Mesilla
Valley Sportsman’s Alliance
In March of 1998, eleven wolves were released into the
Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area, consisting of the Apache-Sitgreaves National
Forest and the Gila National Forest, as the initial release of wolves in the
Mexican Wolf Reintroduction Program. The
US Fish and Wildlife Service partnering with the New Mexico Department of Game
and Fish are in charge of the management of this program. Since their release, the wolf population has grown to
approximately sixty wolves and the results have been devastating.
These wolves have greatly impacted the numbers of our deer and elk herds
in the Gila National Forest. It has
also become increasingly dangerous for outdoorsmen to enjoy the forests due to
the wolf presence.
Between the reintroduction of the wolf and the proposed
road closures in the Gila, our children will not be able to experience the joy
of hunting or camping in the Gila that we have all known.
We must act now to
keep the roads open and stop the Wolf Recovery Program!!!
The Mesilla Valley
Sportsman’s Alliance Mission: To promote the
interests of Mesilla Valley sportsmen and recreationalists and to preserve and
protect continued access to all federal and state lands for multiple use by all
citizens.
Resolution
Whereas:
Big game hunting in New Mexico is an integral part of the custom and
culture of the people.
Whereas:
The Mexican Wolf Reintroduction Program in the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area has
had a devastating impact on the deer, elk and turkey population in the BRWRA.
Whereas:
The Mexican Wolf Reintroduction Program has not
had the “minimal” impact on the ranchers, rural residents, livestock, big
game and recreational opportunities that was promised in the Environmental
Impact Statement.
Whereas:
The US Fish and Wildlife Service are partnering with the New Mexico
Department of Game and Fish to manage wildlife in the Gila to support the wolf
and not the people.
Whereas:
The big game in the Gila belongs to the people of New Mexico.
Whereas:
The presence of wolves, create an unsafe environment for families to
recreate in the Gila National Forest.
Whereas:
Planned road closures in the US Forest Service new Travel Management Plan
will severely limit access to many areas of the Gila National Forest.
Therefore be it
resolved:
The Mesilla Valley Sportsman’s Alliance adamantly opposes any and all
road closures that would limit access in the Gila National Forest and other
federal lands.
Be it further
resolved: That the Mexican Wolf
Reintroduction Program be immediately ended and all wolves be captured and
removed to sanctuaries.
For more information on the Mesilla Valley
Sportsman’s Alliance contact Byron Delk (505)640-3185.
Thanks for your
support
www.thewesterner.blogspot.com
Date:
Sun, 6 May 2007 17:00:13 +0000
All of the State fish and wildlife agencies are being run more and more from
Washington and specifically from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. It is not
just the Endangered Species Act or the kind of employees hired or the sort of
students turned out of the Universities today, although these do contribute to
the problem. The real reason is MONEY. When you see the words “Nongame”,
“Native Species”, “Native Ecosystems”, “Invasive Species”,
“Species of Concern”, “Keystone Species”, or really any of a dozen other
terms of budget art; be aware that they are merely words used to justify giving
Federal tax dollars to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to pa ss
through (with “overhead” withheld of course and “instructions” called
“strings”) to State fish and wildlife agencies to do everything except
hunting and fishing programs. State bureaucrats and politicians love this
“free” money. The state bureaucrats think hunting and fishing are going to
be wiped out anyway and this not only replaces and increases their “budget”
it opens up a whole new world like the Feds have of immeasurable programs that
always need “more” as far as the eye can see. The State politicians are
content to measure their bureaucrats like Highway Department Administrators on
how quickly and how much federal money is obtained. I hope some of you aren’t
crushed by this exposure of Santa, the Easter Bunny, and now “our state fish
and wildlife agencies” real role. As I have said in numerous articles over the
past two years, Congress authorized the US Fish and Wildlife Service to use $80
Million to have the states put together wish lists of all the things they would
“ne ed” to do to their state what the US Fish and Wildlife Service is doing
to the US. State politicians didn’t pay attention and now these gargantuan
wish lists have been rolled up in Washington and Congress is only too eager to
start the money flow for all those things “to keep all of these ‘nongame’
species from becoming Endangered” (to “save the Federal government money”
don’t you know). The amount is over $100 Million per year already and it will
climb every year that Federal politicians want you to love them. To say it will
approach and then exceed a Billion soon would be no exaggeration.Yesterday I
spoke with a retired US Fish and Wildlife Service employee that laughingly told
me I should have “stuck around”. My old Division (the one that give the
hunting and fishing excise taxes to state fish and wildlife agencies for hunting
and fishing programs) is “growing by leaps and bounds”. “They are
reorganizing it to make ‘more 15’s’ (a high supervisor job paying $115,000
+ per year pl us bonuses) because of all the growth in ‘state programs’”.
