WEBVTT

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Rules and livestock and don't

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mix falls outside of Yellowstone
National Park I understand that there's

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a role for the top predator in

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any ecosystem and the killings occurred
we were upset we were really angry.

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We'd like to be able to work with this
pack because if they learn our ways

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and we learn their ways we
can coexist and how can we

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have the rancher and the wolves

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together that's the part that we need
to get figured out alright that's

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the tough one major funding for this program
was provided by the corporation for

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public broadcasting Additional
funding was provided by

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the Montana Committee for the Humanities
and the greater Montana Foundation.

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This is a story about wolves and the men

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and women who live in the last
remnants of the old West.

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It's the tale of an old battle and
a new beginning brought on by

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a bold wildlife experiment that
restored the gray wolf to parts of

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its native range data black runner up ahead

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Given the mythology of wolves.

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The stories of wolves the
culture of animosity

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that it goes back not hundreds but
thousands of years I would say

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that wolves are one of the most
controversial wildlife species in

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the world We're coloring

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is the most important thing that we'll
project does all year because without

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collars we can't do anything we need marked
wolves to count walls to study wolves.

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Through history they've
been assemble of something

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else and that's something that
is interpreted differently by

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the person to some wall symbolize
waste and destruction and killing.

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To others they symbolize
wilderness and a healthy ecosystem

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and wolves just wanna be wolves
pub was what 24 so yeah.

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OK. Lower right Is 27.1

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Waltz had been eradicated from this area

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and so a lot of people felt
they were eradicated for

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good reason and they felt that the West was
settled on the idea of eradicating predators.

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Primarily walls The argument
is bringing it back is

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rooted in the Endangered
Species Act which means that

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that's law that states simply
we don't have the right

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to through our human actions completely

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destroy eradicate eliminate
another plant or animal species

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like all Western stories.

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This one starts with the land

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Yellowstone Three million acres
of sprawling peaks and planes for

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Wyoming Montana and Idaho
bump up against each

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other along the spine of the Northern
Rockies it's the place where

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America recognized its own wild
heart and chose to save it as

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the first national park

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remote mysterious dynamic and teeming with

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life Yellowstone is a reminder of

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the wild country that Lewis and
Clark explored two centuries ago

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Now that the top predator is back the
landscape has changed in ways that are

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still being measured lazy herds of elk.

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Are now taught and alert.

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Oh there's have new competition Carry into

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eat

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coyotes around the run

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but birds and other scavengers
all benefit from the return of

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the world's Yellowstone Park
is secure core wolf habitat.

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So Yellowstone will always
be a source of wolves.

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For the surrounding states
of Idaho Montana and

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Wyoming And the reintroduction
was designed to be

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boundaryless we did not expect
the wolves to pay attention to

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the boundary and we told everybody
that and that's a point of contention.

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Because many many people
have said to me I have

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no problem with wolves in Yellowstone Park.

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But when they come out of
it I want them move back

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in or killed and we never
said that we're actually

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focusing on the entire Yellowstone ecosystem
is just that Yellowstone Park was used as

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the release site when

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the wolves cross the invisible
border They are entering

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a world that has changed drastically
since they last rom the West.

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Many of the wolves that leave
Yellowstone Park follow

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the fingers of wilderness that
reach into southwest Montana.

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Almost 13 million acres of national
forests around Yellowstone

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but the rich river valleys stretching
out from the Yellowstone plateau r

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prime habitat for both animals
And people and most of

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this land is private property
Paradise Valley Cut eons ago by

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the Yellowstone River
was once the domain of

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the Crow Nation and later
a handful of ranchers.

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Now it is cluttered with trophy homes and

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subdivisions that crowd
both cattle and wildlife.

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We need wolves outside of Yellowstone
National Park because we need

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healthy ecosystems and one walls are
present we have a healthy ecosystem they

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play an incredibly important
role in balancing

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predator and prey numbers and that's
why they're called keystone species

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Paradise valley are mostly National
Forest which provides a lot of habitat

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for deer and elk deer
and elk migrate down to

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the river valley bottoms and
naturally Wolves follow

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them and that's where a lot of the conflicts
between wolves and humans take place.

