Environment
“Wolf Sighting” Prompts Prediction
September 2, 2009 
After observing the massive media coverage on Idaho’s wolf hunt the GUARDIAN will offer this prediction: BEFORE THE SEASON IS OVER THERE WILL BE A TRAGIC SHOOTING DEATH OF A PET DOG, no doubt prompting an entirely new controversy.
When we ran across Nate and his beloved “Pakua” siberian husky sitting outside our favorite bistro last night, the instant thought was WOLF! We only half jokingly warned Nate to stay out of the foothills or other wildlands with his dog.
News reports abound with people getting wolf permits “just in case” they need to dispatch one of the critters while they are exploring the wilds of Idaho. We absolutely have no position on “the wolf issue,” but the attention it has garnered in the courts, political circles, and an Idaho potato boycott back East certainly help those wild canines live up to their reputation as the BIG BAD WOLF.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Sep 2, 2009, 9:53 am
No joke Guardian! With reports of two wolves taken on the first day of the season, our plans have changed when it comes to last minute hikes/backpacking trips with the dogs.
If we do venture out – the husky will be wrapped ear to tail in fluorescent orange and kept on a 3-foot leash. The 80 pound grey Akita might have to be left at home.
Hopefully your prediction is incorrect but I fear it won’t be with media fueling the fire.
Sep 2, 2009, 4:44 pm
Anyone who has lived in this state for a spell (as opposed to in a spell, there are way too many of those) has heard stories of deer and elk hunters dragging herefords to the butcher to be slaughtered.
The disparaged hunters used to have a california prefix, but given the preponderance of recent migrants to this dirt patch from other parts, there are enough limited experience Idaho residents to eliminate the difference between us’n and them’n.
Some will argue that the old stories were mostly apocryphal. I can’t vouch for the demise of any Bessies, but my neighbor forfeited his shotgun to a game warden, together with the corpse of a swan that he couldn’t tell from a goose. Swear to god.
Cutting to the chase, I’m keeping the border collies on the porch until this insanity is over.
Sep 2, 2009, 8:36 pm
Dave,
Maybe you should have a position on “the wolf issue”. It IS important. The anti-wolf propaganda contains nothing but lies and fake science, much like the anti-health insurance reform wingnuts who believe the government is out to kill off grandma with death panels and other such nonsense, or the racists in Texas who want Texas to secede from the Union because their white candidate lost a fair election and an African-American was elected President.
Sep 2, 2009, 9:25 pm
There is not a wolf season in Unit 39 which comprises the foothills and beyond. There are seasons and rules for wolves presently, just like other game species. These rules can be found here:
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/hunt/wolf/wolfrules.pdf
Sep 2, 2009, 10:51 pm
Eric T- there is a wolf hunt in unit 39 (Boise foothills and beyond), it’s included in the Sawtooth zone. Opened on 9/1 closes on 3/31/10 or when 55 wolfs have been harvested. The areas around Placerville, Lowman, Deadwood and others in the Sawtooth zone are loaded with Wolfs. The 55 limit on wolf harvest in the Sawtooth zone is the highest of all zones in the state, and should be higher.
Dave’s point is well taken about dog owners being careful with their pets and should do so during any hunting season. They should also be aware that wolfs will see their dogs as a threat to the pack and could kill them.
Sep 3, 2009, 8:02 am
Lets say there is not one but two family pets shot by a hunter mistakingly thinking that family pet is a wolf.
A number of things comes to mind but the first one is the wolves have killed a lot of dogs that are family pets and that number keeps growing. People that take their family pet dog to the mountains are running a big risk of the wolves attacking the dog and killing it, even on a leash.
If there should be such a mistaking shooting of a family pet. The owners of such a pet that looks like a wolf should know to keep Rover in the yard and or on a leash during wolf hunting season for Rovers own good.
Such a shooting that was a mistake in light of all the family pets the wolves have killed can only be seen as, collateral damage, sad but true. The federal government bring in that gray wolf was a huge mistake and they will not admit it. These are the very same folks what want to control your health care and make the call on who lives or dies. You can’t make this stuff up.