Translation, the “nongame” funding program will soon surpass and then
replace the hunting and fishing programs. They will hire more anti-hunters and
while building the nongame funding flow from Congress, they will loosen the
rules for hunting and fishing programs till they slowly disappear as is
happening with other Federal efforts nationwide. By the way, the reason the
Georgia Director is so worried about his “nongame” funds from license plates
is that they have to come up with a modest (10-15%) match of state funds to get
the Federal funds (to make it look good). Where do you get the money? The
“Nongame” advocates don’t buy licenses, they don’t support rural
economies; in fact they are the ones destroying ranching and logging and big
game hunting as you are reading this. Care to bet about “Peter (hunting and
fishing) being robbed to pay Paul (“Ecosystem tinkering”)? So there you have
it. When is a tax increase not a tax increase? Why does both State and Federal
governments propagandize Global Warming and school kids implore the government
to list the polar bear because of global warming while the same governments are
dumping hundreds of lynx in the most extreme southern part of their always
changing range when we are all supposed to believe that Colorado will soon look
and feel like Costa Rica and be home to jaguars? And finally, why would a State
(southern at that) DNR oppose a money-generating license plate for kids and
hunting and fishing?The answers are not really answers at all. There is only one
answer. These things are happening because each of us refuses to stop it. We
each prefer to give our state politician a pass when he gets other things and we
all want to believe that our state bureaucrats still work for us. We think our
trade or recreation organization is standing up for us when they are merely
angling for the next job. We are comforted by Federal politicians mentioning
“tools in the toolbox” as possible helps while Federal bureaucrats lie with
impunity and are rewarded for bamboozling rural Americans. So the Federal
politician gets reelected, the Federal bureaucrat gets a “15”, the state
politician gets credit for getting “more” and the state bureaucrat gets a
big bonus for getting so much, so quick. Meanwhile we send money to the people
lying to us about everything from temperature change and polar bears to wolves.
Illusion or conspiracy, I leave it to you.
Joe Delk
Field Representative
Paragon Foundation
H 505-524-1233
C 505-644-3082
This is from AZ. Just a taste of what's to come here.
|
NEWS FROM:
AMERICAN'S FOR PROPERTY RIGHTS |
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Greetings!
It's folks like you that can make a
difference!
Thanks to each and everyone of you
for taking the time out of your busy lives
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American's For Property Rights have
delivered thru our email program.
Feel free to make requests for any
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|
 |
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Learn
about federal land management planning
efforts around the state
|
April
5, 2007
|
| |
|
|
Arizona
Game and Fish Department to hold
informational meetings on how to
become involved in the process
The USDA Forest
Service and the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) are revising land
use management plans and travel
management plans statewide. These
plans include updated guidelines
and rules on how public lands are
to be managed (including what
activities are permitted), and how
and where motorized travel should
occur.
The plans could
potentially include proposed
alternatives that change the way
you currently enjoy public lands,
particularly with regard to:
 |  Vehicular
access and transportation
|
| Designation of
open and closed roads
|
| Dispersed
camping and/or recreation
|
| Motorized retrieval
of lawfully taken big game by
hunters |
Public
input process
The Arizona Game and
Fish Department has been working,
and will continue to work, to ensure
that wildlife habitats, wildlife
management, and wildlife-based
recreation are considered in each
planning effort. However, the public
must also be engaged throughout the
entire process to ensure that issues
important to you are
considered.
Informational
meetings on how to become engaged in
the process
The Arizona Game and
Fish Department will host a
series of meetings across the state
to provide an overview of the Forest
Service and BLM planning processes
and how you can become engaged.
How do you
know if you should be engaged? Review
the Forest Service and/or BLM
proposed alternatives and ask
yourself the following questions:
Access and roads
| Where do I go to
enjoy the outdoors, and how do I
access those areas? |
| Which roads
should remain open and which
should be closed? |
| Will these areas
be available to me in the new
plan? |
| What areas are
important to access for hunting,
wildlife viewing, etc.?
|
| What modes of
transport do I enjoy to access
those areas? |
Camping and
recreation
| Where and how do
I camp now? |
| Where and how
will I be able to camp once these
plans are final? |
| Will I be able to
choose my own campsite, or will I
be limited to identified sites
only? |
| Will I be able to
collect firewood, or will I have
to bring it in? |
Hunting and game
retrieval
| How am I able to
retrieve downed big game
currently? (Motorized,
non-motorized, etc.) |
| Will I be able to
camp near where I hunt?
|
| How will the
revised plans change or modify
those allowances? |
Note: Certain
designations on BLM or Forest
Service lands may dictate the
approach to these issues, such as
congressionally designated
wilderness, national monuments, etc.
Meeting
schedule
Informational
meetings are scheduled for the
following dates:
| Monday, April 16,
6-9 p.m., Mesa,
Arizona Game and Fish Department
Mesa regional office, 7200 E.
University Drive.
|
| Tuesday, April
17, 6-9 p.m., Flagstaff,
Arizona Game and Fish Department
Flagstaff regional office, 3500 S.
Lake Mary Road.
|
| Monday, April 23,
6-9 p.m., Pinetop,
Arizona Game and Fish Department
Pinetop regional office, 2878 E.
White Mountain Blvd.
|
| Monday, May 7,
6-9 p.m., Yuma,
Arizona Game and Fish Department
Yuma regional office, 9140 E. 28th
St.
|
| Friday, May 11,
6-9 p.m., Sierra Vista
(location to be determined; will
be posted at azgfd.gov when
available).
|
| Saturday, May 12,
9 a.m. to noon, Tucson,
Arizona Game and Fish Department
Tucson regional office, 555 N.
