Yellowstone Park’s goal is to boost native fish

Park hopes to reduce invasive trout species

The only native trout in Yellowstone National Park are Yellowstone and Westslope Cutthroat, and Arctic Grayling. Over the years those species have been reduced in population due to competition, predation, and hybridization due to other introduced trout.

Lake trout, brown trout, and rainbow trout have become well established throughout the Park and now the Park Service is developing a Native Fish Conservation Plan which they hope will reduce their numbers and increase the numbers of native cutthroat and grayling. Right now the plan is in the scoping phase so you can find out more about it here: Native Fish Conservation Plan/EA Project Home Page

Yellowstone Park’s goal is to boost native fish
Billings Gazette

Yellowstone Cutthroat © Ken Cole

Hyenas’ Laughter Signals Deciphered

The laugh tells other hyenas the animal’s social status, age, health, and just plain identity-

It also has many other uses such as the recruitment of allies and warning.

Hyenas’ Laughter Signals Deciphered. ScienceDaily.

At U.S. dinner tables, food may be a fraud

Food and Drug Administration pressured to combat rising ‘food fraud’-

This is a little bit marginal to what we usually discuss (well maybe not), but it is certainly irritating to the consumer. Fraud also puts pressure on the honest producer to cut corners or worse.

“Organic foods” are also of no guarantee if fraud is allowed to flourish.

FDA pressured to combat rising ‘food fraud.‘ By Lyndsey Layton. Washington Post Staff Writer

“Wolves at the door: Wallowa County [Oregon] ranchers face their worst fears”

Terrible! Terrible! The vicious beasts actually dug up the carcass of a dead cow-

Wolves at the door: Wallowa County [Oregon] ranchers face their worst fears. By Kathleen Ellyn. Wallowa County Chieftain.

According to this reporter, not only did the bad wolves dig in a rancher’s bone pit, they left big scary tracks in the snow. And some squirrel hunters saw a pack of wolves right out in the open, up in a canyon, right in the middle of the day!!!!!!

While these horrible events were going on, some 60 silly local people were watching the film, the Lords of Nature, explaining that wolves might actually be good to have around.

Note: I understand this newspaper’s stories are only on-line for a week. So the link might disappear. That would be too bad because this story is remarkable for trying to make something out of nothing.

Protected Forest Areas May Be Critical Strategy for Slowing Climate Change

This may be one of the most cost-effective ways of slowing climate change-

I should add, however, that I think we will find that treating areas with other kinds of land cover the right way might prove to be very important too.

Protected Forest Areas May Be Critical Strategy for Slowing Climate Change. ScienceDaily

Judge Molloy blocks mine beneath Cabinet Mountains Wilderness

Is this a final victory in 23 year fight against the mine?

It probably isn’t because Judge Molloy both ruled for and against conservationists on their variety of claims, but it does send the Forest Service’s decision to approve the mine back to square one.

Molloy blocks mine beneath Cabinet Mountains Wilderness. By Michael Jamison. Missoulian

Info on the fight against the Rock Creek Mine.

3/30/2010. More on the ruling. Court Blocks Mine in Montana’s Cabinet Mountains Wilderness. ENS

Wolves Reported on Michigan’s Northern Lower Peninsula

A group of up to three wolves may be living on the Lower Peninsula

For many years there have been lone wolves reported on the Lower Peninsula but this is the first confirmation of more than one. The wolves may have crossed the frozen lake near Mackinac Bridge to get there from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where wolves are well established.

DNRE, USDA Confirm Wolf Tracks in Cheboygan County
Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment

WAFWA report summarizes pneumonia outbreaks in bighorn sheep

A report, dated March 16, 2010, by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Wild Sheep Working Group, summarizes the recent outbreaks of pneumonia in bighorn sheep that have occurred in Montana, Nevada, Washington, Utah, Wyoming, and South Dakota.  Domestic sheep and goats are also known to be in close proximity to, and are suspected to have interacted with, bighorn sheep in many of the areas where outbreaks have killed hundreds of wild sheep region-wide. Contrary to recent reports in the media, there have been confirmed interactions between bighorn and domestic sheep associated with at least one of these outbreaks.  Most notably there has been confirmed interaction in Montana where there have been severe outbreaks of pneumonia.

The report outlines many of the actions taken by the state agencies and what testing has been done. Many of the tests are still being conducted on samples from bighorn and domestic sheep and no conclusive results have been announced.  It cannot be said that there has been no interaction between domestic and wild sheep.  At the same time it cannot be said for certain that interaction has been the cause of all or any of these outbreaks, however there is overwhelming evidence that interaction between domestic sheep and goats results in widespread and rapid die-offs of bighorn sheep.

WAFWA WSWG Summary on winter 2009-10 BHS dieoffs

Bighorn Sheep © Ken Cole

In 2007 the WAFWA Wild Sheep Working Group was created to give guidance to state, federal, and provincial agencies on how to manage domestic sheep and goats in wild sheep habitat.  They produced a report to the agencies in June of 2007 but none of the recommendations have been implemented by the BLM or Forest Service.  There are still numerous conflicts on the ground where domestic sheep and goat grazing is allowed within occupied bighorn sheep throughout the west.  In some cases these conflicts have resulted in litigation and changes to land management plans are underway.

