IdahoElkInstructor,

I appreciate and understand EXACTLY what you are saying. Ranchers and hunters that either live off the land or visit the same lands continually thru hunting have a pretty dog gone good idea what the heck is going on and IMHO it doesn't take a rocket scientist and a super computer to put 2 and 2 together and figure it out.

Unfortunately, I'm afraid that the kind of observation you have noted is just way too straight forward for some of the "new age" folks out there. You may have met/talked/"discussed things" with them before. If not, then be aware that there is a academic/scientific/envioronmental sector out there that will gladly interpret your observations (for you) along the following lines:

"You don't really know what you saw or what the real story is." "The cause of it all could almost be anything." "Everything is (needlessly) complex and straight forward answers just are not found in mother nature." "I see you do not have a college degree in zoology or biology therefore you are essentially an ignorant lay person." "Never mind the mandate, directives and the underpinning we operate our little community under, we've got this thing pretty well thought out and have already determined the direction it is going to go." "Unless you want to hire a PhD and a graduate assistant to do an official, sanctioned study with some statisitical modelling to supposedly prove your point (to the tune of $150,000 or so).... you don't really know anything at all." "You see, the West is going to be re-settled (and re-violated) for the second time and this time it is going to be by the scientific book and by "the greatest good for the greatest number", so step aside and let us "official folks" provide you with an explanation of what is really happening." "In case you do not agree, then too bad, that is just the way it is going to be." "What you yahoos think is happening and/or the way you would like it to be is not really of importance here, though we will give you a public hearing to spout off at." "Trust us, it will be a better world our way." "Besides, we are going to turn a big chunk of the West into the world's greatest visiting/petting/watching/listening "zoo", and we won't have you local yokels interferring with the plans." "Ranching families out there on the margin and hunters like yourself are part of a dying breed that no longer fit into the "new age" vision of things."

If you would have told me 5 years ago that this was going on I would have laughed to your face; however, after being involved with the research that went into several lawsuits that involved the USFS and the Fish and Wildlife folks, namely RS2477 cases, I blush at the things I've seen our own government (operating hand in hand with this "little scientific community") inflict upon rural folks and hunting interests while in the pursuit of their agenda.

We've caught them red handed and in one case an administrators head rolled, but seems like for each one we "nail" ten more pop up in their place. These folks are well financed, connected, on the inside track, zealots in their own right, and practically above the law. I hate to say it, but I think they are going to win --- that don't make it right --- but that is my read on it. The way the West was won the last time wasn't right either, but that didn't stop it from happening. There, I've already said more than I shoulda and I won't go any further.

It will be a damn fine "petting zoo" by the next century though.
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IdahoElkInstructor, I'm afraid there will (before its done) be many, many more areas like the one you described, once rich in elk, now rich in wolves.

EKM