Greasewood Road. |
The meetings will
include information on the Forest
Service and BLM planning processes;
facts about the new policies and
direction, from both a statewide and
local standpoint; how you can become
involved in the process, including
the Forest Service and BLM public
meeting schedules and comment
periods; and resources where you can
learn more information. Regional
Game and Fish Department staff will
be on hand with maps and information
on local areas.
If you want to learn
more about the management and travel
planning process and how it could
affect the way you recreate on
public lands, you will want to
attend one of these meetings.
The schedule for
additional meetings will be posted
at azgfd.gov
as those dates become available.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
From: Joe Delk <jdelk525@yahoo.com>
Subject: Future for Travel Management in the Gila
Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2007 04:19:55 +0000
Please do not read this email. It will
make you sick.
I hope everyone takes time to read this email from Doyel
Shamley, president of Citezens for Multiple Land Use and Access (CMLUA) in
Eagar/Springerville, Arizona. I cannot emphasize more emphatically how
crucial it is for you to learn what is happening to our FREEDOM at the hands
of the US Forest Service.
These Travel Management Plans includes
updated guidelines and rules on how federal lands are to be managed (including
what activities are to be permitted), and how and where motorized travel
should be occur.
The Forest Service and the Bureau of Land
Management in New Mexico are headed down this same road (no pun intended).
IT WILL NOT BE LONG BEFORE YOU HAVE TO MAKE
RESERVATIONS WITH THE FOREST SERVICE TO EVEN GO ONTO THE FOREST IF THEY HAVE
THEIR WAY.
Come to the inaugural
meeting of the newly formed Mesilla Valley
Sportsman's Alliance at 6:30 PM,
Wednesday, April 11 at the Elks Lodge in Las Cruces, NM.
This group of hunter/sportsmen
are dedicated to protecting and preserving our right to hunt and acess
the Gila National Forest. Don't be a bystander!
Joe Delk
From: "John Shamley" <hourofthetime@hotmail.com>
To: jdelk525@yahoo.com
Subject: FW: Learn about federal land management planning efforts in Arizona
Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2007 13:51:48 -0700
Hey Joe,
Here is some info to share with the Mesilla Valley Sportsman Alliance.
This is more proof of my prediction of a multiple-pronged attack on our
rights and we have already found that most of the other states are going to
do the same. Notice that the agenda and topics are the same for what we are
already fighting with the F.S. over, yet these meetings are held in
difficult places to attend. I believe they will follow the same M.O. and
use the comments that fit their agenda the best from these two meetings.
Also, please spread the word about the new round of Travel Management
meetings being held around the area. We need bodies at the Clifton meeting,
but we have all of the other meetings covered. See out website for the
schedule and locations. http://www.cmlua.com
Wait until you see and hear what they are rolling out now in their plan.
See Ya'
Doyel
From: "AZGFD"
To: hourofthetime@hotmail.com
Subject: Learn about federal land management planning efforts in Arizona
Date: Thu, 05 Apr 2007 17:43:02 -0600
Learn about federal land management planning efforts around the state
April 5, 2007
Arizona Game and Fish Department to hold informational meetings on how to
become involved in the process
The USDA Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are
revising land use management plans and travel management plans statewide.
These plans include updated guidelines and rules on how public lands are to
be managed (including what activities are permitted), and how and wh ere
motorized travel should occur.
The plans could potentially include proposed alternatives that
change the
way you currently enjoy public lands, particularly with regard to:
Vehicular access and transportation
Designation of open and closed roads
Dispersed camping and/or recreation
Motorized retrieval of lawfully taken big game by hunters
Public input process
Each planning effort includes a public process for providing comments so
that your issues are considered. The different Forest Service districts
and
BLM field offices are in various phases of the planning efforts. More
information can be found on the USDA Forest Service (Southwestern Region)
and Bureau of Land Management (Arizona) Web sites.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department has been working, and will continue to
work, to ensure that wildlife habitats, wildlife management, and
wildlife-based recreation are considered in e ach planning effort.
However,
the public must also be engaged throughout the entire process to ensure
that issues important to you are considered.
Informational meetings on how to become engaged in the process
The Arizona Game and Fish Department will host a series of meetings
across
the state to provide an overview of the Forest Service and BLM planning
processes and how you can become engaged.
How do you know if you should be engaged? Review the Forest Service and/or
BLM proposed alternatives and ask yourself the following questions:
Access and roads
Where do I go to enjoy the outdoors, and how do I access those areas?
Which roads should remain open and which should be closed?
Will these areas be available to me in the new plan?
What areas are important to access for hunting, wildlife viewing, etc.?
What modes of transport do I enjoy to access those areas?
Camping and recreation
Where and h ow do I camp now?
Where and how will I be able to camp once these plans are final?
Will I be able to choose my own campsite, or will I be limited to
identified sites only?
Will I be able to collect firewood, or will I have to bring it in?
