US VP candidate, Palin, supports arial hunting of wolves and bears?

[dogs4life]

Anyone know more about this? Is this a legit and healthy wolf population control program OR a corrupt population control program led by special interest?

I've never been a fan of wolf hunting especially unsportsmanlike hunting such as arial hunting.

This is the only info I could dig up:

Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund
SARAH PALIN SUPPORTS SHOOTING WOLVES AND BEARS
FROM AIRPLANES: Governor is Strong Proponent of Controversial Alaska Program DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE ACTION FUND: PRESS RELEASE

"Sarah Palin's anti-conservation position is so extreme that she condones shooting wolves and bears from airplanes or using airplanes to chase them to exhaustion and then shoot them point blank

Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund
Sarah Palin and the Environment
About Sarah Palin - Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund

Governor Sarah Palin has an extreme anti-conservation record on issues ranging from global warming, energy and drilling to wildlife and habitat protection.

Palin offered a $150 bounty for wolves to entice hunters to kill more wolves in certain parts of the state, with hunters having to present a wolf's foreleg to collect the bounty.

The media is currently looking into reports that state officials implementing one of the aerial wolf killing programs illegally killed five-week old wolf pups just outside their dens.

Aerial Wolf Gunning 101: What is it, and why does vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin support the practice?
By Samantha Henig
Slate Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008, at 6:38 PM ET
What's aerial wolf gunning, and why does vice presidential Sarah Palin support the practice? - By Samantha Henig - Slate Magazine

The idea is that by killing the predators, the airborne gunmen can ramp up the number of moose and caribou that human hunters can take home for supper.

Wolf Control in Alaska
Aerial Wolf Predator Control in Alaska, Alaska Department of Fish and Game Videos

Wolves and bears are very effective and efficient predators on caribou, moose, deer and other wildlife. In most of Alaska, humans also rely on the same species for food. In Alaska's Interior, predators kill more than 80 percent of the moose and caribou that die during an average year, while humans kill less than 10 percent.

Wow, have they learned nothing from the fishing industry...

[Shmee]

Hmm.. Controversial stuff. Here's my take on it (if it is all factual).
Sarah makes no bones about being a hunter herself. I cant tell you how many websites and tv shows I've now seen her on in the short time she's been campaigning where she's been firing off rounds of an automatic assault rifle. Her hobbies list "hunting moose" at the top of the things she likes to do. Now, I don't hunt. I don't really think it's something I could do as a "sportsman" type of thing. I suppose if the need warranted it and my family was starving, conditions would reflect the times. I dont hold ill will against anyone who does hunt and I eagerly listen to people's hunting stories at work. Again, from a distance, for me, I have no problem with what people do as long as my rights are not infringed upon. I do like to drop a fishing pole in the water now and then to catch some summer flounder when my vacations come around.
Anyhow, not to get off topic, but, how many cases do you hear of wolves in florida taking cats and small dogs for snacks? Bears invading populated areas? Yes, I know society is expanding exponentially as the years go by and it is us who are invading and it is them who must relocate or be killed. Helicopter hunting seems expensive, and unrealistic giving the animal zero chance for survival.
As far as the caribou and moose populations go? Umm while I was at my pet supply store today, I saw Eukanuba is coming out with a dog food made from elk and venison meat. So where is that meat coming from? And how soon will moose and caribou be on fido's plate?
We are what we are gang, IMO so are our dogs. If another animal would interfere with our interests, directly or indirectly, we're going to either kill it, or move it. That's always been the way of society. Dogs learned long ago to not bite the hand that feeds it and they've done pretty well with that creedo.
I just think Sarah Palin is from an old school of thought and she likes her moose stew. And she means to have more of it. Possibly anyway she can???

By the way, i'm still on the fence as to who i'm voting for.

You have to admit, she is ahell of alot eaiser to lookat then Henry Kissinger.

Politically wasted,
-Shmee

[dogs4life]

Do people eat wolf meat?

I'm all for subsistence fishing and hunting, but seems like wolf hunting is a witch hunt so I'm with you on this Shmee, I think she desires easy Moose hunting.

[GSD]

I don't know much beyond what the links you've posted have said. From what I can gather, it is because the wolves apparently are putting too much pressure on the moose herd. I say let mother nature sort it out, when there are too many wolves and not enough food, their numbers will be in balance. They take out the old, sick and weak animals anyway. It's good for a population to have some natural predators.

Even if they wanted some sort of legit wolf pop control, it sickens the sportsman in me that the do it from the air. Arial hunting and poisoning are about the two most chicken **** and unethical things I can think of. Never mind the fact I can't see any ethical hunter or sportsman thinking that it is OK to run down animals from the air till exhausted then shoot them.

[dogs4life]

GSD, well said.

Here's more background on wolf control in AK if anyone is interested.

Historic Perspective of Wolf Management in Alaska, March 2002
Presentation to the Alaska Board of Game by Wayne L. Regelin, Director
Division of Wildlife Conservation
Alaska Department of Fish and Game

History of Wolf Control in Alaska - Defenders of Wildlife