Keep The Feds And Animal Rights Groups Out Of Alaska Wildlife Management
September 26, 2007
At the behest of the Defenders of Wildlife, Rep. George Miller (D-CA), introduced legislation to the U.S. House of Representatives that specifically targets Alaska’s wildlife management practices and in particular their wolf management program. Defenders of Wildlife and other animal activists have been trying to prohibit the state of Alaska from keeping wolf numbers in check in order to preserve the moose and caribou populations in certain areas of the state. At times this has involved going into the back country and shooting wolves using helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
Alaska Congressman Don Young opposes this legislation.
In defiance of the Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution, as well as the Alaska Statehood Act, legislation was introduced this afternoon by Rep. George Miller (D-CA) to specifically target Alaska and the wolf management program; a program governed under the State of Alaska’s Office of Fish and Game, Predator Control Program.
The Protect America’s Wildlife (PAW) Act, a bill written by the Defenders of Wildlife in one of their greatest fundraising schemes to date, trades dollars for the food out of the mouths of Alaska’s rural residents. Controlling the wolf population in Alaska is essential to maintaining a healthy and viable caribou and moose herd; herds that rural residents are dependant upon to feed themselves and their families. Should the wolves’ numbers increase past a certain point, the direct result is a significant decrease in these herds, and a serious threat to Alaska Native subsistence hunting.
Congressman Young says the tactics being used by Defenders of Wildlife to influence public opinion are dangerously misleading.
“The aerial wolf hunt is not about hunting,” said Rep. Young, “it’s about wildlife management. The ads and information that the groups behind this bill are pushing are dangerously misleading and absurdly inaccurate. Those who have never had to hunt to maintain their survival are significantly crossing the boundaries when they try to dictate to those that do.
Alaska state officials say there are 10,000 wolves there. Fish and Game seeks to kill 140 wolves each year. Bounties on wolves are not allowed and in places where the wolves are decimating the moose and caribou herds, it is remote wilderness and it is next to impossible to get hunters to go to these parts just to hunt or trap wolves.
According to the same figures from the governor’s office, bears and wolves kill more than 80 percent of the moose and caribou that die each year. Man kills less than ten percent.
“This bill is another deliberate attempt by radicals to federalize our country and defy the core principles upon which it was founded,” Rep. Young continued. States have the inherent right to manage their own wildlife populations. For the federal government to step in to one particular state is on par with a selective dictatorship, and as a population, we should be fearful that those in power are actively working to make this a reality.”
Few people understand wildlife management. It’s a science. Sometimes necessary and unpopular steps are taken for what scientists believe are in the best interest of the species. The last thing Alaska or any other state needs is for the federal government to step in and begin micromanaging our individual state wildlife programs. They have done enough damage already through the often dictatorial strong arming of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Defenders of Wildlife and other radical animal rights groups have no longterm interest in the best welfare of all wildlife. They main goal is to stop hunting, trapping and fishing and will accomplish that task anyway that they can. This legislation can affect every U.S. citizen. If this is allowed to pass, there is nothing that will stop these groups, along with our own representatives of government from forcing their ideals onto every state in the Union.
I agree with Congressman Young. We should be fearful. Big government is a threat to our freedom. The idea that one congressman is attempting to dictate wildlife management tactics to one state at the urging of a radical so-called animal rights group, is very scary.
Call your congressman today and tell them to mind their own business and not cater to another radical special interest group that is way out of touch with reality.
Tom Remington
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[...] WebWire wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptAt the behest of the Defenders of Wildlife , Rep. George Miller , introduced legislation to the U.S. House of Representatives that specifically targets Alaska’s wildlife management practices and in particular … [...]
So your answer to everything is bigger government making decisions for Alaska residents and while we’re at it let’s smear a man who has an opinion. I guess one could expect nothing more from someone who loves big government.
This is about government intrusion not aerial hunting of wolves. If as you say, the majority of Alaskans don’t want it then let Alaskans figure out how to solve the problem without bringing in big government and the likes of radical, out of their mind, extremist groups like Defenders of Wildlife.