Hunting and game retrieval
How am I able to retrieve downed big game currently? (Motorized,
non-motorized, etc.)
Will I be able to camp near where I hunt?
How will the revised plans change or modify those allowances?
Note: Certain designations on BLM or Forest Service lands may dictate the
approach to these issues, such as congressionally designated wilderness,
national monuments, etc.
Meeting schedule
Informational meetings are scheduled for the following dates:
Monday, April 16, 6-9 p.m., Mesa, Arizona Game and Fish Department Mesa
regional office, 7200 E. University Drive.
Tuesday, April 17, 6-9 p.m., Flagstaff, Arizona Game and Fish Department
Flagstaff regional office, 3500 S. Lake Mary Road.
Monday, April 23, 6-9 p.m., Pinetop, Arizona Game and Fish Department
Pinetop regional office, 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd.
Monday, May 7, 6-9 p.m., Yuma, Arizona Game and Fish Department Yuma
regional office, 9140 E. 28th St.
Friday, May 11, 6-9 p.m., Sierra Vista (location to be determined; will
be
posted at azgfd.gov when available).
Saturday, May 12, 9 a.m. to noon, Tucson, Arizona Game and Fish Department
Tucson regional office, 555 N. Greasewood Road.
The meetings will include information on the Forest Service and BLM
planning processes; facts about the new policies and direction, from both a
statewide and local standpoint; how you can become involved in the process,
including the Forest Service and BLM public meeting schedules and comment
periods; and resources where you can learn more information. Regional Game
and Fish Department staff will be on hand with maps and information on
local areas.
If you want to learn more about the management and travel planning process
and how it could affect the way you recreate on public lands, you will want
to attend one of these meetings.
The schedule for additional meetings will be posted at azgfd.gov as those
dates become available.
************************************************
Our destiny is at hand. The time has come for all unashamed patriots of
the land to come forth in unison, proclaiming loudly of the rich heritage of
the republic; to defend it, to preserve it.
We cannot each do everything, but we can each do something.; for each has
influence for good, and all that is needed for evil to succeed is for the
good to remain silent.
May God bless and have mercy on this Republic.
http://www.hourofthetime.com
************************************************
Joe Delk
Field Representative
Paragon Foundation
H 505-524-1233
C 505-644-3082
INDEX TO THE OFFICIAL RS 2477 WEB SITE
Because those visiting this site have different needs and varying
levels of interest, it has been organized to serve the widest range of
visitors in a user-friendly way.
The documents and material on this site are grouped below first
according to varying levels of interest and need and then by the major
RS 2477 issue categories.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN...
I. FOR A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE 2477
ISSUE
A
simple explanation of RS 2477: a relatively short
introduction to RS 2477 (including where it gets that name)
and to some of the key concepts and issues.
An RS
2477 Primer: a very brief explanation of each of the
terms in the law and a discussion of some of the
controversies they have raised.
Some
RS 2477 Myths Debunked: these are short refutations of
the myths being spread by access opponents about RS 2477
rights of way.
II. FOR A MORE DETAILED
UNDERSTANDING OF THE MAJOR 2477 ISSUES
In addition to the items listed above, you might want
to also look at:
Ten
Essential Points Concerning RS 2477 Rights Of Way: an
excellent law journal article (but very readable for
non lawyers!) which provides an overview of the ten
key points essential to understanding the issue.
Senate
Testimony On S. 1425: presented by Ms. Barbara
Hjelle, an attorney and acknowledged expert on
2477, the testimony focuses on the specific bill
before the committee, but contains a great deal of
very useful background information and some good
examples.
Settled
Precedents On RS 2477:a listing and brief
summary of settled precedents on 2477 issues
provides an excellent overview.
III. OF PARTICULAR
VALUE TO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND ACCESS
ACTIVISTS
An
RS 2477 Workshop Handbook: Developed for
Utah counties, this handbook contains a
wealth of information useful for any county
or for any activists who want to protect the
public's access rights. Includes
explanations of the important issues, a
checklist for counties, sample forms for
documenting RS 2477 claims and much more.
IV. FOR AN
IN-DEPTH UNDERSTANDING--DETAILED
DOCUMENTS RELATING TO EACH OF THE MAJOR
2477 ISSUE AREAS
There are four primary arenas in which
various aspects of the 2477 issue have
been actively addressed recently. One
relates to 1992 Congressional Research
Service (CRS) report and a closely
related Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Report to Congress issued in 1993. The
second is the release in 1994 of draft
2477 regulations by the Interior
Department. A third area relates to 2477
legislation in Congress. The fourth is
the continuing activity on 2477 issues
in the courts.
CRS Report/BLM Report to Congress
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
compiled a report in 1992 which
served as the basis of the later BLM
Report to Congress and provided the
philosophical basis of the draft
regulations issued by Interior.
Critics maintain that it is badly
flawed. The
withering critique of that document
developed by Congressmen Young
(Alaska) and Orton (Utah) is
reproduced on this site. Also
reproduced is an extensive and very
detailed
critique
of the BLM report to Congress which
was done by Brian Bremner,
Garfield (Utah) County Engineer and
an expert on the technical and
documentation aspects of RS 2477.