WAFWA Recommendations for Domestic Sheep and Goat Management In Wild Sheep Habitat

It is time for the BLM and Forest Service to implement strict guidelines which maintain separation between bighorn sheep and domestic sheep and goats.  At minimum, permits for grazing and trailing sheep and goats on Federal lands in occupied bighorn habitats should be withdrawn.  Farm flocks on private lands deserve some attention too.  Programs for educating owners of farm flocks should be created and in some cases effective fencing to eliminate contact between the two should be offered or even required in areas where bighorn sheep are of high conservation value.

As feared, the Montana wolf damage mitigation board is just a rancher slush fund

Defenders’ handover to Montana fails to initiate a single proactive project in its first year-

When the wolf was delisted, Defenders of  Wildlife stopped paying compensation for the loss of livestock to wolves in Montana. However, Defenders gave the state $100,000 to get the “Montana Livestock Loss Reduction and Mitigation Board” started. It was to not just pay for losses, but fund preventative measures too. The Fund also received additional private contributions, mostly from conservation groups.

In the first year, the Board simply handed out money to those who lost livestock, and apparently required nothing in return. Now the Fund is a bit short of cash. Can we feel bad about that? Yes, and maybe they got their training from those who insured junk mortgages.

Montana media are running stories with headlines such as this: “Montana livestock board pays for 369 wolf kills in 2009.”  That is not the real story, however. The story is the waste of the money in the fund.

The story above says, “some question whether it is doing enough funding preventative measures.”  It turns out the “some” who question are those who gave the money for the Fund — just a small detail!

The story also fails to say that most of the losses came in a few big sheep killing incidents.

Here is what Montana wrote about the financial status of the fund in the 2009 wolf report:

Day in the life of Doug Smith, Yellowstone wolf biologist

Feature on Yellowstone’s lead wolf biologist-

Dr. Smith has run the Park’s wolf program for about 14 of the 15 years since wolves were restored to the Park. He helped me learn much of what I know about wolves, especially in the early years.

Day in the life of Doug Smith, Yellowstone wolf biologist. By Michael Gibney. Bozeman Daily Chronicle Staff Writer

Idaho poacher gets lifetime hunting ban

Idaho Falls, Idaho man killed 5 elk, left four-

He also goes to jail for 2 months, can’t possess a firearm in the field and pays a fine. But is the penalty all that tough?

Idaho poacher gets lifetime hunting ban. The Associated Press

Boise, Idaho residents may approve more money to conserve The Foothills

Despite recession, protecting Foothills is popular-

Time for new levy? Many Boiseans are ready, again, to pay for Foothills open space. By Cynthia Sewell. Idaho Statesman.-

Lyme Disese in Utah?

Most common tick borne disease has mostly spared interior Western states-

Lyme disease hits Lehi. Wildlife officials will likely begin canvassing for ticks that carry disease. By Kirsten Stewart. The Salt Lake Tribune.

Unhappy news. I know several folks on this forum have contracted Lyme Disease during their outdoor adventures.

Satire: Alberta protesters scream for grizzly blood

Shades of Steven Colbert-
No more grizzlies !

Protesters scream for grizzly blood. By Darcy Henton and Jamie Hall, edmontonjournal.com in the Vancouver Sun.

Related

Time running out for Alberta’s dwindling grizzlies. Minister mulls reinstating spring hunt even as gov’t report recommends bears be listed as threatened species. By Darcy Henton, Edmonton Journal

All Idahoans should shoulder costs of wildlife

Idaho Mountain Express says hunters and fishermen need to help in paying the expenses-

This editorial certainly makes sense to me. However, I think we will find opposition to this plan from two interesting forces — wildlife watchers and hunters.  The first is easiest to explain. An unknown number, but probably quite a few watchers, will want to watch without paying (the classic case of freeloading).  Some interest groups that say the represent hunters will oppose it because if watchers pay, they will have more of a say.

I expect the livestock interests will oppose it too because many of them fear the results of having more money for wildlife.  Still, I hope a majority can be built.

Idaho Mountains Express, “Our View: All Idahoans should shoulder costs of wildlife.”

Added. Conservation permit killed in House. By Dusti Hurst. Idaho Reporter. While opponents billed it as a new tax on families and children who want to enjoy Idaho’s great outdoors (how sweet of them!), the fact that Rep. Lenore Barrett of Challis led the charge against it suggests that’s not how the most anti-conservation members really saw it.  As I suggested, however, there was also opposition from those who probably think that wildlife watching should inherently be free even though the area was created to enhance wildlife (such as Democrat James Ruchti of Pocatello)

Montana Rocky Mountain Front grizzlies are emerging

There is a difference though. Now they are waking up and going well out onto the plains-

We discussed this a lot last fall, with grizzly bears pushing eastward out of the Rockies well onto the plains of north central Montana.  One almost made it to the Missouri River (shades of Lewis and Clark!).

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is holding local meetings on co-existing on this long settled, but sparsely populated part of Montana. So far there doesn’t seem to the crazy talk we have become used to on some of this big animal issues.

Grizzlies out along the Front. Great Falls Tribune.

Meetings scheduled on Front about coexistence with grizzly bears. By Eve Byron. Helena Independent Record as printed in the Billings Gazette.

Phosphate mining and our hope for change

Phosphate mining, its jobs, and its environmental impact are big things in SE Idaho-

A lot of the folks I talked with today spontaneously and favorably brought up this article by Marv Hoyt, Idaho Representative for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. It appeared in the Pocatello, Idaho newspaper. March 24, 2010.

Phosphate Mining and Our Hope for Change. By Marv Hoyt. Idaho State Journal.

