Aerial Hunting of Wolves in Alaska

Wow, this is just a notch above that web site that would hook people up to a gun and let them kill African game for a price when it comes to laziness. This also strikes me as much worse than that in terms of ecological stupidity. Lest I am mistaken, and I doubt very much that I am in this matter, wolves are key predators that are needed to keep this ecosystem healthy.

Just out of curiosity, are there any rules that allow the shooting down of one of these aircraft if you witness such an act, or are people limited to reporting it to the authorities?

People in this blog are asking a lot of questions. One question not asked or discussed is this - Why did the Federal Government have to take the management of fish and game away from the State and establish federal regulations for hunting and fishing on federal lands? UNDER FEDERAL LAW, PEOPLE LIVING IN RURAL ALASKA (all people, not just native people), ARE TO HAVE PRIORITY IN HARVESTING FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES. Alaskas game management system considers every hunter a subsistence hunter and does not allow a rural priority. Urban hunters and lobbyists have fought to prevent changes in Alaskas system to allow a rural priority for decades. So I wonder if those in this blog that say they need to kill wolves in order to meet their subsistence needs really live in rural areas, or if they are urban hunters who are trying to protect actions intended to make it easier for them have a successful hunt that they can tell their neighbor about. Many feel improving success ratios for urban hunters does not justify predator control. Yes, I understand that most hunters use the meat they harvest, as I always have. But being dependent on it in rural Alaska is not the same as being what Alaska calls a subsistence hunter with a Wal Mart nearby. Fearing the spread of aerial wolf hunting to the lower 48 states, people are asking for facts about the aerial wolf hunting program in Alaska. Some hope those facts will counter the proposed Protect America's Wildlife (PAW) Act. Few realize the PAW Act does not stop all aerial hunting, but requires it to be based on sound science, not just the wishes of the hunting lobby, a small vocal minority. (Less than 15% of all Alaskans hold a hunting license. ( http://www.adn.com/outdoors/hunting/story/9219177p-9135.... html ) McGrath, Alaska, was ground zero for the startup of aerial wolf control and has had the most scientific studies of any area of the state. I was appointed to the McGrath Adaptive Management team assigned to find out why hunters were not finding enough Bull Moose to harvest. Studies of subsistence needs for just the McGrath area indicated the need to harvest 100-150 moose, which Fish and Game said required a population of 3,000-3,500 moose. Predation studies showed that bears were the main predators, and a study was done removing bears in the spring so more calves survived. That increased calf survival lasted until the next winter, which was more severe than normal, and most of surviving calves died because of weather, not predation. Intense population studies were done at McGrath, rather than the general population trend survey that had been done for years. The good studies showed that there were between 2,800 and 3,200 moose in the area we desired to have 3,000-3,500, and it showed the core of the problem, the bull cow ratio, which should have been nearly 25 - 40 bulls per 100 cows was down to as low as 6 per 100. That ratio indicates over hunting. Over hunting was also indicated by the bulls having smaller antlers. (Look under Harvests - http://wildlife.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=hunting.moose and http://www.akwildlife.com/Page5.htm ) All this scientific information was set aside when Governor Murkowski came into office and appointed a new, very radical Board of Game. This Board is so radical, that I fear they will soon approve DENNING - the practice of killing wolf pups and bears and cubs while in their dens - just to increase urban hunter success ratios, without any real regard to helping those living in rural areas that have a higher dependence on natural resources. If they want to show real concern for rural Alaskans, those crying wolf should be crying for better control of urban and trophy hunters and initiating permit systems that help guarantee bull cow ratios do not drop as low as they have near McGrath. I believe under a permit system there will be as much hunting opportunity as there is today, and very likely much higher success ratios.

In my home State of New york I see the envirnment being destroyed at an alarming rate. Even in the 6 million acre Adirondack Park there is too much needless road building and developement. The Bush administration has been an environmental disaster. We can start saving the biodiversity of the planet by saving the wolves of Alaska. The people who are killing off the wolves and bears are a reflection of how far the human race still needs go morally. I believe in hunting only the animals that are very numerous.
Wherever people with outmoded beliefs and vested interests successfully oppose species recovery, the losses are great for all of us. The worst possible result is to ultimately lose a species—a unique form of the earth’s biological diversity—forever. Our collective desire and moral obligation to protect species, to restore ecological health, and to leave a rich and beautiful natural world to future generations, is thwarted.

I have been a hunter and outdoorsman most of my life. Having hunted in different areas around the country and with a variety of people I can honestly say, without a doubt, a large percentage of hunters do not have a proper respect and understanding of the natural world. This includes many of the local people that hunt in their own states and counties. Therefore, it is wrong to say that regulations for hunting/trapping should be put only in the hands of the local people in the areas that are hunted. Many of these people feel it is their right to kill as many animals as they want, this is wrong. There is just not enough wilderness for this. Many of these hunters will kill just about anything they can kill as long as they can get away with it. Federal and local enforcement of hunting regulations (regulations that make sense and are intended for the long term health of all species) needs to be supported and assured (without harrassing honest sports people). In addition, trapping needs to be out lawed. There are simply not enough animals available to be harvested by trappers. Bringing back to natual balance of nature by making sure there are enough predators will control any populations of Beavers etc.. There are too many people and not enough wild creatures. Trapping is not an economic advantage in the grand sceme of things. It benefits only a few people at the expense of the rest of us not having these wild creatures around. If they want to provide fur or meat they can farm the animals needed for this so the wild creatures are not lost. Or, just do away with the fur industry on the whole. Leather, wool and cotton can provide all the clothing we need. Aerial hunting is a bunch of nonsense. To think people need that kind of an advantage in hunting any creature is absurd.

BRAVO< Smith Bio!

Hunters like to think they know so much about animals; the fact is they take the BEST of the species while natural predators such as wolves take the weakest. Now, who is keeping the prey population healthier?

When hunters complain there are "not enough" prey to hunt, they should look in the mirror!

Wolves do not "decimate" prey populations; they keep ecosystems INTACT!

And how many wolves are being shot and INJURED and LOST, left to suffer?

Stop the insanity -- stop killing our wolves!

The wolves are a national treasure -- Alaska does not "own" them! I cannot imagine Native Americans agreeing with this kind of insane policy!

How would you like to be chased to exhaustion then shot? Idiots!