Friday, January 20, 2012

“Last week, a federal district court in Washington, D.C. issued a ruling upholding an Obama administration policy that requires federally licensed firearms retailers in states bordering Mexico to report multiple sales of semi-automatic rifles.  The case was brought by two NRA-backed firearms retailers and by the National Shooting Sports Foundation acting on behalf of its affected members.  Plaintiffs have already filed an appeal—but while we await the outcome, your help is urgently needed in seeking congressional action to end this illegal policy.

Devised by Attorney General Eric Holder’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the plan requires all of the 8,700 firearm dealers in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas to report all sales of two or more semi-automatic rifles within five consecutive business days, if the rifles are larger than .22 caliber and use detachable magazines.

In July, the Justice Department announced that it would proceed with the controversial reporting procedure.  During consideration of the FY 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill, pro-gun U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) offered an amendment in committee to prohibit the use of funds for the unauthorized reporting plan and the amendment was passed by a vote of 25-16.  Unfortunately, the Rehberg amendment did not make it through the appropriations process.

Much has transpired since then regarding BATFEs’ failed “Operation Fast and Furious,” and evidence is now clear that “Fast and Furious” was used as justification to force the multiple sales reporting requirement.

In early December, CBS News reported that BATFE “discussed using their covert operation “Fast and Furious” to argue for controversial new rules about gun sales.”  In particular, agency officials wanted guns to fall into Mexican drug cartel hands and be traced back to gun dealers in the U.S. to make a case for requiring the multiple sales reporting.

According to CBS, “Emails show they discussed using the sales, including sales encouraged by ATF, to justify a new gun regulation called Demand Letter 3.  That would require some U.S. gun shops to report the sale of multiple rifles or ‘long guns.’”

CBS singled out a July 14, 2010 email sent by BATFE Field Operations Assistant Director Mark Chait to Bill Newell, the agency’s Special Agent in Charge in Phoenix, where “Fast and Furious” was based.  In the email, Chait asked Newell to “see if these guns were all purchased from the same [licensed gun dealer] and at one time.  We are looking at anecdotal cases to support a demand letter on long gun multiple sales.”

Last March, U.S. Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) introduced S. 570 — “a bill to prohibit the Department of Justice from tracking and cataloging the purchases of multiple rifles and shotguns.”  The bill would prohibit the use of federal money needed to fund the multiple sales reporting requirement.

It is imperative that you contact your U.S. Senators and ask them to cosponsor and support S. 570. You can find contact information for your elected officials by using the “Write Your Representatives” tool at www.NRAILA.org, or you can call your U.S. senators at (202) 224-3121.

S. 570 currently has 33 cosponsors.  To see if your senators are cosponsors, please click here:  http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:SN00570:@@@P

Again, it is critically important that you contact your U.S. Senators as soon as possible and urge them to cosponsor and support S. 570.  Ask your Senators to defund, and defeat, the Obama/Holder Gun Registration Scheme.”

We’re urging all members/supporters of Hunters Against PETA again to take action and contact your state’s Senators regarding this issue. Thanks for your support. – Hunters Against PETA

“Devised by Attorney General  Eric Holder’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the plan requires all of the 8,700 firearm dealers in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas to report all sales of two or more semi-automatic rifles within five consecutive business days, if the rifles are larger than .22 caliber and use detachable magazines.  (The plaintiffs in the case pointed out that this was about 20 times more dealers than had been subject to any similar “demand letter” before, but in today’s decision the court nonetheless found the new requirement “limited in scope.”)”

Please click here and read the full NRA article.

The NRA is urging all of their members to contact their state’s Senators on this issue and tell them to cosponsor and support S. 570, and defeat the Obama/Holder Gun Registration Scheme. We at Hunters Against PETA are urging all of our members to please do the same. Please click on the link above and read the full NRA article. It’s important for all hunters, sportsmen and gun owners to take action on critical issues like this.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” – Hunters Against PETA

We also recommend reading other articles that the NRA has published regarding this very issue and this article will make more sense.

