What is your idea of wilderness? Is the wolf policy equitable?

Respect the violence of the wolf. Let’s begin by addressing the continuation of the culture and religion of the first peoples. Wolves destroy the natural food of Indigenous people. They lived on seeds, berries, roots and animals they hunted. The spiritual relationship between ancient and modern Cherokees and the whitetail deer is another example of the intertwining of animals, hunting and spiritual life.

Americans and settlers made use of meat, bone marrow, antlers and hides. Rural people of all colors have traditionally supplemented their diets and accessed psychological independence through skillful hunting.

Who does the wolf policy benefit? These innocent wolves can be killed in any number in Idaho. The result of the wolf policy is people hunting wolves, including shooting them from helicopters in Oregon and Idaho. Is your idea of wilderness taking a hike interrupted by people shooting at animals from helicopters?

The wolf policy discriminates against the economically challenged, undermines the culture and religion of the first peoples, sells the peoples’ forests to the billionaires who can afford to hunt from helicopters, and one more very important thing: Wolves are very aggressive toward domestic dogs and our domestic animals. There are fatal attacks in North America between wolves and humans. No wolf populations are rabies free. You may be able to survive a rabid wolf attack if you get to treatment fast enough, but a bite at or near the head is usually fatal.

Also, we see the cougar, deprived of their natural food supply in the winter, coming into town more frequently. There will be a case when a parent opens the door and sends a child out, perhaps to give the dog his food in the morning, and that child is taken by a wolf or cougar. This is a tragedy waiting to happen.

Reject the wolf policy. It is not safe, not fair and benefits no one.

Katy Nelson

Snake Resource Advisory Council

John Day