Predator Control
In 2006 the Alaska Department of Fish and Games and The Board of Game extended areas in which the aerial gunning of wolves is allowed, under the Predator Control Program. This was met with a legal challenge by the Friends of Animals, Defenders of Wildlife, the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, and the Sierra Club, who sued the Department.[27][28]
In 2007, Palin supported the Alaska Department of Fish and Game policy allowing Alaska the hunting of wolves from helicopters as part of a predator control program intended to increase moose populations.[29] In March 2007, Palin's office announced that a bounty of $150 per wolf would be paid to the 180 volunteer pilots and gunners, to offset fuel costs. This drew protest among wildlife activitists, [30] who took the state to court and won. Though the activists failed to stop aerial hunting, a state judge forced the state to stop paying the bounty.[31]
The program prompted U.S. Representative George Miller of California to introduce a federal bill (H.R. 3663) that would protect wolves, bears, and other wildlife from airborne hunting. [29]
In May 2007 Palin introduced Bill 256 to streamline the Predator Program,[32] and make it more difficult for conservation groups to sue the State. Critics of the Bill claimed it removed scientific standards and claim the programs are expensive and not effective.[33]
In August, 2007, both lawmakers and Governor Palin approved appropriating $400,000 from the state treasury to explain the aerial hunting program to Alaskans.[34] Since Alaskans were voting on an initiative against the practice the following year, many felt the funds were an attempt to influence the vote against the initiatve.[35][36] Alaskans had voted already against the aerial hunting of predators in 1996 and 2000; both times the state legislature overturned the results.[37] The measure had been allowed to expire after two years each time; hence the controversial vote. The program also allowed the fly-and-shoot, liberalized hunting of black bears with no bag limits in the same areas, in addition to the area from Anchorage across Cook Inlet in Game Unit 16.[38]
In March 2008 a federal judge's invalidated the aerial gunning program of wolves, by banning the practice in four areas covering up to 15,000 of the total of about 60,000 square miles covered by the program. The areas removed from the program were where the game board decided to extend it , the Judge said the board had extended into new areas for predator control without making any new findings on the wolves, caribou and bears in those areas.[39][40][41] On August 26, 2008, Alaskans voted against ending the state's predator control program.[42]
Environmentalism & Hunting
Originally Posted by Woofer
i see why they said they're doing it but i don't buy it.
That's more like it. *looks at forum name* Although I would hope that relocation would come first (where feasible). Hell, anybody who has read the dream thread knows that I would love to win the lottery and start a huge wolf preserve. I'd take in these guys and 