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Many more lives soccer killed
by lightning strikes and

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poisonous weeds that are
killed by wolves but the wolf

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kills that have happened are pretty
big strain on the ranchers here and

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the paradise Madison
valleys and as a result.

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More than 60 walls have been killed and
this very much concerns conservationists.

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While I've been here for 50 years Or more.

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They are bringing these rules
into our farm domesticated land.

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If they would keep them
up in the hills or in

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the park they can have giraffes
Up in the park for all I

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care if they keep me in
the park there would be

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no problem that's where they belong

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that's where the tourist wants
to see him they go to the park.

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To see these wolves didn't come
out to my place to see a wolf.

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We could just be the sheep on their own
and figure that they would be safe.

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Most of them be alive in the morning.

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Now we've got to I rounded
them up fundament I will prove

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fans for we go anyplace
gotta do that before

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dark in the morning got to check
everything over here there's

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nothing around and then let him
out 365 days out of the year

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we moved here in 1964 Bad
Mother had a ranch in Colorado

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and the elected to sell out there and
we moved here And we've been here.

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Ever since I'm fourth generation
rancher so it's kinda.

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Definitely in our blood for
sure there are some days

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when there's a couple of Assyria
to feed and then OneDrive Montrose

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pay off other days when I'm alone is let
the pickup go and then I get out and

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see the change in

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seasons and organ outdoors and never had this
same old job day in day out it's always.

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It's always a change Your ear job here on

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the ranch I mean it's irrigated
and hay and and then theta1 and

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dig and throw snow maybe and it's just

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it's just something that you do
and you love it that's for sure

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it a day off from work not here
and help them with this fun time.

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Cause lot better sit at home
and you ask him three out Don

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We had a real good job veneer

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weather-wise we didn't have any
real cold weather and we had

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a good year family ranching is a
risky business and the margins are

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slim Martin and his family
could sell out anytime they

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wanted their land is worth
millions to developers in fact.

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Most of the ranchers in Paradise
Valley have already sold off

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their land but Davis is determined
to hold on as long as he can

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For him it's not about the money it's
about a way of life were Brahman calves

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Black's maiden spring work to the cower
every gas will get two shots and

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then he gets a brand and we've got

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a couple of different ownership
of the cattle here so it'll be.

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Three different tour of Florida for
brands we've got to put on my calves.

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But they're all marked
with with a tag colors

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for the ownership so And
it's all in the family so we

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make a mistake it's not that big a deal in

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about another month time they'll all be
gone faster for the summertime spin.

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Him first a June til about
mid-October up the mountains.

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Not all of Davis's cattle make it safely
to summer pasture in the early years of

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wolf reintroduction wolves
killed a calf and wounded

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a heifer on his land 50 miles
north of Yellowstone Park.

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Other herds in the Valley also suffered
occasional wolf attacks the losses were

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minor but they stung lives Doc.

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Don't mix That's the reason
they were eradicated back

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when one of the first groups

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of Yellowstone wolves to claim territory in

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the ranching community was a family
that followed migrating elk.

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About 20 miles into paradise valley.

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The pack was named after the place
they chose to dim sheep Mountain.

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As winter approached elk moved
to lower ground and the wolves.

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Followed their prey walls got to chase
her and they chewed up to heifers.

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That's where they better ripped at height

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loose She's got some pretty
deep puncture wounds back

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here and I have

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kind of a helpless feeling because we
you know we aren't allowed to protect

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protect our property I mean
I think if they would've

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wanted yellows wolves in Yellowstone maybe
two maybe they've got too many elk up

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there maybe they needed wolves up

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there but I don't I don't think it was
right putting them on endangered species

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list because I mean our hands are
tied down here and we can't protect

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our property they shooter
up from the outside

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it didn't leave any teeth marks on
the hide You couldn't see it until

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we Skinner and look at the buttons on
this sucker I mean this soccer was bit.

