Here Jeff Gearino describes how pleased Wildlife Services is to get this big boost from the state. Now they can use the federal money for other predator control projects.
Helping the feds: USDA Wildlife Services benefits from increased state funding. By Jeff Gearino. Jackson Hole Star Tribune.
It’s not a business for the squeamish. Tools of the trade include planes and helicopters for aerial gunning of coyotes, rifles, shotguns, and a variety of snares, traps and poisons. Birds constitute the overwhelming majority of animals exterminated, with about 2.3 million grain-devouring starlings killed at a national level last year.
I’m not concerned about the non-native starlings, but somehow I don’t think this is more than a sidelight.
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is President of the Western Watersheds Project.
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I must’ve gone back in time – is it 1907??? Seems like it with these articles.
I’ve been reading Michael J. Robinson’s excellent book “Predatory Bureaucracy.” University Press of Colorado. 2005. In fact, the attitudes of Wyoming’s ruling class haven’t changed since 1907. They want to go back to 1907. Perhaps their reemphasis on more and more killing is a ritual meant to at least unconsciously to restore the old days when there weren’t billionaires living in Jackson Hole, people didn’t care about scenery or the quality of the water, when people cared about no animals but livestock, and when folks like us shut up our damn mouths. Ralph Maughan
At some point in time – and I think that time is getting near – we have to realize that Wyoming is oblivious to public opinion. A well organized boycott of Wyoming might be one tactic to take. I think were nearing the point where personal action by each concerned citizen (and I’m not talking about writing letters) to defend the creatures that are subjected to this assault is necessary.