1st Mich. Wolverine Spotted in 200 Years!

[JayC]

I first saw this of all places on the Detroit news all the way in the Thumb. The first Wolverine has been spotted in a VERY long time! Channel 4 (WDIV) said it was spotted near Bad Axe. Well, to my surprise I seen a story on Yahoo about it! I bet it will appear on CNN soon. The AP story says it was seen near Ubly. Either way it is awesome to hear about it! It was seen running across a field. Here is the Yahoo story:

Yahoo's News Story

 

[JDgreen227]

My local paper had the story this morning, I am so happy to learn our state actually has wolverines, because for years my MSU-loving buddies have been ragging me that my favorite A2BLUE teams did not deserve their "Wolverine" nickname. Now I can finally tell them to shut up.

GO BLUE

 

[leaddog]

great, now the state will have to spend MILLIONS on enviormental studys to protect their habatat for a animal that someone probably imported. Sort of like the mountain lions that have been let loose. Some people WANT to think that they are wild but like the one that walked besides the park ranger in the sleeping bear dunes you won't convince me that it was a WILD one. It walked by her for over a 1/4 mile never getting over 5ft from her. THAT IS A WILD CAT. If people get the DNR to say they are now native every time the DNR wants to do any thing they will have to spend millions for studies to protect them. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[slowrev]

Naw, not today, we can't let anything stand in the way of profit.

 

[rdln]

I knew there was sumpin funny about that mink I shot last year, kinda big with a strange streak of brown. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Green_in_MI]

So?

 

[RanchMan]

I suspect your cynicism would tilt in the opposite direction (like mine. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif) if you'd had your property rights circumvented because of some "newly" found critter.

 

[RanchMan]

JayC -

I'm all for wildlife - and enjoy it immensely (no, not just during hunting season /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif ), but leaddog has a valid point - in that these things can spiral out of control very quickly. I sure hope that for your sake Ulby is nowhere near your home or you may have all sorts of restrictions put on your property before you can say "Jack Robinson." /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[JayC]

Ubly is about a half-hour from here.

There was a big write up about it in our local paper. There are some theories about how it got here. Some think that it floated across the lake on an ice flow. Others think that it came over in a Canadian garbage truck that routinely dump at a nearby fill. Another theory says that it could be an escape or release from captivity. Either way, I don't think they will ever know how it got here.

Regarding the trash truck theory. In the newspaper article, it was raised that the garbage is usually compacted in the truck. It would be very hard for the animal to survive in the back of the truck.

 

[Wannafish]

Here in North Central Michigan I have seen wolves - that the DNR routinely insisted were not there until they were cornered and owned up to the fact they have been following 1 breeding pair and another lone female that crossed (presumably) the ice between the upper and lower peninsulas about 4 years ago.

When I was 15 (over 25 years ago) I shot a wolverine that chased me across our backyard. When I came out with the rifle it was tearing up grass and dirt - wow was it mad! At the time I shot it I thought it was an overgrown badger...until I went out to bury it. First and last one I've seen, though I recall my Grandfather (who passed away in 1972) telling me he had seen a couple of them in the 50's while farming.

Of course I wish I hadn't shot it, but I can't change that now. Just want people to be aware that animals may be in an area even though the DNR say they are not.

 

[slowrev]

In this country your property "rights" can be circumvented for a variety of reasons. A new road or gummit building or various commercial ventures that the gummit is interested in.

 

[slowrev]

Just one other thought on this subject.
I lived in FL for about 8 years. Glad to be back in the country, but that is another story. Anyway, down in FL the state sprayed Malathion on a large portion of the state, subdivisions and all to control Medflys, which is a commercial concern to the Orange industry. This also pretty well wiped out honeybees, wild and domestic. Polluted my pool and ate some paint up on my car. The gummit said too bad we are not responsible for anything! Also they can come on your property without permission to cut your citrus trees if they are suspected of being infected with citrus canker. The gummit can do what it wants and does it sometimes for big business.

 

[RanchMan]

<font color="blue">In this country your property "rights" can be circumvented for a variety of reasons. A new road or gummit building or various commercial ventures that the gummit is interested in. </font>

Yes, I think everyone here understands the concept of "eminent domain."

The issue at hand however is the concept of frivolous "wildlife protectionism" because someone saw a "long lost" critter in some area where it hasn't been observed (officially) before or in a long time and how it can lead to property rights being circumvented.

This can KILL the independent rancher or farmer - not just the "commercial ventures" you complain about. (I've seen it happen.) It's not all about just protecting "big business" as you imply.

 

[slowrev]

No it is not just about protecting big businesses. I am not a PETA type but realize that there is value in taking "reasonable" action to protect some wilderness/animals, and the environment. If we don't do some conservation we are exterminating ourselves as a species in the long run.
I do think that the re-introduction of species into areas no longer suitable for them because of mans encrochment is stupid and unrealistic.

 

[Hambone]

<font color="red"> I am not a PETA type </font>

Which on People Eating Tasty Animals or the other?

 

[slowrev]

OH I am the People Eating Tasy Animals type fer sure /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[RanchMan]

<font color="blue">there is value in taking "reasonable" action to protect some wilderness/animals </font>

The problem comes in the definition of "reasonable."

If you owned a large ranch and relied on it for your livelihood for a number of years and then the government came in because of some tree-hugger types saying you could no longer run cattle because you are "endangering" some "newly found" critter, (which, BTW, would mean that in addition to not being able to ranch anymore, your property value drops like a stone because now the land has lost any commercial value too), I suspect your definition of "reasonable" would change.

It's easy to be brave and have ideals when it isn't your money and livelihood on the line...

 

[BillG_in_TX]

Here's an article concerning the issue of expanding the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge.

An excerpt from the article:
"Although the Fish and Wildlife Service’s official document emphatically states that the land will be purchased at 'fair market values' only from 'willing sellers' ... market values are automatically reduced when an area is designated as a proposed wildlife refuge. At the same time, it sets in motion a situation that makes landowners want to sell, simply to get out from under the restrictions that inevitably come with this type of federal designation.

... we believe there is in reality, no ‘fair market’ and no ‘willing seller’ in this situation."

As far as I'm concerned, the Golden Cheeked Warbler can keep his distance from my property.

 

[slowrev]

I think that the current situation is a result of past inactions. However I will just abandon this topic and say kill all of the bees and have no pollenation of your crops, kill all the birds and have more pests eating your crops, use poision to compensate and wind up drinking poision water. Man has gone beyond a balance point with nature an we will pay in the long run. All I am saying on this subject.

 

[RanchMan]

slowrev -

Please point out where ANYONE said every other living thing on earth should be killed off. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

All I ever did was point out the independent landowner can loose his livlihood and ability to do what he wants with property HE paid for due to the actions of zealots and the government. Sorry you can't handle the truth and choose to make up things I supposedly said/meant.

It's painfully obvious to me you have no real experince in this area, nor that you work regularly with wildlife biologists to improve wildlife habitat as I do. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif (Never saw that one coming, huh?)

I'd suggest you be a little more careful before you think you've got me "pegged" next time.