|
|
|
April 29, 2009 Opinion |
|
|
—Editorial—
Endangered Wolves Endanger Livestock
Most local ranchers have known for several years that small numbers of gray wolves have been making their rounds through Baker County. There have been numerous sightings as well as tracks in several areas, but it took the killing of 23 lambs during two nights this month to finally confirm it. In the beginning, state and federal officials were reluctant to call the predator that killed Jacobs’ sheep anything other than a “large canine-like animal,” but now that the two wolves were caught on camera there is no denying it. There are wolves in eastern Oregon, and here in Baker County.
The more recent loss of a calf this week on the Moore ranch in Keating, may also be attributed to a wolf.
You can hardly blame the wolf; it has to kill to survive. And wolves have just as much right as any other wild animal to co-exist with humans and livestock. But the sad truth is, once they start feasting on domestic livestock, that is no longer a possibility if the livestock industry is to survive.
It has been documented that once wolves get a taste of domestic livestock they will continue to include them in their diet and others of a pack that did not have a taste for sheep and cattle before will follow suit. After all, chasing down a fenced-in lamb or calf is much easier than bringing down a predator savvy deer with miles to run in the wild. To an opportunistic wolf, it’s the difference between an all-you-can-eat buffet and hunting for food.
Unlike other predators, wolves don’t just kill what they need to survive, they kill for the sake of killing as evidenced by the dead, but in tact, lambs they left strewn on the Jacob’s Ranch.
These two wolves had ventured down lower into the Keating Valley, within an 1/8 mile of homes and other outbuildings, near enough to get a whiff of human scent which apparently didn’t deter them in the slightest. Wolves haven’t been hunted in 30 years so they have little reason to fear humans. Wolves teach their pups what or who to avoid.
If these two wolves are a breeding pair, then we can expect to see larger packs form in the near future. The average wolf litter is five or six pups. There is also the possibility that these wolves may already be part of a larger pack from the Eagle Cap Wilderness and once they see the buffet these two have been enjoying, will feast on mutton and beef as well.
To survive a wolf requires five to ten pounds of meat per day. A small pack of five wolves could in a short period of time cause considerable economic damage to a livestock producer, and that’s not counting the animals they kill for sport.
The stress of merely having wolves hovering near a ranch can be significantly damaging to livestock, and in some instances has caused miscarriages, decreased weight gain, and a decrease in meat quality. Not to mention the sleepless nights and worry it causes the rancher.
There have been several instances in the news where a cougar or even a coyote have ventured too close to a town for comfort. In most cases the animal is immediately disposed of by authorities because there are children and pets who are vulnerable to wild predators. Just because a livestock producer lives out of town doesn’t mean the danger is any less when a predator comes too close to their home, children or pets. Although historically wolf attacks on humans are rare, they have occurred.
Since wolves are listed as endangered species in Oregon, the Jacobs were told that these two wolves would be trapped, radio collared and then turned loose in the same area. Curt said he was told he would receive a signal when the wolves came within a quarter mile of his property. Then, he could haze them—what essentially amounts to shooing them off of his property.
Have you ever tried to take away or shoo a domestic dog away from a bone? They usually won’t stand for it no matter how gentle they are, and I doubt a wolf would leave a fresh kill behind without considerable pressure. And even if you were successful in getting a wolf or wolves to leave, unless you canvassed your property day and night, they would more than likely return.
Even though wolves are considered endangered here, not allowing ranchers to shoot one that is in the process of attacking livestock or working dogs is nonsensical.
You have more legal rights to shoot a person breaking into your house to steal your grandmother’s silver from you than you have to shoot an animal that is stealing your livestock and threatening your financial security and safety.
And while we are on that subject, it’s our understanding that there are no provisions in the state wolf law that specifically allow someone to shoot a wolf that is endangering a person.
It would be a shame to see these beautiful animals become extinct, and thanks to recovery efforts of state and federal agencies, populations have recovered substantially in recent years. But at the same time we can’t allow these predators to kill off our food supply and our livestock industry.
We aren’t asking that every wolf in the country be tracked down and eliminated, but we are asking that we have the right to defend ourselves and our livestock against the predators causing the damage. Otherwise if they are allowed to continue unchecked, and as populations increase, ranchers will soon become the endangered species. (DS)
—Letters To The Editor—
What Can I Do?
To The Record-Courier:
There is a new, intense energy out there today. For the last few weeks across the west, I’ve been working with and talking to men and women who are motivated and ready to be involved. The common story is: “I have never been involved and I have decided that I can no longer sit back and watch. I guess you could call me a member of the old silent majority. But I can no longer remain silent. What can I do?”