The
comments
of the Pacific Legal Foundation are
also available.
The Draft BLM Regulations
The second is the draft BLM
regulations themselves. They
have generated comments by some
of the best legal minds in the
country and contain a wealth of
information about 2477 as well
as legal and historical
research. A
brief introduction to the issues
associated with the draft
regulations is provided, along
with a brief description of some
of the comments and related
material included on this
website. The
1988 policy memo by
then-Interior Secretary Donald
Hodel on RS 2477, which
summarized the Interior
Departments policy over the
previous century (and which is
at odds with the draft
regulations Interior circulated
just six years later) is also
available. A subsequent
"BLM
Director's Memo Expanding On
Secretary Hodel's Memo"
is also on this site. The
comments filed by
the
State of Alaska, the
Utah
Association of Counties, the
Pacific Legal Foundation and
Seattle
University Professor of Law
David Engdahl as well as an
action
alert issued by the Coalition to
Protect Public Access Rights
are all available as well.
On January 22, 1997, Interior
Secretary Babbitt issued a
memorandum
revoking the Hodel policy and
attempting to issue de facto
regulations without going
through the required legal
processes. A short
analysis
and critique of this
memorandum is avialable on
this site.
2477 Legislation
(S.1425)
S.1425,
the legislation which was
moving through the 104
th
Congress, is available as
well as comprehensive
testimony
on the legislation
presented to the Senate
Committee. Also included
are the
detailed
answers to a series of
questions posed by the
committee to Ms. Barbara
Hjelle, a lawyer
recognized as one of the
foremost experts on RS
2477, as well as her
critique of the Interior
Department's testimony on
S. 1425.
Court Cases
A
brief explanation of
the history of the
Burr Trail Road case,
one of the significant
precedent setting
cases of the past
decade is available.
Also, a series of
"before and
after"
photographs of
sections of the road
taken prior to and
following the
maintenance work which
has generated and
continues to generate
legal maneuvering is
included. Test
yourself to see if you
can determine which
photos are
"before" and
which
"after" and
then decide if any
significant impacts
resulted from the
work. Also a
brief
on the Shultz case in
Alaska, another
recent precedent
setting case, is
included in this
section.
A
listing of the most
pertinent court
cases is also
available.
The
following
items have
been added
to this site
since it was
last
updated:
Key
legal
documents
from USA
v.
Garfield
County
(Utah),
the
Boulder-to-Bullfrog
Road (Burr
Trail
Road)
litigation.
For
a decade,
various
litigation
on the
Boulder-to-Bullfrog
road has
consistently
affirmed
the rights
granted by
Congress
in RS 2477
rights-of-way
grants and
set
important
legal
precedents.
Garfield
County's
litigation
team has
produced a
number of
documents
which
represent
"cutting
edge"
legal
thinking
in defense
of RS 2477
rights.
The ones
most
useful to
county
attorneys
and access
rights
activists
are now
posted on
this site.
This
extensive
collection
of
documents
has its
own
sub-index.
An
outrageous
exchange
between
a
federal
government
attorney
and
Federal
District
Judge
Jenkins.
In the
Boulder-to-Bullfrog
Road
case,
the
Clinton
Administration
asserted
that a
county
county
could
exercise
no
rights
under
its RS
2477
grant
without
first
getting
permission
from a
federal
agency,
including
taking a
water
truck
down an
RS 2477
road
merely
to
control
dust!
This is
the
actual
court
transcript
of
this
exchange
between
the
government
attorney
and a
clearly
incredulous
federal
judge.
Before
and
after
photos
of
the
road
maintenance
activity
which
triggered
the
Clinton
Administration
to sue
in USA
v.
Garfield.
Can
you
tell
the
difference?
Most
people
can't
and
these
photos
put
the
lie to
statements
filed
in
court
about
this
incident.
A few
pictures
in
this
case
should
have
been
worth
more
than
the
many
thousands
of
words
of
legal
filings
which
have
already
been
generated!
Documents
related
to
ecoterrorist
hacking
of
this
Web
site.
Ecoterrorists
in
July
of
1997
paid
the
ultimate
compliment
to
the
effectiveness
of
this
site
by
hacking
into
it
and
destroying
it.
This
is
the
first
reported
eco-terrorist
incident
in
cyber-space
and,
while
this
site
was
quickly
restored
within
a
day,
such
activity
is a
federal
crime.
The
Utah
Association
of
Counties,
which
sponsors
this
site,
has
asked
the
FBI,
the
federal
agency
with
jurisdiction,
to
investigate
this
crime.
The
letter
to
the
FBI,
which
provides
some
additional
details
of
the
incident,
is
now
on
this
site.
A
press
release,
which
makes
observations
on
the
nature
of
this
crime,
is
also
posted.
Excerpts
from
Federal
District
Judge
Sam's
decision
supporting
county
RS
2477
rights.
These
excerpts
are
from
a
decision
by
Judge
Sam
rejecting
the
Clinton
Administration's
Motion
for
Partial
Summary
Judgement
against
Kane
County
in
southern
Utah,
one
of
three
counties
being
sued
for
exercising
their
traditional
and
legitimate
RS
2477-related
rights.
