The Old Boy Who Cried Wolf

On April 2, 2008, Ron Gillette (the face of the Idaho Anti-Wolf Coalition) spoke during a fund raiser in Idaho. The Idaho Anti-Wolf Coalition is trying to build funds to pass a voter-initiative in the state in order to eradicate wolves from Idaho.

Here's just one quote from the speech:

"Theres three kinds of terrorists. Bin Laden and foreign terrorists, the Defenders of Wildlife and the Idaho Conservation League, domestic terrorists, and the wildlife terrorist is the Canadian wolf. That is what it is.  I am so sick of hearing biology and science and all that and I’m sure you probably are too."

An edited version is posted below. Warning: The below video contains derogatory language aimed at wolf-advocates and wolves.

Read the full transcript after the jump...

Transcript: Youtube video of Ron Gillette:

I don't know what you know about… (mumbles)
A guy by the name of John Martin who leads a group called Western Watersheds. These people are eco-wolf thug terrorists. They will do anything to achieve their goal of keeping wolves near us. They'll do anything. They've elevated these wolves to a god-like status, I think some of them want to be wolves in their next lifetime. I think the lady that I had the confrontation with would probably like an alpha-male wolf as a boyfriend. That may sound absurd to you, but it is a fact.

Ah, and we are trying to get that done, there's been a line that was drawn in the sand and these people have stamped over it. These enviros- theres theres 3 kinds of terrorists. Bin Laden and foreign terrorists, the Defenders of Wildlife and the Idaho Conservation League, domestic terrorists, and the wildlife terrorist is the Canadian wolf. That is what it is. I am so sick of hearing biology and science and all that and I'm sure you probably are too.

Each Canadian wolf is going to kill from 16-24 ungulates per year per wolf. Each wolf is going to kill twice that many _____ {someone coughs during this sentence} so that could put it up to, you know, in the 30s in the 40s. Then in the spring, they're going to follow the elk herds around and kill the calves as fast as they're born. That's called sport reflex kills. So we've got the number that the wolves kill to eat, the number that they binge kill, and the number that they sport kill. We are in the worst wildlife disaster of our state's history right now. No question about it.

The problem with that is, every female in the pack is having a litter. And some of them are having two litters! We've all seen dogs breed, haven't we? The wolves are dogs.

They kill everything. They kill all of the prey first. Then after they- they hunt 365 days a year and they only eat red meat. They are the most cruel, vicious predator in North America. These are facts! Now, after they have killed a prey, then they start on the other predators. They'll kill foxes, they'll kill coyotes, they kill bears, they kill mountain lions. You know, I didn't know this until I started on this research, but a pack of wolves will dig in and kill a hibernating bear. It doesn't matter if it's a black bear or a grizzly. If the devil had an animal, it's the Canadian wolf.

You know, I've been to meetings where people have jumped on me, "oh aren't you a Christian, don't you think everything has a place in nature", you know, I do, but I don't think that an animal that absolutely kills everything else has a right to be here.
I don't know about you, but I get tired of the US fish and wildlife service AND the Idaho fish and game saying there's 750, 785 wolves- wanna bet your paycheck on it?! I like to get right in their face, "you wanna bet your paycheck on it?!" "oh no I don't wanna bet my paycheck on it, we've made a mistake" yeah, you've made a big mistake!! There are probably 3000 to 3500 wolves in this state. Figure it out!

Rex Rammell is running for the united states senate, for the state that I assume Craig is going to give up. Rex Rammell had an elk farm- elk ranch over out in Rexburg. He was beat up by the press last fall. The Idaho fish and game went in and shot elk on his property, by his property. Let me tell you something.

By the time these wolves have slaughtered all of our game, we may need to buy some of these elk to get things started again. It took us 60-65 years for us to get any big game herds and that's in spite of the Idaho fish and game, not what the Idaho fish and game did for us. But Rammell told me, he said ya know, first of all he's a doctor and veterinarian and has a masters degree in biology.

Now, Rammell has decided to run for senate. The man is 45 years old, he's tougher then nails, he's a good family man, he's a good man, he has no ties with these crooks, that we got down in Boise that are representing us and they're not all crooks but you know what I'm talking about. We've got a man here that's one of us so for you.

How are you going to kill them? I don't care, you can nuke em, poison em, dynamite, I don't care. I just want them gone. The only one we want left in Idaho is one in the zoo.

Our reward is to preserve all the big game herds in Idaho and all of Idaho's native wildlife. No negotiation, no compromise, no consensus, and no Canadian wolves in Idaho.

When these wolves were brought in, they spend $350,000 for each one of those 35 wolves that they dropped off. $350,000! Now, they also dumped 30 some wolves into Yellowstone at the same price. That came to 17 million dollars.

Here's one that really gets me. The other thing we know are public surveys show that once wolf populations are delisted and managed, animosity towards wolves will substantially be fine. What kind of surveys are these people reading?!