Jackson Hole News&Guide on the anti-wolf protest

Most of the oufitters’ “facts” were discredited by the feds (Jimenez)-

Of course the facts don’t matter.

I can’t believe one outfitter said he’d be scared if alone at night on a broken down snowmobile in the Gros Ventre Wilderness if he didn’t have a weapon. Well, I guess I would be too — afraid of hypothermia if I didn’t do things right, but that’s not what he meant.

Wyoming Game and Fish shouldn’t, and can’t guarantee outfitters the number of elk they want in each hunting subunit. Wolves are not the reason for natural geographic drift and shift of game populations.  They happen regardless. Wolves just push the drift in a different direction.

Outfitters back off call for more wolf turf. Federal agency, wolf protest participants at odds over ‘facts.’ By Cory Hatch, Jackson Hole News and Guide.

Groups File Suit to Protect Quarantined Bison & Public Trust

Lawsuit Seeks to Secure Public Access to Bison and Prevent Privatization of Calves

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 23, 2010
Contacts:
Stephany Seay, Buffalo Field Campaign 406-646-0070, bfc-media@wildrockies.org
Summer Nelson, Western Watersheds Project, 406-830-3099, summer@westernwatersheds.org
Glenn Hockett, Gallatin Wildlife Association, 406-586-1729, glhockett@bresnan.net

Buffalo in quarantine - Kim Acheson

GALLATIN COUNTY, MONTANA: Four conservation organizations filed a legal challenge today against the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ (FWP) decision to complete one phase of its Quarantine Feasibility Study on a private ranch of Turner Enterprises, Inc. (TEI), and to give TEI a percentage of the public’s bison at the end of the study. The groups assert that this action violates the state’s public trust responsibilities to protect and manage wildlife for public and not private benefit. The decision privatizes a full 75% of any offspring born to the 86 bison now held on TEI’s Green Ranch. Throughout earlier phases of the study, FWP indicated all bison, including offspring, would be managed as public wildlife and could never be privatized. The plaintiffs assert FWP’s final decision goes against these promises, and against FWP’s public trust duties.

Biologists seek ouster of new Alaska wildlife conservation chief

They say that the director doesn’t even have the background for an entry-level position.

In February, Corey Rossi, the Alaska Division of Wildlife, Wildlife Director, wrote an opinion piece for the Anchorage Daily News which opined that wildlife should be managed under the abundance-based management model which “requires man to work with the land to produce the maximum sustainable yield”. In other words a model which essentially treats wildlife as an agricultural crop to be “harvested” at maximum capacity.

In response, several former Alaska Division of Wildlife biologists have called for the removal of Corey Rossi as the Department’s Wildlife Director. They state that “Mr. Rossi appears to be a single issue advocate who lacks the education background necessary for an entry-level biologist position with the Division.”

The kind of management style which treats wildlife in this fashion ignores the necessity to manage wildlife with an understanding of simple ecological concepts. It also ignores the welfare of sensitive species and ecological systems which are vitally important to the welfare of wildlife and humans alike.

Biologists seek ouster of new wildlife conservation chief
Anchorage Daily News

Environmentalists make plea for desert preservation

A group of environmentalists says renewable energy goal shouldn’t come with destruction of native plant, animal life

Sunset © Ken Cole

The Ivanpah Solar site lies on public lands in the center of very important desert tortoise habitat so the company proposes to move those tortoise to a new area before construction begins. This is a strategy that has been tried in the past that resulted in utter failure. Even the environmental impact statement acknowledges that one in six will die after being moved.

Renewable energy is important, but where it is placed matters. Is it right to be placing these giant wind and solar power projects and the additional power lines on vast swaths of public lands that are important habitat areas for many imperiled species or would it be better to place the power generation where it will be used? Rooftop solar is a viable alternative with the prices of solar panels dropping. Simply using the heat of the sun to heat homes and water results in significant energy savings. Do we need more power? Do we need to destroy our public lands when a more distributed model of energy production is possible?

Environmentalists make plea for desert preservation
Las Vegas Sun

Otter makes headlines, but Simpson get things done

This is about Idaho drinking water and also how Idaho’s Representative Simpson is the one who really gets things done-

I thought it was kind of funny because I read it while I was waiting for my new Brita water filter to soak 15 minutes.  They say Brita removes arsenic 😉

Editorial: Otter makes headlines, but Simpson get things done. Magic Valley Times-News. It seems Simpson weakened the arsenic rules for public water systems in towns smaller than 10,000 nationwide.

Jackson Hole area bighorn sheep herd showing signs of pneumonia

Disease so far seems limited in area-

Jackson bighorn sheep herd showing signs of pneumonia. Pinedale Online. From Wyoming Game and Fish

Feature article on Washington State wolves

This is perhaps the most detailed article I have seen on the wolves of Washington State-

As the gray wolf recovers, who are its friends? By Daniel Jack Chasan. Crosscut.com

Was the Illinois wolf really a wolf?

It might have been a coywolf-

See this story in the Chicago Tribune. Was it a wolf?  State wildlife biologists think it was a real wolf

Have you seen any interesting wildife news? March 16 to March 30

Note that this replaces the 4th edition. That edition can be found slowly moving down into the depths of the blog.

Please don’t post entire articles here, just the link, title and your comments about the article. Most of these violate copyright law. They also take up too much space.

Tar sand mining is actually coming to Utah?