In
his
decision,
Judge
Sam
makes
a
number
of
observations
which
are
very
supportive
of
the
county's
rights,
reaffirming
a
long
string
of
similar
judicial
rulings.
This
document
was
prepared
by
the
Western
Counties
Resources
Policy
Institute.
Short
briefing
paper
on
the
significance
of
an
opinion
by
the
General
Accounting
Office
(GAO)
on
the
Congressionally
imposed
moratorium
on
issuing
RS
2477
regulations.
In
1994
the
Clinton
Administration
issued
draft
regulations
which
were
so
bad
they
set
off
a
firestorm
of
protest
and
led
Congress
to
impose
annual
moratoriums
preventing
the
Administration
from
issuing
final
regulations
without
specific
congressional
approval.
(For
a
more
detailed
discussion
of
the
many
problems
and
illegalities
with
these
regulations,
see
the
"Action
Alert"
issued
by
the
Coalition
to
Protect
Public
Access
Rights
posted
on
this
site.)
Congressional
allies
adopted
legislation
in
1996
aimed
at
making
the
moratorium
permanent,
thus
avoiding
having
to
reimpose
it
each
year.
The
GAO,
which
sets
accounting
standards
for
the
federal
government,
confirmed
in
this
opinion
that
the
most
recent
language
was
a
open-ended
moratorium,
a
major
victory
for
access
rights
activists.
Prepared
by
the
Western
Counties'
Resources
Policy
Institute.
"Basic
Truths
About
RS
2477
Rights-of-Way."
This
popular
and
widely
circulated
short
listing
of
basic
facts
about
RS
2477
developed
by
the
Western
Counties'
Resources
Policy
Institute
is
now
on
this
site.
The
subtitle
is
"How
to
Determine
if
You
Are
Being
Mislead
or
Lied
To"
and
it
is
very
accurate.
This
is
a
very
helpful
two
minute
lesson
(or
refresher)
on
the
fundamentals
of
RS
2477!
A
COMPLETE
LISTING
OF
ALL
DOCUMENTS
AVAILABLE
ON
THIS
WEBSITE
Listed
by
the
following
categories:
Joe Delk
Field Representative
Paragon Foundation
H 505-524-1233
C 505-644-3082
A letter to Mr. Alfredo Montoya, NM State Game Commission
Alfredo Montoya, Chairman
New
Mexico State Game Commission
PO Box 856
San
Juan Pueblo , NM 87566
Dear Mr. Montoya,
I am once again appealing to you and the
New
Mexico State Game Commission to help me find some relief for the
people, all citizens and taxpayers of New
Mexico , who unfortunately live and work within the Blue Range Wolf
Recovery Area and are suffering the consequences of the Mexican Wolf
Reintroduction Program.
There is not one person who lives within
the BRWRA that has not been impacted by this wolf recovery program, the vast
majority of whom have been impacted negatively. I can
assure you that most people who live within the BRWRA have had their fill of
wolves and want this program to end now.
Further evidence of the disruption this
incredible program has created in the lives of hundreds of people, is not
necessary. You have seen and heard enough and are fully
aware of the dilemma these folks are forced to live with each and every day.
Also, Mr. Montoya, every elk hunter I
see is now starting to see the impacts of the wolf program on the elk herd in
the Gila and, likewise, wants the program to end today. Dr.
Thompson may tell you otherwise, but people who live and work in the Gila
National Forest are seeing a severe decline in the numbers of elk throughout
the forest. I do not need to remind the commission of the
huge economic benefits the elk hunting industry brings to the state at many
levels.
We know the wolves are killing lots of
elk. I spoke to one property owner in the Gila who counted
over 100 elk carcasses in the area he hunted in last fall and another saw 17.
A rancher on the northern edge of the Gila has seen an 80% decline in
the numbers of elk that he normally will see on the ranch. He
also told me that he sees lots of elk carcasses and he’s sure they were
killed by wolves. He also believes that for every elk that
is killed by wolves, four or five vacate the area and move to the north.
So, if that is the case, then the elk herd is being reduced by 4 to 5
elk for every one that is killed by wolves.
Another rancher told me that when a pack
of wolves moves into an area that is inhabited by elk, as soon as the wolves
apply depredation pressure, the elk will move out of the area and it is not
unusual for them to travel 20 to 50 miles to get away from the wolves.
So, in order to try and confirm this
movement of elk out of the Gila, I called two ranchers in the Grants/Gallup
area. I asked first if they knew of any wolves in that
region of the state and they told me that they had not heard of any.
I then asked them what the situation was with the elk numbers in that
area. They both said that the elk numbers were increasing
and that there were a lot of elk in the region.
Both ranchers told me that the elk were
putting a huge amount of grazing pressure on the available forage in the
region and that the Forest Service was trying to reduce livestock numbers on
grazing allotments to compensate. This might be fine
if the Forest Service were willing to compensate the ranchers for the lost
production, but we all know that is not going to happen. This
is the same scenario that the ranchers in the Lincoln National Forest are
struggling with…..too many elk competing with livestock for the available
forage in the region.
