AR-News: (WY - US) Park County to intervene in wolf lawsuit

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Source:  Casper Star-Tribune

Park County to intervene in wolf lawsuit

Friday, May 28, 2004

CODY (AP) -- Park County has filed as an intervener in Wyoming's legal attempt to get the federal government to allow wolves to be shot on sight in most of the state.

County Commissioner Tim French said filing separately rather than throw in with an already formed coalition seeking the same thing is a bold statement. "After all, we're on the front lines of this thing."

Tuesday's decision authorizes County Attorney Bryan Skoric and his staff to gather data from ranchers and other information and get to work on filing the intervention. Skoric is to report back to the commission with draft documents on June 15.

Attorney General Pat Crank filed suit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on April 22. At issue is the agency's rejection of Wyoming's plan to manage wolves after their removal from Endangered Species Act protection.

The service is requiring Montana, Idaho and Wyoming to submit acceptable wolf-management plans before it will turn over responsibility of the species to the three states. It has accepted Montana's and Idaho's plans but doesn't like Wyoming's proposal to classify wolves outside northwest Wyoming as "predators" -- animals that can be killed at will -- and not as trophy animals subject to regulated hunting.

French said one part of the lawsuit he likes is a statistical report on how wolf predation on big-game animals could hurt hunting.

"If there was some way to quantify Park County's economic loss and lost revenue from lost hunting opportunities, I think that would really help," he said.

Skoric agreed. "The three-week time frame ... would allow us to get a hold of the economist the state used to quantify those numbers and look for other statistics and numbers," he said.

"Certainly, the numbers we would argue would be documented. If producers want to contact us with information, it would certainly be helpful."

Commission Chairman Tim Morrison said written and verbal reports from Park County residents would be helpful.

"Let's ask the people of Park County, those residents who think they have lost animals, livestock or pets to wolves," he said. "Even though it may be anecdotal and not scientific, it's worth something."

The county is meanwhile supporting a challenge of the wolf decision by the Wyoming County Commissioners Association.