jarvis- nature was here for millions of years before we got here. Plants and animals have come and gone in the blink of an eye in geologic time. What makes humans exempt from extinction? If anything- it would seem as if we are all in a great race to degrade and use up all of our resources as fast as we can, practically guaranteeing our extinction.

greengina, not to make this a religious debate but, if you dont believe god created all of this, how do you know nature will be here long after you? how do you absolutely know nature was here before you? the answer isnt as simple as you might think.

Whoanellie: What makes you assume we don't care about the life of a child as much?! But as previously stated, this is a conversation in regard to an article about wolves.

miltonalum- In your opinion, not mine. Not oxymoronic, but a non religious view,

" Nature will still be here long after man is gone, and no "god " can prevent that. "
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Oxymoron king, god created nature, god gave us the ingenuity we have and eventually god will take it away.

Wolves, not abortion; hook line and sinker.

You gina are an example of how messed up we are as a civilized society. lets sweep it under the rug and never talk about it and no one will notice. We put animals above people and kill babies that are inconvenient. I just mentioned it to let people see the hypocrasy of it all.You have swallowed the rhetoric hook line and sinker.

We are not talking about abortion rights here. Wolves, not babies. Save the pro-life stuff for an aborton article.

All this hoopla about a wolf and we kill our babies by the thousands every day. yes I am pro-life and proud of it. I will take every opportunity to show people how mixed up our priorities are. God help us!

whoanellie: what do you mean? Are you a pro-life person? This is what I gather from your comment. What does it have to do with wolves being re-listed on the endangered species list?

Oh! if only we cared about the life of a child as much!

tdub; What do you do for a living? I am curious because you sound like a wildlife ranger or park naturalist. Is this your chosen profession? I am not trying to be sarcastic, either; I am serious. Where did you go to school? You said you had 6 years of college; does that mean you have a masters degree? I agree that there are many people in positions of power who do not have the science background necessary to make decisions like this. Have you ever considered running for office or working with an agency that handles things of this nature?

Let me get this straight: What people are saying is we should control the wolf population out of fear for livestock and human health, and they are saying man has ultimate control over everything. Wow, no way...Control human populations first; we are far more degrading to our environment than the wolf. As far as some "god" giving us authority over animals, it's a crock. No one gave us authority over anything. Get over yourselves, folks. Nature will still be here long after man is gone, and no "god " can prevent that. Our time on this earth is short. Make the most of life and take time to smell the roses, not plow them over in the name of progress...

Human beings are the superior race on this planet, god gave that to us when he developed us. Wolves do have a place here but they need to be put in check, we cant as responsible liasons of the land allow them to overpopulate into urban areas and put our children and pets at risk as well as the herd to disease. Left unchecked they WILL overpopulate and they WILL cause problems, they are already decimating farmers herds in some area's. They need to be managed properly with a permit hunting season.
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On a side note, any hunter who intentionally gut-shoots an animal needs to have his license immediately removed for life.

KathrynSullivan: I am assuming from your post then that you are a vegetarian.
Not all of the wolves should be hunted or removed. They shouldn't be allowed to keep multiplying and the population to get out of control. Like I said if you lived in an area where your livelihood and family was affected you would not feel the same unless you feel people should have to stay indoors all the time and only let the animals roam free.

dqandhallie: I think you mean "veins" hanging from your teeth. "Vain" is when you look in the mirror to see how you look with veins hanging from your teeth.

Thanks, tdub, your feedback is appreciated. I too believe that God granted us dominion over the creatures, but that also includes responsible stewardship, not obliteration of the species. I think the Creator got it right the first time, with the balance and all. I guess we're still learning, hopefully! Like you said "Asian Beetles". Man, I hate those things. Not too fond of house sparrows, either, another import, especially when they kill bluebirds.

dqandhallie: I'm probably wasting my time even responding to your posts, but can't help myself. I don't believe you speak for most deer hunters. Again, a true hunter will take in the big picture and have an understanding of all things in nature, not just the particular prey that happens to interest them. And what do you mean by "open game...like bears". Isn't there a designated season on bear? And lastly, your "pinko" comment speaks for itself in regard to your ridiculous tactics of name calling in a feeble effort to make your point.

"I want to see blood and guts, burnt bodies and vains hanging form my teeth"
Arlo guthrie

About time! Sound like so many people, if they had their way, would just hunt and kill ALL of our wildlife. We as people have invaded their lands more and more and yet we think we have the right to kill them too? Please people!