Click here now to read the NRA – BATFE article.

It’s up to all of us to put a stop to corruption like this in our government. – Hunters Against PETA

There’s a lot of information, actions and secret planning that Obama is doing behind closed doors so it’s difficult for us to see it. That’s why the NRA is such a great and vitally important organization. They’re the ones keeping on top of these anti-gun socialists. They’re the ones on the front lines fighting for our right to bear arms.

This article that Wayne LaPierre wrote is one of the best eye openers we’ve ever read.

Click here now to read the Wayne LaPierre – NRA article.

Ted Nugent said it best when he said, “If you’re not supporting the NRA you’re supporting the anti-gun activists.”

Click here to join the NRA now. or Renew your NRA membership now.

We’re urging everyone to click on the links above, read the full article,  join the NRA or renew your membership. We all did. – Hunters Against PETA

“I just spent a great day with Colorado and Wyoming wildlife biologists, scientists, game wardens and other dedicated conservationists. As their invited guest speaker at an annual event in Fort Collins, Colo., they asked me to address the critical issue of how we can recruit new hunters and trappers into this glorious outdoor lifestyle.

Where oh where does one begin?

We all know how the urbanization of America erupted with the industrial revolution in the late 19th century and early 20th century, transforming our society from a rural farming economy—where most people were connected to the land—to an urban economy where the people left the land. However, though the social landscape of America was fundamentally changed, the natural hunting lifestyle remained valid and universally endorsed well into the 1960s.

Then something very sinister began to metastasize across the land that delved into the realm of the absurd. The increasing disconnect from nature created a growing cult of denial; people weren’t just removed from the land, many also became spiritually castrated from the role of stewardship. In 1975 this misguided view of nature voiced its lies in a CBS television special titled “The Guns of Autumn.” This program was a graphic, hateful, anti-nature and anti-hunting propaganda smear. Every emotional, dishonest, knee-jerk anti-hunting view imaginable flashed across the television screen for an hour. Such is how they successfully painted a picture of slob hunters wantonly slaughtering innocent, sad-eyed creatures in the bloodstained snow.

Brain-dead, doped-up hippies who wouldn’t know a moose from a platypus and other such misanthropes, who were dedicated to saving Bambi and other baby cartoon animals everywhere, were spurred to action. The scourge called the “animal-rights” activist was born.

Meanwhile, hunters just kept hunting. But with the blitzkrieg of anti-hunting propaganda appearing with increasing regularity in and on every form of media, hunting began to get a bad name. Dopey academia and the media elite were also intentionally making hunters out to be bad guys; as a result, the non-hunting public was starting to be tainted by this intensely orchestrated lie.

All that was bad and ugly enough, but the real horror of horrors was the fact that the hunting industry and hunters in general—busy celebrating the unprecedented successes of game management and the flourishing big- and small-game hunting opportunities everywhere—were sound asleep to this new and unbelievable culture war.

Our children were bombarded with nasty anti-hunting insanity in school and literally everywhere. While dads were living the hunting dream, little Johnny and Susie were being bludgeoned with anti-hunting lies on a daily basis, causing them to question, even turn on, their family’s values.
Many of our children were fortified with the truth about hunting, nature and wildlife from us, but slowly and surely, the repetitious falsehoods overwhelmed the less than dedicated hunting families, and an entire generation was more likely to side with “animal-rights” maniacs than with their family hunting traditions.

Add to this bizarre propaganda machine the fact that game departments in many states were being increasingly strangled by politically correct bureaucrats who were siding more and more with anti-hunters than with the people who actually paid their salaries, and the perfect storm was brewing for bad, even dangerous management decisions.

Wolves, coyotes, bears, cougars and other predators were off limits to sensible management even after they’d recovered. Illogical, nonsensical, arbitrary and capricious hunting regulations were filling the pages of game laws and hunters were being harassed and confused at an alarming rate, thereby discouraging people from participating in their once-beloved sport.