Sep 3, 2009, 10:41 am
Rod,
Wow! NOWHERE in this article was “racism” “texas” or the JOKE of a medical insurance “reform” mentioned. do you understand the concept of EQUALITY? as in EQUAL RIGHTS…
Equal rights does NOT mean anyone who disagrees with you is a “racist” nor does it mean that you get UNequal rights because you whine and cry the loudest. You go ahead and keep drinking that racist koolaid that al sharpton and jesse jackson pour for ya there sport. take a minute to quit your whining about the “racists” that have more than you, get off your lazy butt and earn your keep in this world. If you want something WORK for it, don’t scream racism at every turn hoping that someone will GIVE you your equal rights get out there and EARN them!
And while your whining about those “racists” that have more than you take a look at the REAL motives behind people like al and jesse, check out the nice lives THEY have and all the luxuries THEY have how about you cry about having THEM share some with you…
Maybe stay on topic even and quit trying to turn EVRYTHING into your own little crusade about poor you huh….
Sep 3, 2009, 3:04 pm
Idaho Fish and Game wrote 20 states and asked if any would be willing to take our “excess” stock of wild canines……….NO TAKERS.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm….I wonder why???
Sep 4, 2009, 1:41 am
Don’t hunt or have a rifle. Don’t understand why all the Idaho wolves were killed, except that ranchers were concerned about their animals. Then someone decided to bring wolves back (apparently another species of wolf) let them grow and now we are going to kill them? I just don’t understand the logic of this whole thing. Why not just leave them in Canada? Why is it important that wolves have to live here instead of Canada? I really want to know.
Sep 4, 2009, 2:52 am
These people shooting wolves are not sportsmen. They are the complete opposite. Heck, the wolf pack near Sun Valley is half-tame. They can be seen at the golf course. What did the fat redneck who shot the first wolf do? He took a photo and left it to rot? He should act like a real sportsman. Don’t shoot an animal with a high-powered rifle. Go off into the woods in your quest to kill with a butter knife. Rubes like that couldn’t make it outside of Idaho.
Sep 5, 2009, 2:53 pm
I think wolves should be treated like any other critters — four-legged or two-legged: If it’s trying to kill you, your family, your livestock etc., shoot it. If not, there’s no reason to kill anything you don’t plan to eat.
Killing a wolf just because you think that particular one might someday attack your or yours is like killing a person because you thing he or she might someday attack you or yours and then calling it self-defense.
As for those who really are frightened of wolves, think about it: How many people have been killed by wolves? How many people have been killed by cougars, bears, deer, elk, moose? How many by hunters, rattlesnakes, avalanches? How many by the biggest killer of all — motor vehicles?
Wolves are the least of our perils, and I feel sorry for people who just live in fear.
More frightening are those who want to kill (wolves or anything else) just for the “fun” of killing. There is a psychological term for people like that (though I can’t think of it offhand), and a lot of psychological studies of the problems with those people.
Dunno whether there are any wolves near my house, but I would love to hear one howl (among the nightly chorus of coyotes here).
Sep 7, 2009, 5:27 pm
” Don’t let WALT fool ya either…
HE is )))) PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT (((( …
Why is WALT involved with and supporting this corrupt regime both in the White House and congress? THE DEMS ! !
Walt needs to become at least an INDEPENDENT.
Walt makes NO effort to question why there are Marxist and real Communists in the White House and take a stand against this tyranny. He never questions the Constitutionality of anything going on there in DC.
Also LET IT BE KNOWN the WALT VOTED YEH for
))) Nancy PELOSI ((( as Speaker of the House. All House Dems voted YEH for her!!
Walt is actually part of the problem and offers NO real solutions. By NOT representing the vast number of conservative constituents in his district against this radical takeover of our REPUBLIC by the OBAMA-PELOSI-REED Left. ))))) WAKE UP SLEEPY WALT!!! We hear you snoring (((( “
Sep 22, 2009, 4:34 pm
Go to SaveOurElk.com to get documented facts on the non-native to Idaho Wolf. Check out the pictures and videos of what the non-native canadian wolf has done to the years of hard work to stabalize a the States elk herd.