From Big Game Forever email I just received
Folks,
I’m writing to report that two days ago, yet another wolf lawsuit was filed in US Federal Court. This new lawsuit, aimed at Wyoming’s most recent wolf delisting, was filed by EarthJustice on behalf of 4 activist organizations including, Defenders of Wildlife, Natural Resource Defense Council, Sierra Club and Center for Biological Diversity. The lawsuit however was not filed in Wyoming. Instead it appears that the plaintiffs intend to pursue the litigation in the federal courts in Washington D.C. As many of you are aware, the last round of lawsuits surrounding Wyoming’s wolf management plan were litigated in Wyoming and upheld key aspects of Wyoming’s wolf management plan. It appears that these groups are hoping that the federal courts in Washington D.C. will ignore Wyoming’s previous court victories while also ignoring the concerns of sportsmen conservationists, livestock producers and game managers in Wyoming.
This new round of these endless wolf lawsuits will definitely be disappointing to sportsmen, ranchers and the public. But the fact that these lawsuits were filed does not come as a surprise to those familiar with past attempts to block wolf delisting. While wolf management in Idaho and Montana is protected by Congressional Enactment of section 1713 of the April 2011 continuing resolution, the states of Wyoming, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin were left out of these provisions. As a result, we can expect these lawsuits to continue, not only in Wyoming, but also in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Big Game Forever continues to work with Wyoming’s Congressional delegation to backstop the Wyoming’s wolf delisting with similar Congressional action.
The state of Wyoming reports that wolf harvest during the 2012 season has been relatively conservative. While the state has an objective of 52 wolves in Wolf Trophy Game Management Area (WTGMA), 34 wolves have been harvested in the first six weeks of the hunt. Another 16 wolves have been harvested in other parts of the state. Approximately, 90% of wolves in the state reside within Wyoming’s Wolf Trophy Game Management Area.
In a press release from Wyoming Fish and Game, Large Carnivore Section Supervisor Mark Bruscino indicates that wolf harvest has been evenly distributed throughout Wyoming’s trophy game management areas, “No one pack is bearing a disproportionate amount of the harvest.” Three of the 12 hunt areas within the WTGMA have met their quota and are now closed.
It is clear that more work is needed to stop these endless lawsuits and begin recovery of America’s elk, moose and deer populations. Please encourage your friends to join the fight by signing the petition at http://biggameforever.org.
--
Ryan Benson
http://biggameforever.org/
[email protected]
Folks,
I’m writing to report that two days ago, yet another wolf lawsuit was filed in US Federal Court. This new lawsuit, aimed at Wyoming’s most recent wolf delisting, was filed by EarthJustice on behalf of 4 activist organizations including, Defenders of Wildlife, Natural Resource Defense Council, Sierra Club and Center for Biological Diversity. The lawsuit however was not filed in Wyoming. Instead it appears that the plaintiffs intend to pursue the litigation in the federal courts in Washington D.C. As many of you are aware, the last round of lawsuits surrounding Wyoming’s wolf management plan were litigated in Wyoming and upheld key aspects of Wyoming’s wolf management plan. It appears that these groups are hoping that the federal courts in Washington D.C. will ignore Wyoming’s previous court victories while also ignoring the concerns of sportsmen conservationists, livestock producers and game managers in Wyoming.
This new round of these endless wolf lawsuits will definitely be disappointing to sportsmen, ranchers and the public. But the fact that these lawsuits were filed does not come as a surprise to those familiar with past attempts to block wolf delisting. While wolf management in Idaho and Montana is protected by Congressional Enactment of section 1713 of the April 2011 continuing resolution, the states of Wyoming, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin were left out of these provisions. As a result, we can expect these lawsuits to continue, not only in Wyoming, but also in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Big Game Forever continues to work with Wyoming’s Congressional delegation to backstop the Wyoming’s wolf delisting with similar Congressional action.
The state of Wyoming reports that wolf harvest during the 2012 season has been relatively conservative. While the state has an objective of 52 wolves in Wolf Trophy Game Management Area (WTGMA), 34 wolves have been harvested in the first six weeks of the hunt. Another 16 wolves have been harvested in other parts of the state. Approximately, 90% of wolves in the state reside within Wyoming’s Wolf Trophy Game Management Area.
In a press release from Wyoming Fish and Game, Large Carnivore Section Supervisor Mark Bruscino indicates that wolf harvest has been evenly distributed throughout Wyoming’s trophy game management areas, “No one pack is bearing a disproportionate amount of the harvest.” Three of the 12 hunt areas within the WTGMA have met their quota and are now closed.
It is clear that more work is needed to stop these endless lawsuits and begin recovery of America’s elk, moose and deer populations. Please encourage your friends to join the fight by signing the petition at http://biggameforever.org.
--
Ryan Benson
http://biggameforever.org/
[email protected]