The Forest Service sure doesn’t have a
problem forcing ranchers to reduce livestock numbers but won’t hold the
Department of Game and Fish to the same standard. If the
Forest Service was truly interested in protecting the resources, then they
should hold the Game Department to the same standard as they do the ranchers
who own the grass.
Anyway, my point is, the wolves are
applying so much pressure on the elk herds in the Gila, and aside from the elk
they kill, they are causing elk to move completely out of the Gila and into
other areas to the north. There is no other direction for
them to go.
So now what happens as the elk numbers
decline in the Gila? What will replace the elk as a primary
prey base for wolves? There are no deer. The
only thing left will be the livestock. Cattle are being
killed on a fairly regular basis anyway and will continue to be at risk.
Horses are extremely vulnerable because they respect fences and cannot
leave the country like the elk can. Is this part of the
plan?
The wolves have had ten years to reach
some kind of acceptable balance and get established in the Gila. They’re
not even close. I offer to you that it is not within reach.
An acceptable balance of wolves, prey base and people in the BRWRA is
impossible and the program is already a dismal failure.
At what point will, whoever is in charge
of this program (I’m not sure any of us know), say: “OK.
I guess that’s enough…..this ain’t gonna work”.
Where is that sacrificial threshold? Will
it be when a child is lost? Or maybe it’s more than one.
All I’m asking for is honesty.
What do the people you have sworn to serve, have to do to end this
unbelievable injustice? Just tell us the truth.
Thank you for your time.
Joe Delk
cc: Members of the New
Mexico State Game Commission
Congressman Steve Pearce
Catron County Commission
Gila Livestock Growers Association
Caren Cowan, Executive Director, New
Mexico Cattle Growers Association
Arizona/New Mexico Coalition of Counties
Mesilla Valley Sportsman’s Alliance , et al
Joe Delk
Field Representative
Paragon Foundation
H 505-524-1233
C 505-644-3082
Beaverhead Ranch
HC 30 Box 445
Winston,
NM 87943
505-772-5538
May 2, 2007
To: New Mexico Department of Game &
Fish
Within the last two weeks Alpha Female 667 began to den in Taylor
Creek. Accompanying her is male 863 and female pup 1046. Our
family a private parcel in the bottom of Taylor Creek and like most homesteads
it was established at a permanent spring. The majority of
property sits in the bottom of the canyon and the water rises at the lower end
of the property. This spring is not only a source of water
for wildlife, but also for our livestock. It is the only
source of water in the bottom of the canyon within a 2 mile radius.
According to recent activity and wolf locations, we believe the female
may be denning on our private property or within 1/4 of a mile of our private
property. In order for her and the other two wolves to
drink, they have to enter our private property and cross directly in front of
our house. Our recent discovery of these wolves is of great concern to us.
First, uninformed and unaware of the locations of these wolves, we moved
yearlings to this exact pasture just one week ago. As the
canyon sits in the middle of this pasture, cattle use the canyon as a crossing
to get to each side as well as a funnel to water on our private property.
When we are grazing this pasture we use our house there as a residence
and a place to keep our horses.
Shortly after releasing our cattle, a cow elk carcass was found 25
yards from the house. Suspicious of the kill, we returned
with a radio collar tracking devise (on loan from the USFWS) to track wolf
locations. Before entering the canyon we received strong
locations on two of the wolves. As we dropped off into
the bottom of the canyon we spotted Male 863 on our private property.
Investigating closer, we spotted numerous tracks on and around the spring.
We have spent the last three days with our cattle to avoid any
depredations. With all of our time and resources
concentrated in one area, we have no time to tend to remaining cattle
elsewhere on the ranch also threatened by nearby wolves.
Our family has fully cooperated and maintained a working relationship
with the wolf program up to this point. We had informed the U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service when cattle were turned out on our allotment. We
have asked and were assured that we would be informed of wolf locations on
or near our allotment. We do not understand why a
collared wolf was allowed to den so close or possibly on our private
property.
Time is of the essence; a major problem is quickly developing. We
request that these wolves be immediately removed before any livestock
depredations occur. If possible, we would like to request that a
representative from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish assist us
with a solution to this problem. Our family ranch has
been fully cooperative and hopes that the right decisions are quickly made
in this matter.
Thank you for your prompt attention
and action,
The Diamond Family
_________________________________________________________________________
To:
NM Game Commission
From: Adobe
Ranch
Gene Whetten 505-772-5515
Date: May 1,
2007
We have lost 5 cows and 10 calves to
wolves on the Adobe Ranch since January 2007. These
confirmed kill reports have been sent to the Defenders of Wildlife and we
have not received payment for any of these depredations.
Currently there are 3 packs on the
Adobe Ranch. The Durango pack was within twenty feet of
one of our cowboy’s house all night last night, May 1, 2007 confirmed by
Wildlife Services.
We have lodged complaints with NMDGF
and the Federal Fish & Wildlife Service recovery team, and have received
no response from either. The recovery teams response on past complaints has
been that they have neither the time or personnel to investigate these
incidents.
