Looks like all our work getting the gray wolf delisted in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming is down the tube thanks to a pro-wolf Federal Judge. Here's the press release. Sad sad day.

Judge restores protections for N. Rockies wolves



BILLINGS (AP) - A federal judge in Montana has ordered gray wolves in the Northern Rockies be returned to the endangered species list.

U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy granted a preliminary injunction Friday, restoring federal protections for the wolves.

The predator was removed from the endangered species list in March, following a decade-long restoration effort. Environmentalists sued to overturn the decision.

Officials in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho have been moving forward with plans for public hunts. Molloy's ruling is expected to derail those plans.

The region has an estimated 2,000 wolves, a population that has been soaring and increasingly preying on livestock.

As stated before,ya'll GOTTA keep them in check or there goes the elk and just about any other game species.

The government agencies are very slow and extremely reluctant to even say out loud that the wolf is a danger to man and beast,especially when there numbers start to increase.

The state wildlife biologists will do their studies,come up with their findings,then ONLY release those findings to the state law makers. If the lawmakers get pressure from them "save the wolf" types,the findings are altered or not released to the public at all.

Hunters,guides,trappers,and the like,have to look down the road,and help control the "problem" before it gets outta hand.

Once the wolf population gets too big, the game animals will retreat into the wilderness that is all but un-huntable. If you do happen to find a few elk,they will be so wary and skiddish that they will be almost impossible to hunt.

Good luck to ya'll up there. -----pruhdlr

At what population level should federal judges be delisted? Oh, they will never be on the endangered list to start with. I guess we will have to learn to live with them too. Sure seems that the system is broke in that respect, don't it.

I sure wish we could begin these investigations by stating the facts that are undisputable and go from there. Our legal system has strayed from that key premiss and so has our government. I am no lawyer but I know, "the more you think you know, the less you know", and starting an inquiry without a basis of fact that all agree on is what wars are started and fought over.

There needs to be a population level that all animals be maintained at. When they are listed endangered there needs to be a level where they will no longer be listed and maintained at. Hunting is the only tool that makes since to do this. Those are facts that can be backed up over and over again.

Consensus is this liberal judges ruling will be overturned. The anti's went judge shopping when they sued, but it may well derail any plans for wolf hunts this fall. Meanwhile wolves are not on the Federal endangered list yet.

I quit elk hunting a couple of years ago here in this part of Idaho. Two years of sitting in elk camp in the evenings listening to the wolves gather to hunt was enough. Only elk I saw was leftovers in the woods.

When the P.E.T.A. members and the rest of the anti hunting group have to pay $20.00 a pound for hamburger (because the ranchers have to make a living too.) maybe they will see the error of their thinking. Untill then they will keep on trying to save anything that makes them feel good and appear important, no matter who it hurts.

Your right Lee, but keep in mind most of them folks are vegetarians to begin with. I really think they should re-introduce the wolves to Washington DC. Of course they would starve to death there with nothing to eat except politicians.

Long as were at it taking wolves to DC lets put the grizzly back in the hills of California. After all That bear is on the state flag.. He he! Grizzlies in the Sierra's for the Serria Culb members to go hiking with.
Mybebad huh?

Long as were at it taking wolves to DC lets put the grizzly back in the hills of California. After all That bear is on the state flag.. He he! Grizzlies in the Sierra's for the Serria Culb members to go hiking with.
Mybebad huh?

Think we could get a petition going?:p

I'm going by memory, but wasn't the recovery goal 600 wolves in the three-state area, where the delisting process would start? And IIRC, that was achieved in 2001? And now, the number of wolves is cited at 2000, when earlier this year it was 1500....a 33% increase.

I hope Bob is right, that the judge-shopping decision will be overruled. Everyone remember the name of the organizations that brought suit:

"Earthjustice submitted the notice letter on behalf of Defenders of Wildlife, Natural Resources Defense Council, SIerra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, The Human Society of the United States, Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, Friends of the Clearwater, Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Oregon Wild, Cascadia Wildlands Project and Western Watersheds Project."

Never, ever give them any money.

Shawn - break that last paragraph down in a notice form and we'll make a sticky out of it here on the forum.

Shawn - break that last paragraph down in a notice form and we'll make a sticky out of it here on the forum.

Thx kdub, new thread started for a sticky.

Oops, I think I locked it thinking it was a dup. I'll take care of it.

Oops, I think I locked it thinking it was a dup. I'll take care of it.

Thx MikeG.

Here's an interesting quote from the 'Western Watersheds Project', one of the organizations that sued to stop the wolf delisting:

"If you believe that your public lands ought prioritize wildlife, hunting, fishing, and recreational values, help us make it happen by joining WWP's community of dedicated wildlife advocates."

Seems they have a conflict in their goals, saying they are promoting hunting, yet participate in a lawsuit to stop the hunting of wolves, which would also be beneficial to our elk hunting. But, like many such organizations, they use smoke and mirrors to get donations, while doing the opposite of what they say they'll do.