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But 5000 times I don't know how you'd even
count such a thing and they're just not on him

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the whole time I mean that's not cool
I think for public relations sake.

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Don't. People want to
wolves I think it would be

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advantageous to their cars to take
these troublemakers out and just

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remove them The US Fish
and Wildlife Service

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did in an effort to reduce
tensions in the valley.

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Government agents shot two of
the sheep mountain wolves.

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The restaurant tracked using
Doug's Smith's radio collars.

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And darted with tranquilizers
conflicts with

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livestock were increasing outside the park
and wolf biologists wanted to try something.

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Anything to prevent the
depredations okay you've got

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pages estimates on these gammas ego
just look and see what I wrote down on

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the dataform When the moles woke up from

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their drug-induced slumber they
were in for quite a shock they were

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now in a one acre pen on the Montana ranch

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up environmentalist and
media mogul Ted Turner.

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Who had teamed up with the government
to help with Wolf reintroduction.

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There radio collars were replaced
with color-coded shock colors

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they cast is is wearing a little backpack
actually as a dog backpack that we rigged up.

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Has little bridging They
breast collar girth would

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work a little bit of an inside
those dog packs on either side is

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a pelican box that we have a 12 volt battery
that runs the roam free field width.

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Let's say the wolf head
is here you can come in

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about this distance before
he starts getting shocked.

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It's roam free collar made by an attack

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it same kind of a color containment fence
color that you would put on your dogs and

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we're using little longer probes on
the wolves because their hair's a lot

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sicker If a wolf approaches
the calf within three meters.

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They will be shocked within 0.3 meters so that
when they come that close to the calf than

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there they're pretty committed in the behavior
that they're going to do and they will be

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reprimanded or chalked for a behavior that
comes in with 0.3 meters of that calf.

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We can answer will can
we prevent a wool from

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attacking cath in the pen and two

00:18:12.595 --> 00:18:16.404
will have to follow up with some
pretty intensive monitoring.

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After they're released and
the questions there would

00:18:19.300 --> 00:18:23.118
be Has this has this work does it has

00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:25.999
its stock how long does
it take them to unlearn

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this behavior will they teach other
pack members to avoid cattle

00:18:40.810 --> 00:18:44.209
After several months of
experimental conditioning.

00:18:44.210 --> 00:18:48.813
The sheep mountain Walter released back
into their Paradise Valley territory.

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At the max stuck together
and kept away from cattle.

00:18:52.580 --> 00:18:54.738
The shock treatment would be considered a

00:18:54.739 --> 00:19:00.438
success I wish they were elsewhere
and then right here where cows are

00:19:00.439 --> 00:19:03.769
going to be of course it's
a wild for cows do get

00:19:03.770 --> 00:19:07.384
here but it's it's a
worrying to me that we have

00:19:07.385 --> 00:19:15.385
the so-called convicted rules that were at
least in on or they were part of the pack that

00:19:15.770 --> 00:19:18.649
Jeopardy Livestock and that's

00:19:18.650 --> 00:19:21.828
a worry to me that they're back
out there again whether they are

00:19:21.829 --> 00:19:24.289
trained or not and I really don't know

00:19:24.290 --> 00:19:29.209
the wild animals can be trained no one
does and so it is a warning to me.

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Hopefully they won't be back the
sheep mountain wolves never

00:19:33.800 --> 00:19:39.454
reformed as a bank they simply dispersed
as lone wolves across the valley.

00:19:39.455 --> 00:19:45.449
To or killed for livestock
violations and one drowned.

00:19:49.270 --> 00:19:52.504
But another wolf pack Chief Joseph.

00:19:52.505 --> 00:19:55.024
Was traveling in and out
of paradise valley.

00:19:55.025 --> 00:19:56.328
From its territory in

00:19:56.329 --> 00:20:03.874
Yellowstone Park This time Asher enlisted
the help of branch managers and regulars.

