Wolves are still a Federally protected animal.
Not only can hunters not hunt inside of the park, hunters are controlled by federal US fish and wildlife outside of the park.
The state of Wyoming is not allowed to make hunting rules in the state lands of Wyoming concerning wolves.
If a rancher or farmer shoots a wolf in self defense of himself, his family, or his livehood...then he has to deal with the federal government.
Going from one extreme to the opposite extreme is not the point. "Do we re-irradicate them?"
Rather, the Federal government should let the state control the states lands.
Wolves are coming back very quickly around the country. Wisconsin now has what the DNR describes as a full population of wolves. One was found dead on a freeway just outside downtown Milwaukee.
I can't imagine the situation in the west. Wolf populations need to be controlled. Any predator will take the easiest prey. Unless ranchers can shoot wolves, domesticated livestock are easy prey.
Here's a good example of how messed up government beaurecrats (sp) can screw up a good thing.
Now, you can't actually hook and bring in a fish in Yellowstone. Not because it is biologically unsound -- but because some people think it is more friendly to tourism.Ever caught a big fish on a barbless hook? Of course not -- and you WON'T.
New rule means Yellowstone anglers must go barbless
LIVINGSTON, Mont. (AP) -- Anglers in Yellowstone National Park must use barbless hooks when catching fish starting later this month, in part to reduce injury to native species like the Yellowstone cutthroat and arctic grayling.
The new rule takes effect May 27 after years of fish sampling by Yellowstone biologists and a yearlong public comment period. More than 90 percent of public comment respondents supported the change, said Todd Koel, the park's supervisory fisheries biologist.
Biologically, there aren't any studies proving that barbless hooks affect fish mortality rates, but that's not the reason behind the change.
"From a mortality standpoint, we can't justify the change," Koel said. "But from an aesthetic and visitors point of view, barbless hooks do help."
People come from all over the world to fish in a protected ecosystem like Yellowstone, and deformed-looking fish caused by overfishing can negatively affect that experience, he said.
"And we just don't like to see injured fish," Koel said. "Barbless hooks, of course, will help that. There's less handling time and they are easier to remove. All we're asking is to bend or crimp your barbs."
Penalties for breaking the new rule can include fines and loss of fishing rods.
Rick Halloran, who works in Dan Bailey's Fly Shop in Livingston, said it's easy to go barbless with a barbed hook.
He suggested using an unserrated set of pliers to clamp down on the hook while holding the pliers perpendicular to the barb.
"Make sure you crimp your barb first, before you tie your fly," said Dean Reimer of Hatch Finders Fly Shop in Livingston. "Because if you break the hook, then there goes all your work."
They have been working on plans to do just this. Wyoming, Montana and Idaho were to work on a plan on managing wolves, but Wyoming's plans (which is basically any wolf not in Yellowstone or wilderness area is a predator and thus could be shot on sight) have not been accepted and thus not allowed the delisting of them.
Negotiations continue...I personally think that perhaps excess wolves should be sent to New Jersy, New York, Massachusetts, and such places, myself...