The situation with the wolves is
getting way out of hand in this area both financially and with habituated
wolves hanging around our houses. The loss of game and
livestock in this area will soon reach catastrophic levels. Your
attention to this matter is urgently requested.
Thank You,
Gene Whetten; Manager Adobe Ranch
There is little question but what the FWS wants to be out from under wolves.
FWS knows there is a biological train wreck coming, and they don't want to be
seen as the engineer with their hand on the throttle when the train goes off
the tracks. So, yes, FWS will probably move ahead with some sort of effort to
delist wolves, something they have been promising since 2000. However, wolf
delisting will be decided by the federal courts, not by FWS.
Remember when FWS down-listed wolves from endangered to threatened in 2005.
How long did it take for wolf advocates to cherry-pick a friendly judge in
Oregon
to overturn the down-listing? Not long. The exact same fate waits in store for
the current proposal by FWS to remove wolves from the endangered species list.
With 300 to 500 wolves in
Montana,
expanding their numbers by 32 percent each year, with each wolf killing
about 40 elk per year (estimates range from 25 to 100), it won't be long
before elk hunting (and maybe ranching) in
Montana
is history. So, time is on the side of wolf advocates now that wolves are
loose among us. If wolf advocates can stall with a 15-month process, as FWS
proposes, they have a clean win.
However, there is hope yet. An organization known as Friends of the Northern
Yellowstone Elk Herd (Friends) has kept up with the required steps and
processes of the Endangered Species Act.
By virtue of having long ago submitted a petition to delist wolves, Friends
has maintained standing to sue in federal court today to force court-ordered
delisting of wolves. This soon-to-be-filed lawsuit may be the most important
event in the history of hunting in
Montana,
not to mention ranching.
The just announced FWS proposal to delist wolves is probably only another
gambit to run the clock and try to undercut the only real remedy for wolves
left to
Montana,
the Friends pending lawsuit. When this lawsuit is filed, the out-of-state
predator advocates will not be able to cherry-pick a friendly judge in
Oregon
to derail the process. If the “wolfies” are in court at all, they must
share the defense table with FWS, while Friends carries the battle flag for
all the rest of us.
Gary Marbut
President
Montana
Shooting Sports Association
WolfCrossing.org eNewsletter
April 19th, 2007
Hi Folks,
First, I wanted to thank all of you for your emails, prayers and kind words
about my daughter. She is healing well from her ordeal and will probably be
very normal looking once her surgeries heal. But she may still not act normal,
after all, she is my daughter. She is practical, grateful to be alive as we
all are, and will adjust to her new vision with a minimum of fuss.
Second, I wanted to give you all a little update on our website and
information about how were growing at WolfCrossing.org. Since rolling out our
new site we have been visited by people from all over the world like the
Netherlands (the blog story about wolf pressuring reindeer populations was of
interest). Actually the blog is extremely popular and is getting hundreds of
unique hits a day.
WolfCrossing.org is also moving up in the search engine ratings and for
certain key words. We have even hit the coveted Google top listing for a few
key words. WOW, that is a huge accomplishment and I know people are reading
the information on our site. It is our original blog stories that are
contributing to these high ratings.
Today I would like to inspire each of you to write about what is going on with
the wolf program as it relates to you or anything wolf related that you would
like the world to know about. By Blogging you are your own reporter.
It is important that the world hear our voices and understand what is going on
in and around wolf country. You can participate by being a blog author (Blogger)
or by simply adding your opinion to a story on our blog as a comment.
Your written words can help break the romanticized versions of wolf behavior
that have for so long dominated the media. It is time to end the strangle hold
that the extreme environmental groups and FWS have had on the traditional
press.
Blogs are simple to use and I have a few tips and tricks at the bottom of this
email.
Examples of Original Blog Articles Posted
What is a Blog and Blogging?
In case you were wondering, a blog (short for web log)
is a user contribution part of a website or the website.
The WolfCrossing.org website we are posting news stories and commentary as it
relates to the wolf program. The latest information and stories can be found
on the WolfCrossing.org blog home page.
Old stories and stories under specific topics can be read. There is also a
search function so if you are looking for information on ordinances, you can
simply type that word and then hit the go button and any articles we have with
that word will be displayed.
You can get an idea from reading our blog as to topics to write about or just
get comfortable posting some comments.
The nifty thing is blog information is syndicated (RSS) and is starting to get
out there and show up in the search engines and other blogs with similar
interests or opposing views are linking to our site. This is great because the
more people that read our blog the more they are pulled into the main website
and educated as to what is happening to the people that live with government
imposed wolf programs every day.
Your Help is Needed
We need your help with new articles, information and comments to help
WolfCrossing.org and the blog get more coverage in the world internet and
traditional media.
The more original information and stories we publish the more visits and more
authority our site and blog will be and thus getting better ranking in the
search engines. This is our chance to contribute the new media on the wolf
subject since it appears that often times the press just quotes all the
government or extreme environmental groups and spends little time
investigating what is really going on.
So just like you would tell your neighbor and have a conversation with them
about what is happening here, you can share your insights, story and
information with the world. There are two ways to participate:
