Senate Bill 183 would limit the number of wolves in Montana to 225.
Montana State Senator Joe Balyeat (R-Belgrade)
Montana State Senator Joe Balyeat (R-Belgrade) has introduced Senate Bill 183 which would limit the number of wolves in Montana to just 225. Currently the estimated number of wolves in Montana is around 500 according to the recently released Montana Gray Wolf Conservation and Management 2008 Annual Report.
“I acknowledge it’s strong medicine, but I believe we need strong medicine to deal with this wolf crisis”
This kind of “medicine”/legislation would likely scuttle the current delisting process all by itself and hand management of wolves in Montana back to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, maybe for good. Perhaps there is something to love about this bill by all sides. 😉
Balyeat bill would cap wolves in state
Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Ken Cole
Ken Cole is a 5th generation Idahoan, an avid fly fisherman, wildlife enthusiast, and photographer. He is the interim Idaho Director for Western Watersheds Project. We do not accept unsolicited “guest” authors or advertising.
First it was Joe the Plumber, now it’s Joe the Re-lister.
Thx Joe!
I recommend the article I linked to under Joe’s name. It’s rather amusing, scary, and informative.
Interesting profile for Balyeat
http://www.mhrn.org/newsarchive/joev6.html
Jerry B,
Thanks for the link.
Folks need to realize that the anti-wolf careerists often have an agenda unrelated to the issue, an agenda that does not carry much public support.
http://www.montanastandard.com/articles/2008/05/16/opinion/hjjbjeiehghchi.txt
Judging by who hates him, I already like him! The previous link was posted by some very liberal leaning “human rights” group, but then again they hate anyone with a sense of right and wrong that doesn’t condone their lifestyle choices.
Yes, I believe that there certainly is “something to love about this bill” and I certainly do not believe that it even needs to get close to passing to be a vivid and conclusive example of what could or, more accurately, probably will happen in the event wolves are delisted in any of the three northern rocky states. Wyoming has proven, right up front, that it can’t be trusted to maturely and properly manage the species. Butch Otter’s outrageous behavior and the pronouncements of a host of other Idahoans stand as proof that the same goes for Idaho. Now, this moron provides us with evidence of how thin the veneer is over flaky Montana politics. Salazar needs to admit his error and reverse course or step down and let his successor reverse it.
Nice false premise of the ‘wolf crises’
The ‘wolf crises’ reads like the media attempt at selling ‘fear’ with regard to vacationing in Mexico….
If it’s got the name Joe Balyeat on it, it’s usually crazy; the good news is that his stuff almost never becomes law.
Balyeat says: “There’s a reason wolves were eliminated. I don’t understand why people who claim to be animal lovers want this to happen to thousands of elk and moose,”
He’s breaking my heart, give me a break.
Paul
Brings back memories of the Montana Freemen. Where do they get these kooks? And the Montana people actually elect them. It must be nice to be perfect as Balyeat clearly is.
I think the strong medicine is more urgently needed for those who hate wolves because they are wolves — in the form of either intense therapy or Rx’s.
Montana and northern Idaho, for some reason, have had a tendency to attract the flat-out whack jobs than other Western states.
When some of the Montana crazies tried to go down to Wyoming 5-6 years, they were ostracized.
I understand there is a southern Idaho radio person stirring up some craziness near my country now. One of the Idaho blogs specializes in countering his raving.
Ralph, as a former resident of Montana I whole heartedly agree. Montana makes Wyoming look like Berkley (and that is not good). Many people I have met from Idaho do as well.
Balyeat says: “There’s a reason wolves were eliminated. I don’t understand why people who claim to be animal lovers want this to happen to thousands of elk and moose,”
Maybe he needs to go back to junior high biology. Who is the one who thinks the Bambi story is real? Is there a difference between mountain lions and bears eating elk and moose than wolves?
*Those of you smart Montanans, Idahoans, and Wyomingites please take no offense.
A little off topic, but this supports what Ralph said about the crackpots in Montana and Idaho. http://www.saveelk.com
These anti-wolf people say we use emotion all the time. What is this? Can you believe anyone actually believes this crap? Amazing. Just listen for a few seconds.
http://www.wolfcrossing.org
‘Examination’ on the wolf reintroduction program and wolf education. Stalk your kids and kill your horse, thems wolves are the devil and are protected by eco-terrorists!
“Those of you smart Montanans, Idahoans, and Wyomingites please take no offense.”
It’s ok, after all we have Lenore Barrett.
FYI, Balyeat’s anti-wolf bill died in the Senate.
See http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2009/03/25/news/40wolf%20brief.txt
It may have died, but the vote was close:
“…the Senate voted against the bill 27-23, with five Republicans joining Democrats in opposition to the bill. The bill had been approved in two committees before coming to the floor for a vote.”
This type of political B.S. helps explain why so many people living outside of MT, WY, and ID are willing to go to court (or hand over their money to conservation groups to go to court) to keep wolves on the endangered species list.
Yeah, it needed 3 votes to get out of the Senate, then would have failed in the split house, and then would have been surely vetoed. So, kind of close, but not really that close in terms of the political system. But, yes, in Montana an anti-wildlife bill has more chance of succeeding than a pro-wildlife bill, but the votes seem to be always close.
Wyoming, on the other hand, has a lot more Joe Balyeat types; I think ultimately that they are a dying breed in Montana. I think Balyeat is out of touch with his own district and wonder when he will go by the wayside.
After having lived in the area that Bayleat is from, I would say he is out of touch with his constituents. Didn’t Montana supposedly have the best plan of the three states. I also agree that this is why wolves continue to stay on the endangered species list.