In a brazen act of blind deference to Idaho's anti-wolf state game agency, the United States Forest Service (USFS) is allowing a hired hunter paid by the state of Idaho to live in a USFS ranger cabin while he kills 2 packs of wolves.
This betrayal of federal responsibility should be stopped immediately and procedures enacted to prevent it from happening again. These two wolf packs were brought back through the tireless work of conservation and wildlife officials to benefit the wilderness they now inhabit. Shockingly, Idaho intends to kill each and every one of the wolves from these packs in an attempt to make it easier for elk hunters to locate their prey.
Take action today by emailing the Chief of US Forest Service and the Supervisor of the Payette National Forest and demanding that they immediately revoke this state-hired trapper's access to USFS Rangers' cabins and access to its airfield.
Dear Mr. Lannom and Mr. Tidwell,
I am writing today to you to implore you to immediately revoke the unwarranted access granted Idaho Fish and Game's hired trapper to U.S. Forest Service cabins and the future use of its airfields for the purpose of wolf control.
The decision to allow Idaho Fish and Game to dictate wildlife management decisions to the USFS is an abdication of its responsibilities as overseers of United States Wilderness Areas.
No reasonable cause was given by the state for the complete destruction of two wolf packs and there is no rational reason for USFS to defer to Idaho Fish and Game. Moreover, this decision is in stark contrast to your agency-stated mission to "Keep Wilderness Wild".
Ironically, the area in which your agency granted access (Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area) is named after one of the original sponsors of the Wilderness Act. I would imagine, were he here, he would not support your decision to defer such matters to a conflicted state agency.
I urge that you carry out the responsibilities with which you are charged and immediately revoke the trapper's access and deny future requests by Idaho Fish and Game.
Respectfully,