Awful and unlikely “energy source”  might soon break ground in Eastern Utah-

Because of its tremendous environmental impacts and poor quality energy (little to no net energy is produced), I haven’t considered oil shale/tar sands mining much of an environmental threat in the desert of Utah. I suppose most others have felt the way.  As RL Miller says in his article below, a tar sands project has been “flying under the radar.”  Without more of a public uproar it will soon break ground near the national parks of Eastern Utah.

What an outrage!  This kind of thing needs to be killed dead and a stake driven through its heart. The tar sand mining in Alberta has been called the single most destructive energy project on the planet.

– – – – –
Tar Sands Mining: Coming NOW to the United States. By RL Miller. Daily Kos.

Eliminate Grand Canyon aircraft noise. Fight McCain amendment

For years Senator McCain has posed as a friend of restoring quiet over the Grand Canyon-

It’s not true, and on Monday the U.S. Senate will vote on his amendment that would lock in the noise for a lot more time, according to the Sierra Club. Of course you would be wise to do your own research, but below is the Sierra Club alert on this.

March 23, 2010. Update: McCain drops his amendment. Arizona Daily Sun.

– – – – – – –

Sierra Club Alert-

Restore the quiet of nature in the skies of the Grand Canyon

Timeline: The Senate votes on the destructive McCain Amendment MONDAY AFTERNOON.  (may become part of FAA Reauthorization Bill unless blocked).  Discussion and voting all afternoon and into evening on FAA bill.

McCain Spin: “The Arizona senator is tired of waiting for the FAA and NPS to reach an agreement over restoring ‘natural quiet.’”  (AP Mar 17, 2010)

Don’t blame wolves for elk hunting woes

Editorial by the Casper Star Tribune-

Tribune editorial says wolves not decimating NW Wyoming elk, wolves were introduced in fact so they would affect elk, but wolf management is needed.

Here is today’s editorial on the day before the anti-wolf rally in Jackson, Wyoming.

Yellowstone bison population stable too

Both elk and bison currently stable-

Yesterday I did a long post on the stabilization of the elk population on Yellowstone’s northern range, but I didn’t mention another important development, the recovery of the bison population to a bit over 3000 animals. Growth between 2008 and 9 has been slow. In the past years, the bison population has swung wildly, often climbing to near 5000 only to be killed off by the brutal Montana Department of Livestock as the bison literally began heading for greener pastures outside the Park.

One big change is the distribution of the bison population. It has grown strongly on the northern range, but not with the herd in central Yellowstone.  In fact, the northern range bison have largely made up for the decrease in elk in terms of forage consumption.One bison eats about as much as 3 elk.  So about 2/3 the bison are now living on the Northern Range.

Right now bison on the west side of the Park are getting ready to migrate out of the Park onto Horse Butte, just west of the Park.  Last fall it appeared the bison would be welcomed for the first time, at least grudgingly, onto this vital calving ground. All the government agencies were lined up as was the enthusiastic major private landowner.  The Forest Service even officially closed the Horse Butte cattle allotment. This allotment had already been bovine free for a number of years. However, not being officially closed, opponents of bison could use the vacant cattle allotment to persist in their false argument about the danger of bison spreading brucellosis to cattle.

At the last minute, however, the agency that is the source of all the trouble, Montana’s DOL, went back on the deal.  Knuckle-dragging DOL agents are already lurking in the area. There will be trouble.

Lone, lovelorn wolverine baffles scientists

How did a (probable) Idaho wolverine end up in the Sierra of California?

Lone, lovelorn wolverine baffles scientists. By Peter Fimrite, San Francisco Chronicle Staff Writer

Winter Count Shows Yellowstone Northern Elk Herd Numbers Remain Stable

Stability not unexpected as wolf numbers fall and hunting permits just north of Park are reduced-

In January I heard there would be no elk count this year because the lack of snow made counting pretty much impossible. I’m glad the amount of snow increased because these numbers are important. Gaps in the data are harmful.

Wolves were introduced in 1995 shortly after the highest elk population ever recorded on the Northern Range in 1993-94 (19,045 elk).  Unfortunately, no elk count was made during the very severe winter of 1995-6 and the next year too.  When the count resumed, the elk  population was well down (13,400 in Nov. 1997).

I think the real (wolf x hunter x grizzly bear) effect on elk should date from when they resumed the count. Unfortunately, it is not known how many perished in the severe winter and the year just afterword. Interestingly, the elk count taken 3 months before the first wolves came back had already dropped from 19,045 to 16,791. This shows that 19,045 was a spike and should never be used as a starting point.

I think the restored wolf population did probably overshoot, but it has now died back naturally rather than through human interference.

My impression is that the present elk and wolf population on the Northern Range is pretty favorable, although these numbers can never be stable over any long period time. Nature has too many variables.  At any rate, the elk herd is strong and healthy.  The vegetation on the Northern Range is recovering. Pronghorn, beaver, and, I think bighorn, are increasing. These things were part of the goals of the wolf restoration in the Park. Of course, the Park is always changing. For example, like almost everywhere else, the pines are being killed of by the bark beetle. The Park’s near future will be a landscape even more open than today.

Here is the elk count news release from the Northern Yellowstone Cooperative Wildlife Working Group

Someone in Nevada has it right about the uselessness of predator control

NDoW opposes killing of predators says habitat is the issue.

