Black Bears Are On The Move In Texas

Yea! This was interesting.

Dear Dandy Lion (...if that's your REAL name...) ;-),

I'm surprised none of the guys have mentioned this yet, but I'll go ahead and say it. I'm not a big hunter, but I do work for this website. I am not against hunting b/c hunting is not killing.

God gave us dominion over the animals. That is why many people stand over the one they have hunted hard for (sometimes following the animal for 8 days, watching it first) with pride and excitement. Then they use the meat to provide for their family.

Humans have been doing this for years. Really. Lots of years. Since the beginning of time, actually. Yep...long time, because it works out really well that way.

Have a good one!

PUBLIC FORUM - Outrage upon outrage [Letter to the Editor]
Leigh Scallorn - Iraan High School Class of 1988 - San Antonio
Odessa American

This letter is in response to a letter that appeared in your publication on Wednesday written by Kathie Parmer regarding the deer beatings in Iraan.

As a longtime Iraan resident, I have to say that what I read in that letter made me as sick to my stomach as the events that transpired.

What outrages me most is that Parmer refers to these boys as “good kids.” Last I checked, “good kids” didn’t trap defenseless animals in a place with no escape and beat them until they were dead, including a baby deer.

I went to school with good kids … kids that never did anything more than the typical, knucklehead things we do in high school and cringe with regret in later life.

None of them ever beat anything to death to my knowledge. These kids went on to become lawyers, artists, doctors, a Navy Seal and a Texas Ranger.

As she stated, “These are not bad kids. They are kids who made a bad decision.”

So it would seem but let’s take a look at that. In my opinion, making a bad decision is deciding to wait until midnight on Sunday to do a paper that is due the next day. Make a bad decision is cheating on a test. Making a bad decision is breaking your curfew when you knew you’d be in trouble.

We’ve all made bad decisions in our lives. I’m not saying that I am perfect but none of the bad decisions that I have ever made ever cost a life — be it human, plant or animal.

However, executing something for the sheer pleasure of watching it die is not a bad decision. It is murder.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL LETTER

From the Wildlife Management Institute:

On December 11, the U.S. National Park Service released the Final Elk and Vegetative Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) in Colorado, reports the Wildlife Management Institute.

The plan outlines five different management alternatives designed to address RMNP’s burgeoning elk population and declining native vegetation.  Along with a “no-action” alternative, the plan lists four “action” alternatives that incorporate, “adaptive management and monitoring to determine the level and intensity of management actions.”  These alternatives are the result of seven years of research and four years of extensive planning by RMNP and U.S. National Park Service staff.

Under the plan’s third and “preferred” alternative, park officials would utilize a number of management techniques aimed at reversing the ecological damage caused by the park’s overpopulated elk herd.  Specifically, Alternative 3 could rely on “lethal reduction” of as many as 200 elk per year to reduce the population from 1,700 to 2,200 animals to, “the high end of the natural range of variation, between 1,600 and 2,100 elk.”  While park staff would administrate the culling, the plan approves the use of “authorized agents” from other federal agencies, volunteers and private contractors.

Due to the minimal implementation of lethal reduction in Alternative 3, the plan concedes that additional measures will be required.  These include the use of a birth-control agent (Gonacon) on 120 cow elk, fence construction around select aspen and willow stands, and adverse conditioning by means of rubber bullets and firecrackers to keep elk away from certain areas.  Interestingly, the preferred alternative also lists a provision for the, “adaptive use of wolves as a management tool.”

Projected cost for Alternative 3 would reach $2.1 million in the program’s first year, followed by an annual budget of more than $200,000.  Over the course of the program’s suggested 20-year life span, park officials could spend $6 million implementing the plan.

Concern about the number of elk in RMNP first arose around 1930 due to the failing conditions of the herd’s winter range as a result of overbrowsing. Because of this, elk populations were controlled from 1944 to 1968.  Since then, a lack of natural predators and the loss of migration corridors have enabled a dramatic increase in elk numbers.  The resulting overabundant herds have decimated the park’s aspen and willow patches that provide crucial habitat to them and many other wildlife species.

The park’s elk management plan has already drawn criticism from the wildlife management community.  According to a press release issued by the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) on December 13, the Colorado Wildlife Commission (Commission) and CDOW stated that park officials should rely on qualified volunteers and not sharpshooters to control RMNP’s overabundant elk.  In addition, CDOW and the Commission oppose the use of birth control and wolves to manage elk numbers.

In an effort to, “develop a viable alternative to using federal tax dollars to fund government sharpshooters,” the Commission adopted a resolution in July 2006 that supports the use of qualified volunteers as the most viable method of managing elk numbers in RMNP.  Congressman Mark Udall and Senator Wayne Allard mirrored the Commission’s view in March 2007 when they introduced federal legislation that would authorize the U.S. National Park Service to use licensed hunters as “qualified individuals” in elk-reduction efforts within RMNP boundaries.  In a statement issued on December 11, Representative Udall supported the park’s decision to include “qualified volunteers” in the final elk management plan but was doubtful of the park’s commitment to using them:  “I’m concerned the Park Service might give a higher priority to using people from other federal or state agencies.  I think if qualified sportsmen or sportswomen are willing to volunteer, they should be first in line.”

Commission Chair Tom Burke is similarly skeptical of the park’s commitment to follow through with appropriate implementation of the final elk management plan.  “If you read Alternative 3, it merely lists all of the options that park officials could use to manage elk numbers. It fails to define what they are actually going to do.”  Burke said the Commission will continue to support the use of qualified volunteers to manage elk numbers in RMNP and to oppose other methods that are inappropriate: “The North American model of wildlife management has always relied on America’s hunters to manage big game populations.  We think that should apply to the elk in Rocky Mountain National Park as well.”

The U.S. National Park Service will execute a record of decision no sooner than 30 days following the release of the final plan/EIS.  To view the final plan/EIS for RMNP, go to http//:www.nps.gov/romo/parkmgmt/elkvegetation.htm.  (mcd)

Trans Pecos

Deer condition should be really good antler-wise and body-wise, said Ruben Cantu, TPWD regional wildlife director in San Angelo. “Range conditions are absolutely great with lush forage thanks to good rainfall,” he said. “We had a pretty good fawn crop and the thing that’s difficult for hunters to do at times like this when everything looks so good is to remember to manage deer populations for drought because that’s much more prevalent out here.”

Cantu is encouraging hunters to help keep deer numbers below the normal capacity of the land to carry, but admits that might be tough to do early in the season due to the abundance of natural browse.

“Corn is piling up around the feeders,” he admitted. “Animals are coming by as creatures of habit, but they are not staying. Things are starting to dry up and look like normal so hopefully by the start of the season the deer will start coming to feed.”

Tyler Morning Telegraph reported the following response to the above article:

It looks really nice.  The prices are good too (almost too good to be true).  That hunt for $700 which you can kill 5 animals is unreal.  I wonder where they get their game to be that cheap.

Allen

Gold Medal for sure Danny.  You got my blood pumping just reading about it.  I know exactly how you feel.  There are many more years to find that special elk up there in the mountains.  I would suggest hunting as much as possible with your bow.  Everytime I go out with mine I learn something new to improve my shooting.  The more animals you shoot then the more comfortable you'll feel --- especially when a great big bull elk is walking straight toward you!  I also try to not shoot at anything more than 12 or 15 yards from me just cause i've heard one story after another about "bow wounds" and I think the closer you are the better chance you'll have of killing them (and finding them).

There is always next year!

Allen