2LevelHeaded: I lost one of my beloved cats to something wild (probably a coyote) right here in the city of Milton. It's a risk I take when I let my cats be indoor/outdoor pets. We domesticated them I don't see how we feel we have the right to make them live indoors. It's the circle of life. I'm thinkin "guns" don't fit in that circle!

I also am a hunter and would never consider gut shooting an animal, that is purely wrong both legally and in the true spirit of hunting. I think the pinko reference was coining the outdated term "pinko commies", just a guess. jstwndrn I really appreciate your point of view too. You don't just spout off things, you support them. However I will never support allowing animals free range. The fact remains that as long as there are humans on this earth and we are continuely multiplying, we will clash more and more with nature. We need to minimize the damage by controlling the population. And yes we are the masters of the earth and God granted it to us. Most of us just do a pretty crappy job of running it!

a true hunter does preserve his or her sport and that includes protecting that that he or she hunts most all deer hunters when asked will tell you that the wolves do not belong and if they do they should be open game as are coyotes, bears, wild hogs and the like.

And a true hunter and a decent human being does not "gut shoot" an animal so they supposedly "run off and don't die near the hunter", or so I've been told.

"pinko's"??? What the heck is that supposed to mean?

This is a mistake, we need to keep on this herd early or it will boom out of control.

We the people tried and suceeded to eradicate these verman years ago with a bounty on them and now these pinko's think they are cute, what is this world coming to anyway?

That should read "once mighty Caledonian Forest...

And yes, we all should have a say in what happens, not only north of us in Wisconsin, but anywhere on earth. It's all our planet and and we are all affected by what goes on, no matter where it is. Hence the little ditty about being connected...

when a hunter sees them in the woods as I have been told that they gut shoot them so they run off and do not die near the hunter.

I am not a supporter of erratication. It is just time to control tehm again now that numbers are up. They do serve a purpose in the ecosystem or God would not have created them!

Quote from an article at responsibletravel.com: "What remains of the once might Caledonian Forest is fast being eroded by an ever-increasing population of deer. Without reintroducing their natural predator, the wolf, to the wilds of Scotland, the forest and its ecosystem are in danger of disappearing forever."

For much info on the subject from Doug Smith, the biologist and author who has studied Yellowstone and wolves and their place in nature for 26 years (he might know a thing or two about the situation, hey?), check out: http://www.pbs.org/strangedays/episodes/....

From another article on the subject: "In the US public antipathy towards wolves was similar to that in the UK, and by the 1920s they had been eradicated in 48 states, apart from Alaska, Hawaii and Minnesota. Among the last to go were those in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. And as with so many of man’s actions, the impact of removing the wolves from the ecosystem was unforeseen. With their natural predators out of the way, the region’s deer multiplied and grazed everything they could get their teeth on. As in Scotland, the deer ate all the young saplings that sprang up, and the mighty forests of Yellowstone began to die.

Then, in 1990, wolves were reintroduced to the park and for the first time in decades the forest began to grow again. Deer, when wolves are present, do not graze where they cannot see all round themselves. River valleys, hollows and dips in the ground have blind spots where deer are loath to graze. In these places the saplings survive and grow to maturity. Once the trees are back, the other plants and animals that dependent on the forest return and the whole ecosystem begins to recover."

And, lastly, as an old German saying puts it: 'Kein Wolf, Kein Wald' - 'No wolf, no forest'. ...

Those that live in this area should not be making decisions on what happens in an area in which they do not live. The wolves are a threat to the deer, livestock and pet population. Yes, many may die if they run out of food but many will live and have to find food somewhere. It will be pets many of which have gone missing to the wolves. It won't be long before little children will become affected and not be able to play outside. It's a shame that the minority of people rule the majority. I think they should introduce the wolves in this area and then see how everyone's tune will change. How many of the animal lovers actually live up north where there is wildlife all over the place and want wolves?

"A Sand County Almanac" by Aldo Leopold has some great insight on wolves and their place in the ecosystem. There is also a very informative study that was done in Yellowstone that shows how the erradication of wolves led to a population explosion of deer that led to the destruction of the local fauna due to the deer's eating of small trees before they could mature enough to survive, which also negatively affected bird populations due to their dependence on forest composition. And the toe bone's connected to the foot bone and the foot bone's connected to the ankle bone and the ankle bone's connected to the shin bone...or something like that!

more wolves, less bullits.

