Wyoming Wolf war
Wyoming rancher asks county to help fight wolves
RIVERTON, Wyo. (AP) – A rancher in the Pavillion area has asked the
Fremont County Commission to support his quest to eliminate wolves.
Rudy Stanko, of the Fish Creek Cattle Company, claims the operation has
lost between 200 and 300 head of cattle to wolves and grizzly bears.
Last summer, Stanko took over grazing leases in Bridger-Teton and Shoshone
national forests from Dan Ingall, who has said predators were the reason
he relinquished the leases.
Stanko filed with the commission Tuesday a legal brief and an application
to eradicate predatory animals. The commissioners voted 3-2 to take his
request under advisement.
They did so over the objections of the county attorney, who said federal
law supersedes state law in such matters.
The leases are in the Fish Creek and Bacon Creek areas near the boundaries
of Fremont, Teton and Sublette counties. Stanko considers the area prime
grazing land.
It is also prime habitat for grizzlies and wolves, animals that are listed
as endangered species in need of federal protection.
“I’ve already had 15 verified wolf kills and 11 bear kills and the wolves
killed all my cow dogs in our camp last week,” he said.
Stanko said his lease required him to be off the grazing allotment this
past Tuesday, but he planned to ship his cattle out two days later because
“the bears have scattered them.”
Stanko said wolves are reproducing and expanding their territory at a
rapid pace.
“These wolves are having several litters of pups a year and I’m here to
tell you fellows they are on the move,” he told the commission.
Stanko said the Endangered Species Act is unconstitutional and he has the
right to kill the predators himself.
“Wyoming statutes give me permission to eradicate the wolf if I choose to
do so, but I’ll probably approach the predatory animal control board and I
need your support before I can act,” he said.
County Attorney Norman Young said he had already talked with Stanko about
the situation.
“The grizzly bear and the gray wolves are included under the Endangered
Species Act and are protected until the United States Supreme Court says
otherwise,” Young told the commissioners.
“Federal law supersedes state law. If you give permission to kill the
wolves, you’ll be in violation of the Endangered Species Act.”
Stanko offered a different interpretation.
“The 10th Amendment delegated specific powers to the federal government
and we know that wild game and predators belong to the state and the
people,” he said. “We know so because the state can regulate elk and game
licenses.”
Commission Chairman Scott Luther said the state lists wolves as a predator
and he supports the rancher’s application.
Young said the commissioners could approve anything they wanted, “but
Article 1, Section 37 of the United States Constitution provides that the
state is an inseparable part of the federal union and that U.S. laws are
the supreme law of the land. Congress passed the law protecting those
species and that trumps state law, Mr. Chairman.
“I caution you not to kill a federally protected animal.”
Luther asked Young to return to the board’s next meeting Nov. 5 with his
comments on Stanko’s full application.