Defenders Condemns Bill to Allow Land & Shoot Wolf Killing

(03/21/2003) - ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Defenders of Wildlife today criticized legislation introduced by Senator Ralph Seekins ( Fairbanks) to overturn state-wide votes that banned public same-day airborne wolf shooting. This controversial practice, also known as "land and shoot," was expressly banned by statewide ballot measures in 1996 and 2000, and is considered the most objectionable of all wolf killing methods.

"Senator Seekins wants to turn back the clock in an astounding display of disregard for the wishes of a clear majority of Alaskans," said Joel Bennett, a representative of Defenders of Wildlife and a former Game Board member. "SB 155 constitutes the latest in a pattern of legislative erosion of the first citizens initiative against land and shoot that passed by 58% of the vote in 1996."

If passed, public land and shoot killing is proposed as the primary method to carry out at least two lethal wolf control programs that the Board of Game adopted in meetings earlier this month.

The voter-passed laws prohibiting land and shoot still allow Alaska Department of Fish and Game employees to use airborne wolf shooting as part of an authorized predator control program, but involving the public was considered to be inefficient and nearly impossible to regulate.

In 2000, the Department of Fish and Game issued a statement saying that public same-day airborne wolf hunting was the wrong way to address wolf control and was an inappropriate response to a complex problem.

In the 2000 ballot measure, voters made it clear that they would accept predator control only in cases of a biological emergency when conducted by state officials in a tightly controlled operation without public involvement.

"This bill returns the state to the dark ages of predator management, while deeply insulting the public at the same time," said Karen Deatherage, also of Defenders’ Alaska office.

If the legislature sidesteps the public will, and passes this misguided legislation, it will further jeopardize Alaska’s reputation nationally, and lead to the same type of harmful tourist boycott that was successfully waged against the state in 1992.

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Defenders of Wildlife is one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and habitat, and was named as one of America's Top 100 Charities by Worth magazine. With more than 430,000 members and supporters, Defenders is an effective voice for wildlife and habitat. To learn more about Defenders of Wildlife, please visit www.defenders.org.

 

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Contact(s):

Joel Bennett, (907) 789-2328
Karen Deatherage, (907) 276-9453