Friday, January 25, 2013

Ranchers decry plan for wolf protection: NM County backs opposition to federal proposal

Bill Sauble
Several area ranchers expressed their opposition to a federal plan that would offer protection to wolves that may migrate into northern New Mexico in growing numbers in the future. The Colfax County commission promised the county would share the ranchers’ strong concerns with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and take any other steps it can to keep predatory wolves from negatively impacting the local livestock industry. The unanimous anti-wolf sentiment expressed at Tuesday’s commission meeting came during a public hearing for commissioners to listen to citizens’ input regarding the Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposed Southwestern Gray Wolf Management Plan. The plan contains detailed, multiple-layered standards and procedures by which a gray wolf could be deemed a “problem” wolf for attacking livestock or pets or coming too close to humans, and how that wolf would be dealt with. The proposed plan “gives the wolves more protection than our farmers and ranchers,” said Marietta Shell, a former Colfax County commissioner. “These are predators I do not believe can be managed.” Commissioner Bill Sauble, a rancher himself, made a motion that county officials look at revising the 2008 ordinance stating opposition not only to wolves being intentionally reintroduced into the county but opposing federal protections for wolves naturally migrating into it. The motion passed unanimously...more

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

No wolf niche in the SW. Worst drought in 50 years has destroyed range land, increased wild fires, destroyed wildlife habitat, reduced ground and surface water, but the Fish and Wildlife Service (the evil empire) wants to put wolves back into the SW ecosystem. City bred wildlife biologists are speaking and planning for the ultimate destruction of livestock producers. They can only do this if the evil empire has funding to carry out their plans. Take away their financing NOW and remove them from the SW ecosystem forever.

Anonymous said...

The only way to manage wolves is the 3S method. Shoot,shovel and shutup. Didn't it work in the Gila? a

Anonymous said...

Too many cattle in a desert have destroyed range land, increased wild fires, destroyed wildlife habitat, reduced ground and surface water. Rural bred county commissioners, BLM and FS range cons look the other way when the range deteriorates. The only way to manage the range destroyers is take their welfare subsidies and tax breaks away, and put their grazing permits to auction so that they pay fair-market value. Start managing the range for wildlife, and if you want beef, find a producer who values predators and real range management. I hope you 3Srs are treated like the low life scum poachers you are. You know what they do to poachers in Africa, don't you?