Outfitters unofficially back anti-wolf lawsuit
By JEFF GEARINO
Southwest Wyoming bureau
Sunday, August 17, 2003
GREEN RIVER — Wyoming Outfitters and Guides Association members are
closely watching anti-wolf group’s efforts to sue the government over wolf
reintroduction in Idaho and will consider offering financial support.
The Idaho Anti-Wolf Coalition is trying to raise money to fund a
class-action lawsuit asking the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to
eliminate wolves from Idaho.
A lot of WOGA members support the lawsuit and hope it succeeds, Afton
outfitter and WOGA member Maury Jones said in an interview.
“We’re definitely watching this … we’re on their side emotionally, but
we haven’t had time to get together collectively and decide what we’re
going to do … whether we’re going to donate some money or what,” Jones
said.
“We would like to sign onto the suit, yes, but I’m speaking unofficially
here … that’s after talking to some of the guys,” he said.
“Frankly, wolves are not only going to destroy the outfitting industry,
they’re also going to destroy Wyoming’s wildlife,” Jones said. “We would
love to see the suit be successful.. not just because we’re wishing and
hoping, but because we honestly believe the Endangered Species Act (ESA)
has been violated in numerous ways” with wolf introduction.
Coalition founder Ron Gillett of Stanley, Idaho said in a phone interview
the lawsuit aims to force federal officials to dispose of the animals
through any means necessary.
He said organizations in Montana and Idaho share that sentiment and the
coalition hopes they will join in the lawsuit. Several Montana groups in
particular, Gillett said, have indicated they will support the suit.
He said coalition is gathering funds from a variety of sources and has
scheduled a dinner/auction Aug. 22 in Nampa, Idaho, in an effort to raise
$50,000 to help fund the suit. He said the group hopes to file the suit by
the spring of 2004.
The group consists of a variety of interests, he said, including cattle
ranchers, sheep producers, sportsmen, outfitters “and anybody who is being
impacted or sees what this gray wolf is doing to this state and its rural
economy.”
Gillett said the anti-wolf coalition would gladly welcome any support from
Wyoming’s outfitters, though they haven’t received any official support
from any organization in Wyoming yet. “Maury and other outfitters are the
kinds of guys we want to get on the team,” he said.
The latest federal and tribal estimates show Idaho’s wolf population at
about 285 animals and Wyoming’s wolf population at over 300 animals. But
Gillett said the population could be several hundred wolves higher.
Gillett said the coalition earlier this year hired environmental policy
researcher Helen Franklin to assist with the suit. Jones said the WOGA has
met and discussed the wolf situation with Franklin and also donated some
money to help fund the position.
Both men said a key point of the suit will be the plaintiff’s contention
that the gray wolf is not native to the region. “Its Canadian and there’s
no evidence the Canadian gray wolf ever inhabited Wyoming,” Jones said.
The WOGA has been involved in other wildlife-related lawsuits. In 2000,
the WOGA lost a lawsuit the organization filed against the Game and Fish
Commission that challenged Wyoming’s hunting license distribution system.
The suit sought to overturn the state’s method for distributing deer and
elk licenses to out-of-state hunters, but a federal judge ruled that the
state’s system did not unconstitutionally impinge on the rights of
nonresident hunters and resident outfitters.