- CounterPunch.org - https://www.counterpunch.org -

Put Tracking Collars on Hunters Not Wolves

Because of the persistent annihilation and extermination of wolves, it is difficult to see how this qualifies as management services unless you distort the meaning of the word. As such, we propose the following changes in the State of Montana.

First, all hunters and ranchers must be equipped with GPS body collars that track their movements to a central datacenter that has stringent security protections. This will allow law enforcement to discover relevant and probative information to prosecute them if harm comes to wolves.

Second, All GPS tracking collars must be immediately removed from all wolves. This applies to state management agencies and to all scientific organizations. This will remove part of the risk to the lives of wolves.

Third, new disclosure laws are immediately promulgated and implemented that will require all wolf management agencies in Montana to record and display all new directives, meeting minutes, changes to policy, and all other written summaries and reports of all wolf-kill writings on a centralized, public website. This is a practical extension of current FOIA rules and would streamline exposure of malignant behavior amongst government officials who are manipulated by those who would unjustifiably and violently kill wolves.

Fourth, we immediately promulgate new criminal laws that allow us to prosecute anyone who kills or harms a wolf in the same way that we prosecute humans for violation of criminal law. This will effectively shift wolf management to state and county prosecutors who are sworn to a much higher professional ethical code. We would also enact bounty laws that provide for financial rewards to those who report illegal wolf kills on a tip line or direct communication with law enforcement.

These new rules will protect good ecosystem science and its derivative morality.