00:20:03.875 --> 00:20:06.409
To try some non-lethal methods to convince

00:20:06.410 --> 00:20:08.899
the wolves to steer clear
of human settlements and

00:20:08.900 --> 00:20:15.844
livestock is going as far
as the Madison Valley.

00:20:15.845 --> 00:20:20.854
Back to their den site and over
into this timeliner basin.

00:20:20.855 --> 00:20:24.739
We've got three different type
of munitions on their all

00:20:24.740 --> 00:20:27.859
into 12 gauge shell and these are

00:20:27.860 --> 00:20:30.679
cracker shells there like an MAD explosive

00:20:30.680 --> 00:20:34.353
and you have a really good range
range on these and there's a delay.

00:20:34.354 --> 00:20:37.489
Just go out there and exploding
ghout so big flash in a in

00:20:37.490 --> 00:20:43.758
a loud loud noise on the next ones
are Bean bags which are also in

00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:47.029
a 12 gauge shell and this is
what they look like and there's

00:20:47.030 --> 00:20:51.048
one ounce of nine shot
in here and then we have

00:20:51.049 --> 00:20:54.888
rubber bullets and because this is

00:20:54.889 --> 00:21:00.334
an experimental population
but there's still Endangered

00:21:00.335 --> 00:21:03.769
People are pretty limited as far
as what they can and can't do

00:21:03.770 --> 00:21:07.459
so fish Mali serves came up
with this and what's nice

00:21:07.460 --> 00:21:11.089
about this is people are feeling
like they have a little more control

00:21:11.090 --> 00:21:15.273
on protecting you know private
land or protecting the dark.

00:21:15.274 --> 00:21:18.690
Exactly. Thank you.

00:21:19.420 --> 00:21:25.853
Nice that was a rubber bullet They've
come up with this feel unlike.

00:21:25.854 --> 00:21:30.963
Like this be a good way to Hayes
them off and you gotta make it hurt

00:21:30.964 --> 00:21:33.169
because it's one thing I
mean you can shoot up

00:21:33.170 --> 00:21:36.333
in the air all day long
and if it doesn't hurt.

00:21:36.334 --> 00:21:40.669
There's no negative association
song as they associate

00:21:40.670 --> 00:21:44.929
that staying with you then I think
it's a good thing but to just go

00:21:44.930 --> 00:21:47.959
chase wolves or just go hit wolves I don't

00:21:47.960 --> 00:21:51.018
think they'll make the association
and it's probably not as effective

00:21:51.019 --> 00:21:55.080
we're broke law but

00:21:57.040 --> 00:22:04.380
it's going to be there all
the way down the hillside

00:22:12.750 --> 00:22:16.549
I mean I came and feel the back yet.

00:22:19.350 --> 00:22:24.219
See this isn't very good because it's such
lightweight stuff if they do then here

00:22:24.220 --> 00:22:29.124
they're in really close vicinity to
cattle and with that many mouths to feed.

00:22:29.125 --> 00:22:33.414
There's a good chance that they'll
they'll start turning the cattle.

00:22:33.415 --> 00:22:36.609
Because coul cattle and more vulnerable.

00:22:36.610 --> 00:22:42.039
If we can get them to then at their old site
in the park the trend has been that they

00:22:42.040 --> 00:22:46.748
didn't come over into the cinnabar
basin or the tall minor basin and

00:22:46.749 --> 00:22:50.229
they stayed out of trouble and
so that's our hopes here is

00:22:50.230 --> 00:22:56.568
two These dens and hopefully she'll go back
to an old old familiar place den there and

00:22:56.569 --> 00:22:59.149
that might save them released through this

00:22:59.150 --> 00:23:06.589
on the plan worked

00:23:06.590 --> 00:23:09.168
the Chief Joseph pack
abandoned has destroyed

00:23:09.169 --> 00:23:13.019
them and move back to the
safety of Yellowstone Park.

