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Wolf-control program challenged in Congress (AK)
Anchorage Daily News ^ | August 9, 2009 | Erika Bolstad

Posted on 08/10/2009 12:24:07 PM PDT by jazusamo

AIRBORNE: Hunts allowed with airplanes only when it's a biological emergency

WASHINGTON -- Alaska's predator control program to kill wolves, which drew renewed national scrutiny during former Gov. Sarah Palin's bid for vice president, is under attack in Congress.

Two California Democrats have introduced legislation that would all but ban the practice of shooting wolves from airplanes to control their numbers. The legislation, introduced by Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. George Miller, would force Alaska game officials to declare a biological emergency that shows the imminent collapse of a species without the program.

Even if the state could demonstrate such an emergency, the law would limit aerial hunting to state or federal wildlife employees, barring private contractors that are currently allowed to kill wolves from fixed-wing airplanes.

"What this bill does is essentially makes it impossible for Alaska to manage wolf populations in any sort of responsible way," said Pat Valkenburg, deputy commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. "We finally have a program that works and to end it because of the emotional feelings of uninformed people is just not a good idea."

Alaska's Board of Game renewed its aerial predator-control effort seven years ago after complaints from hunters that a healthy wolf population was preventing moose and caribou populations from recovering in some areas, including parts of the state where subsistence hunters depend on game for food. Six areas of the state -- about 10 percent of the state -- have predator-control programs in place for wolves.

(Excerpt) Read more at adn.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; US: Alaska
KEYWORDS: alaska; feinstein; management; wolves
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To: jazusamo

I may be wrong, but didn’t California Fish and Game do an aerial cull of goats on some of their offshore islands a few years ago?


41 posted on 08/10/2009 1:46:54 PM PDT by hawkboy
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To: hawkboy

I don’t know if they used aircraft or not but they have culled island goats.


42 posted on 08/10/2009 1:51:57 PM PDT by jazusamo (But there really is no free lunch, except in the world of political rhetoric,.: Thomas Sowell)
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To: stuartcr
I guess you have no knowledge of the terrain in AK. You talk about "drops within known over-populated areas" etc. How the hell are the hunters going to get back out? Planes can't land there - it's not like there's a landing strip just down the road a little bit. They shoot from planes because it's the only way that they have access to culling the packs.
43 posted on 08/10/2009 1:52:50 PM PDT by 2nd amendment mama ( www.2asisters.org | Self defense is a basic human right!)
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To: jazusamo

Alaska’s perfect answer would be to trap the excess wolves and release them on the estates of these clowns.


44 posted on 08/10/2009 2:05:36 PM PDT by Bigg Red (Palin/Hunter 2012)
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To: stuartcr
To me, it’s very distasteful and shows no respect for the animal.

ROTFLMAO!

45 posted on 08/10/2009 2:54:42 PM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Obama is in way over his ears.)
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To: PreciousLiberty

Yes, they may be fine with it, but I find shooting animals from aircraft to be distasteful.

If the cost per animal was broken down, which would include aircraft maintenance, fuel, pilot services, etc, were figured out, I wonder if that amount could be used as a bounty, to give incentive for more individuals to cull the packs.


46 posted on 08/10/2009 3:09:59 PM PDT by stuartcr (Everything happens as God wants it to...otherwise, things would be different.)
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To: hadit2here

Yes. I am a hunter from way back, and a carnivore.

I realise it is culling/animal control, not hunting. I don’t see why organised hunts cannot be conducted via aircraft to those locations, and expeditions sent out from a centralised landing zone.

If we do not want to continually hear from these anti-hunting/gun types, something must be done. Otherwise, I’m betting we will see the end of the wolf-control programs, completely.

Thank you for your most polite comments.


47 posted on 08/10/2009 3:13:58 PM PDT by stuartcr (Everything happens as God wants it to...otherwise, things would be different.)
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To: 2nd amendment mama

Access from lakes, is very doable. It would not be easy, but can be done, if the incentive is there. The alternative, is to continually see this issue all over the media in the lower 48, which will result in such negative PR, that the culling process, will probably come to an end soon. This would at least control some of the population, instead of none of it.


