Hurless Returns Defenders' Check
March 2, 2000
Curt Hurless has returned the check for $1000 Defenders of Wildlife sent him for the death of his cow calf by the Twin Peaks Wolf Pack. Hurless sent a news release to the Challis Messenger newspaper, ' "I am returning this check uncashed to them [Defenders of Wildlife] for various reasons," Hurless said in his statement.' '"First and foremost, I cannot accept compensation from an organization that has been a national leader in wolf restoration efforts for three decades." '
' "Believe me," Hurless wrote, "because of the continuous harassment of my livestock by wolves and undue stress on my family related to such, I have zero tolerance for wolves when they have taken away our Constitutional rights to protect our families, our private property, and domestic livestock, thus our ability to make a living.
I may seek compensation from other sources," ' Hurless continued, such as the federal government. "Under the Endangered Species Act, wolves were allowed to be reintroduced. That leads me to believe those responsible should be those who compensate." '
All this adds weight to my view that the issue is not really the wolves. It doesn't matter what U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service does or what the wolves do. This appears to have been an incident waiting to happen, and all it took was one dead calf so set it off. In retrospect, probably none of the wolves should have been shot as it did no good with public opinion and the wolves only killed one calf, for which the owner has returned the reimbursement.
Feb. 29 was the last day the wolves returned to Hurless' Ranch, according to Hurless. The present location of the alpha pair is not known. There will be a flight to locate them.
Hurless lost his calf in late January. I predict the controversy will continue. If wolves do something it will add fuel, but the fire will keep burning on its own.
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