There is a battle raging in Nevada about predator control under the guise of helping deer and sage grouse. As it turns out the problem isn’t about predators but about habitat quality. For years the BLM and the ranchers have colluded in an effort to make more grass available to livestock under the guise of “habitat improvement projects” which destroy piñon/juniper forests and sagebrush needed for cover while ignoring the fact that overgrazing has eliminated essential grasses from vast areas of the landscape and greatly impacted valuable bitterbrush.

When one looks at grazing permit renewal documents from the Nevada BLM, the habitat needs of wildlife are given only cursory analysis and the BLM always makes sure that when there are problems there are never any real cuts in AUMs but only what are commonly referred to as paper cuts, or animals that aren’t really grazed. Utilization standards often allow for utilization of native perennial grasses and shrubs or half shrubs of 50% which, as with the case of blue bunch wheatgrass, often kills the plants or greatly hinders their vigor in these arid environments.

Back in December came news that mountain lions, coyotes, badgers, skunks and ravens would all be targeted in an effort to improve deer and sage grouse survival using $866,000 from the Nevada Department of Wildlife’s Heritage fund. The money would have been used to fund operations of Wildlife Services. Since then Nevada Department of Wildlife has come out in opposition saying that these issues revolve around habitat issues rather than predators and that the science doesn’t justify the wanton killing of predators.

Tony Wasley, NDOW mule deer specialist, said controlling predators won’t stop the disappearance of the sagebrush-covered terrain that deer depend on in Nevada and much of the West.

“We’re talking about a landscape-scale phenomenon here,” Wasley said. “The population is limited by habitat.”

Where there is insufficient habitat, “all the predator control in the world won’t result in any benefit,” Wasley said.

Feds, Nevada officials clash over deer predator control
Reno Gazette Journal

Some Wyoming outfitters to rally against wolves in Jackson on Sat

Despite elk numbers above Game and Fish’s goals, hand wringing increases-

Apparently a few hunting sub-units of elk are below objectives.  I suspect there is plenty more behind this than elk numbers in a few locales. I wonder if local folks from Jackson are planning to push back against the rally?

The article below says “Hunters rally to disperse wolves. Outfitters say wolf hunt must start, predators should spread out to other parts of Wyoming.”
Outfitters are one kind of hunter. They hardly represent all hunters. Lots of hunters resent them. I do agree them and Chris Colligan it would be great to see more wolves in other parts of Wyoming, especially southwest Wyoming where prey populations are large.  It is true that Wyoming is fulfilling its commitment to 15 breeding pair of wolves by using only about 1/8 of the land area of the state. Whether wolves are harming their economic interests or not, I can see what the outfitters might see themselves as put upon by the rest of the state.

Folks will be interested in what Chris Colligan of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition says near the bottom of the article.

I see on another thread Bob Jackson, former Park ranger adjacent to the heavily hunted adjacent Teton Wilderness had plenty negative to say about some of these outfitters.

What’s Killing the Great Forests of the American West?

Worse, die-offs are not limited to North America-

Next summer will probably be a pretty bad forest fire season in the Pacific Northwest due to a dry winter, and so many of the forests are dead.  This is not a local problem, however, as Jim Robbins discusses in the feature article below.

What’s Killing the Great Forests of the American West? “Across western North America, huge tracts of forest are dying off at an extraordinary rate, mostly because of outbreaks of insects. Scientists are now seeing such forest die-offs around the world and are linking them to changes in climate.” By Jim Robbins. Yale Environment 360.

As for myself, I have been following the politics of forest fires since 1980 when Idaho had its first large forest fire in a generation or so. In the 30 years, I have learned that forest (and range fires too) will always be used for political purposes to further the agenda of the timber and grazing industries.

Their lobbyists know that most people don’t know that the pine beetle kill covers the entire West. They know the people don’t know that logging an area has no effect at all in stopping the spread of the beetle. They know that the public doesn’t know that dead forests are probably less flammable than green, but dry (droughty) forests.

So it is easy to predict there will be an effort to blame conservationists for the forest fires.  They have been doing it for 30 years, and they will do it next summer.  The news media should be prepared for this. I can also confidently predict most of the media won’t be.

Is it legal to hunt Idaho wildlife by honing in on radio collars?

Yes, according to the IDFG.

Over on a popular, unnamed anti-wolf website there has been discussion of using radio receivers to track and hunt wolves and the frequencies of the radio collars on them so I asked the IDFG about this. I sent them the exchanges which have taken place there and, specifically, I asked “I would like to know if there is any language which prohibits the practice of hunting wolves, elk, or deer with the aid of radio tracking.”

The reply I received from Jon Heggen, Chief of the Enforcement Bureau for the Idaho Department of Fish & Game:

There is currently no prohibition against the use of radio tracking equipment for the taking of big game.

Radio collar frequencies are considered [just] a trade secret and therefore their disclosure is exempt from Idaho’s public records law.

The problem is that the radio collars frequencies are not a secret. A quick search of documents obtained through public records requests does reveal radio frequencies of wolves and it is common practice to give ranchers receivers with the frequencies of collared wolves. Are we to believe, that with the animosity towards wolves and, frankly, other wildlife, that this information will remain only in the hands of those with the authority to have it?

This is not only a problem with wolves. There are hundreds of elk, deer, bighorn sheep, grizzly bears, wolverines and many other species that are burdened by radio devices. It appears, based on my question and the answer given, that there is a gaping hole in wildlife protection that needs to be filled legislatively or through the commission. Is the state legislature or IDFG Commission going to fill this hole as quickly as they do when the profits of the livestock industry or outfitting industry are threatened or are they going to scoff it off because it might result in the death of a few more wolves and possibly other species?

