Dear Editor:

In 1975, when the grizzly bear was put on the endangered species list, it was mostly brought on by Yellowstone National Park rangers killing hundreds of grizzlies. As a result, the listing of the grizzlies was a de facto “taking” by the feds, our 18 million acres of our national forest, from us, the owners and our right to enjoy them as we had before.

Adding to this “taking” was the introduction of Canadian gray wolves to YNP through illegally appropriated monies from the Pittman-Robertson fund.

This all laid the foundation for socialistic control by the Game and Fish, with help from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to gradually eliminate our heritage as owners of the wildlife of Wyoming. It has resulted in the “taking” of our freedoms: lost hunting opportunities, lost “reason” to own firearms (think gun control), lost recreation opportunities and enjoyment of these lands and its wildlife.

Which means fewer and fewer hunter opportunities. It has had a huge negative economic impact on all businesses related to hunting.

It is a “taking” of private property rights by not allowing property owners the God-given right to defense of self and property if griz or wolves impact the owner without fear of government reprisal. They are becoming more habituated as a result and also as a result of being handled in trapping and collaring.  Vast numbers of moose, elk, deer and sheep are gone to feed them.

Examples: from 1995 to the present, elk hunt area 55 has seen the loss of a general hunting season and the elimination of limited quota late season. Area 56 may still have a general elk season, but few opportunities to get elk. The number of hunt days has dwindled and the number of tags by draw has dropped. In these two units, NOT counting general elk season hunt opportunities lost, we’ve lost 6,465 tags, 1999-2018. That is a huge economic impact!

Article 23, in part, provides that wolves be taken where herds are in decline. They are not. Elk that are surviving, resident and migratory, are being driven out of historical ranges and going to new areas. Hunters that used to enjoy many more opportunities are being sacrificed.

Currently the North Fork of the Shoshone River has at least 50 wolves. That is one-third of the admitted number of wolves in Wyoming. We are bearing the greatest burden. Yet our hands are tied with very, very low wolf quotas and no grizzly hunts. And no end in sight. It will never come back. If it’s not in your backyard, I guess you couldn’t care less.

There is no greater threat to our hunting than the Wyoming Game and Fish through mismanagement and their apparent dislike for seeing or hearing of anyone in the back country. The director of our Game and Fish and the commission is compliant with a socialistic agenda. Criminal, in my mind.

Randy Selby

Wapiti