Meanwhile, some hunting publications and so-called leaders were actually preaching that hunters should deny their hunting heritage, not wear camo or NRA hats in public, not talk about hunting and guns and basically turn tail and run like soulless liberals faced with a challenge.

What I told the gathering was simple: Stand up for what you believe. Never hide your hunting pride. Wear camo and NRA hats everywhere you go. Never defend anything, but rather promote and celebrate this perfect hands-on conservation lifestyle everywhere you go. Initiate the pro-hunting, pro-gun dialog relentlessly. Share stories and photos of family hunting adventures and of dead game. Rave about the purest, healthiest diet available to mankind: venison!

Show that beautiful deer in your truck and hang that deer in your yard for all to see. Testify at every wildlife meeting you possibly can. Give away NRA memberships to everyone in your life. Write that letter to the editor in your hometown newspaper gushing about the wonderment of taking your kids hunting so we don’t have to hunt for our kids.

Call in on the local talk radio show and rave about the joys of the natural hunting lifestyle. Invite all your family, friends, co-workers and neighbors to join you at the range and at a wild-game dinner. Take someone new hunting and shooting every chance you get.

Lobby elected officials to rid our game laws of foolish regulations that serve no beneficial purpose other than to harass us and complicate our time afield. Never accept the status quo. Make people think and demand honest answers. Never say never and never give up.

Never allow the government to hire so called “sharpshooters” to kill our game in places where we are not allowed to hunt, using methods we are not allowed to employ.

Never allow a bureaucrat to turn wildlife assets into wildlife liabilities. Demand that the wolf is taken off the endangered species list immediately. They are not endangered anymore; they are overpopulated.

Do not sit back and watch. Charge forth and take control. We the people are supposed to be the boss—the government works for us. This Father’s Day take your son, daughter and even parents out shooting. Invite your neighbors or your children’s friends. Live and save the outdoor lifestyle. The natural world is better off when we take part in it.”

Ted Nugent is the man when it comes to defending our hunting rights and gun rights. It’s always a pleasure to hear what Ted has to say, he tells it exactly like it is. The straightest shooter you’ll ever meet. You’ll always have our full support Ted. – Hunters Against PETA

Folks,

A very important piece of legislation was filed today in the United States Congress, the Government Litigation Savings Act (GLSA). The bill is aimed to stop abusive litigation practices and diversion of tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to anti-sportsmen groups. The bill does not stop private groups from suing to enforce federal law. Instead, the bill limits the number and amount of reimbursements that groups can receive from taxpayers for suing the government. As many of you are aware, the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA) requires taxpayers to reimburse the litigation costs to plaintiffs in environmental lawsuits. It has become so easy to satisfy the EAJA requirements, that reimbursement are almost automatic in most of these cases.

Big Game Forever supports the Government Litigation Savings Act as yet another example of common sense pro-sportsmen legislation. Some preliminary research indicates that many of these cases are “won” on technicalities that have little to do with recovery of endangered wildlife species. As a result, it has become easy for anti-sportsmen groups to force an anti-sportsmen agenda at the government’s expense. Just as important, this bill could save tens of millions in unnecessary government spending. The press release below from Senator Barrasso and Senator Hatch explains the bill in greater detail.

Big Game Forever has been asked to support the legislation by a number of members of Congress. We feel this bill is a step in the right direction in restoring some common sense in wildlife management. If you are a constituent of Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Senators Barrasso (R-WY), Hatch (R-Utah), John Thune (R-S.D.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Representatives Rob Bishop (R-UT), Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), Mike Coffman (R-CO), Mike Conaway (R-TX), Jeff Denham (R-CA), John Duncan (R-TN), Trent Franks (R-AZ), Wally Herger (R-CA), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Kristi Noem (R-SD), Devin Nunes (R-CA), Steve Pearce (R-NM), Denny Rehberg (R-MT), Mike Simpson (R-ID), Glenn Thompson (R-PA), Scott Tipton (R-CO), Don Young (R-AK) please let them know you are grateful for their proactive support of sportsmen.