Is the idea of “fair chase” a thing of the past?

Idaho Statesman’s opinion is save the sage grouse

[Statesman’s] View: It’s up to us: Act now to save an icon of the West-

Well this is good to hear, but the only thing that will save the grouse is to conserve the intact, already healthy sagebrush areas and to create some new ones. Other measures might help a little, but could well be mostly an effort to funnel money to those already well subsidized.

Statesman editorial.

Idaho Fish and Game only manages to collar 4 wolves in the Frank Church

Goal was 12 wolves-

After the lawsuit and all the expense and danger of darting wolves from the air to collar them in the rugged Frank Church Wilderness, the results are in.  After risk to life and limb, instead of 12 wolves the department got only 4 collared. This is apparently the same number of collared wolves as were shot in the recent and still on-going Idaho wolf hunt (although the Frank Church area had its wolf quota met and has been closed to hunting for the season).

If I was an employee of the department I would be outraged that the state’s politicians in the legislature, Fish and Game Commission and department had me risk my life for this kind of  bullshit.

I had heard most of this a couple days ago, but didn’t know the info had been released. Today Rocky Barker put the info on his blog, “It took biologists 12 helicopter landings to collar four wolves in wilderness.” Letters from the West.  By Rocky Barker.

Open range laws unfair to rural residents, AZ lawmaker says

Open range laws said to put interests of ranchers above the property rights and safety of other rural residents-

Open range laws were made for another era. Increasingly people are seeing these laws as another giveaway of their safety and rights to that small group who want to carelessly run cattle over public and private property.

System unfair to rural residents, lawmaker says. State politics: Open range law discussed. Sierra Vista Herald.

Marvel pays $250 ticket to BLM. Public grazing groups try to make it into a scandal

This has been very minor news, but the Idaho Cattle Association and Farm Bureau have been trying to pump it into a story-

They haven’t had much success, and today in the Idaho State Journal, columnist Michael H. O’Donnell slapped the livestock interests again. Best of all he relates it to the Johnson County War, which still reflects their basic attitude.

Gem State ‘Heaven’s Gate’. By Michael H. O’Donnell. Idaho State Journal.

Stimulus funds for Wyoming wildlife underpasses denied by feds

Although proven to work, WY high value wildlife crossing projects failed to get funding-

Ambitious Wyo big game underpass plan takes hit. By Jeff Gearino. Casper Star Tribune Southwest Wyoming bureau

It is especially sad to see pronghorn crossing projects at Trapper’s Point near Pinedale denied. This bottleneck is a huge threat to the semi-annual, thousands-of-year-old trek of pronghorn to Jackson Hole and the Tetons from the Red Desert and back.

2009 Northern Rockies wolf report is out today

Long awaited official USFWS report on wolves is released-

Here is a brief AP story on some of the report’s conclusions. Folks should note that with the larger wolf population figures of recent years and the effects of the hunting seasons, the population estimate, and the especially estimate of the number of breeding pairs of wolves, undoubtedly are known with less precision than in the past.

Here is the link to the actual report, or more accurately, reports. http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/wolf/annualrpt09/index.html

A new tick-borne disease

Here is something more for our tapeworm-fearing friends to worry about, though it’s doubtful they will-

Emerging Tick-Borne Disease. ScienceDaily

9th Circuit overturns Molloy’s grazing decision on Antelope Basin

Good news for a pretty, but cattle hammered basin on the Idaho/Montana border-

Although those who only think about wolves suppose Federal Judge Molloy surely sides with conservation groups, he didn’t on this decision. Fortunately the 9th Circuit overturned his approval of a bad Forest Service grazing plan.

Here is the story in the Montana Standard, but the most informative one is in the Courthouse News Service. Court Orders Review of Montana Grazing Plan. By Elizabeth Banicki.

Antelope Basin in a wet year. July 1, 1995. Copyright Ralph Maughan

Chronic wasting disease claims 1st Utah elk

Brain disease is already established in Utah deer-

Utah’s large moose population seems to be free of this spongiform encephalopathy so far.

Chronic wasting disease claims 1st Utah elk.  By Brett Prettyman. The Salt Lake Tribune

Wolves might have killed Alaskan teacher

This might be the second wolf-caused death in North America in the last hundred or so years-

There were a lot of breathless stories about this yesterday, but the one below seems to be more current and complete.

Wolves may have killed village teacher. Chignik: Police unsure whether death happened before, after bite. By James Halpin. The News Tribune.

Wolf attacks are very rare. They seem to be the safest of all the large carnivores and maybe omnivores too, to humans. In 2005, it was decided the preponderance of evidence was that wolves caused another death in Canada — Kenton Carnegie. We discussed that for a long time.

New. 3/13/ Wolves kill teacher in Alaska. LA Times. By Kim Murphy.

3/20. The final news is that only two wolves could be found in the area. They were shot. They seem to be the wolves that likely attacked and killed her. They were in poor condition. Test shows they were not rabid. At the time of the attack the woman’s hearing was impaired by use of an Ipod. Her parents saw her as strong, independent outdoors person, and seemed to regard a wolf attack as a natural danger of the outdoors, which to their great sadness, led to her death. News reports seem to show the way it happened has not led them to any animosity toward wolves as a species.