First of all, I fail to understand why you feel the need to berate a person and claim they don’t understand English when you can’t seem to understand it yourself.
I would like to know why you feel compelled to have the federal government come in and resolve Alaska’s problems. If it is you governor, etc. that is ignoring the votes of the people then may I ask who voted them in? The people in Nebraska perhaps.
Where I live has nothing to do with this issue or any other issue. This is about seeking the federal government to stick its nose into one state’s affairs.
Because Mr. Young is under scrutiny for issues not related to this one, is it really necessary to bring up this subject?
If that is the case then we should exempt nearly every rotten politician in Washington.
So if you would like to come here and debate issues then you are welcome. If you want to come here and act like a jerk, then I will ignore you.
Since we’re noting who is who here, it is most certainly worth noting that Art Greenwalt is the vice-president of the board of directors of another anti-hunting group, the Alaska Wildlife Alliance:
“Fairbanks resident, former AWA Board Member, and past Board President, Art Greenwalt is back and ornery as ever. Art is a longtime wildlife advocate and conservation activist. His great wit and thorough knowledge of Alaska’s wildlife issues finds its way into the Fairbanks Daily Miner, and Anchorage Daily news on a regular basis.”
http://www.akwildlife.org/content/view/20/52/
“The Alaska Wildlife Alliance is the only group in Alaska solely dedicated to the protection of Alaska’s wildlife.”
http://www.akwildlife.org/content/view/18/50/
Apparently Mr. Greenwalt didn’t think this was noteworthy. I’m quite sure the rest of the Black Bear Blog readers will.
Mr. Greenwalt – If you want to be recognized on this blog, you might try referring to facts and stop writing things that are not true about me or the issue at hand.
You can assume all you want and I’m sure this is probably something you do on a regular basis but you won’t get away with it here.
I will not respond to your babble that contains no facts and is only full of false accusations and innuendo.
“And in that tasty little blurb you will be so kind as to point out where it states I am anti-hunting?”
As usual with you anti-hunting types, you misquote what I said. I said your group is anti-hunting, just as it says on your website:
“Since we’re noting who is who here, it is most certainly worth noting that Art Greenwalt is the vice-president of the board of directors of another anti-hunting group, the Alaska Wildlife Alliance”
And it’s rather clear that your group is anti-hunting:
“The Alaska Wildlife Alliance is the only group in Alaska solely dedicated to the protection of Alaska’s wildlife.â€
http://www.akwildlife.org/content/view/18/50/
Are you, personally, an anti-hunter? I can’t think of a reason to be vice-president of an anti-hunting group unless you’re an anti-hunter, can you?
We had some guys like you here in Maine back in 2004. They pretended to be hunters while raising money for an anti-hunting PAC trying to ban bear hunting. They lost.
This has to be the funniest one-sided conversation I have ever read! Thanks Tom, for keeping me from reading more anti-hunt bullshit!!!
[...] Keep The Feds And Animal Rights Groups Out Of Alaska Wildlife … [...]
Top Rated Wolf Video Sparks Cat Fight in Cyberspace
Fur is flying as a recent video entitled End Aerial Wolf Hunting is debated on the web site current.com
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Ratings change by the minute, but this video is currently a top rated video in every category entered:
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This explosive video blasts the justification for Alaska’s current aerial wolf hunting program and rallies voters to end it.
Using testimony from Alaska Department of Fish & Game staff, a master hunting guide, and Board of Game members, End Aerial Wolf Hunting exposes the fallacy behind Governor Sarah Palin’s claim that predator control is based on sound science. Declarations that the program is for the benefit of subsistence hunters are shattered with documentation showing that sport and trophy hunters take up to 73% of prey in areas where aerial wolf hunting has taken place.
End Aerial Wolf Hunting rallies support for H.R. 3663, legislation now being considered in the U.S. Congress which will close the loophole in the Federal Airborne Hunting Act that has been exploited to allow this practice to continue. Five years in the making, this video exposes the truth about the stranglehold the hunting lobby has on wildlife management in Alaska.