Ryan Benson

http://biggameforever.org/

ryandbenson@msn.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Mark Eddington, (801) 375-7881
Heather Barney, (801) 524-4380

May 25, 2011

Barrasso, Hatch Introduce Bill to Curb Environmental Extremists’ Excessive Lawsuits against Federal Government, Taxpayers

WASHINGTON – Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and other members of the Senate Western Caucus today introduced a bill aimed at clamping down on the excessive lawsuits being filed by environmental extremists against the federal government that are costing U.S. taxpayers millions of dollars.
The Government Litigation Savings Act (GLSA) would reform the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), which environmental extremist groups are systematically abusing to halt the work of land management and other federal agencies to use taxpayer money to fund their nonstop litigation and further their own narrow political agenda.

“These environmental groups have sued the federal government more than 1,200 times and collected more than $35 million from taxpayers. That has got to stop,” Hatch said. “Our nation must not allow and cannot afford to let extremists hijack our laws and hold the American people hostage to their radical views. This legislation will help put a stop to the abuses of these deep-pocketed environmental groups, bring greater reporting and accountability to the process and lessen taxpayers’ burden to pay for the attorney fees incurred by these lawsuits.”

As adopted by Congress in 1980, the EAJA was aimed at removing a barrier to justice by helping individuals, small businesses and nonprofit organizations recoup the money and other resources they spent in suing the federal government. For the past 15 years, Hatch noted, Congress and federal agencies have stopped tracking and reporting payments paid through the law, meaning there has been almost no accountability and oversight. As a result, the law has been subverted by a cadre of environmental groups to create a cottage industry of taxpayer-funded litigation.
If passed, the GLSA would change that by:

Requiring EAJA filers must show a “direct and personal monetary interest” in the action;

Removing the $7 million net worth eligibility exemptions granted to nonprofits organizations and Agriculture Cooperatives;

Establishing a cap of $175 per hour for attorney’s fees, pegged to inflation; all additional multipliers are removed;

Requiring an agency to disallow EAJA reimbursements if the claimant unreasonably protracted the proceedings or acted in bad faith;

Capping total EAJA reimbursements to $200,000 for any single action, and allowing no more than 3 EAJA awards in a calendar year;

Establishing reporting requirements government-wide, and consolidating reporting into the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS); the report must include an explanation from the agency explaining why its position was not substantially justified;

Establishing an online, searchable database for funds paid out of EAJA and requiring that funds paid from EAJA in sealed settlement agreements must be included in the online report;

Requiring judges to disallow EAJA payments if the claimant unreasonably protracted the final resolution of the matter in controversy, or acted or in bad faith;

Requiring that as part of the annual report of payments under EAJA, the Attorney General must also make available to information about payments made from the Judgment Fund;

Ad Requiring the GAO to conduct an audit of EAJA payments over the past 15 years.

In addition to Hatch, co-sponsors include Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Dean Heller (R-Nev.). Members of the House Western Caucus have introduced a companion bill in the House.

A new wolf bill was introduced today by Congresswoman Candice Miller (R) Michigan. Big Game Forever supports this new legislation as a significant next step in wolf delisting. The bill returns control of wolf populations to an expanded list of states in the West and Midwest, as well as providing the certainty of automatic delisting when objectives are met in Arizona and New Mexico. We continue to support H.R. 509 and S. 249 while also supporting the common sense effort represented by this new wolf delisting bill. We look forward to forwarding a copy of the official bill, once it is received, for your feedback and suggestion. Once a bill number is assigned, we will provide an update.

