At the behest of the Defenders of Wildlife, Rep. George Miller (D-CA), introduced legislation to the U.S. House of Representatives that specifically targets Alaska’s wildlife management practices and in particular their wolf management program. Defenders of Wildlife and other animal activists have been trying to prohibit the state of Alaska from keeping wolf numbers in check in order to preserve the moose and caribou populations in certain areas of the state. At times this has involved going into the back country and shooting wolves using helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

U.S. Congressman Don Young of AlaskaAlaska Congressman Don Young opposes this legislation.

In defiance of the Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution, as well as the Alaska Statehood Act, legislation was introduced this afternoon by Rep. George Miller (D-CA) to specifically target Alaska and the wolf management program; a program governed under the State of Alaska’s Office of Fish and Game, Predator Control Program.

The Protect America’s Wildlife (PAW) Act, a bill written by the Defenders of Wildlife in one of their greatest fundraising schemes to date, trades dollars for the food out of the mouths of Alaska’s rural residents. Controlling the wolf population in Alaska is essential to maintaining a healthy and viable caribou and moose herd; herds that rural residents are dependant upon to feed themselves and their families. Should the wolves’ numbers increase past a certain point, the direct result is a significant decrease in these herds, and a serious threat to Alaska Native subsistence hunting.

Congressman Young says the tactics being used by Defenders of Wildlife to influence public opinion are dangerously misleading.

“The aerial wolf hunt is not about hunting,” said Rep. Young, “it’s about wildlife management. The ads and information that the groups behind this bill are pushing are dangerously misleading and absurdly inaccurate. Those who have never had to hunt to maintain their survival are significantly crossing the boundaries when they try to dictate to those that do.

Alaska state officials say there are 10,000 wolves there. Fish and Game seeks to kill 140 wolves each year. Bounties on wolves are not allowed and in places where the wolves are decimating the moose and caribou herds, it is remote wilderness and it is next to impossible to get hunters to go to these parts just to hunt or trap wolves.

According to the same figures from the governor’s office, bears and wolves kill more than 80 percent of the moose and caribou that die each year. Man kills less than ten percent.

“This bill is another deliberate attempt by radicals to federalize our country and defy the core principles upon which it was founded,” Rep. Young continued. States have the inherent right to manage their own wildlife populations. For the federal government to step in to one particular state is on par with a selective dictatorship, and as a population, we should be fearful that those in power are actively working to make this a reality.”

Few people understand wildlife management. It’s a science. Sometimes necessary and unpopular steps are taken for what scientists believe are in the best interest of the species. The last thing Alaska or any other state needs is for the federal government to step in and begin micromanaging our individual state wildlife programs. They have done enough damage already through the often dictatorial strong arming of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Defenders of Wildlife and other radical animal rights groups have no longterm interest in the best welfare of all wildlife. They main goal is to stop hunting, trapping and fishing and will accomplish that task anyway that they can. This legislation can affect every U.S. citizen. If this is allowed to pass, there is nothing that will stop these groups, along with our own representatives of government from forcing their ideals onto every state in the Union.

I agree with Congressman Young. We should be fearful. Big government is a threat to our freedom. The idea that one congressman is attempting to dictate wildlife management tactics to one state at the urging of a radical so-called animal rights group, is very scary.

Call your congressman today and tell them to mind their own business and not cater to another radical special interest group that is way out of touch with reality.

Tom Remington

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