season, but maybe it would curb whining to point out that the Castle are sharing the space with the wolves primary food source. OR maybe if ranchers were that worried about it, they'd graze their cattle somewhere else.

[Irving]

Actually, I take that back. Want to try and run a for profit business on public lands? Suffer the risks of loss from predators that are also a public resource, or take your cattle operation to some communist country that loves bullshit job protection.

[sniper7]

I’m not a fan of hunting near cattle buts it’s been going on since ranchers and farmers settled out west, since the 1880s it’s nearly open range other than fencing them out. And I think they pay permit fees to graze them on federal or national forest lands and I know they pay to lease state trust lands. I also don’t think they get compensated for lost or killed livestock from the feds or state unless it was the feds or states fault, reintroduction of wolves would definitely be blamed on the state.
Wolves were eradicated around 1940 and I’m perfectly happy not seeing them or worrying about them when I’m hunting. Same with grizzly/brown bears.

[Irving]

I got to wondering if there is such a thing as cattle insurance. I mean I know there is because I've heard from Farmers how that is abused. I wonder if there is a specific exclusion for predation, or predation on public lands. Predation pretty much falls under the scope of "sudden and accidental" so you'd think it would exist. Well, with a $1,000 deductible per claim, it'd only be worth it for losing lots of animals.

[sniper7]

Not sure on that one. I’m sure there is insurance offered but if it is worthwhile is a whole other question.

In the fires out eastern Colorado a while back cattle were being burned alive, the ranchers that shot them to put them out of their misery were not compensated as they were the ones that killed them, not the fire. Now I’m not sure if they eventually got paid but initially their claims were denied for any with bullets in them.

[Irving]

I would hate to have to deliver the news that I can't cover their cattle because they put it out of its misery. If I had to do that, every other sentence in my report would start with "per Manager's Name...."

[TRnCO]

CPW is already complaining about lack of funds and raising license fees, just wait until they have to expand to meet all of the requirements needed to manage a protected species.

No doubt about it. CDOW already brings in more revenue than any other western state, yet they are constantly looking for more money. Now add on a "high maintenance" critter that will require man and money resources to manage, and the obvious result will be the need for yet MORE revenue.

It should work like this. The group that pushes the issue to introduce the wolves also get to foot the complete and total bill to manage them. They only get the bill, they don't get any say in HOW the wolves are managed.

[davsel]

?Like something out of a horror movie?: Camper saves family of four from savage wolf attack'

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...bOa?ocid=ientp

Inside the now mostly collapsed dwelling, an intense tug-of-war was unfolding. Elisa wrote that the animal had ?started to drag Matt away? and she was holding on to his legs.

?I cannot and don?t think I?ll ever be able to properly describe the terror,? she wrote.

Meanwhile, as Fee ran toward the tent, carrying only the lantern his wife gave him, he devised a hasty plan.

?I just kind of kept running at it and I just kicked it ? in the back hip area like I was kicking in a door,? he said on the radio show. ?I booted it as hard as I could.?

The kick may not have done much physical damage, but Fee said it was enough to startle the wolf into letting Matt go. Then, the animal emerged from the tent and Fee said he ?immediately regretted kicking it.?

?I felt like I had kind of punched someone that was way out of my weight class,? he said.

But before Fee had to think of another way to take on the wolf solo, he said Matt, whose ?whole half side was just covered in blood,? came flying out of the tent. The two men began screaming at the wolf and hurling rocks about ?the size of a head of cabbage? at the animal to drive it back, Fee said. Soon, the wolf was far enough away that the group was able to flee to Fee?s campsite, where they hid in his minivan.

On Facebook, Elisa wrote that her husband was transported to a hospital where the puncture wounds and lacerations on his hands and arms were treated.

?We are pretty traumatized but ok,? she wrote.

Park officials announced Friday that Rampart Creek Campground was closed because there was a wolf in the area. Parks Canada staff located a wolf about a half-mile from the Rispoli family?s campsite shortly after the attack and euthanized it, the Calgary Herald reported. Parks Canada said on Tuesday that DNA tests confirmed the wolf that was put down was the same one that had sent Matt to the hospital, CBC reported. The campground reopened earlier this week.