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Post by sloanrodgers on Oct 31, 2010 19:34:21 GMT -5
Well, I would agree with the sentiment of some wild habitat, but it's like building a new jail, whose neighborhood are you going to place it in? That's why people need to be educated on the true nature, history and feeding habits of wolves. The appropriate federal agencies, states and citizens can then come to a consensus on the best placement of wolves in their wild spaces. They would then supplant coyotes that supposedly kill more calves and cause other trouble. I'd trust a smart wolf over a wily coyote. I don't know much about the modern cattle industry, but previous generations of cattlemen and people in general seem to have been extremely paranoid about wolves. During the big wolf killing decades (1880-1930) hundreds if not thousands of cattle died every year by poisonous plants, snakes, trains, fire, disease, drought, severe weather, bridge/ structure collapses, other predators, poor diet and starvation, but wolves were nearly driven into extinction for their apparent 1% of all cattle deaths. Somehow even today I think cattle- men near Yellowstone have more to worry about than the occasional proven wolf kill of a cow. I'm not sure how much of an impact it would be on the cattle industry, especially if wolf packs are placed away from big cattle ranches, they are managed with a food source and owners are compensated for periodic depredations. I'm not associated with any wolf or nature groups, but my own research has not revealed the huge wolf depredations that cattlemen and hunters claimed was their justification for exterminating wolves across this country. Actually I've found it easier to locate the rare human attack in contemporary newspapers than a documented cattle kill. I'm beginning to think wolf eradication was all about hysteria and greed for wolf pelts.
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Post by sloanrodgers on Oct 31, 2010 20:49:06 GMT -5
Here's an example of many people's opinion of wolves as vicious uncontrollable killers of man and beast. This animal was supposedly rabid, but it makes a good frontier werewolf story for Halloween
The National Republican (Washington D.C.) August 19, 1868
FEROCIOUS ATTACK BY A RABID WOLF.
-Maj. Wynkoop, Agent of the Kiowas and Comanches, writes as follows to the Leavenworth ( Kansas ) State Journal under date of Aug. 5: "While a party of ladies and gentlemen of the post were sitting on the portico in front of my quarters, engaged in singing and playing, a mad wolf dashed among us, attacking Lt. Thompson of the Third United States Infantry, tearing his limbs in a frightful manner. He then fled, pursued by my scout, James Morrison and myself, after procuring weapons. He soon after attacked the sentinel at the guard-house, who fired at him, but with no effect. From the guard- house he proceeded to the hospital, made an attack on a soldier, nearly tearing off his right arm and biting off one of his fingers. He afterwards bit a colored soldier of the 10th Cavalry, and entered the quarters of the laundress while she was in bed, biting through the bed clothing, but not hurting her. He made for the sentinel at the hay stack, who fortunately shot him dead. There are now, besides Lt. Thompson, three persons here bitten by the rabid wolf."
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Post by Herb on Nov 1, 2010 12:01:04 GMT -5
I don't know much about the modern cattle industry, but previous generations of cattlemen ... Yeah, you really can't compare the two. When we think about cowboys and Longhorns and todays' operations we're comparing a low cost/cheap cattle to a much more cost and labor intensive and much more expensive (and more delicate) modern animal. In fact, that's one of the key reasons that the Longhorn is making somewhat of a resurgance.
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Post by Allen Wiener on Nov 1, 2010 16:17:39 GMT -5
Herb -- what do you think of the idea of replacing cattle with bison?? They sure taste good!
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Post by sloanrodgers on Nov 1, 2010 20:31:58 GMT -5
Yeah, you really can't compare the two. When we think about cowboys and Longhorns and todays' operations we're comparing a low cost/cheap cattle to a much more cost and labor intensive and much more expensive (and more delicate) modern animal. I wasn't really comparing the two cattle raising eras since I don't know enough about the modern one to do so. I have seen similar attitudes towards wolves as unparalleled beasts of prey over the last hundred and fifty years. A few old accounts describe almost mythological creatures bent solely on the utter destruction of cattle, sheep and wild prey animals. Sometimes the creatures were described as the devil, phantom or ghost wolf, etc., which clearly struck a primal nerve in the hearts of farmers and ranchers that politicians, newspapers and others could capitalize on to organize and promote big wolf hunts. I wasn't even considering longhorns in the equation before as I've never even heard of a wolf killing one, although I'm sure it happened on occasion. Longhorns fell out favor with their hitchhiking ticks and other problems. They are definitely mean, lean, fighting machines and would probably gore or kick the crap out of any demon wolf.
