Manipulating wildlife conservation for special interests

By Katherine McGill
Urban Wildlife Examiner

Taxation without representation is magnificently exemplified within our wildlife management system. Like most, I once believed in the suggestive concept of “wildlife conservation” and “preservation”. Make no mistake – an ample supply of game for the next hunting season is the only thing being conserved and preserved. These terms are officially oxymoron’s.

On July 23, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, and Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, announced the appointment of 18 people to the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council to give advice about recreational activities associated with wildlife and habitat conservation.

Whatever diversity had been described in soliciting nominations must have been forgotten. Instead, like the majority of our state wildlife agencies governing Boards, all 18 of Salazar’s and Vilsack’s appointees to this Council have very strong ties to hunting, wildlife and shooting sports. Once again, non-sporting wildlife stakeholders have absolutely no representation!

This “Heritage” Council (yet another hunting agency, let’s call it what it is) is an official advisory group under the Federal Advisory Committee Act that will help to promote and preserve America’s hunting heritage for future generations.

Promote? Remember, our state wildlife agencies MUST grow hunting to compete against each other for over $340 million dollars of our gun tax, of which 100% is essentially allotted for them (despite hunters are 4% of our population and 60% of gun owners do not even hunt!) As the number of hunters decline their challenges increase. Desperate, biased management lends to competing at any cost to all the stakeholders, our environment, and the wildlife (endangered species as well).

Like greedy mongers they continue to buy more land, and with your money they will clear-cut and manipulate the lands for select (consumptive) game animals, leaving other native animals out in the cold. Then they will manipulate hunting seasons and regulations to artificially increase the populations of consumptive animals, and hire companies to count them each year. These lands and refuges are essentially now off limits to you, unless you want to hunt there. You will also pay for hefty ongoing maintenance expenses.

The only creature safe in a wildlife refuge is the hunter.

For half a century, refuges were safe havens for wild animals and for people to hike, watch birds, and boat without the threat of hunting. But the sport-hunting lobby hammered at the gates of the refuge system, and the Fish and Wildlife Service, which is responsible for administering refuges, opened over 70 refuges in less than one decade. Worse, they did so in spite of ratified lawsuits that they continuously failed to provide satisfactory environmental impact analyses.

A 1989 report from the U.S. General Accounting Office showed that many refuge managers considered hunting a “harmful use” of refuge lands and more than half advocated for an end to it because of the “well documented” adverse effects of sport hunting. Those managers must have been fired or demoted, for the ravage continues.

How did this fox get the only key to our hen house!

Human predation is accelerating the rate of observable trait changes {in wildlife species} by 300 percent above natural systems, and 50 percent faster than in systems subject to other human influences, including pollution. “This should be a wake-up call for resource managers”, stated lead author Chris Darimont, in the paper entitled Human Predators Outpace Other Agents of Trait Change in the Wild. “We should be mimicking natural predators, which take far less and target smaller individuals”. Numerous results sound an alarm about the viability of commercial industries. “By causing such abrupt and significant changes to their targets, many industries are harvesting away their future bounties,” he said.

So much for respecting nature. I find it hard to believe that any proclaimed ethical hunter could support such a fault riddled “conservation” campaign.

Make NO mistake – wildlife conservation has become a commercial industry, and a great lie of this century. Like any industry the agenda is PROFIT, and this one exceeds self-serving. This Institution will do anything to “preserve their personal heritage”. If stakeholders do not get involved and exert their right as equal beneficiaries of our resources, this fox will continue to exploit our legacy.

Why must stakeholders accept “ethical hunting management” without every right to expect ethical standards? This can only begin with equal representation on our Wildlife Advisory Councils and Commissions – which are running roughshod over our environment, our wildlife, and our rights.

Special thanks to Barbara Metzler (Bear Education and Resource Group and Animal Protection League of New Jersey) for contributing and sharing critical news — Public comments are NOW being accepted regarding the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge’s new Comprehensive Conservation Plan (NJ) at: northeastplanning@fws.gov You may also Fax comments: Attn: Great Swamp CCP at 413-253-8468. Please show your support and help the public protect the integrity of this 7,768 acre refuge.