Here is an official press release regarding the new wolf bill:

Big Game Forever
Dedicated to common sense conservation
For Immediate Release: May 10, 2011

Conservation groups voice support of new wolf delisting legislation

Sportsmen and conservation groups applaud the introduction of new legislation in a bipartisan effort to address challenges presented by unmanaged wolf populations. The bipartisan bill introduced Tuesday May 10, 2011 by Congresswoman Miller (R)-Michigan returns wolves to state wildlife management protections in key Western and Midwestern states. Management of wolf populations under state wildlife protections is the best way to protect wolves while also permitting science based determination of what is best for wildlife resources within the states.

Ryan Benson of Big Game Forever addresses the common sense approach of the legislation, “We are grateful for the leadership of Congresswoman Miller, Congressman Matheson and the other original cosponsors of this proactive legislation. Returning important decision making authority to state wildlife agencies in the West and Midwest ends years of wasteful litigation and provides certainty that America’s wolf populations can be managed responsibly and in balance with other wildlife populations.”

Amy Trotter, Resource Policy Manager at Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC), remarked, “Its unfortunate that, when it comes to wolves, the Endangered Species Act has been hijacked by an anti-sportsmen agenda. Science initially guided the development of recovery goals. But wolf populations still languish on the list despite the fact that populations are now 12 times beyond delisting objectives for the Michigan-Wisconsin population. Michigan residents are frustrated. We welcome Congressional action to allow the states to implement their scientifically based wolf management plans.”

Recent announcements that US Fish and Wildlife Service will delist Mid-western wolf populations follow previous efforts to delist abundant wolf Mid-western wolf populations through administrative processes. Conservation organizations recognize that litigation and other delay tactics are likely to be used again to challenge new delisting proposals.

Mark Johnson, Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, “Midwestern sportsmen conservationists were disappointed that recent Congressional action failed to address the need to delist wolf populations in Minnesota and most other states. However, we are encouraged by the growing consensus that wolf delisting is long overdue, while also recognizing the need for Congressional action to make delisting decisions immune to another wave of needless litigation. The wolf has recovered. It is time to delist them and place them under state protections and management.”

The impacts on wildlife populations in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and other states illustrate the need to be proactive in addressing unmanaged wolf populations. This is important not only to protect delicate wildlife populations but also the economic foundation of wildlife protection. Failures to properly manage wolf populations now present unnecessary risk to vibrant wildlife populations in the West and Midwest.

Don Peay, founder of Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, “With the need to trim billions from the federal budgets, returning management of wolves to all states ends redundant federal expenditures for a job states can do better. More importantly, abundant big game herds are an American treasure, a renewable resource that with proper management can sustain tens of millions of dollars in annual economic activity, tens of thousands of jobs, and the opportunity for hundreds of thousands of Americans to put food on the table.”

Suzanne Gilstrap, Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife, “The new delisting proposal aligns wolf recovery objectives in Arizona and New Mexico with Congressional wolf delisting proposals and is consistent with recent Congressional action relative to the gray wolf. The sportsmen of the Southwest welcome the fact that this legislation assures that delisting will in fact follow ongoing investment by states, sportsmen and livestock producers in wolf recovery.”

President Obama has just signed H.R. 1473 the Budget Resolution, continuing government operations until September 30. A provision within that act will have wide ranging effects on the control of the Grey Wolf populations within some western states. The act requires that in the states of Montana and Idaho the Wolf be removed from the Endanger Species Act (ESA) and returned to individual state management. Language was also included which allows Wyoming to move toward delisting.

Sen. Orrin Hatch expressed, “I couldn’t be more pleased with the inclusion of wolf-delisting language in the budget bill that passed this week. The return of wolf management in northern Utah to state wildlife managers is a very important step in the right direction. This wouldn’t have happened without the resolute efforts of Big Game Forever and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife. I remain committed to doing everything that I can to ensure that the states, not the federal government, have the responsibility for managing wolves. ”

The sportsmen of America are grateful for the leadership of Leader Reid, Senator Tester, Senator Baucus, Senator Hatch, Senator Barrasso, Senator Enzi, Senator Risch, Senator Crapo, Senator McCain and Senator Kyl, Congressman Rehberg, Congresswoman Lummis, Congressman Matheson, Congressman Bishop, Congressman Ross, Congressman Chaffetz, Congressman Simpson and the over 60 total cosponsors who played a role in building the consensus of a need for Congressional action to delist no longer endangered wolf populations.