These people know that their country is in trouble, their personal freedoms and treasure are diminishing, and most frightening of all, the economic and social future of their children and grandchildren are threatened. This unrest is manifesting itself for some in tea parties, taxpayer coalitions, education reform groups, prayer groups, 2nd Amendment activists, and growth in the traditional conservative advocacy groups all across our nation.
So you ask, “What can I do?” Start by reading or re-reading your Constitution. Then find an active group that fits your passion and life needs, and join it. Make a commitment to do what you can. It doesn’t matter if you become a leader or a helper. Both are necessary. Better yet, run for elected office. You may think that holding an office is beyond your capacity, but let me say that I have never seen an elected man or woman who doesn’t pull their pants on one leg at a time just like you and me. Every election we have people elected in uncontested races. It doesn’t matter if it is for a school board, city council, water district, county commissioner, or a member of the legislature, everyone has talent and everyone has to start somewhere. Every time we have an elected position filled in an uncontested race, we end up with a weaker official and a weakened community. Uncontested races lead to poorer leadership, second rate work ethic and narcissistic attitudes of the office holder. Contested races produce a stronger winning candidate, give rise to the public exchange of ideas, and strengthen our community and democratic system. There are no losers in a race to serve your fellow man.
We need leaders who will once again create all levels of government that thrive on the success of people and not the success of their jurisdictional agencies. We need government out of our way and not trying to be the way.
Thanks to those who have suffered, fought, died and given of their time and treasure. We live in the greatest, strongest, most creative and most benevolent nation ever created. No one ever, not even Barack Obama, has the right to go to some greedy, needy or fascist far-away land representing you and me and apologize for the success, strength or pride of the United States of America. You and I can and will save our nation if we answer the question, “What can I do?”
Tim Smith
Harney County
Support The Return Of The Wolf To Eastern Oregon
To The Record-Courier:
I am writing in response to the wolf predation that occurred on the Jacobs’ ranch in Keating Valley. My thanks to Russ Morgan for his rapid response and attempts to resolve the situation, to Carter Niemeyer for his willingness to come out of retirement and provide his skills, and to Defenders of Wildlife for the compensation option. However, my deepest appreciation and thanks go to the Jacobs for their measured response at a time when they are no doubt feeling angry, raw and uncertain.
I am and remain a strong supporter of the return of wolves to our area. I am also and remain a strong supporter of my local community, economic diversity and the ability to ranch on private lands and make a living. Therefore, last Thursday I wrote Ms. Stone of Defenders of Wildlife urging her to provide to the Jacobs the full compensation they requested without delay. Even if uncertainty had remained about which wild or domestic carnivore had done the killing and, in reality, the wolves were simply taking advantage of a free meal, I would still feel strongly that in this case with photographs documenting their presence at the site, that one err on the side of the Jacobs.
Wolves have an important role to play in assisting us in restoring our stream and riparian ecosystems by altering elk and deer movements—a restoration that is critical if we are to successfully survive an increasingly unpredictable climate. Improvement in the condition and function of stream and riparian ecosystems will increase summer stream flows and the quality of water that comes off the mountains for use downstream. The wolf also has some downsides as demonstrated on Thursday and Sunday nights. My hope is that with the help of Defenders of Wildlife and the measured response of the Jacobs, we will choose to maintain a dialogue on this complex, important, and emotionally charged subject.
Suzanne Fouty
Baker City
Outsourcing Still Under Debate At City Council
To The Record-Courier:
Contrary to the April 16 Baker City Herald editorial, I would say City Councilors did not consider the proposal presented by staff on April 14 to be a done deal. What I heard at the council meeting was that everybody seemed to agree that Don Chance has been doing a very good job and is an outstanding employee.
Disagreements remained on whether or not contracting out planning services is the best choice. No argument for or against was conclusive. Mayor Dorrah summarized the choices well. It depends on how much you are willing to pay to retain planning services within the city staff. The numbers were not precise. They depend on the staffing levels we agree to provide, and the differences are not huge.
I add to this the feeling that I would like the city to be perceived to behave in a consistent manner, not “arbitrarily” switching back and forth between contracting and in-house staffing. If you listened, you would recognize that the councilors expressed honest differences of opinion and a willingness to listen to the opinions of citizens.
