SNYDER: Washington has no place in wildlife management

COLUMN By ANDY SNYDER For The York Dispatch

Posted: 09/08/2011

Another controversy is brewing in the hunting world.

This time, wolves are in the crosshairs and the nation's politicians are to blame.
Back in April, when Washington was abuzz with one of its many last-minute budget fights, Congress slipped a note onto the budget bill. Knowing time was tight, lawmakers quietly added an amendment in hopes its controversial words would get lost in the debt debate.

For the most part, they were right. Few folks know gray wolves were removed from the endangered species list this summer.

The move was the first of its kind. It marked the only time Congress has removed a species from the protection of the list without following the process of scientific review outlined by the Endangered Species Act.
It was a bold move by Washington that was quickly challenged in the court system. Environmental groups said Congress overstepped its authority. They said biologists should make the decision, not elected politicians.

In the end, though, the law stood and the hunt is on. In late August, a federal appeals court sided with Congress, giving Idaho and Montana the right to go ahead with a planned wolf-hunting season.
With seasons open in both states, Montana's first wolf kill was reported on Sunday. It was taken with a bow.
In all, Montana will allow 220 wolves to be harvested, just shy of a third of its total wolf population. In Idaho, officials look to take its wolf population from about 1,000 animals to no fewer than 150 during the year's season.

This season marks an important milestone in the management of the nation's wolf herd. Over the last century, wolves were the focus of a government bounty program created to keep the animals from preying on livestock.
It worked too well. Wolves were eliminated from most of the nation. In the 1990s, officials began reintroducing the species into a five-state region. So far, the most success has been found in Wyoming and Idaho, with a few scattered packs roaming through Washington, Oregon and Montana.

The real story behind all of this is the value of smart hunting as a means of population control. In the early 20th Century, hunters were allowed to kill as many wolves as they could. In fact, they were paid to kill.
The result was just as we would suspect. The population was slaughtered. But now, after a generation of protection, the population has rebuilt and is near its capacity. It's time for hunters to help out once again. But this time, they must do it under the umbrella of sound management.

Last-minute political moves are not the answer. A bill like this one, even if it's sound, shouldn't have been tucked deep within a budget bill. It was a dangerous and seedy move.
While the end result may be positive, the controversial way wolves found themselves off the endangered species is proof our system needs fixed. Washington has no place in wildlife management.

Andy Snyder writes about the outdoors for The York Dispatch. He can be reached at sports@yorkdis patch.com.

source