The lovers and Haters of Wolves.

The first light of the day is starting to break and I am on my second cup of coffee--I love Starbucks Kenya coffee. A huge owl is sitting on my roof outside and his song is the only sound I can hear. It is a peaceful and relaxing calm. Ill try not to be too superstitious about it. The last time I had an owl stop by I had a death in the family.

A friend of mine asked me to look at a website called Save Our Elk and I have been checking it out this morning. http://saveourelk.com/

It looks basically like an anti-wolf pro-hunter website with rather graphic pictures of elk that have been killed by wolf packs. The website didn't excite me too much after all the elk is the natural prey of the wolf but, looking at the pictures the wolves do look like vicious and wanton killers. I would hate to see this devastation in livestock herds or my own pets or children. When it comes to protection, my son's BB-gun just isn't going to cut it, I can tell. The website talks about the decimation of the elk herds and how the wolves will kill just for sport. Looking at the website you can understand why ranchers, hunters, and the people living in this area would be concerned about the growing wolf packs and the desire for an effective management program.

Just so you know from the get-go I have always loved wolves. They are one of my favorite animals and I know quite a bit about them. Several years ago when the government decided to reintroduce Canadian Grey Wolves into Idaho it worried me considerably. As desolate and wild as Idaho still is, it isn't desolate enough for packs of wolves to populate at the rapid pace that is now occurring. A wolf can travel 60 miles in one day bringing him into populated areas or ranch lands.

A rancher friend of mine called me last night and told me that they are branding this afternoon. I was invited out to a ranch last fall and watched them brand the calves. It's a way of life that is far removed from the urban sprawl and super centers. The range land was beautiful and undeveloped with rivers,cottonwood trees turning yellow leaves and sagebrush every where with elk and deer herds sharing the land. It was dry and dusty but sunny and crisp--a typical fall afternoon. They drove me out to the corral in their pick-up--thank God they didn't ask me to bring my own horse! She is a big Thoroughbred and has out grown her horse trailer and I have never replaced it. They herded the calves into a corral and the cowboys and cowgirls roped the calf, branded it, and then castrated it all with in a five minute period and then the calf trotted out.