Lots Of Wolf Talk eh ?

[Ourea]

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Five reasons to oppose BC’s wolf cull

EMAIL, CALL OR WRITE YOUR MLA AND TELL THEM TO OPPOSE BC'S WOLF SLAUGHTER
Published on 2015 · 01 · 21 by Raincoast
Click here for MLA contact info: www.leg.bc.ca/mla

Click here for the Alberta wolf cull AVAAZ petition

Click here for Raincoast’s recent published paper on the wolf culls

Click here for citizen letters opposing the wolf culls

One. Killing wolves will not improve caribou recovery. Ostensibly to protect caribou, the BC government has been engaging in wolf sterilization experiments and wolf killing for more than a decade. These programs have not resulted in any measurable benefits for caribou (as stated in the BC Wolf Management Plan). Alberta’s wolf cull, as reported in the Canadian Journal of Zoology in Nov 2014, failed to achieve any improvement in Boreal Woodland Caribou adult female survival, or any improvement in calf survival, and as such had no effect on population dynamics.
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Two. Habitat quality is the most important component of caribou recovery. Since it takes hundreds of years to establish an adequate biomass of tree lichen to sustain mountain caribou populations, deforestation is a major factor in the decline of caribou numbers as well as their failure to recover. Habitat quality is the most important determinant of the dynamics of populations of large mammalian herbivores and omnivores.
The BC government made the decision decades ago to knowingly destroy critical caribou habitat with logging, access roads, and humans activities. They fully knew the consequences of their actions. In the south Selkirk where there are less than 19 caribou, this population is no longer viable and already functionally extinct from the landscape. Habitat that supports a larger herd needs to be protected from logging and all human activities and the herd needs to be reintroduced. This is the only way a viable caribou population can persist. This will require decades. Killing all the wolves to give the public appearance that the government cares about caribou makes no difference to this population. It’s already lost.
Three: Wolves are not the only predators of caribou. Wolves eat caribou. So do cougars and sometimes, grizzlies. A 1999 study on the South Selkirk caribou stated “…most adult mortality was attributable to predation, particularly by cougars…”.
Four: The wolf cull is a slaughter that carries indefensible suffering to wolves. Caribou and wolves coexisted for thousands of years prior to caribou herds being decimated by habitat loss (in both BC and Alberta). Slaughtering wolves using grossly inhumane methods (i.e. aerial gunning, neck snares and poison) reflects fear and intolerance, at best. The province is killing wolves now to give the appearance of action for caribou herds that they decimated after decades of conscious choices not to protect caribou habitat. There are no reasonable ecological or economical reasons to kill wolves. And there are clearly no tenable ethical reasons to induce such harm and suffering.
Five: The ends do not justify the means. Wolf culls involve killing hundreds of wolves, and over the longer term, likely thousands of wolves. In making moral judgments, people tend to regard harm as more serious if it is deliberate rather than unintentional. Both recreational and institutional killing of wolves are rightly viewed as more serious acts than unintentional killing. Similarly, people may regard harm as less significant if done for a seemingly worthwhile purpose. This is a slippery slope. Principled justifications used to sanctify unethical practices that cause harm and suffering are not worthy purposes and are an unethical rationale for killing wolves.
EMAIL, CALL OR WRITE YOUR MLA & ASK THEM TO OPPOSE THE BC WOLF CULL.

MLA contact info: www.leg.bc.ca/mla
READ: Your voices against the wolf cull
GO TO: Raincoast’s wolf cull wolf page for more info
Want more context on caribou and wolf mismanagement in BC? Read the briefing provided by Sr. Scientists and renowned wolf expert Raincoast’s Dr. Paul Paquet

[Ourea]

That's what we are up against boys.
They have funding.
They are organized.
They exploit social media for their cause.
Our current Gov listens to them.

[Ourea]

Oh, and they are on HBC

[Wild one]

That's what we are up against boys.
They have funding.
They are organized.
They exploit social media for their cause.
Our current Gov listens to them.

All correct but add there is no real effort from opposition

[Ourea]

All correct but add there is no real effort from opposition

Because the hunting community continues to argue in the sandbox.

[Wild one]

Because the hunting community continues to argue in the sandbox.