“We are encouraged that Congress has acknowledged the need to delist no longer endangered wolf populations. It is unfortunate that multiple administrative delisting decisions and ultimately Congressional action were required to obtain a partial delisting of a species that has been recovered for years. We applaud the beginning of the return of management of wolves to state wildlife managers who manage and protect hundreds of game and nongame species so capably,” said Ryan Benson of Big Game Forever.

U.S. Representative Cynthia Lummis explained the importance of including language preserving Judge Alan Johnson’s November 2010 ruling. “Upholding Judge Johnson’s ruling is crucial to advancing negotiations on a common sense wolf management plan. This language removes obstacles that would have otherwise hindered discussions on the status of the fully recovered gray wolf in Wyoming. Returning management of the gray wolf to the State of Wyoming is the ultimate goal. Much work remains, but with this provision intact, I am confident we are closer than ever to realizing a full delisting. I look forward to that happy day.”

Don Peay, founder of Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, said, “With the need to trim billions from the federal budgets, this was first step to return management of wolves to all states and end redundant federal expenditures for a job states can do better. More importantly, with high unemployment rates and losses of jobs, abundant big game herds are an American Treasure, a renewable resource, and with proper management can sustain tens of millions of dollars in annual economic activity, tens of thousands of jobs, and the opportunity for hundreds of thousands of Americans to put food on the table.”

Big Game Forever and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife are grateful for the selfless and dedicated efforts of countless conservation minded sportsmen of America. The responsible livestock producer organizations, the conservation groups and many other organizations who have added their voice to this important effort have helped tremendously to educate for the need to protect healthy wildlife populations and America’s livestock industry.

We appreciate all your efforts Don, Ryan and Big Game Forever, keep it up. This is a great victory for sportsmen not only in the Rockies but everywhere in America. It shows what we can accomplish when we ban together and fight for our rights. – Hunters Against PETA

Big Game Forever Supporters,

A number of you have heard of the decision by the government not to appeal Judge Johnson’s decision in support of Wyoming’s wolf management plan. Congratulations to the people of the state of Wyoming and all of the attorneys who have been working on this litigation for the last several years.

A year ago, the experts told us the only solution was to change Wyoming’s plan, capitulate, wait for the next Wyoming plan to be challenged in the courts in a couple of years and continue to fight the Judge Malloy decision in the Ninth Circuit court of appeals in San Francisco – basically a BIG losing strategy for five years – all the while wolves would continue to destroy game herds of the West.

When no one else wanted to fight, and even told us, it couldn’t be done, SFW and Big Game Forever said, we will see if Congress will act. Now with 61 Co-sponsors in the house and senate we have shown restoring states rights is a viable possibility. In so doing we have put a lot of pressure on lots of people, in lots of places to do the right thing and get wolves delisted now.

So, another major victory in the wolf war. US Fish and Wildlife decided not to appeal Judge Johnson’s ruling, which validates Wyoming’s wolf plan. Deciding not to appeal represents a common sense approach in support of science and good public policy. This is not only a victory for Wyoming, but for every state. It is a definitive legal decision which shows that the Federal Government may not usurp state management decisions. A very hard fought victory in support of the sovereignty of state wildlife management.

Don Peay
Big Game Forever

Some details below:

By Cory Hatch, Jackson Hole, Wyo.

March 16, 2011

Wyoming and the federal government will head back to the negotiating table after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agreed with a court decision to reconsider Wyoming’s wolf plan.

