OPINION Do wildlife managers really just want to kill grizzlies?

In the Jan. 17, edition of the Daily Inter Lake appeared a guest column on the opinion page written and submitted by Jim Williams (Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks supervisor of Region 1) and Chip Weber (supervisor of Flathead National Forest) depicting their interest in saving native trout and avoiding the introduction of aquatic invasive species into our waterways. (They were joined by others signing the article.)

It is all well and good that they all want to save fish, as I join in that effort, but something smells fishy to me that this article was written for public consumption at a time when these same players are preparing for the delisting of grizzly bears and subsequently hunting (killing) them with its attendant agency fundraising coming from the issuance/sale of hunting licenses, which is something I vehemently disagree with.

In Jim William’s case, I once sat next to him during a Fish, Wildlife and Parks meeting whereby he was passionate as he explained to the audience that he was the guy who got to decide how many mountain lions would be killed annually. I was appalled at the derisive pleasure he took in having such god-like power over animals: Whether they get to live or die is his province.

More recently we discussed how he is gladly preparing to decide how many grizzly bears get to be hunted (killed) after his friend and ally Chris Servheen (U.S. Fish and Wildlife) is finally successful in realizing his desired legacy in life by getting to kill grizzly bears with the lame, untruthful excuse that he has “recovered” them from the need to be protected under the Endangered Species Act. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Native American Indian tribes, organized non-profit environmental groups, and independent individuals like me are mobilizing to put a stop to such insanity and save the iconic grizzly bear. I would hope all sane, rational people will join us in our efforts.

Chip Weber’s claim to fame is that he is the boss over Joe Krueger who is in charge of writing a new Forest Management Revision Plan that is designed to take desirable/necessary grizzly bear habitat and grant the lumber industry access to it for harvesting trees, and snowmobile users access to it for “wreckreational” fun.

Now that sounds fair, since grizzly bears are already limited to only 2 percent of their former range of habitat why cut them any breaks. Where does this god-like contra-Mother Nature power come from? I don’t agree with it! Once again, the general public needs to join in and make their voices heard in opposing this incredible travesty of justice to grizzly bears.

I propose that their article was written to psychologically trick the general public into believing that they are really good guys, but actually they are only ingratiating themselves to us in order to distract the citizenry from the dastardly deed they are about to commit. They are federal and state government employees with lifetime tenure and so cannot lose their jobs, and there are no “checks and balances” at play here. It is our uncontrolled government at its finest.

Not on my watch. Save the native fish, yes; kill grizzly bears, no. Maybe it is time to privatize these government agencies and send these despots packing? What do you think?

Baum is a resident of Martin City.