Re: utah dept of agriculture managing our lions?
Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 10:46 am
Devon is correct houndnem in saying that the states have jurisdiction over wildlife and ADC has a right to protect livestock that has been killed by predators. That is if the landowner has paid their head tax and is good standing with the Department of Ag and if the animal killed falls under the list that is protected in the program. Other issues like animals outside that list or public safety goes to the state. The state might ask ADC to take an animal but odds are they have to pay for the services, just like ADC could ask you to take a problem animal and either pay you or not for putting that animal down.
The problem I see is range cows on public lands. Those animals have calves in bear country and some of those bears cross the line and learn to kill calves. ADC is brought in and they set s snare to kill the bear, problem is by then every bear in the area is eating off the dead calve and many times the problem bear is gone and sows or cubs are killed. But the landowner and ADC are both happy if a bear is dead on the calf even if the trapper knows he's killed the wrong bear, and many times multiple bears are taken off the same animal.
The problem I see is range cows on public lands. Those animals have calves in bear country and some of those bears cross the line and learn to kill calves. ADC is brought in and they set s snare to kill the bear, problem is by then every bear in the area is eating off the dead calve and many times the problem bear is gone and sows or cubs are killed. But the landowner and ADC are both happy if a bear is dead on the calf even if the trapper knows he's killed the wrong bear, and many times multiple bears are taken off the same animal.