The wolves strike back

The newspaper says ranchers spotted and killed two wolves chasing livestock on private land Thursday up in Eureka. Y’all might recall, last week, FWP officials finished off an entire pack in the Bitterroot that had gotten a taste for domesticated meat. The original measure halved the group, but a few wolves went right on killing sheep ’till those boys had to just go and put ‘em down.

This article, written by Plum Crick-hater Michael Jamison of the Missoulian, points out smart-assedly that the last confirmed wolf livestock kills ’round these parts occurred way back in 1997, as if to suggest the latest attacks are more a product of politics. Back in March, U.S. Fish and Wildlife honcho H. Dale Hall “desisted” the Rocky Mountain gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act. So just because ranchers and state officials can kill wolves now we’re just coming up with any lame excuse to do so? Well, if that’s what you think, Mr. Jamison, just come out and say it!

What makes you think the wolves don’t know better–that it’s no longer fun time? You know what I think? I think the wolves know about the delisting and they’re testing our resolve; that’s what that is.

All it takes is one wolf to come into Hamilton or Libby, take a look at the Missoulian or Interlake (or the Republic, if anyone’s left to write for them) and communicate that back to all their buddies in the pack. All that surveillance infrastructure from monitoring Little Red Riding Hood for the first half of the 20th Century, and you’re trying to tell me the wolves don’t know what the score is? Well they know–just like the terrorists know, which is why we need to keep our eyes peeled to those scopes with a finger on the trigger.

And anyone who thinks otherwise should just stop eating meat, because if we can’t protect our livestock, then we might as well sell to that developer fella. Wonder what the Missoula liberals think of that?