I am pretty positive on my blog but here is one time I may deviate from being that way and voice my opinion. Not to start a fight but to set the record straight.
Recently there was a 12 year old wolf shot and was found and killed by the rangers in Yellowstone. Things happen and that is unfortunate. What really gets to me is the negative publicity that is being said about Gardiner and surrounding area. Here is my thoughts on this and people who know me know I’m a very thoughtful person and am not unreasonable or irrational. I don’t drink so I don’t post wine clouded rants in the middle of the night!!
Allegedly someone shot this wolf but what really killed her was the humans who loved her. They habituated her to the point that she lost all fear of people, cars etc.. I saw her in Gardiner carrying what appeared to be a cat in her mouth last fall. Half eaten. Then she was playing with a Husky looking dog in January at the rodeo grounds! Many videos of her trotting along the road looking for handouts. I was told from the beginning that wolves are afraid of people, she had lost her fear. An old adage by officials “A fed bear is a dead bear”! Same applies to wolves.
In the community news board much was said about the sub-culture living here and the bears and wolves were here first. True enough but every person who visits here or moves here has an impact on all wildlife and our resources. Many of these same people shouting that no more hunting or cattle or outfitters, ranchers etc.. are bad people need to look in the mirror. Two homes one here, building rentals, roads, every time you build a home, garage, rental, business, you take land away. You walk your dog in the woods and he disrupts grouse, bears, foxes! I don’t think that this is all wrong by any means but don’t think just because you don’t hunt or don’t believe in ranching that you aren’t impacting the Greater Yellowstone eco-system! You are!
Look at all the houses overlooking Yellowstone river by Yellowstone association! That was a major, I mean major elk migration! They poured off Everts and swam the river and climbed up to Phelps creek. They learned to cross the Gardner river and go to airport etc.. To cross but it was an impact. We all do it, it’s progress some good some bad. The wolf killing was wrong but that doesn’t mean Gardiner should be boycotted! I’ve been harassed for being a hunter and I never said let’s boycott anti hunters!
My family had been outfitting here since 1930 and I’ve tried to leave the forest better than I found it! Always. Let’s all calm down and realize that for 22 years the wolves have flourished in and around Yellowstone by the biologists own admission. Chances are that, as I was told by a prominent ranger this winter, that the white wolf may need to be taken out as she was becoming to bold to humans! The park has killed other wolves for the same reason! Many bears have been shot by rangers and wardens for same thing. Wolves kill each other and they’ve been killed catching them to put collars on. Again poaching is wrong but next time you humanize an animal and feed it or get to close for pictures just realize that you just sentenced that animal to death.
Respectfully,
Warren