That and they assume sitting back laughing relying on scientific facts to save them is all that is needed

Lack of unity is a big part but lack of any form of defence/offence overall is even bigger

Right now BC hunters are in a really bad place with govt in place and little faith in our representation. That last one is bigger then I even thought but has become very clear in the last month

Hate to say it but there might be a huge crash before things get better

[proguide66]

Because the hunting community continues to argue in the sandbox.

No shit !!

Another BIG one is anyone with any kind of 'following' or exposure is only trying to promote 'bullshit' to other hunters and same time NOT reaching out to NON hunting 'potential' new hunters. "Hey, look at this pic of my tits while I pull my bow back, follow me and OH YA, buy a $500 plastic cooler !!!".
We have to start doing what the opposition is doing NON STOP- promote to the non hunting public. Those f@ckers are having a cake walk right now - BREEZING past us as they promote to the non hunting community !!
All these celeb dorks getting praised for promoting hunting. UM, NO, they are promoting hunting products and THEMSELVES to the hunting community. It's NOT working for 'us'.
Some people better get motivated, get some funds, create some awesome content to promote us to potential NEW hunters and get appealing to the non hunting community fast.

[Bugle M In]

I think there was a program on just yesterday, pbs?knowledge?, on Yellowstone, and going from winter into spring.
Sounds like when the winters are mild, ungulates do well obviously, meaning better feed , less starvation mortality, and, wolves just don't have it as easy to hunt or eat, ,meaning ungulates don't get trapped in snow drifts, or just have easier times to escape.
Heavier winters, and the wolves flourish, survive the winters well etc.
So yes, habitat has a lot to do with ungulates surviving.
I often wonder on those studies, like the recent moose thread, when they say x amount was due to wolf (50% of moose mortality), "do they really know if the wolf took down the moose"?? or did the wolves come across the dead moose due to starvation, and thus bios come across this sit4e, and assume it was due to wolf kill??
Don't get me wrong, I do believe wolves create a lot of ungulate loss.
Targeting deer rather then elk, even if elk are present, I agree with....like I said, up in the part of EK where I hunt, even the guys that work, driving in and out daily, actually see WTs being run down by packs of wolves, right in front of them as they are driving, and when the snow is deep.
Best evidence to support what wolves are targeting??....look at the scat!...lots of deer hair!...and yes, it all depends on the area as to which species they target most....but I have never heard of a vegan wolf.

[Bugle M In]

Pg66 you are the man. As dedicated and knowledgable as they come. Your feet are on the ground and your no nonsense, no bs attitude is what drives this initiative forward. The total dedication to the cause is epic. I’ve marvelled at your pursuits and understanding of wildlife in the past. I have huge respect for how you approach, how you share, and commit. When the conversation comes to the cats and dogs of the wild and their effects I really think you’ve nailed it. I hunt cougars with hounds on Vancouver island and many times we won’t run a cat track in certain areas because of the abundance of wolves in the same area and general vacinity. The balance of the scale is definitely leaning on the predator side right now in most areas. We need the snow to be successful hunting the preds and at the same time the ungulates are more vulnerable to predatation and starvation with larger amounts of snow. Habitat loss just makes for greater concentration of ungulates in smaller areas that are favourable for them to winter in. Preds hammer the crap out of those same areas. Some timber patches become polluted with preds as they’ve got the fish in a barrel scenario when old man winter decides to hit hard and stick around. Keep up the great work. More feet on the ground and less asses in the chair will bring the balance back. Support the trappers and get out and give Intel when you can, and to who you can.you just might get a crack at one or a pack while your out there doing your part. Looking for pred sign is also a way of scouting for deer hunting. It’s a win win to get out there. It all will make a difference.
Buckerup

Really good post!

[Ourea]

No shit !!

Another BIG one is anyone with any kind of 'following' or exposure is only trying to promote 'bullshit' to other hunters and same time NOT reaching out to NON hunting 'potential' new hunters. "Hey, look at this pic of my tits while I pull my bow back, follow me and OH YA, buy a $500 plastic cooler !!!".
We have to start doing what the opposition is doing NON STOP- promote to the non hunting public. Those f@ckers are having a cake walk right now - BREEZING past us as they promote to the non hunting community !!
All these celeb dorks getting praised for promoting hunting. UM, NO, they are promoting hunting products and THEMSELVES to the hunting community. It's NOT working for 'us'.
Some people better get motivated, get some funds, create some awesome content to promote us to potential NEW hunters and get appealing to the non hunting community fast.

Messaging takes CASH
More cash-more messaging