48 posted on 08/10/2009 3:17:24 PM PDT by stuartcr (Everything happens as God wants it to...otherwise, things would be different.)
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To: stuartcr

What? Fish in a barrel? I’ll bet you oppose fishing with dynamite too


49 posted on 08/10/2009 3:25:25 PM PDT by faucetman
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To: jazusamo

Well then Alaska should just tell the feds that it is none of their business how Alaska controls their wildlife. I hope they do. The feds have no business interfering in any of this.


50 posted on 08/10/2009 3:26:31 PM PDT by calex59
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To: jazusamo

TO HELL with PR. or PC BS. If it’s right it’s right. That’s the trouble today everyone worrying about PR instead of standing up for what’s right. Grow a pair


51 posted on 08/10/2009 3:28:23 PM PDT by faucetman
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To: calex59

Amen to that, I don’t see any justification for the feds to get involved with this.


52 posted on 08/10/2009 3:34:42 PM PDT by jazusamo (But there really is no free lunch, except in the world of political rhetoric,.: Thomas Sowell)
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To: faucetman

Have you by chance read any other of my posts, it doesn’t sound like it?


53 posted on 08/10/2009 3:37:10 PM PDT by jazusamo (But there really is no free lunch, except in the world of political rhetoric,.: Thomas Sowell)
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To: 2nd amendment mama

Lol, the bill will basically require another unfunded mandate...for helicopters.


54 posted on 08/10/2009 3:42:47 PM PDT by FTJM
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To: jazusamo
I can't help but wonder if it wouldn't be more cost effective to outsource the culling to the military? They could use it to train UAV operators, and those Hellfire missiles would leave little chance of targets being merely wounded and bleeding out.



55 posted on 08/10/2009 3:43:19 PM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Obama is in way over his ears.)
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To: Jeff Chandler

LOL! Works for me and it would definitely be good training for the UAV operators.


56 posted on 08/10/2009 3:50:33 PM PDT by jazusamo (But there really is no free lunch, except in the world of political rhetoric,.: Thomas Sowell)
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To: stuartcr

“I wonder if that amount could be used as a bounty, to give incentive for more individuals to cull the packs.”

As I understand it, wolves are quite difficult quarry on foot. Also remember you’re talking about possibly hundreds of miles of off-road Alaskan travel to get to the area.

I’d love to have a chance to hunt Alaskan wolf sometime. It might not be too hard to attempt combined with a caribou or bear hunt. I’m not sure about the rules regarding out of state take of predators in Alaska.

Another method of culling would be trapping for fur, which I’m sure occurs to some extent already. Wolf fur is the premier trim for extreme conditions parkas.


57 posted on 08/10/2009 4:12:03 PM PDT by PreciousLiberty
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To: PreciousLiberty

As I said, with the proper incentive, just about anything can happen. Some here seem to think I advocate the cessation of animal population control, that is far from the truth. I would like to see some alternative methods used though. With the political atmosphere we have today, and the media so against anything that concerns guns, we have to think of something. I can easily foresee the day that this population control program, and others like it, will cease. Who knows what leanings the next gov of Alaska will have. I am an avid hunter , gun enthusiast and outdoor sports nut, and I find shooting animals from aircraft to be repulsive, just think how those that really don’t like guns or hunting at all think. I do not want to see our outdoor heritage taken away or reduced politically, just because no one wants to try a different approach. Those that are against us are very strong and manipulative, I do not like giving them ammunition to use against us.


58 posted on 08/10/2009 4:41:19 PM PDT by stuartcr (Everything happens as God wants it to...otherwise, things would be different.)
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To: jazusamo
Yeah no kidding it's interesting.........

These people NEVER give up......

59 posted on 08/11/2009 8:20:05 AM PDT by Osage Orange (“A community organizer can’t bitch when communities organize.....” - Rush Limbaugh)
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