A coalition of the nation's largest hunting and conservation groups today thanked Members of Congress for taking several steps in the right direction for wolf conservation. The coalition reminded Congress that all wolves in the Rockies and
"The reintroduction of wolves has become a serious problem in several states across the country. Therefore, efforts to manage wolf populations through regulated hunting is long-overdue," said NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox. "Left unmanaged, wolf packs have been decimating the game animals on which hunters depend, as well as threatening livestock and local communities. The NRA supports all legislative measures that will preserve
"The wolf is recovered biologically but population management is hung up in legal questions that judges call 'ambiguous'" said Bob Model, Chairman of Government Affairs for the Boone and Crockett Club. "Lawyers and judges disagree on the law. But no one disagrees with the numbers. The strength of the large and growing wolf population is obvious, and the numbers meet and far surpass the established threshold for recovery."
Wolf populations in the Rocky Mountains and
"Representative Mike Simpson, and Senators Baucus and Tester have illustrated that there are many options available to move toward a solution, and we greatly appreciate that," said Jeff Crane, President of the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation. "These members are building on the attention that Senator Hatch and Representative Rehberg called to this issue with their companion bills earlier this Congress. We thank all of these Members for their contribution to the debate, and we support all of their pending legislation on this issue."
The groups noted that recent proposals do not include
"Wolves are remarkable in many ways," said Dr. Larry Rudolph, President of Safari Club International, "most notably, they are efficient predators. They must be managed by the same state experts that manage the elk and deer that wolves eat. State biologists need the authority to manage the entire ecosystem and all the species that interact in it. Wolves are also opportunists, feeding on prey they may encounter when not actively hunting in packs. By the same token, we must be opportunist in seizing every opportunity for progress on this issue."