Bangs is certainly proud of the job they have done recovering wolves, but then he said some very interesting things. They included:
"Wolves have met recovery goals, it is time to return management to the states. States have a very strong record of management, in fact without SPORTSMEN and state agencies restoring game populations, there would have been nothing to eat."
"If you want to keep wolves, you have got to kill wolves that get into
trouble."
"Wolves can have an impact on game populations, the elk calf survival around Yellowstone has been the lowest in history the past two years, and elk populations are down"
"Wolves could live in a lot of places in Utah. There is the food supply, but Utah does not have a lot of vast wilderness areas. Wolves would get into trouble coming into valleys with people in Utah."
"Utah does not have to have any wolves. The state can decide to have zero if it wants. Utah is not part of the recovery area."
Currently a team of experts is reviewing the state wolf plans (Wyoming,
Idaho, and Montana). Wolves could be delisted and turned over to management of the states as early as the spring of 2004.
Of course, the anti-hunters will file suits, but we need to pounce and file an injunction and have the states manage wolves in the interim.
This is a huge issue, and in all honesty, Ed Bangs said, "Qur job is done, it is time to turn management over to the states."
Copyright © 2003 J & D Outdoor Communications. All rights reserved.