Wolf Hearing in Cheyenne - 1/29/03

There will be a Wolf Management Hearing in Cheyenne, Wyoming hosted by the combined Wyoming Senate and House Committees- Open to the public WHEN: Wednesday, January 29 at 4pm WHERE: Herschler Building, Room 1299, Cheyenne Wyoming

The hearing will concern a bill introduced by Rep Baker (HB0229 Predator and trophy game management).  HB229 would maintain the "dual" management status of keeping the wolf outside wilderness areas and the national parks under the auspicious management of the Department of Agriculture as predators. It would also set a limit of 15 packs to be allowed in Wyoming. At the end of 2000, there were 18 documented packs and by 2003 there is predicted to be approximately 23 packs. That would mean that should this bill be enacted and wolves delisted, twelve packs of wolves would be exterminated by the Wyoming Department of Agriculture.

Predator status would allow anyone to kill at will any wolf outside the Greater Yellowstone wilderness areas, and destroy wolf packs if they set foot outside the boundaries areas. More than half of Yellowstone's wolves currently are living outside the parks. Inside the boundary wilderness areas, wolves would be managed by the Wyoming Game and Fish as trophy game animals - the same management scenarios as lions and black bears -- except the boundaries for wolves are far smaller.

We encourage any and all to get to Cheyenne to attend this hearing and speak out for the protection of wolves.

Liz Howell Wyoming Wilderness Association
PO Box 6588
Sheridan, WY 82801
307 673-4752
wild@wavecom.net