00:23:14.170 --> 00:23:20.148
By the summer of 2003 wolves leaving the
park wouldn't have the luxury of returning.

00:23:20.149 --> 00:23:24.769
Every acre of Yellowstone had
been claimed by a wolf pack.

00:23:24.770 --> 00:23:32.770
Each of them was willing to fight
for his territory and these

00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:35.929
days Wolf searching for home ground outside

00:23:35.930 --> 00:23:41.790
the park can run into obstacles more
formidable than split rail fences.

00:23:44.770 --> 00:23:48.259
When I was a kid it was just the ranch.

00:23:48.260 --> 00:23:52.999
There really wasn't any people they just
had homes here it was ranches some small

00:23:53.000 --> 00:23:58.308
and in some larger ones and now they're

00:23:58.309 --> 00:24:01.908
subdivisions and people want a
piece to this and you can't blame

00:24:01.909 --> 00:24:05.718
them they have a piece of
this to to live in and I

00:24:05.719 --> 00:24:09.123
remember my dad Santa on time
in the evening he'd go out

00:24:09.124 --> 00:24:14.779
to irrigate or whatever He'd count

00:24:14.780 --> 00:24:17.029
eight yard line is all a good count

00:24:17.030 --> 00:24:19.734
and now of course looking out
across the valley its dislike

00:24:19.735 --> 00:24:27.735
countless stars 50 miles and three

00:24:28.880 --> 00:24:33.993
wilderness mountain ranges west of Paradise
less than a day's walk for a wolf.

00:24:33.994 --> 00:24:40.669
Was another valley linked to
Yellowstone Park Madison is known

00:24:40.670 --> 00:24:47.629
for its sprawling cattle ranches and
migrating el Kurtz and like paradise valley.

00:24:47.630 --> 00:24:50.250
A River Runs Through It

00:25:03.150 --> 00:25:08.018
Urban refugees looking for a piece of
the West and had finally discovered

00:25:08.019 --> 00:25:15.804
the Madison Valley and the building boom
around the city of Bozeman 50 miles north.

00:25:15.805 --> 00:25:19.729
Has the Madison ranching community on edge

00:25:27.840 --> 00:25:35.840
and on a clear day we can see about 75 miles
and everybody that comes and looks at

00:25:36.310 --> 00:25:39.588
it They're amazed that the view

00:25:39.589 --> 00:25:46.999
here we enjoy coming up here
in the morning we come up.

00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:50.399
Check the cows in the
morning for breakfast.

00:25:53.020 --> 00:25:57.198
Back in 1995 linens wasn't worried about

00:25:57.199 --> 00:26:03.600
the newly re-introduced Yellowstone walks
encroaching development was on his mind.

00:26:09.610 --> 00:26:14.148
Now there's this subdivision
right over here where there's

00:26:14.149 --> 00:26:19.848
a small stack is in machinery
that was a hay field And

00:26:19.849 --> 00:26:24.459
two years ago that got sold
and they're subdividing that

00:26:27.630 --> 00:26:35.630
so Owens and a group of his neighbors did
something unheard of and a small western

00:26:36.349 --> 00:26:40.308
town like Anise They formed

00:26:40.309 --> 00:26:45.479
a conservation organization the
Madison Valley rangelands group.

00:26:47.080 --> 00:26:51.769
Although they knew they couldn't stop
development they hoped they could preserve

00:26:51.770 --> 00:26:57.799
some open space along with the medicine
valleys rural character ranchers

00:26:57.800 --> 00:27:00.919
decided well there's there are issues

00:27:00.920 --> 00:27:04.758
that we need to work with so
we'll take the lead on that

00:27:04.759 --> 00:27:09.019
we find that the core issue
that threatens ranching

00:27:09.020 --> 00:27:13.743
and wildlife and everything else is growth.

00:27:13.744 --> 00:27:17.239
More people coming in
and so we'd like to see

00:27:17.240 --> 00:27:20.628
the growth happened in a way
that is minimized as far as

00:27:20.629 --> 00:27:23.348
the impact On those things that we

00:27:23.349 --> 00:27:28.028
value their support ranching
that provide wildlife habitat.

