Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia needs to shed erroneous Republican Party propaganda "talking points" about Wolves being a major cause of catttle and sheep depredation in Wyoming..............It is frightening how little homework our elected Officials actually do before voting on the issues that effect all of us..............FRIGHTENING, IT IS!...............Helen Mcginnis of Cougar Rewilding gets many brownie points from this blog for taking the Senator to task for his miscommunication and understanding of the matter

From: Helen McGinnis [HelenMcGinnis@frontiernet.net]
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2011 2:36 PM
To: Meril, Rick
Subject: Fw: Letter from Senator Jay Rockefeller

Hi Rick,
Do you have a reference handy regarding "the devastating toll on livestock
in Wyoming" handy.  I want to response to this letter from my Senator.
Helen
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----- Original Message -----
From: senator@rockefeller.senate.gov>
To: helenmcginnis@frontiernet.net>
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2011 5:12 PM
Subject: Letter from Senator Jay Rockefeller

Dear Helen,
Thank you for contacting me to share your thoughts about wolf control in
Wyoming. It is always good to hear from a fellow West Virginian and I
appreciate the opportunity to be in touch.

For several years wolves have taken a devastating toll on livestock in
Wyoming.

Unlike several other western states, many wolves in Wyoming are
covered under federal protections. On August 3, 2011 Secretary of the
Interior Ken Salazar, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Director Dan Ashe and
the State of Wyoming came to an agreement on the state's management plan for
the wolves.  Under the plan, Wyoming would agree to maintain at least 10
breeding pairs and at least 100 wolves outside Yellowstone National Park.
Additionally, wolves outside Yellowstone would be managed as predatory
animals and therefore subject to regulated hunting.

I want you to know that I understand your concerns of preserving wildlife. I
also understand that at times and in certain locations there might be the
need to manage wildlife populations.  If legislation pertaining to this
matter comes before the full Senate for my consideration, I will be sure to
keep your thoughts in mind.  Thank you again for being in touch. As always,
I wish you the very best.

With Warm Regards,
Jay Rockefeller
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Helen McGinnis <

HelenMcGinnis@frontiernet.net>
Date: Sat, Sep 17, 2011 at 11:52 AM
Subject: Re: wyoming predator depredation
To: Rick Meril <rick.meril@gmail.com>

Thanks for this material.  I usually support Rockefeller's position, so was very disappointed in his wolf letter.

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----- Original Message -----

From: Rick Meril

To: Helen McGinnis

Sent: Saturday, September 17, 2011 1:27 PM

Subject: wyoming predator depredation

Report: Wyoming wolf numbers up, depredations down

• By WHITNEY ROYSTER                                            

JACKSON -- While Wyoming's wolf population outside Yellowstone National Park increased in 2010, depredation losses were the lowest on record since 2003, according to an unofficial year-end report published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Although the official report won't be available until March, it is estimated that Wyoming's wolf population outside Yellowstone National Park increased by about 9 percent to about 247 wolves, while depredations decreased to a total of 64 animals. In 2009, an estimated 222 animals were killed by wolves.

Despite a slight increase in the number of packs, the number of packs guilty of livestock kills decreased slightly in 2010 as well.

Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator for the Fish and Wildlife Service, said the decreased depredation despite slightly higher populations is a result of "more aggressive control."
"We're doing lethal control much earlier, removing entire packs much earlier," he said. "If you've got a problem where you've had a bunch of problems in the past, you're better off getting in there right away rather than dragging it out and killing one here and one there."

Bangs said the total population of Wyoming's wolves has stayed relatively the same for the past five years. Numbers outside the park have crept up, but as agency officials are killing wolves that migrate to areas where conflicts occur, wolf populations are stabilizing.
"We're not into restoring wolves anymore, we're into minimizing damage," he said.

In total, preliminary estimates indicate there are 348 wolves in Wyoming including Yellowstone, in 45 packs. In Yellowstone, there are an estimated 101 wolves in 11 packs.
At the end of 2009, there were an estimated 320 wolves in 44 packs in Wyoming, including Yellowstone. Outside Yellowstone there were 224 wolves in 30 packs at the end of 2009. Wolves killed about 222 animals last year, and 31 wolves were removed from the population in federal actions.

In 2010, 40 wolves were killed in agency actions, with a total of 58 documented wolf mortalities. Nine were illegal killings or are under investigation.

Jim Magagna, executive vice president with the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, said some credit belongs to the Fish and Wildlife Service for taking quicker action in dealing with problem wolves."They've generally been responsive," he said. Magagna also speculated that there is growing competition between grizzly bears and wolves for prey including livestock, particularly in areas of Sublette County, and it could be that more livestock losses because of grizzlies this summer led wolves elsewhere.

Magagna said he doesn't have proof, but in looking at numbers and talking to ranchers in the area, there could be a relation between the two species and depredations.

In 2010, Sublette County experienced the most cattle losses attributed to wolves with 12 confirmed kills, according to the report. Big Horn County saw the most sheep losses with 24. Total cattle depredations in 2010 were 26, and there were 33 confirmed sheep losses. That number is a dramatic drop from 2009, which saw 195 sheep losses.

Bangs said he cannot predict how much more the wolf population will grow, but at some point the population will stop increasing."I don't think that number is terribly much higher than it is right now," he said. "If we had hunting it wouldn't. I'm not sure there's a lot more room for wolves in Wyoming."

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WYOMING WOLF RECOVERY

2010 ANNUAL REPORT A cooperative effort by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
National Park Service, and USDA Wildlife Services

 Wolf Management in Wyoming outside Yellowstone National Park

   Livestock Depredations

Potential livestock depredations in WY were investigated by WS, USFWS and WGFD. Depredations were classified as confirmed, probable, or other based on specific criteria agreed upon by the USFWS and WS. The following livestock depredation statistics were based on reported livestock losses and do not reflect lost or missing livestock.

In 2010, wolves in WY were responsible for killing 59 livestock and 1 horse (foal). Confirmed livestock depredations included 26 cattle (19 calves and 7 cows/yearlings) and 33 sheep (6 ewes and 27 lambs).

  Two horses were chased by wolves and injured when they ran through a fence. One horse was chased by wolves and broke its leg when it ran over a cattle guard. All 3 injured horses had to be euthanized. One dead calf was recorded as a probable wolf-kill. Eleven calves and 1 steer were injured by wolves, but survived. The total number of confirmed livestock depredations was the lowest number recorded since 2003

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