But, what matters more to me than perception or my own feelings is quality of service, continuity, and competence. I believe in loyalty to good employees as well as employee loyalty to the city. I think Don Chance has demonstrated his part. I hope the council arrives at a solution that accommodates his personal situation. Whether it happens through full privatization, individual service contract with Don, or allowing Don the freedom to tele-commute and work part-time in City Hall matters less to me. I could live quite happily with any of those results. I think we have most to gain by retaining his service and his arrangement to mentor Michael Pina.
I apologize that I will miss the first council meeting in May because of personal matters. I don’t think the council needs me there to make a good choice.
Clair Button
Baker City Council Member
Obama Is No Christian
To The Record-Courier:
In this letter to the editor, I want to cover some different subject. First let me make it real clear, I do not have a racist bone in my body. I don’t care if the president is black, white, yellow or green, it’s the policies I have trouble with, and that should be your view also!
If you will take a close look at them, both black and white, the ones who keep bringing up race as an excuse to attack those who disagree with Obama policies are the ones with race problems. Number one. If Obama is truly a born-again Christian as he says he is, believes God’s word, then he must be against abortion at any stage, which according to his own word, he’s not! God’s word says life begins at the moment of conception. A heartbeat is detectable at 18 days, by 20 weeks, virtually developed.
Read Psalms 139-13:16 and Jeremiah 1:5. President Obama says okay at any stage while calling himself a Christian? Seems politics override his faith? I am and you should be troubled by his statements in other countries about the United States being an arrogant country and then apologizing for it.. Maybe he forgot they would all be speaking German if it wasn’t for this arrogant country. Then to say this country is not really a Christian nation. Sir, you and anyone else need to study the history of your own country. No president before you has made such anti-American statements. Also sir, the Bible does not agree with the Muslim belief or any other. It’s apparent he has not studied either the Bible or the Koran.
It should trouble us all for our president to make such statements to foreign countries. I would like to hear more from Sen. Keys who said we have a communist in office. The United Nations is doing its best to control our American rights, gun control, freedom of speech, and many others. Now a new bill that Obama is thinking of signing called “Childrens’ Rights to Privacy” that says in short they have the right regardless of you the parent!
Wake up, America! The Tea Parties that are happening across the United States are a good sign that many people are waking up to the fact that government has gotten too big and out of control, and they’re tired of all the corruption. These are Democrats, Republicans and Independents saying together, “We’ve had enough.” I was at the tea party in La Grande, and was very impressed by the people there.
We need to keep it going. Baker, we need to wake up and do the same here! It should make us all a little mad, suspicious, even a little scared when our Homeland Security Secretary calls those who attend tea parties radicals and possibly dangerous because they disagree with the way government and its policies are going. According to the Constitution, as Americans, we still have that right.
Remember, Jesus was a radical!
Richard Fox
Baker City, Ore.
More Marbles...
To The Record-Courier:
Well the subject about marbles in the last couple of events in my letters seems to be having some side effects, even the editor of this paper found one in their yard and added to her collection of sorts. Wonder if others are experiencing the same sort of issues...?
While visiting the office one day to pick up a letter from a very dear friend of the family, (and another friend just happened to receive another letter from her as well) I shared it with my mother and all in church. And here, I was the recipient of yet another letter, from her as well, asking questions about the Baker Food Co-op store mentioned in previous letters. Yes one can make donations to the Co-op to be able to build a yet bigger and better store and have more on hand than before. I would highly encourage anyone to do so.
Anyway, the subject of age was mentioned and that seemed to take over the topic of our conversation while at the office for a few moments and of course one mentioned that 91 years younger was no problem if you look at it that way. I just turned another digit and they thought that was nothing compared to the age mentioned in this letter. Guess it depends on how you look at it and what kind of statistics come from it. Ha! So guess whether it be an issue with digits or statistics, etc. anything goes from the young to the old or in between just whatever suits you. But the one given our conversation had a trusty old cane that could really set us young ones straight even at the age of 58, etc... and not stretch the imagination on that one without going too far with it anyway you look at it. So guess this thing called age has no limits. So I hope this friend can rest assured 91 can be a ripe old age at that. Smile. So yes for me, I couldn’t resist on my letter consisting of this issue. Should strike some more chords at that. Awk!
So it does make me wonder how many more marbles we will find yet? Haven’t been able to do much yard work on the account of the wind lately. We’re supposed to have nice weather give or take when this letter is printed. So when enough marbles are collected here and there, guess we will have to do a comparison etc. on them.
Coffee Anyone,
Brenda Dickison
Baker City, Ore.
|
|
|