00:27:28.029 --> 00:27:30.413
I get phone calls all
the time and a galaxy.

00:27:30.414 --> 00:27:33.489
How many how many horses can I
put on my 20 acres if I come out

00:27:33.490 --> 00:27:38.078
there and I say none
because you have to have

00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:46.079
50 acres for a horse or a 100 acres depending
where they are sold the open space is a

00:27:48.100 --> 00:27:52.344
is a habitat thing it's
not a divided up but it

00:27:52.345 --> 00:27:57.429
works for everybody I walked
into a situation where

00:27:57.430 --> 00:28:02.349
the traditional ranching
community had come together in

00:28:02.350 --> 00:28:07.433
a group called the Madison valley ranch
lands group And you know they didn't have.

00:28:07.434 --> 00:28:11.259
Marketing prowess or maybe
business organizational skills

00:28:11.260 --> 00:28:13.589
but they had their hearts and their lands

00:28:13.590 --> 00:28:16.928
stewardship ethic in place
and that's what I walked

00:28:16.929 --> 00:28:20.829
into the rangelands group embraced Lang.

00:28:20.830 --> 00:28:26.573
A Silicon Valley multi-millionaire who had
bought the 18 thousand acres son ranch.

00:28:26.574 --> 00:28:29.889
From a Hollywood movie
star and I told my friends

00:28:29.890 --> 00:28:34.369
in California that I was going to give
a little talk we part of the Montana.

00:28:35.250 --> 00:28:43.250
They say you know you're out
there I say one thing at a time

00:28:45.390 --> 00:28:49.878
there's a lot of change On in
the Inner Mountain West and I

00:28:49.879 --> 00:28:54.378
figured the place that I love as much
as I do and maybe I could have a hand

00:28:54.379 --> 00:28:58.008
in steering its development steering
its direction so we look at

00:28:58.009 --> 00:29:01.969
son Ranch is one big experiment
I grew up with the notion

00:29:01.970 --> 00:29:05.628
in the Bay Area sort of Sierra
Club of ideals that cows were

00:29:05.629 --> 00:29:09.799
somehow bad and then you get
out here and you realize

00:29:09.800 --> 00:29:15.229
that no in fact they're a tool like
any other on landscape and as we as

00:29:15.230 --> 00:29:21.079
stewards manage the land forward
catalyst and just for beef.

00:29:21.080 --> 00:29:23.314
We've used it to increase.

00:29:23.315 --> 00:29:24.934
Al Cabot stat.

00:29:24.935 --> 00:29:28.009
To repair the riverine areas

00:29:28.010 --> 00:29:34.950
the riparian zones And we can also view them
as triple whammy in the positive direction

00:29:38.230 --> 00:29:43.819
as a conservation property 95% of the
sun ranch will be protected from

00:29:43.820 --> 00:29:45.510
development

00:29:52.180 --> 00:29:54.169
barbed wire fences

00:29:54.170 --> 00:29:57.468
are coming down and miles of
stronger fencing is dropped to

00:29:57.469 --> 00:30:01.099
the ground each winter to allow
herds of free-ranging elk.

00:30:01.100 --> 00:30:04.559
To graze as they move across the ranch.

00:30:06.910 --> 00:30:09.619
Many of the elk migrate each year from

00:30:09.620 --> 00:30:11.699
Yellowstone Park

00:30:17.020 --> 00:30:20.013
With the outcome grizzly bears

00:30:20.014 --> 00:30:23.419
and wolves in search of new territory.

00:30:23.420 --> 00:30:31.420
I understand that there's a role for the
top predator in any ecosystem 1600 cows in

00:30:32.689 --> 00:30:36.168
the middle of of wolf central idea

00:30:36.169 --> 00:30:41.478
live and ranch with wolves in your midst
with grizzly bears in your midst.

00:30:41.479 --> 00:30:43.619
With coyotes in your midst.

