CATRON COUNTY RESIDENTS COMMENTS AT NEW MEXICO DEPT GAME AND FISH: MINUTES FROM NMDGF MEETING

Comments by Ron Short, Catron County resident, in NMDGF minutes of meeting/MARCH 03, 2007.

Mr. Shorts comments:

"Ron Shortes: I’m from Catron County and Lincoln County. The wolf situation has continued to deteriorate. We feel
that against the request of Congressman Pearce’s office that USFW deliberately released a dangerous wolf that was
inappropriate to be in the program. I understood Las Cruces threatened to sue the Department if you didn’t do what
they told you to are now indicating that in 18 days they’re going to sue us. Again, I want to point out that Catron
County for years has tried to work with everyone involved in these issues and avoid lawsuits and this lawsuit which
looks to me like it’s going to involve the Department eventually was not our idea and we didn’t bring it, but we will
fight it. I’m very concerned that as I understand it when Ron Moore is back from the Congressman’s office called the
Wolf Team to ask them to not release this wolf. They immediately and intentionally released it at that point and time.
It seems to me that we have a Wolf Team that is only concerned about the wolf at all cost and doesn’t give a damn
about the United States Congress or anyone else affected by these issues. We’re also concerned that Department
employees are involved with the Wolf Team and with AMOC and I understand there’s a debate about how much you
all can control the federal government and it’s employees but we’re concerned that some of your own employees
have the attitude that the wolf comes first no matter what happens to anyone else. There is also an issue of whether
AMOC members are telling USFW to refuse to talk to Congress and cooperate with Mr. Pearce’s office as well as to
cover up possible issues that wolves involved in this program but have been released have actually bitten and drawn
blood on people which as I understand their own rules require that that wolf be immediately euthanized rather than
released from the program. Again, all of this in stages of investigation now and I understand Mr. Pearce’s office is
involved in a Congressional inquiry. I’m not saying I have personal knowledge of these things but I’m concerned
where there’s too much smoke there’s fire and some or all of these problems are occurring."