Maybe it's just me but...

[MarvB]

I was reading an article about grizzly reestablishment and came across this quote from Ed Bangs:

The other big, federally protected predators that wear radio collars — wolves — get handled even more frequently than grizzlies. In 2004, about 30 percent of the 835 wolves in the Northern Rockies had collars. But Ed Bangs, the federal wolf recovery coordinator, would like to see the use of collars reduced significantly, partly because of the expense, but also for more philosophical reasons.
"Americans are techno-freaks and control freaks, and that gets applied to wildlife," Bangs says. "I think it’s an insatiable desire to know everything. Telemetry helps you do that. But I believe in mystery in life. Restoration of wildness, and all those kinds of values, they’re based on not knowing, on unpredictability, and on not being in control. Why can’t we turn loose?"

It just seems a bit odd that one who appears to outwardly place so much on scientific study wants to put recovery of the species he's charged with in the hands of "mystery, unpredictability, and not being in control".

Maybe I'm lost here but it seems somewhat a contradiction?

 

[noharleyyet]

...a mystical moment Marv.

 

[BigHornRam]

Good find Marv! Bangs is concerned about the cost? That's rich! I think he's been smoking the same brand as Ithaca.

 

[BuzzH]

Marv,

Once wolves are off the list, whats the use in wasting money putting collars on them?

Plus, if you have wingnuts like BHR simplying pulling wolf population estimates out of thin air...what good do collars really do?

The wolf conspiracy people dont believe science anyway.

 

[BigHornRam]

Buzz,

Montana's wolf management plan calls for a minimum of 15 breeding pair. If you can't prove how many wolves we have, how do you expect to justify a hunt?

BTW at the RCFWA meeting the S W MT FWP wolf Babe gave a presentation. MT FWP has 5 regional wolf people plus one head honcho all for a species that we can't even hunt. Montana has a world class sheep population and we have 0 biologists stricktly dedicated to sheep. Figure that one out? And who's paying the wolf biologist's saleries? the sportsmen? The wolf Babe clearly did not have a clue how many wolves were in her region. She also said some day Montana may possibly have a limited hunt for wolves. Didn't sound promising. She also commented on Idaho's plan to wack 51 wolves over the hill and didn't think there was much chance of that happening either.

 

[MarvB]

Buzz agreed that if/when the wolf is de-listed that the need and effort involved in additional collaring would likely diminish, though there’d be an ongoing program to monitor sample groups for stability, etc., I just thought the way Bangs described it as being a bit odd.

It would be one thing to state reintro was a success and now they are paring back the program and concentrating their $$/efforts elsewhere, but to say that any species recovery should be basically left up to mystery and not knowing is a bit strange IMHO. It’s the “knowing” that gets these programs moving in the first place and I don’t think you’d ever want to surrender that for ANY species, endangered or not….

Course California "manages" its lion problem by not knowing/doing chit so maybe that works for some orgs....

 

[BuzzH]

BHR,

As to the sheep...please explain why you think Montana NEEDS a full-time biologist that works only on sheep problems?

Are the area-wide wildlife biologists not doing a good job? I thought you were a Republican...you know...SMALLER government not LARGER government?

Personally, I dont think theres any justification for a biologist dedicated strictly to sheep.

I'd be more likely to want a couple dedicated sheep biologists if sheep were on the list of Threatened and Endangered species...

 

[BigHornRam]

Buzz,

Lot's of things a sheep only biologist can do. Work to develope new transplant sites. Trap and transplant programs. Disease. Education. Ect...ect. And it could come from the several million in auction dollars that is just sitting there doing nothing. Many of the area biologist know little about sheep and have no time to manage them. The guy in Paradise Valley didn't even know a herd of close to 20 mature rams existed in Mill creek and no hunting season was ever proposed since he was too busy to deal with it.

So when the wolves get delisted, do you think FWP will lay off any of the Wolf Management Specialists?

 

[BuzzH]

BHR,

How much available sheep habitat exists in Montana that doesnt already have sheep?

By the way, as to the other issues...education, etc. isnt that the job of MTFNAWS?

Really, I agree that it wouldnt hurt to have a sheep biologist in Montana. The fact is though, theres much less work involved with animal species that have viable populations versus animals that are listed on the ESA.