00:30:46.210 --> 00:30:51.138
It takes an eclectic crew to run a
conservation ranch. Where roles are

00:30:51.139 --> 00:30:54.229
welcome and cows Income.

00:30:54.230 --> 00:31:01.609
There's todd graham Branch Manager
and range line grass specialist is

00:31:01.610 --> 00:31:09.610
Billy Jeremy Gingrich Head of
Operations Vicki Backus PhD

00:31:11.629 --> 00:31:19.128
candidate and predator determined
specialist wrangler and budding

00:31:19.129 --> 00:31:27.129
environmental writer Bryce Andrews and
from Utah State University James Stewart.

00:31:30.250 --> 00:31:34.020
The livestock grazing coordinator

00:31:44.440 --> 00:31:48.228
With the grass cleaning up and
cattle arriving for the summer of

00:31:48.229 --> 00:31:54.243
2006 mines experiment was about
to become extremely interesting.

00:31:54.244 --> 00:31:57.619
A group of wolves called the winch pack

00:31:57.620 --> 00:32:00.858
and decided to dam on the
eastern edge of the ranch.

00:32:00.859 --> 00:32:03.708
How do you run livestock in the
middle of a pack of wolves

00:32:03.709 --> 00:32:08.284
and I had never even seen a wolf
When I moved here from Wyoming.

00:32:08.285 --> 00:32:09.843
Last few days.

00:32:09.844 --> 00:32:16.339
We've put 500 stairs in this pasture
they're fresh off the trucks can

00:32:16.340 --> 00:32:19.519
be here all summer Wolves

00:32:19.520 --> 00:32:23.309
are said to be right here in the
mouth of bad luck Crick canyon.

00:32:23.310 --> 00:32:26.178
There should be somewhere
around nine adults and we think

00:32:26.179 --> 00:32:30.089
they were always speculate that they
may be having pumps up in there

00:32:41.740 --> 00:32:46.309
and then we put 250 cow-calf pairs.

00:32:46.310 --> 00:32:49.739
Somewhere right close to home here

00:33:06.960 --> 00:33:12.048
If we bring the cows to summer
pasture and a spring like

00:33:12.049 --> 00:33:17.448
this it's so Bob Second we
could June and they'll stay

00:33:17.449 --> 00:33:23.298
here for until about mid-October and

00:33:23.299 --> 00:33:24.588
then we'll take them back down to

00:33:24.589 --> 00:33:29.674
the lower contra domino hay meadows
for the winner but every year.

00:33:29.675 --> 00:33:32.298
About this time ears when the cattle.

00:33:32.299 --> 00:33:36.499
Go to summer ranges which a lot of
marine there's mountainous areas like

00:33:36.500 --> 00:33:41.973
this there's moles Neriyah now and

00:33:41.974 --> 00:33:46.863
Ben posed the problem we haven't
come out of here with our full count

00:33:46.864 --> 00:33:52.428
some years and then we've had
our winning rate has been

00:33:52.429 --> 00:33:56.869
down because of the wolves hurting

00:33:56.870 --> 00:34:01.473
the cows more or less and matter of
fact one year that calves came out

00:34:01.474 --> 00:34:05.539
a 100 pound wide across the board
and and that was devastating to us

00:34:05.540 --> 00:34:08.164
where there was a little
higher cattle market

00:34:08.165 --> 00:34:12.150
but it didn't do us any good because
we lost so much weight and the cats.

00:34:20.200 --> 00:34:27.510
It's no longer a question of if the wolves
will show up As a matter of when and how many.

00:34:30.190 --> 00:34:34.818
But this year a change in the political
climate is arrived along with

00:34:34.819 --> 00:34:40.008
the warmer weather for the first time
since wolves returned to paradise valley.

00:34:40.009 --> 00:34:43.543
The ranch roots feel they have an
active hand in their management.

