Western Seperation

[Deb]

Cowman, I swear you come up with these things just to get a rise out of me! Wolves, predators of any kind, are part of the ecosystem. We have to learn to live with them because they serve a purpose in the wild. They don't go around killing all cattle, just a few once in awhile, especially when the leaders of the pack who stuck strictly to wild game are shot and the young have no elder to teach them how to hunt deer, so they go after domestic animals because they are slow and stupid.

Rookie, our gray water system is simple. It only works in summer and anyone can do this. We have pipes from our upstairs tub and shower that lead out the wall into a rain barrel and the hoses off that lead to the landscape shrubbery. We use low phosphate soap. No big deal. Very realistic. In winter we have a switch and switch the pipes back to the septic tank. We save a fair amount of water this way. Imagine if the millions of homes across North America did this.

You are right about "moderation in all things" by the way.

[rookie]

Deb... this is just an observation... I have seen wolves with mature adults teaching pups how to kill goats. One by one until all 10 or so were dead then leave without consuming one bit. I feel they take advantage of what ever opportunities they have presented. That old theory of the pedator only taking the weak is weak. But then again in a perfect world...

[cowman]

I had a couple of old uncles(actually my fathers uncles) who ranched way back in the sticks in the Cariboo. They said the wolves moved in big time right after the war and were pretty tough on the calves and colts. Seems they preferred an easy meal to tackling momma moose. Anyway they got a big supply of strychnine and just went right at it! The one old boy said they cleaned out all the wolves, coyotes, a few bears,some lynx and all the ravens, crows and magpies. He said the songbirds and partridge were sure plentiful the next few years!
I have to admit I brought up the wolf thing cause I "suspected" it might ring your bell!! Now how do you feel about grizzly bears???

[Deb]

Grizzlies are very, very big and have very, very big teeth and claws. I would not want to meet one that is in a bad mood. But grizzlies too, have a place in the scheme of things.

[ianben]

Some of the questions raised here do make one think.
Is man in really in control or is he just another animal in the system.
If we burn oil and gas make the wolf extinct are we just fulfilling our roll in the evolution chain?
Can an individual or even a large group of individuals have any impact when compared to the forces of nature?
One mega earthquake or volcanic explosion must occur sometime. Your rockie mountains must have cause a few changes when they where formed. I cannot imagine how seams of rock could be thrown about like that. I have just spent the weekend in Devon on the coast and the cliffs show how rock has been concertinered like folding paper. Such power!!!
I am not suggesting we should all be barbarians but dont think we can see the future either no matter which university we attended.

I feel we should all be as free to do as we wish as possible.
Encourage recycling, encourage conservation,and organic farming but dont ban hunting, mining or think organic farming will feed the magority of the people.

[bombay_43]

BRAIN WAVE COMIN ON!!!

D-I-V-E-R-S-I-F-Y!

Let's throw Deb and Cowman into a wrestling arena, and charge money to watch the outcome! Maybe turn a few wolves and grizzly bear loose outside the ring for added entertainment!

Naw... come to think of it, WWF probably already did this! LOL

[cowman]

I would have to concede right off the bat, as I don't think you can ever win against an enlightened crusader...especially of the female persuasion!
And besides I'm not totally at odds with Deb! I just like to keep a conversation going!!