State of Alaska Defying USF&W

[Sourdough]

With only 10 bulls left the USF&W service says they need to study the problem before they can take action to reduce the number of preditors on the island.  The residents have been screaming for some type of preditor control for several years to the deaf ear of the USF&W Service.  The numbers of Caribou have plumited from a high of around 25,000 animals down to around 300 animals.  Wolves are the main preditor on the island, and their numbers a high according to the residents of the island.  After deciding the USF&W service is willing to let this herd go extenct, and USF&W refusal to cooperate in a preditor management program, the State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game decided to take action.  While the Feds may own the land, the State Of Alaska owns the animals, and has the authority to manage them state wide.  Here is a copy of the article from the Anchorage Daily News.


By Mike Campbell | The Anchorage Daily News
Concerned that wolf predation may imperil the remaining caribou on Unimak Island, managers with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said Thursday afternoon they'll launch predator control in less than two weeks on the largest island in the Aleutians, preferably by helicopter.

"The situation constitutes a dire conservation emergency," Fish and Game Commissioner Denby Lloyd said in a letter sent to Rowan Gould, acting director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. "Immediate action is necessary."

Missing from the announcement at U.S. Fish and Game headquarters was any representation by Fish & Wildlife, on whose land wolf control would take place. Unimak Island, the only island in the Aleutians with a native caribou population, is dominated by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Federal managers are in the midst of making an environmental assessment of reducing wolf numbers.

"I've heard nothing about a response today," said Bruce Woods, a spokesman for Fish & Wildlife in Alaska. "We're conducting a review and continue that process."

But the state intends to act.

"We will do something by about June 1," said Pat Valkenberg of Fish and Game. "We are the primary wildlife managers on all federal lands in the state."

[Ron 1]

dose not sound like there will be a wolf season opening, just for officals
but it should help if they can get enough of them critters  from a helicopter that sounds fun.
i wish i was alaska fish and game employe 

         rw

[Sourdough]

Ron 1:  Don't count on that season closure staying.  I think the Game Board may have something to say about that.  Along with the State Attn General.

[S.E.Ak]

We do need more folks willing to shoot a wolf when they see one. Hunters say well I passed of the wolf because I was hunting deer etc and didn't want to sppok them.

[calling4life]

PREDATOR...

[Dand]

Well I wonder if there will actually be a show-down on this.
A bunch of us demanded the Feds get going on wolf control ASAP in the northern Alaska Peninsula too but we didn't get much of an answer. Lots of federal hand wringing going on. If the state does this I wonder if the feds will cut off the federal funds that Fish and Game normally gets. That could be really ugly. The feds have their heads in the sand on this one. They don't need to start a bunch of new studies. The wolves have been expanding on the lower peninsula since the late 1980's when I lived down that way.

Feds threaten legal action over predator control
KTUU TV
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=12535288
by Mary Pemberton
The Associated Press
Monday, May 24, 2010

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A federal agency is threatening to take legal action if the state of Alaska kills wolves inside a national wildlife refuge.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Monday that if the Alaska Department of Fish and Game proceeds with its plans to kill wolves on Unimak Island without a special use permit, the Fish and Wildlife Service will consider it trespassing and refer the issue to the U.S. Attorney.

Fish and Game announced last week it will shoot some wolves on Unimak in the Aleutian Islands  to protect caribou calving grounds.

The federal agency says it is required to follow federal laws when initiating new management programs, and is encouraging the state to work cooperatively to understand biological reasons for the caribou herd's decline.

[AkMike1]

http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=12535288
The federal agency says it is required to follow federal laws when initiating new management programs, and is encouraging the state to work cooperatively to understand biological reasons for the caribou herd's decline.

LOL, It doesn't take a college degree to understand that when the wolves get hungry they kill caribou..  Duhhh this is the federal gov't at it finest!

[Sourdough]

Heard today that USF&W said that if Alaska F%G does do preditor control on the Federal Lands on the island they will charge them with trespass and turn it over to the US Atty Gen.

[Sourdough]

Just got back from the Gym.  While sitting in the Hot Tub got into aq conversation with a man about preditor control.  next thing I knew we were discussing the plan for the State to shoot wolves Tuesday morning.  Things started getting hot.  He said if the State sends people in to kill wolves the men actually doing the tresspassing will be jailed.  I told him I don't think so.  They will be conducting state business, they will be in a helicopter, and they will not land on Federal Land.  He said he will be following them to the air port and the men doing the tresspass will be arrested.  That is when I realized he works for USF&W service.

Then we got into a discussion about waterways and who owns them.  The courts ruled two years ago that the State Of Alaska owns all navigatable waterways in the state.  That means from high water mark to high water mark.  He then said he did not care what the court said the USF&W and NPS has the authority given by the Federal Government and they were going to exercise their control ovr all waters inside the Federal Lands, as well as managing all wildlife.  He claimed ANILCA gives them that authority.  Oh Boy, it was a hot 20 minutes till I got up and left.  Wish I could go to Unimak Tuesday.

[AtlLaw]

He said if the State sends people in to kill wolves the men actually doing the tresspassing will be jailed.

If you remember, this is what I said in the other thread on this subject.  Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think that doing something under the color of authority will stop a person from being arrested if that something is a criminal act.  That's why I asked if the Alaska National Guard was going to prevent those actually doing the shooting from being arrested by the feds.

[S.E.Ak]

He said if the State sends people in to kill wolves the men actually doing the tresspassing will be jailed.

If you remember, this is what I said in the other thread on this subject.  Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think that doing something under the color of authority will stop a person from being arrested if that something is a criminal act.  That's why I asked if the Alaska National Guard was going to prevent those actually doing the shooting from being arrested by the feds.

Amen to that.One need only look at all the servicemen that have been put through the ringer over things done in a war zone. Ride safe Brother from a different mother

[calling4life]

PREDATOR...... NOT PREDITOR  Please, if you are going to represent hunters/sportsmen, spell the word correctly.
Good luck with the battle

[S.E.Ak]

Some folks hunt and some pratice spelling

[calling4life]

I don't really care, however, when it comes to you writing letters to those who will care, I prefer you at least be able to spell the topic of your letter correctly.

Why: because hunters get enough flak for being "stupid rednecks," I'd rather us be portrayed in a better light and not give the anti's so much fodder.

So, if you are going to write your state officials, or go to the game and fish meetings to debate a point, whatever, if you will be in the public eye, just try to use spellcheck, correct word usage etc...  Show them we aren't dumb rednecks.

I'm not asking you to be ashamed of who you are, not trying to label you an idiot, it would just be nice if you would show a bit more respect for the reader/listener and the situation in which you are presenting yourself, and take the couple minutes to spellcheck.

On here, whatever, we get what you're saying. I'm no expert by any means, not even close. This is directed at everyone, not just you.

Good luck in your hunting endeavors, as well as your battle with predators.

[Dand]

Alaska postpones refuge wolf kill until federal judge rules
The Associated Press
Published: June 2nd, 2010 04:54 PM
Last Modified: June 2nd, 2010 04:54 PM
The state of Alaska is halting plans to kill wolves on caribou calving grounds in a national refuge until a federal judge rules on the matter.

more at:
http://www.adn.com/2010/06/02/1304650/alaska-postpones-refuge-wolf-kill.html