Comments

[Lynnea]

Is this a joke? The guy sounds like an idiot. Ya, wolves kill to eat, humans kill to eat... conclusion: everything needs to eat in this world, wolves aren’t the only ones!
By the way from what I know of wolves, they don't just Binge kill 24-7 like he is leading people to believe. Wolves are important to the ecological system because they eat the sick, weak or injured members of a elk herd. Without them elk herds might be weakened or highly threatened with disease or sickness.
I think Ron Gillette is misinformed. He makes wolves out to be these “big bad wolves” from a horror story. I can’t believe, with the knowledge that is out their today people so ignorant as him can possibly believe something like that.
And I find it personally funny that he says "Canadian wolves are terrorists" I am Canadian and do not think that "Canadian wolves" are terrorists at all. And who cares whether their "American, European, Canadian, Mexican.." animals are the same, their not like humans and choose you their going to hate by what country they live in. Its total BS!

[TMAC*]

I agree with you, Lynnea. This guy's a creep!
Now I reccomend that presidents, kings/queens, prime ministers and all that, and the Defenders of Wildlife administraters get tighter security so they can avoid assassination from this guy and his followers. If you don't think these wolf haters will assassinate people, then you're wrong! These people are nasty and they'll do ANYTHING to get their way! Face it! They MUST be stopped before a world-wide disaster happens!



[Author Edited: This comment did not meet this blog's terms of use ]

[acaadam343]

this guy has no clue wolves are not terrorists we are because we take their land and we take the lives of wolves that dont do a thing to us.

[wolflovr]

Besides being a rabid wolf hater, he has some of his biological facts wrong. Among other errors he's spouting, all the females in a wolf-pack do NOT breed and have litters (or sometimes two) every year. Only the Alpha female bears pups, and then usually only one litter per year. Somebody needs to give this ol' boy some lessons...

[kitsy]

Why this man is so angry on wolves?
I was see many many films of the diferent people about the life of this wonderful,nice and clever animals-about wolves.
This films discribe how wolves in their families are nice and clever,how wolve male protect his small wolves.
Sometimes I was suprise-this wolves are more worry and more protect their puppies then sometimes peoples parents their kids.

And I was hear,was read many times in different magazines,news-papers,books that wolves are nurses-males in the forest becouse more often they eat sick animals which can not to run quickly, with this wolves help that another animals in the forest will be health, with this they safe another animals in the Nature health.
Bears and mountain lions are in many times more strong then wolves.And I never did not hear that wolves can to kill bear or lion.

Very pity that sometime somebody from people want to hunt,to kill not becouse this person is hungry or is afraid of some animals,but becouse this person want only to kill.
And it is very pity that somebody from people,which like to hunt,to kill somebody from animals, was find subject for hisself wishes to kill- in the wolves.
Why this man is so angry on wolves?
Many people have wolves how dogs in their families in all countries.
And this wolves are very nice and people are happy with they.

[Miami Wolf]

Lord knows in Florida we have our own wildlife perils but for me the return of the wolves to yellowstone was a momentous occasion. My dream is to make it there some day. THe only way to hit these rancher idiots is to hit them where it hurts - the pocketbooks. It is a case of economics. I write letters and e-mails to the governors of these fine states like CL Butch Otter and Sarah Palin in Alaska and simply tell them I will not visit your state and will tell many other people to boycott it unless you stop aerial gunning of these magnificent creatures. How these crazy yahoos get elected into office is another thing. But hit em boys where it hurts - set up tourism boycotts, print bumper stickers, pins, etc.. and boycott the tourism industry until they change their stance on wolves. Just like how I will not watch the Olympics in China. We can all say things but until you start hurting people economically they don't notice it.

[ottoparts]

This guy, bellowing in front of a bunch of tired, idiots hunters is so full of shite - my damn ears could barely take in the truck load of shite he was saying!!! It's people like this moron, this cowboy bufoon (he wishes he were a Cowboy) that epitomizes EVERYTHING that's wrong with this country's environmental laws! I wish this hack nothing but malice - and I'll stand behind, and fight for Rodger Schlickeisen and all that he stands for. This little-dick cowboy-twit doesn't have a clue as to what nature is, how it operates, how it evolves and how it must be saved. He doesn't understand, nor does he give a shite for any animal and it's rightful habitat. He wants to hold onto his little guns - no doubt - his very own penis extension, that he thinks he can whip around and strike fear into the hearts of all animal and wildlife advocates. I'd like to smear his face in a load of cow pies and stuff those turds down his stinking, little wimp throat until he chokes, while I listen to him gurgle his apologies. This is ONE SICK Merkin, and if he were to suddenly leave this earth, no one would miss him! He's a tired little pussy creep! Good riddance, jerk-off!!!!!!

[Tom Riddel]

I agree that this individual has a myopic view. I understand that wolves threaten his interests but, they are an integral part of the ecosystem as a whole. You have to look at the effect in aggregate on the environment.
A concerned veteranarian,
~ http://www.ccacpets.com

[Eliza Winters]

I think it is crazy that they are trying to get rid of all the wolves in Idaho. As a veterinarian I understand if they wish to sanction off a portion to protect other wild life from the wolves, but the wolves are necessary. If the wolves are removed completely the landscape will be completely be transformed by all the herbivores that the wolves prey on. To protect the landscape things must stay as is.

http://www.caminoaltovet.com