From Deseret News archives:

Advisory panel endorses plan for wolves, with 6 changes

Ranchers, sportsmen agree animals aren't welcome in Utah

Published: Sunday, May 22, 2005 11:03 p.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
ROOSEVELT — Despite general agreement by a crowd of ranchers and sportsmen that wolves aren't welcome in Utah, members of the Northeastern Regional Advisory Council endorsed a wolf management plan Thursday night, with some changes.

Members agreed to endorse the official Draft Wolf Management Plan for the Division of Wildlife Resources Wildlife Board with six alterations, including several proposed by the Utah Farm Bureau Federation.

The approval came in a split vote, with five RAC members voting in favor of a motion by RAC sportsmen's representative Del Brady, Vernal. Two voted against and two members abstained from voting.

Several representatives from sportsmen's and wildlife groups who offered input at the final RAC hearing on wolf management voiced support for the proposed alterations to the 96-page Draft Wolf Management Plan made by the Farm Bureau and five other agriculture and livestock state agencies.

Many in attendance voiced concern that the draft plan as written, goes too far in protecting wolves.

"It protects threatening animals rather than the threatened animal," said J.C. Brewer.

Story continues below
The Farm Bureau, Utah Wool Growers, Utah Cattlemen, Utah Farmers Union, Utah commissioner of agriculture and food and Utah Agricultural Advisory Board want to ensure the draft management plan includes policy that "opposes wolves and supports removing wolves from the endangered species list and managing them under the supervision of the state where they exist."

The agencies go farther than the draft plan on the issue of killing problem wolves. Livestock and agricultural interests propose that the draft plan be altered to allow "livestock owners, immediate family members and employees of livestock owners to lethally control wolves on both private and public lands when wolves are harassing, in the act of killing or experience confirmed loss of livestock."

The additions to the draft plan passed by the Northeastern RAC include:

• Recognizing the management objectives of the DWR, including management of big game, including elimination of wolves and their effect on big game. (The Ute Indian tribe has a similar stated goal already included in the draft management plan.)

• Ensuring the cost of wolf management does not fall on the sportsmen or their fund-raising sources.

• Opposing the natural colonization or reintroduction of wolves into Utah.

• When delisted (from the endangered list), wolves would be managed like black bears and cougars.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

Boy Scouts seek new recruits

Cheating your way through school is a way of life for many kids. The Boy...

As long as we are enduring amateur hour in pop psychology, let us also...

Great article. My feelings exactly. It was dissappointing to hear Max Hall...

Utes won't respond to Hall

While some say the University of Utah's decision to not comment on Max's...

It is waaaayyyy past time for the parents of America to take responsibility...

i am surprised that no one has mentioned the role that the media has in this...

I really, REALLY enjoyed your article. I read in a comment that stated: "now...

Excellent article, I, for one, was not offended by Adams performance. And if...

Max, even though you apologized we all have to live with the consequences of...

Did you even read the article? Adam is a sexual performer, he was that way on...

Advertisements