The agency Monday withdrew its appeal of the court decision. U.S. District Court Judge Alan Johnson in Cheyenne last year said the Fish and Wildlife Service ignored science when it rejected Wyoming’s plan.

“We will continue ongoing negotiations with Wyoming to reach agreement on a wolf management plan that satisfies the Endangered Species Act,” acting Fish and Wildlife Director Rowan Gould said in a statement Tuesday. “Rather than lose more time in court with an appeal that won’t help resolve the problem, the Service looks forward to working on a plan that can meet the state’s needs while ensuring maintenance of a viable and sustainable recovered wolf population that is connected to other populations in Montana and Idaho.”

At issue is Wyoming’s law and plan that would allow wolves to be killed by any means at any time in roughly 88 percent of the state.
Only in northwestern Wyoming would wolves be managed as trophy game, where they could be hunted according to regulation and season.

Today, wolves, remain protected by the federal Endangered Species Act. They were restored to Idaho and the Yellowstone area starting in 1995 with the goal of turning over management to states once established in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.

Gould said state rule is still the goal. “We strongly believe that the recovered Northern Rocky Mountain distinct population segment of gray wolves is most appropriately managed by states and tribes under approved state management plans,” Gould said.
Wyoming politicians, including Gov. Matt Mead, applauded the decision.

“I thought the judge’s ruling was a strong one, and I think this action by the agency may be a sign that the service is willing to look at Wyoming’s plan in a real way and accept what Wyoming people want,” Mead said.

“We are trying to work in a spirit of cooperation and we are cautiously optimistic that we may get somewhere,” Mead said. “But, as I always say, this is a process and we’ve had our hopes dashed before. So we are moving cautiously, but in an optimistic fashion, to see whether we can get something done.”

Dropping the lawsuit will help solve the wolf issue. U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi said. “I was encouraged by acting Director Gould’s comments on the appropriateness of state and tribal management of wolves,” Enzi said in a statement. “That’s a good place for the negotiations to start back up again. It’s also a good place for the negotiations to end. I hope both sides can swiftly reach agreement.”

The nationwide delisting of wolves should be an Obama administration priority, U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis said.

“Today’s decision by the USFWS is a positive step,” she said. “Governor Mead’s negotiations provide the most promising way forward in finding an agreement that will bring relief to Wyoming’s big game herds, ranchers and farmers.”
U.S. Sen. John Barrasso said the science is on Wyoming’s side.

“Today’s decision by the USFWS is a step in the right direction,” he said in a statement. “The administration is right to finally recognize Judge Johnson’s ruling that there is ‘no meaningful scientific explanation’ why Wyoming’s plan will not protect the state’s wolf population.”

“Wyoming’s plan honors its commitment to successfully manage the wolf,” Barrasso said. “There is no reason for the USFWS not to immediately accept it.”

The Greater Yellowstone Coalition reserved judgement on the federal decision.

“We don’t know what this means yet for Wyoming’s wolf management plan, or for wolves, but clearly the current plan is flawed,” GYC wildlife advocate Chris Colligan said.

The Greater Yellowstone Coalition objects to the plan’s predator classification and stated minimum number of wolves — 150 wolves and 15 breeding pairs for the state. “GYC has been working to improve that plan,” Colligan said.

The news from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service comes after federal wolf managers released a report showing that wolf numbers in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming appear to be stabilizing, with researchers reporting a slight decline in the population for 2010.
The minimum estimated wolf population is 1,651 animals, compared with 1,733 animals last year, according to the Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery 2010 Inter-agency Annual Report. The decrease in wolf numbers reflects a 19 percent decline in Idaho, from 870 wolves in 2009 to 705 wolves last year, according to the report.

Wyoming increased from 320 wolves in 2009 to 343 last year and Montana increased from 524 to 556.

–The Associated Press contributed to this story.

This is great news and puts us one step further in the wolf battle – Hunters Against PETA

Adilene Chapina
adilenechapina@yahoo.com

Sincerily,
A Supporter of Wildlife“