This story about the Moyer Basin Pack menacing a central Idaho rancher's cattle originates from Candice Burns, who writes much of the news about the Idaho wolves for the Idaho Falls paper, the Post-Register. Her stories are then picked up by the "wire." Is Mcgee Latimer's livelihood really endangered? I hope not, but this story is typical of the dire predictions that emanate from the Salmon/Challis area of Idaho -- Lemhi and Custer counties -- the hysterical part of Idaho. In this part of Idaho political elites say environmentalists real goal is to run people off their land, the proposal to restore grizzly bears to central Idaho is really a plan to have local folks eaten, and the public lands of the United State really belong to the landed gentry of Lemhi and Custer counties, wilderness is land of "no use," and on-and-on, year-after-year.
Now for some pique.
The Moyer Pack, or any member of it, can't be killed legally unless it is in the act of killing livestock. Each wolf gets two strikes. This is because the number of official wolf packs in Idaho was reduced to less than six after the Landmark Pack's alpha pair died (or was killed). If someone killed the Landkmark Pair, the special care given the Moyer Pack is a bit of rare justice when it come to wolves.
Folks will say "you don't have to live with wolves down in Pocatello." Well I think this unfortunate and maybe some will move down here if we're lucky. We do have lots of mountain lions, and they regularly snatch cats and dogs from folks who live in the foothills. News reporters don't consider it news, and Pocatellans don't whine or panic about it. Sometimes the local paper, the Idaho State Journal, covers the story if the lion is injured or needs human care.
Unlike some parts of the state where politicians seem to hold every citizen's hand, here in Pocatello we live and die, prosper or not, without special news stories, subsidies from politicians, or even campaign stops from them. If 50 or 100 people lose their jobs, it's not statewide news. It's a one day local story. The unfortunate unemployed are on their own. They don't get feature stories, and no U.S. Senator or Representative seems to know or care.
Pocatello, Idaho from the foothills. Pocatello is Idaho's second city.
Pop. 52,000. It is surrounded by low mountains. © Ralph MaughanIf we break the law, we get put in jail. If we shot the wrong animal, sob stories about how we thought it was a coyote don't work.
Ralph Maughan. . . writing from Pocatello, the Hobo spider capital of America. . . now's there's something to worry about!.
Update: Although I gave Candice Burns heck about the cloying story of Latimer McGee, she also produced the following two pieces for the Post Register that most folks will enjoy.
"Making tracks - Keeping tabs on Idaho's wolves is essential for the species' survival"
"A Day of Tracking."
Check out my new Idaho wolf territory map.
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Copyright © 1998 Ralph Maughan
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Ralph Maughan PO Box 8264, Pocatello, ID 83209
