<pulls his grizzly rifle out of the safe. begins cleaning rust of the bolt. smiles.>
John McCain said it was a waste of money–”pork barrel spending” I think he called it, but Conrad Burns’ brown bear count is looking pretty good. The results from the US Geological Survey came out today and it says perhaps 760 grizzly now live in northwestern Montana, according to federal scientists.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently reviewing whether to take the griz off the endangered species list. That would be great news for hunters, ranchers and boys up there dependent on the timber industry for jobs. This updated count will calculate into that decision, which we can expect in early 2009–hopefully before McCain’s inauguration. I tell you, this comes not a moment too soon. Earlier this summer, a judge in Missoula killed a logging project in the Yaak because of its supposed impact on grizzly populations. We now know the bears exist in much greater numbers, so we can deflate THAT point of eco-hysteria.
Now H. Dale Hall and them boys got the science in hand to prevent activist judges from costing Montanans work. It’s time to delist the rebounding grizzly because it’s pretty clear conservation efforts have been successful. Get the bear off the list soon, and let’s do some logging.
Bout time we got us some science to stop them liberal Judges from legislatin from the bench.
You listnin here Mister Molloy?
Stop all that legislatin. We know you wanna be up there in DC with all them fancy shoe-wearin’ legislators.
Got your own branch of government in that ole district court room don’t ya.
The Court of Jack Tooholskey is what that is. Damn right. I’ve been in them hearins where they lock up the woods. Seen him smilin.
Liberal lawmakers dressed as justice.
Never did get them gowns. That gavel.
It’s not in my back yard. I could care less.
Bears. Logs.
Not on Beckwith.
Personally, I’ve got Mount Sentinal right there. Why would I give two hoots about a bunch of woods I can’t even see in my Nikon rangefinders?
I take stands for back yards. Not the back 40.
Are you three totally nuts?
With all do respect. I can understand it doesn’t hit close enough to home, Bob. But think of all your neighbors who value those public lands, and the existence of those bear populations. Without being on the endangered species list, it allows one fewer reason to not re-zone, develop, or build on many areas where wildlife concerns now stand in the way. You want that to happen in the Yaak?
I have to take issue with you on this. It’s really coming from the slogans and industry lines of the past. Jobs, logging. That’s the old economy guys. The new economy is about restoring and preserving those lands to put good jobs on good landscapes. With good animals too.