Homestead mailing list

[Bill Jones <billj AT harborside.com>]

Lynda wrote:

> Where "up North"?
>
> I know folks in the Yellowstone area and the NM and AZ areas can apply to 
> the Bailey's Fund.
>  
That's the especially pretty blue-eyed one, right?

> I think the interesting point that ranchers like to ignore is that with the 
> reintroduction of the wolves, which largely feed on elk and very small game 
> btw, is that the coyote population has been severely reduced.  *Most* sheep 
> looses are due to coyote predition and the wolves have put a dent into those 
> looses.
>  
Wolves are plain old dogs.  They breed freely with each other.  What's 
the difference between feral German shepherds and wolves?  You might as 
well be asking them to take away dog catchers.  I'm amused when people 
try to tell me how plain, old _dogs_ are so picky that they don't try 
for sheep.

> With the coyote problem, it would seem that sheep ranchers would have 
> already had the dogs.  The ones out here sure do.  And a big part of the 
> loose problem isn't coyotes or wolves, it is plain old-fashioned dogs! 
> Precious and FiFi who wouldn't so such a thing were responsible for almost 
> every calf, lamb and foal kill we had!
So those of us who've never lost an animal to predators have a desperate 
need to introduce wolves to keep that from happening?

Bill
S. Oregon coast