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As for the cougar, there really isn’t another species in Michigan that it can be confused with, provided one gets a good view up close. Mid-year in 2012, my cousin (and two others) saw a cougar in Iosco County west of Tawas City. There have been reports of cougars off and on for several years in that area.

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We live in an area of Roscommon with only a few homes sprinkled here and there, and state land all around us.. A few years ago, my husband and I both saw a large cougar walking down the side of our road and walk into the woods across the street from us. We stopped to tell the DNR the next day but they just poo pooed us…

I’m glad to see others have had similar experiences!

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Wolves have far exceeded the population numbers needed to be removed from the Endangered Species Act, by a factor of 2 to 3 times. They have far exceeded the social acceptance level of the people who live in their proximity, by a factor of 2-3 times. Now is the time to begin reducing that factor, by bullet and trap. We don’t give a rip about you and your opinion.

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Mr. Ken S. Lupus at work in the field.

Today, (Dec 5 2012) was the last day for input to the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources DRAFT Wolf Mangement plan. This plan includes aerial gunning of wolves from helicopters, as well as other hunting and shooting methods aimed at ridding the province of canis lupus.

DRAFT Management Plan for Humans (Homo sapiens) in British Columbia
By Ken S. Lupus et al. BC Ministry of Wild Wolves

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

We model the structure of our plan after the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations’ Draft Management Plan for Wolves in British Columbia. Although our plans are fundamentally different in how we decide to treat one another, we similarly assert that this document is premised on the best available scientific information (we had some help by Biologists Chris Darimont and Paul Paquet).

Notably, however, our plan for management of humans draws upon an additional and important dimension that shapes policy in advanced civilizations: commonly-held ethical values.

We begin with some straightforward conservation context. Based on their rapidly increasing numbers and range, humans have been categorized as Not at Risk by the Lupine Committee of Categorizing Other Animals We Have Never Harmed. We note, however, on the other hand –– and despite thousands of management plans by

humans –– global biodiversity is severely threatened as a result of human activities.

(According to information shared by human sources), humans play a very important role in maintaining so-called “game” populations, raising livestock among us wolves in formerly wild landscapes and saving animals like caribou from rapid extinction due to resource extraction activities. On the other hand, some hunters, livestock groups and industrial-government complexes behind these presumably noble acts also comprise a significant threat to wolf safety and welfare. Accordingly, our plan must strike a balance to manage humans for conservation while minimizing conflicts with wolves.

We likewise adopt the same four management objectives stated by our simian colleagues, though with modified details. Topping this list is: 1) to ensure a self-sustaining population of humans throughout the species’ range. We suppose that we will have to accept this inevitability. We suspect, however, that this spells trouble for us. If human behaviour remains unaltered –– and caribou continue to dwindle and ranchers continue to believe that some god created landscapes with only their cows in mind –– we expect a future of increasing conflicts.

Our plan’s second objective is: to provide for non-consumptive use of humans. Why not? No harm in setting up some eco-tourism by us wolves to partake in some human-watching. We need not look further than Yellowstone National Park, Thomson (Manitoba) and Algonquin Park to

know that humans can make a mint with sustainable wolf-based eco-tourism.

Unlike the wolf management plan, however, which was designed by more wanton predators, we have no plans for so-called “consumptive” use of humans. Although humans would be easy pickings, we are just not known to do this. And…really…why would anyone kill something for any other reason than to eat? For sport or for trophy? No thanks. Surely no advanced society would ever condone or endorse that sort of behaviour. Nor would any real hunter. That just leaves a bad taste in our mouths (and we often eat poop).

Perhaps the most important part of our Plan for Humans is: to minimize the threat to wolf safety caused by humans. Whereas wolves pose a very limited threat to humans, the opposite is certainly not true. Where we still co-exist in BC, about 1200 of us wolves are killed deliberately each year by hunters and trappers…for sport, trophy or profit. While human “wildlife managers” are quick to point out that we wolves can replenish our numbers, even amidst such persecution, our concern is the suffering imposed on us. Imagine the pain when hot metal of bullets shreds our viscera (or worse, our limbs) or the agony inflicted when one of us is tormented by a leg-hold trap.

Clearly, any management plan should address suffering among highly sentient animals. Unfortunately, our plan to minimize threats to wolf safety has no details. Given all the technological advantage humans have acquired, like high-powered rifles, predator calls to lure us and more, they simply have the upper hand.

Finally, and again mirroring the Wolf Plan, our fourth objective is: to control specific populations of humans where their activities are likely preventing the recovery of a species at risk (e.g., endangered populations of caribou). Whereas humans have hatched some vicious scapegoating plans for us as last ditch efforts to save caribou from logging or oil & gas extraction, we have yet to find successful methods to control oil & gas lobby groups.

We therefore appeal to our human friends within BC for help. In closing, we turn to history. It has taken decades to expunge in part the nonsense about wolves portrayed in fairy tales. How many more decades will it take to do the same in provincial management plans for wolves? Although window-dressed in greenspeak, they differ little from government plans pumped out during the darker days of the 1950s and 80s.

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The wolf delisting , and following Massacre is so very sad. Human beasts are even killing Yellowstones wolves . They brag and teach each other how to torture them to death , and how to mortally wound so that they can kill more than what their tags allow. The horrible thing about the delisting is that so many wolf killers are so horribly cruel.
I hate the word ” Harvest ” these re not ears of corn. These are animals who’s intelligence has been measured to equal a 4 year old child , and in some areas is even higher. They have been know to learn how to disarm traps , avoid detection when a human is hunting on foot . They assign baby sitters to their puppies , they mate for life , they mourn their dead . The pack will stay with a trapped pack member until the human beast comes to kill the trapped wolf.

I am beyond disgusted. This has proven that as a mass humans are incapable of respected any living thing. I will never again return to states that had bee our family’s summer , and weekend vacations because of this. I also read labels and have stopped supporting these states by not buying their products.. No Ford Focus for me when my current car dies, or Michigan apples , or weekend trips to Saugatuck..

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People are idiots. Wolves were put on this earth for a reason. Just like you were. Everything has its purpose. God Knows Best.
And if a wolf kills a pet or a cow every so often doesn’t mean we have to kill off all of them. There is a reason the Native Americans (SMART HUMANS) had such a connection with wolves. They are a very mystical and Yes loyal companions, believe it or not. I have owned one. He was beautiful, great friend and LISTEN TO THIS…..GREAT WITH MY CHILDREN and it never crossed his mind to eat a cat. They are great for Michigan’s ecosystem and will help with any deer dying of starvation in this State. And yes they do starve here due to over population and not enough farm fields to go around. Thus, numb nuts, HUNTING SEASON!!!! Alot of hunters are sport hunters even with deer. Get the biggest rack knowing an 8 year old deer is no good for eatting, so the meat goes to waste anyways. Let the wolf have it for God’s sake. PEOPLE need to get off their high horses and realize they are not the only critter walking this earth by God’s grace. Stop being so sanctamonious and share the earth. Or become God and make your own.

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