Update 4/8/09 – Hunters vent wolf concerns – Idaho Mountain Express – Jason Kauffman
Update 4/5/09 by Brian Ertz
Poster displayed in front window of Hailey Les Schwab store
Yesterday, several anti-wolf organizers held a meeting in Hailey, Idaho to express their hatred for Idaho’s wolves and their intention to organize grass-roots resistance to the wolves’ presence on the Idaho landscape. IDFG & Hailey city officers stood guard.
The meeting was held as a reaction to the valley’s recent visitation by the Phantom Hill Wolf Pack, celebrated by many, needless to say, scorned by a few others.
You can listen to a few snippets of Gillett’s rant:
(about 2 min) that I’ve edited/compiled to get an idea of the less-than legal intentions that were expressed at the meeting, and the general hatred that infects this very real cross-section of western culture. It’s real and it’s not wise to discount, pretend like it doesn’t exist or make-believe that it will not impact the state’s management of wolves. It already has.
Idaho Department of Fish & Game Director Cal Groen attended and spoke at this anti-wolf rally, in all fairness he expressed the department’s commitment to lawful conduct, but his attendance at this anti-wolf rally marks a stark turn away from officials’ past effort to avoid, ignore, and marginalize Gillett – Groen’s attendance and participation elevated, perhaps even legitimized Gillett et al’s sentiment. At the very least, the state is listening.
There’s rumor of an article to come out later in the week that will have particular details. I’ll leave it to that and to the account of folk in attendance who may want to comment.
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