Well, this court decision was not about the merits of the decision, it was about the abusive politicization -- by the Bush administration -- of the process. If the agency still feels the evaluation to be correct, it can simply follow the correct procedure this time.

biggirl the DNR does have control. You need to do a little research before you comment with a presumed fact.
The DNR is responsible for the management and research. U.S. Fish and Wildlife sets the status of the species (i.e. threatened, endagered, extinct etc.)

Here in lies the problem. Comments are intended for someone to state their opinion, that is what I have done. As for what qualifies me to comment on the subject? Only 6 years of college that I paid dearly for only to have someone ask me what makes me an expert or why I think I know what I am talking about. I do not support abuse of resources, but for those animal rights extremists out there I hope you enjoy being over run by wildlife. Yes, we need to responsibly control our wildlife and resources which we have failed at in the past. It is real easy for all of you southern Wisconsin people to comment on what you think is best for another area of the state. I will guarantee you if you talk to those impacted by the wolf releases up north, they will have a much differing opinion. Wolves, bobcats, and many other animals used to be native to Janesville too. I do not see any of you asking them to reintroduce them in your own backyard.
Heres a few facts, In just ten short years from 1998 to 2008 the wolf population in Wisconsin increased by 308 percent.
Wolves are territorial animals who usually socialize in packs in a geograpical area of sometimes up to 80 miles. As population numbers increase new packs willl form and move further and further south. This will increase the occurance of attacks on livestock. It is for this reason that Fish and Wildlife removed the wolf from the endangered list. When this is done this does not automatically mean that it is open season on the animal. What it does allow however is state level control on management and it allows the livestock owner to excercise his right to protect his livestock. And finally if anyone thinks the so called "experts" in our government wild life management are always right I have two words for you--Asian Beetles

The DNR did nothing to the status of wolves; they have no authority. The endangered animal status is under federal authority.

Maybe these wolves can eat some of the new 10-year-old hunters! At least, according to the comments written here, wolves are reducing the deer herd -- hunters haven't, and the responsibility shouldn't be left solely to WI motor vehicle operators.

Truth is we need more wolves, a lot more wolves, to fix the problems we have.

Ha-ha! Awesome.... :)

The 60 day comment period - would that be for the wolves or the humans?

tdu- you aren't qualitifed to make that distinction, are you? I'm certain the educated staff at the DNR knows more about this than you ever will.

tdub: You're welcome. If their food source dwindles, their numbers will drop. That doesn't mean they will eat children. Not every female wolf reproduces, and rarely do more than 50% of a litter size of 10 survive beyond juvenile age. So what if man lives here? The wolves were here first. We are not masters of the earth, but stewards of it; it's our responsibility to take care of things, not move them aside for our selfish needs. And as long as people still believe man comes first, nothing can change. So move out of the way and make room for people who know what they're doing!

Hmmmmm.....wolves eating small children. I am trying to remember which fairy tale that was from....hmmmmm.

Interesting topic. We hunt deer why? Because their populations would boom without hunters. Why? Because natural predators of deer (wolves) were hunted to extinction. Reintroduce wolves... No need for hunters. Sounds good to me!

Oh and thanks for calling me ignorant.

greengina8 I am assuming by your name that you are indeed a wildlife advocate. I am too. I do not support hunting for merely the sport of it. That is one of the reasons for my remark about dog meat. The wolves no longer have a place in Wisconsin and yes that is man's fault but it is the fact. What would occur eventually is that the wolves will outgrow their natural food sources and start looking for alternatives (i.e. our pets and small children). Deer produce one or two fawn a year. Wolves can have litters of as many as 10 pups. and can breed twice a year. With a ratio like that, no natural predators and an endangered designation we are in trouble. Sometimes being "green" requires knowing when not to meddle too. The DNR should have never reintroduced. That being said we now have no choice but to open a regulated hunting season and I just have no desire to hunt a dog!

Wow, how ignorant to assume wolves have no place in their natural environment. They have no natural predators because they are at the top of their food chain. Just because you see a lot of tracks does not mean there are a lot of wolves; it could be the same few wolves traveling along corridors within their territory. We need native wildlife regardless of deer hunting season.

I agree pwned. The wolves are aplenty. They have destroyed our deer hunting the last 3 seasons! Why can't the DNR just leave things alone. Wolves have no natural predetors so we are going to be hunting them soon and for what? Dog meat? They should have never been reintroduced to Wisconsin!