Judge Rules Wolf Hunts in Rockies can Proceed

This blog (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/science/earth/10wolf.html ) is about how a judges ruling to proceed with hunting the grey wolf in Montana and Idaho. The grey wolf was removed from the endangered species list about four months ago. The gray wolf has not been hunted in the United States for decades. Environmentalists and animal welfare groups attempt, to stop the hunts where stopped when Judge Donald W. Molloy made his decision to proceed with the hunts. Judge Molloy says that as long as only 20 percent of the 1350 wolves are killed then the population would have no problem bouncing back.

My reaction to the story at first was mixed feelings on the whole thing. I mean hunting is good to help keep the population down and not get over populated. On the other hand 1350 that to me doesn't seem like a real big number. I am a hunter or when I have time I like to think I am anyway. I would think they would give the wolves a least a few years to see how they do before they just start killing them off again. Specially just getting off the endangered species list only four months ago. I guess even though I am a hunter I don't feel this is a good idea.

I feel that they are not giving the wolf a fair chance. I know from being around many different types of hunters, that just because there is a season for a animal that doesn't mean that they will follow the rules. Some hunters will kill more then what they are legally allowed to kill. This being said the 20 percent that they are saying will be killed could turn into 40 or 50 percent. Then where does that put the wolf, right back where it started an endangered species or worst. I don't think this was a good decision on the the judges part.

I guess in this case I would have to side with the environmentlist and animal welfare groups. I mean don't get me wrong I sill like to hunt, but I would not want to be responsible for wiping out an entire species. Like I said before hunting is good to help keep populations down so that the animals don't starve themselves not to wipe them out.