RESOLUTION 2003-03

“WOLVES ARE PREDATORS”

WHEREAS, the health, safety, and livelihood of the citizens of Fremont County is a primary responsibility of the Fremont County Commissioners who are duly elected by the citizens of Fremont County, State of Wyoming; and

WHEREAS, wolves have historically proven to be detrimental to the health, safety, and livelihood of the citizens of the County of Fremont and the State of Wyoming; and

WHEREAS, wolves were essentially eradicated from the County of Fremont and the State of Wyoming by the citizens; and

WHEREAS, the citizen elected legislators representing the citizens of the State of Wyoming were directed to statutorily classify wolves as predators to safeguard the citizens’ health, safety, and livelihood; and

WHEREAS, the citizen elected legislators representing the citizens of the State of Wyoming voted on and passed into law the status of predator for wolves; and

WHEREAS, big game hunting is a major component of the custom and culture of the citizens, as well as being integral to the subsistence of many citizens, and the presence of wolves will dramatically reduce, and may eliminate, recreational hunting opportunities and subsistence hunting opportunities to the citizens of the County of Fremont and the State of Wyoming,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of County Commissioners, Fremont County, State of Wyoming, by the authority vested in us, do hereby express that wolves are still considered to be predators in the County of Fremont and it is our strong belief that the large majority of the citizens are adamant that no status other than predator be assigned to wolves for any reason.

DATED this 14th day of January, 2003.

BOARD OF FREMONT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

_______________/s/___________________________

Douglas L. Thompson, Chairman Aye - Nay

_______________/s/___________________________

Patrick Hickerson, Vice-Chairman Aye - Nay

_______________/s/____________________________

T. Crosby Allen, II Aye - Nay

_______________/s/____________________________

Lanny Applegate Aye - Nay

_______________/s/_____________________________

Gary Jennings Aye - Nay

ATTEST:

______________________________________

Julie A. Freese, Fremont County Clerk

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From: Crosby Allen [mailto:cros@crosbyallen.com] Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2003 3:01 PM To: Undisclosed-Recipient:; Subject: Wolf Resolution Passes Unanimously! Importance: High

Hi Folks, This message was sent to your County Commissioners. If you want to see them act on it, please contact them, urge them to adopt it, and then support them when they do. Also, if you live in town, see if your City Council will adopt this resolution as well. The decision will be made soon and we will have to live with whatever they decide. This is your chance...get involved. Best, Cros --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----- Original Message ----- From: Crosby Allen Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2003 2:26 PM Subject: Notice! Your are about to lose your elk hunting privileges!

FREMONT COUNTY COURTHOUSE

450 N. 2ND STREET

LANDER, WYOMING 82520

T. CROSBY ALLEN, II

FREMONT COUNTY COMMISSIONER

PO BOX 4

LANDER, WYOMING 82520

(307) 332-4740 cros@crosbyallen.com

www.crosbyallen.com

January 14, 2003

Dear Fellow Commissioners,

As you are aware, our esteemed Wyoming Legislators are faced with yet another grueling session in Cheyenne. Probably the most important issue they face this year, is that of the wolf. We have wolves; the question is, what are we going to do with them?

The large majority of the voters in Wyoming reject the idea that we need to have wolves. Some are in favor, some don’t care, some think a few would be ‘OK’, but most believe that the presence of the gray wolf is a detriment to the custom, culture, and livelihood of the citizens of Wyoming.

The Wyoming Game & Fish projects that wolves will increase in population at the rate of about 29% annually. Since the wolves were re-introduced in 1995, this projection has held true and is expected to continue.

They also estimate that each wolf will kill 9.9 elk per year. At this rate, when graphed, the lines showing the elk and wolf populations will intersect in the year 2012.

The Wyoming Game & Fish Department must manage for viable elk herds. In order to do this, they must maintain population levels that support herd viability. At some point, prior to 2012, the Game & Fish will be pressed to require the suspension of elk hunting, at least to some degree, because the elk numbers will be below the herd viability threshold.

Similar affects will be realized at some point in time with regards to Mule deer, Whitetail deer, Moose, Bighorn sheep, and antelope if the wolf is not controlled.

In Fremont County, one rancher experienced a death loss of 18 cows, 38 calves, and 4 bulls. He attributes 95% of this loss to wolves and Grizzly bears based on historical losses and the increasing presence of those species. This family operation experienced a loss this past grazing season conservatively estimated at $42,200. This kind of loss not only affects the producer, but the entire economic stability of our County. Please ‘bear’ in mind; this is only one rancher’s experience. We have many livestock producers that are experiencing similar losses.

It would be easy to go on with more figures on the negative impact that these predators have on our counties. Many of you have wolves now, and those of you who don’t, soon will. Wolves are vastly expanding in both population and territory.

Many of our Legislators are fighting for the rights and protection of our citizens, but they need our help. There is a strong advocacy for the re-classification of wolves as trophy game animals. Remember how they expanded the Grizzly bear habitat through the implementation of ‘buffer zones’?

We simply don’t have time to waste. The gray wolf is considered an “experimental, non-essential species”. Wyomingites don’t need to experiment; we already have. Between the years 1897 – 1907, 20,819 bounties were paid on the taking of wolves in Wyoming alone. Imagine, 20,819 wolves. Historical records show that “big game herds were non-existent in 1915” in the Dubois area. The wolves had to be controlled before big game herds could thrive.

It’s a matter of fact; no matter how much anybody might like them, wolves are not conducive to the way of life that the majority of the citizens expect. Wolves must be controlled. The only way this can realistically be done is if they continue to be classified as predators.

Please don’t swallow the same hook the Federal Government has cast to us on the Grizzly bear, Prairie dog, and Prebbles Meadow Jumping mouse. Please consider adopting a resolution similar to Fremont County’s. Support the Legislators that are trying to help you. Send them a copy of your resolution so they know that you are resolute on this issue. This issue is too important to be left to those who do not hold the citizens of your county at heart.

Sincerely,

Cros

T. Crosby Allen, II

Fremont County

Commissioner

Please see attached:

Fremont County Resolution 2002-03

Graph showing projected elk v. wolf populations

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