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Sometimes doing anything is a lot better than doing nothing at all.
Much of the world these days is filled with two types of individuals:
First, the apathetic individual who could not care less what is happening to the world and just sits idly by while it crashes to the ground -- self-serving politicians account for a lot of these clowns.
Second, is the extremist individual who takes things to extreme levels to force change upon us no matter what the consequences. Hence, the wolf hugger boneheads who forced the reintroduction and then the constant protection of these creatures on us without concern for their impact on the environment as a whole.
And, then there is a distinctly smaller faction of people who will stand up for what is right in a non-militant approach.
Every once and awhile you'll find a person who merely says, "Hey, something has to give here, and we have to do something about this problem (wolves) before things continue to get even more out of hand (livestock and elk depredation) than they already are." I feel that sentiment is what the Governor is saying to the State of Montana, the Feds and to anyone else who will listen.
It takes a lot of moxie to stand up and say what he said. I give him a lot of credit for what he did instead of merely passing the buck on to someone else or some other helpless organization like a lot of elected officials do on a daily basis in this country. Sometimes the rules have to be bent a little to incite change for the greater good of the situation.
Maybe he figures that someone will listen and understand that there needs to be legalized and regulated hunting seasons in every state that harbors wolves, including Montana, and what better way to do that than to stir up a little publicity and/or controversy to get people to actually pay attention to the situation.
I understand it borders a tad on "extreme measures", but in this case, I don't blame him one bit and it is not so extreme that he is calling for the tanned hide of every wolf that ever walked the wilds of North America. Protecting livestock and seeing to it that the elk populations out west are not decimated to the point of extinction is a no-brainer.
Why it comes to the point of the Governor feeling that there is no alternative but to take a seemingly drastic and subjective declaration of allowing the killing of wolves outside the lines of federal law or in lieu of a regulated hunting season is the truly crazy part. It should NEVER come to that point in the first place. I know, you know, as well as I do, that wild animals are nothing more than a renewable resource, a crop that needs to be harvested and kept in check. Tree/wolf/anti-fur-huggers do not, and more than likely never will, but we must not give up on educating these mindless dolts and strive to do the right thing for the good of the bigger picture; the elk, the deer, the environment as a whole and the wolves themselves.
Favre will be busy riding his tractor and sitting in his favorite deer blind before too long!
I have a feeling he is going to enjoy retirement and staying far, far away from the spotlight for a while, and I cannot blame him.
Take care and Good Hunting!
Best Afield,
Steve