Disease forces Utah DWR to kill bighorn sheep

Sheep came from Montana

Bighorn Sheep © Ken Cole

Disease forces DWR to kill bighorn sheep
by Brett Prettyman – The Salt Lake Tribune

Western Watersheds Project Files Legal Challenge To Denial of Endangered Species Act Protections for Greater Sage-Grouse

For immediate release – March 8, 2010

Contact:	Jon Marvel, Executive Director, Western Watersheds Project – 208-788-2290
	Laird Lucas, Executive Director, Advocates for the West – 208-870-7621

In response to the announcement on Friday March 5 by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar that the listing of greater sage-grouse and two of its distinct population segments (Mono Basin and Eastern Washington) under the protections of the Endangered Species Act is “warranted but precluded”, Western Watersheds Project has filed litigation in federal District Court in Boise, Idaho challenging the “precluded” portion of the finding.

The litigation charges that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of the Interior violated the Administrative Procedure Act and the Endangered Species Act by finding that the listing of greater sage-grouse is “precluded”.

“The Obama administration rightfully concluded that the greater sage-grouse fully qualify for the protections of the Endangered Species Act,” said Jon Marvel, executive director of Western Watersheds Project. “Unfortunately, the administration has violated the law in not listing sage-grouse at the same time.”

Tough winter for wolf darting in Yellowstone Park

Wolf numbers in Yellowstone are way down, but that doesn’t mean more of what are left wear collars-

Tough winter for wolf darting. By Brett French. Billings Gazette (reprinted in the Star-Tribune)

It looks like a very bad water year in Idaho.

Could it also turn out to be another bad fire year? A really bad fire year?

Burned signs on the South Fork Salmon River 2007 © Ken Cole

With precipitation and snowpack somewhere around 75% of normal, it looks bad for fish and fires this year.

Rocky Barker asks whether it could be as bad as the 1910 fires.

Is Idaho ready for a repeat of the massive fires of 1910?
BY ROCKY BARKER – Idaho Statesman

See where the state stands water wise this year: Idaho SNOTEL Snow/Precipitation Update Report

Fish and Game director wants expanded wolf hunting

Trapping of wolves may begin in Idaho next year.

Unsurprisingly, Cal Groen wants more wolves to be killed in the Lolo Zone and other places. Trapping is also being considered for next year.

Fish and Game director wants expanded wolf hunting
Associated Press

Nevada wildlife chief questions sage grouse decision

More worried about protecting industry than wildlife.

Mono Basin Sage Grouse

The Mono Basin sage grouse received a higher priority rating, a 3 on a scale of 1-12, as a candidate species than the larger populations elsewhere which received an 8 rating. Unbelievably the Chief of the Nevada Division of wildlife expressed greater concern about the industries that would be affected. That shows you what that agency’s priorities are.

“Ken Mayer, director of the Nevada Department of Wildlife, said the decision could affect mining, ranching and other activities in a wide area generally around the Mono Basin.”

Sage grouse in this area have declined greatly and have become greatly isolated not only from the larger populations but from each other. Frankly, these grouse should have been listed as threatened, if not endangered, due to their very low population levels and the threats that face them in the future. Notice that there is a proposed mine in the middle of one of the largest population areas.

Nev. wildlife chief questions sage grouse decision
By MARTIN GRIFFITH, Associated Press Writer

Montana Allows Unfettered Killing of Wolves by Wildlife Services

“Wildlife Services agents no longer need FWP authorization to kill wolves at or near confirmed livestock depredation sites.”

Wolf © Ken Cole

This is about the worst scenario for wolves of Montana that could be concocted by the state, especially while the decision to delist them is being considered in the courts. This nudges wolves even closer to a condition where the killing by a Federal agency becomes entirely unregulated. These conditions resemble those in place when wolves were eradicated in the first place. For those who think that Montana has a better management plan than the other states, think again.

This sets up a situation whereby Wildlife Services may kill an entire pack of wolves for killing a single sick cow or sheep left out on the landscape, a circumstance often documented by those who are watching. This does, however, put a greater responsibility on the agency that has actually made the call on how these situations are handled. Wildlife Services can no longer claim that FWP made the call on how the situation was handled when things go awry.

At the same time, livestock producers who use public lands have no requirements to do anything to avoid such circumstances.  The removal of livestock carcasses that have died natural deaths, or the removal of sick animals, is not required as part of the authorization to graze on public lands.  Non-lethal methods which have been demonstrated to be effective deterrents against livestock depredations are not required.  These poor livestock husbandry practices will continue and be rewarded by livestock compensation programs in place and being proposed by the government.

Will this action influence Judge Malloy’s decision on whether to remand the decision to delist wolves back to the USFWS?  Will Ed Bangs see this as a reason to change his decision?  Time will tell.

Too many wolves: FWP gives wildlife agents more authority to kill problem predators
By EVE BYRON Helena Independent Record

Mont. giving more authority to kill problem wolves
Associated Press

Sage Grouse & WWP May Be Headed Back to Court !?

~ Jon Marvel

Friends,

Sage grouse take flight, Bruneau uplands, Idaho photo © Ken Cole, WWP

Today, in response to successful litigation brought by Western Watersheds Project and our attorneys at Advocates For The West, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced Greater Sage Grouse would not be protected by listing the species under the protections of the Endangered Species Act.

The Secretary did acknowledge that listing was warranted but was precluded by other species with a higher priority for protection.

The decision not to list Greater Sage Grouse is in response to a great deal of political pressure from western states and extractive industries including oil. gas and renewable energy development interests as well as traditional uses like livestock grazing and energy transmission facilities.

