People are more of an impact
Letter to the editor: There are bigger challenges to us, as ranchers, than predation by wolves. Increased residential growth in land that has historically been in grazing creates all kinds of headaches. For instance, we are losing cattle to poachers.
Just a couple days ago, we moved cattle from winter to summer pasture. A couple calves did not manage to pair up with their moms. When my husband went back to find them, he found 5 coyotes circling the two calves. He scared off the coyotes and got the calves home. No wildlife was harmed.
Sure, we have lost a few calves to coyotes over the decades. Not many. We do not expect a government bail-out for running cattle in open space. Perhaps if Little Red Riding Hood found a coyote in her grandmother’s bed, coyotes, not wolves would be the focus of so much irrational, high-pitched controversy. EEEK, a wolf.
There are bigger challenges to us, as ranchers, than predation by wolves. Increased residential growth in land that has historically been in grazing creates all kinds of headaches. For instance, we are losing cattle to poachers.
Last spring, after spending two weeks fixing fence, the cattle were moved to summer pasture. Why bother? New people do not close gates. We used to move cattle between pastures by running them down the road. That is no longer an option. Too many cars driving too fast. It is crying wolf for County Commisisoners to claim they care about threats to ranchers and then designate urban densities of one and five acres throughout the entire County. Sprawling residential land-use and the loss of grazing land, are much bigger threats to ranchers, than a few wolves.
There are many more humans moving into the County than wolves. More attention is needed to plan for the impact of of THOSE new residents.
Nancy Soriano
Tunk Valley
