Bill Schneider: Beaverhead-Deerlodge Partnership: Right Idea, Wrong Bill

There could be 573,000 acres of new Montana designated Wilderness!! But the reality is the total price paid would represent a net loss-

Several mainstream groups have joined forces with representatives of the wood products industry in a grand attempt to end what I call the “Wilderness Drought.” But, the bill that has come out of one collaboration could extend, instead of end, the drought. Bill Schneider

Once again the pitfalls of collaborationism.

Story: Beaverhead-Deerlodge Partnership: Right Idea, Wrong Bill. New West.

Yellowstone wolf report. Enormous change in pack compositions

Are the Sloughs gone? Plus five new wolf groups-

As wolf mortality has increased there has been a general redistribution of wolves in the Northern Range. All the packs are affected, even the Druids.

The Slough Creek Pack may no longer be intact. Two more dead members of the pack have been found and the only male in the pack, who wears the only functioning radio collar has been seen traveling alone.

As Kathie Lynch reported in her last wolf update, five members of the Druids (all males) left that pack. Since then they have found 5 females of other packs (perhaps all Agate). Leaders for the time being seem to be the famous old lover boy, Druid 302M and either a 2 year old Agate female or another Agate female nicknamed “halftail” because she lost half of her tail when run over by a van last year. This new group is being called the 302/642 group (named after the wolves with radio collars). They are one of 3 groups of wolves that are part of this year’s winter study.

The Agate Pack has no more functioning radio collars, so their status is not known.

A New West thanksgiving column. Giving thanks for burned forests.

Burns on private industrial forest lands versus multiple use national forest land-

Giving Thanks for Burned Forests. By Matthew Koehler. Guest opinion in New West.

If you want to see a real “moonscape,” check out burned over industrial forest lands that were already clearcut.