Video of Sage Grouse

Western Watersheds Project will review the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service support documents for this decision and determine if the agency has complied with the law.

If it is clear that the law has been violated, WWP will then decide if additional litigation would be helpful to protect this disappearing species in the American west.

Interior: Grouse listing warranted but precluded

Interior: Grouse listing warranted but precluded
By MEAD GRUVER (AP)

Sage Grouse Decision Will be Announced Today

Announcement scheduled for 1:30 EST Friday

Sage grouse in flight, Bruneau uplands © Ken Cole 2008

Interior to announce sage grouse finding Friday
By MEAD GRUVER (AP)

Of course those opposed to listing the bird as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act are coming up with worn out one liners in anticipation of the decision.

“The only good place for a sage grouse to be listed is on the menu of a French bistro,” said Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-UT.

Westerners grouse over more proposed land restrictions
By: Barbara Hollingsworth

Big impact on West, if sage grouse is recommended as protected species
By Craig Welch
Seattle Times environment reporter

Current Grouse Distribution

Sun Valley area: Phantom Hill wolves elusive this winter

Rumor of the demise of the pack not true-

Earlier someone commented that Phantom Hill wolf pack which generally lives northwest of SunValley/Ketchum, Idaho had been killed off in the wolf hunt. It turns out only 2 of the pack of now 6-8 wolves were shot, but they are staying away from town so far this winter.

Phantom Hill wolves elusive this winter. Resident pack members staying away from developed areas. By Jon Duval. Idaho Mountain Express Staff Writer

Park officials consider killing off entire bighorn herd

Custer State Park may just start over

Park officials consider killing off entire bighorn herd
Kevin Woster – Rapid City Journal

Update 3/3/10 GF&P secretary: Killing off bighorns not a serious option

Lead in Grand Teton NP ravens drops with copper bullets

Researchers hope to distribute nonlead ammunition to more hunters next year-

No doubt it dropped in other animals too. Of course, it dropped in the target — elk.

Lead in ravens drops with copper bullets. “Researchers hope to distribute nonlead ammunition to more hunters next year”. By Cory Hatch. Jackson Hole News and Guide.

Idaho Fish and Game completes Lolo zone elk survey

No surprise. Elk numbers decline further. No surprise Fish and Game says it’s almost all due to wolves-

News Release– Idaho Fish and Game.

Here is a graph the department did.

Let’s analyze the graph. This decline was predicted, but not its depth.  Wolves were reintroduced in 1995, but their number was trivial in the area until about 2000 or so. Therefore, the big drop between 1998 to 2002 could not be due to wolves. Then elk numbers rose. It seems possible to me that the decline than began anew in about 2006 could be strongly influenced by wolves.

My view is that no single factor can explain the collapse of the Lolo Zone elk herd, although a big decline was predicted as early as the 1970s due to habitat changes that were obviously going to happen (the confer forest maturing to a condition similar to when Lewis and Clark came through the area and almost starved).

More data is promised and might already be out there. Wolves might well play a role here, but the huge drop from 1989 to 1998 is logically  impossible to pin on wolves.

Pneumonia now killing bighorn in NE Utah too

Disease Kills NE Utah Bighorn. AmmoLand.com

Return of the Sagebrush Rebellion

Fake outrage over memo on national monuments being used to gin up grab of our public lands-

I’ve been meaning to write something about this because it is as plain as day that they are up to this. However, RLMiller did it first on the Daily Kos, so here it is.

Return of the Sagebrush Rebellion. by RLMiller. Daily Kos.

Kos is a Democratic Party oriented web site, but you don’t have to be a Democrat to see this same old crap argument coming up again after putting it back in its grave (again) in 2006.

Yes, they mean to steal our lands and sell them off under the guise of state management. They are peddling a version of the same old talking points they have used since the 1940s. They say they will keep the “important lands” in federal ownership. They always say this. They assume we are bunch of damn retards who think the national parks are the only public lands with anything of interest on them.

Wolves Lose Their Predatory Edge In Mid-life, Study Shows

Wolves are at the “top of their game” for only about a quarter of their life-

Wolves Lose Their Predatory Edge In Mid-life, Study Shows. Trent Consultants News. ASMSU Exponent.

Cougar are much better evolved for predation than wolves.

Ancient DNA from Rare Fossil Reveals That Polar Bears Evolved Recently and Adapted Quickly

Polar bears are a geologically very new species-

This is quite relevant because we have been discussing how grizzly bears are displacing polar bears in the Arctic.  We already knew brown bears were polar bears’ ancestors.

Ancient DNA from Rare Fossil Reveals That Polar Bears Evolved Recently and Adapted Quickly. Science Daily.

Mexican drug lords “supersize” pot growing on public lands

Secret marijuana farms are bigger, more numerous and more sophisticated-

It amazes me that it is still illegal, and this is the ever worsening result on our public lands.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the drug cartels are illegally lobbying members of Congress (bribe) to keep it illegal so to maintain profits. There has to be some reasonable explanation for keeping this failed policy in place.

Drug gangs taking over US public lands. By Alicia A. Caldwell and Manuel Valdes. AP

Have you seen any interesting wildife news? March 1 to March 15

Note that this replaces the Third edition. That edition can be found slowly moving down into the “bowels” of the blog.

Please don’t post entire articles here, just the link, title and your comments about the article. It violates copyright law.