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Post by sloanrodgers on Nov 3, 2010 17:55:50 GMT -5
Here's an account of a noted wolf from the March 18, 1892, San Saba County News. This big bad wolf was apparently a terror to little pigs. Although exaggerated, I love the description of this beast. Reminds me of Seton's 1894 King of the Currumpaw. Perhaps Seton saw the article and was influenced by it and other tall wolf tales.
The Bosque Terror Slain
Waco, Texas., March 10. - A long-legged lobo wolf of dun color is now hanging in front of an Austin Avenue saloon. It is the carcass of an a animal which has carried terror into premises along the Big Bosque for months. His predatory incursions on farm pens were frequent. The dying squeal of the shoat (baby pig) in the jaws of the huge wolf became familar sounds. He had been seen to gaze with carnivorous interest at a black baby. In fact, this wolf supplied the place of the obsolete bug-a-boo, as an agency for inducing children to retire early and tremble instead of sleeping. The old wolf will never again tant- alize hunters and hounds and do duty as a goblin in the confines of Bosqueville. Waco and McLennan Co. hunters gathered in a grand hunt, and the hounds in overpower- ing force aroused their lean and hungry cousin, drove him to bay and after losing several of their number (not, however until a bullet from a revolver had reinforced their efforts), they killed the old guerrilla of the chaparral and left him dead with a sneer upon his wolfish face.
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Post by Paul Sylvain on Nov 4, 2010 19:36:46 GMT -5
Well, there were no cattle ranches in Maine, when reintroduction of wolves was proposed back in the early '90s. In that case, those who argued the loudest against it were hunters afraid that wolves would decimate their right to slaughter deer every November.
As I see it, no matter where someone suggest bring back the wolf, someone is going to fight against it for a different reasons. I truly believe this universal hate for the wolf is founded in old legends, folk tales, movies, whatever, in which the wolf is painted as something to be wiped off the face of the earth.
I'm not trying to minimize what probably is a very real threat to cattle farmers, but the wolf deserves some place to live wild and free. Unfortunately, I fear that these wolves would be more threatened by gun toting predators than the farm critters and domestic animals the wolves might prey on.
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Post by sloanrodgers on Nov 4, 2010 23:23:17 GMT -5
Well, there are no cattle ranches in Maine, when reintroduction of wolves was proposed back in the early '90s. In that case, those who argued the loudest against it were hunters afraid that wolves would decimate their right to slaughter deer every November. Legend has it that bear hunter Bill "Ironsides" Watson killed all the Maine wolves by nailing their paws to the ice on a frozen over Moosehead Lake in the late 1860s. He later got tore up by vicious woodchucks and retired to Fisherman's Island.
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Post by Paul Sylvain on Nov 5, 2010 4:08:06 GMT -5
That'll larn 'im, ayuh.
There are said to be wolves north of the Maine border (north of Aroostoock County/Fort Kent area) in Canada and every so often there are unconfirmed reports of a wolf being sighted in the northwoods area of Maine. It would only stand to reason that some would find their way south of the St. Lawrence at some point, but to date that hasn't been the case, I guess.
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Post by sloanrodgers on Nov 7, 2010 17:29:20 GMT -5
Once there were lions, wolves and bears in our collective woods. Now we have sasquatches, chupacabras and a bestiary of imaginary defanged creatures that are supplanting our beloved American predators in the remaining wilderness areas. What a sad, but safe trade.
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Post by sloanrodgers on Nov 30, 2010 22:33:43 GMT -5
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Post by sloanrodgers on Jan 31, 2012 20:42:36 GMT -5
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