00:34:43.544 --> 00:34:48.229
They killed one right out
here but for 500 years ago in

00:34:48.230 --> 00:34:52.878
the fall of the year as a rancher and

00:34:52.879 --> 00:34:58.399
politician Bruce Malcolm served on the
Montana Governor's Task Force assigned to

00:34:58.400 --> 00:35:00.199
help draft a wolf management plan for

00:35:00.200 --> 00:35:04.414
the state one that would lead to D
listing the Yellowstone wolves.

00:35:04.415 --> 00:35:12.415
From the Federal Endangered Species Act And
we had a predator that we did not want

00:35:15.140 --> 00:35:18.918
we did everything we
could to stop them from

00:35:18.919 --> 00:35:22.578
reintroducing predators
but we'd said if they

00:35:22.579 --> 00:35:25.039
want to have it in Yellowstone Park
that's fine but we don't want it

00:35:25.040 --> 00:35:29.778
whatever but the powers to be and so forth.

00:35:29.779 --> 00:35:35.328
You know the story today they're here
so now we're going to try and live with

00:35:35.329 --> 00:35:43.008
them And we've tried to adapt and tried
to make management plans to do survive.

00:35:43.009 --> 00:35:49.188
Since the wolves were reintroduced in
1995 we had conflicts with wolves every

00:35:49.189 --> 00:35:52.249
year of some sort some in meetings across

00:35:52.250 --> 00:35:56.014
the state ranchers politicians
environmentalists.

00:35:56.015 --> 00:35:57.813
Often butted heads.

00:35:57.814 --> 00:36:01.789
Her but they came up with
a workable consensus.

00:36:01.790 --> 00:36:06.019
While neighboring Idaho and Wyoming
are still arguing over plans

00:36:06.020 --> 00:36:10.023
that would drastically restrict
the number of wolves Montana.

00:36:10.024 --> 00:36:14.478
Has worked out a strategy to live with
them and eventually treat them like

00:36:14.479 --> 00:36:19.039
other wildlife species the
Montana plan Following

00:36:19.040 --> 00:36:20.808
federal guidelines will require

00:36:20.809 --> 00:36:25.968
at least ten breeding pairs and 100 and
wolves to live outside yellowstone on

00:36:25.969 --> 00:36:28.159
public lands or wherever they are

00:36:28.160 --> 00:36:34.203
tolerated the new rules will allow ranchers
to shoot wolves to protect livestock.

00:36:34.204 --> 00:36:36.649
But will not limit the number
of wolves that can live in

00:36:36.650 --> 00:36:40.999
montana fall I think it's
good for the wolves because

00:36:41.000 --> 00:36:44.779
they're going to learn it the chastened
cause it's not a real thing that we do

00:36:44.780 --> 00:36:50.489
it and I don't think you need to worry
about choosing whole wolf packs.

00:36:51.340 --> 00:36:54.713
You know few shoot water to all the wolf.

00:36:54.714 --> 00:37:01.579
There's no remarks from this country that
can take out 68 wolves in one shot To

00:37:01.580 --> 00:37:04.698
get into the I think the
environmental community is

00:37:04.699 --> 00:37:08.553
realizing that we have a lot of
values in common with ranchers.

00:37:08.554 --> 00:37:12.709
That they're not our enemy that we can help

00:37:12.710 --> 00:37:18.318
them if we work with them and we can
reach common goals like protecting

00:37:18.319 --> 00:37:22.878
both livestock and Wolf's This one has
NT different wines but don't worry about

00:37:22.879 --> 00:37:28.024
that so what you do is find a find a wolf

00:37:28.025 --> 00:37:30.828
and you'll have drained
writers program is an effort

00:37:30.829 --> 00:37:33.828
to reduce conflicts between
wolves and livestock outside of

00:37:33.829 --> 00:37:38.148
Yellowstone National Park And in
collaboration with local ranchers we

00:37:38.149 --> 00:37:42.844
hire writers that ride for six
months out of the year on

00:37:42.845 --> 00:37:45.499
public and private property to protect

00:37:45.500 --> 00:37:53.500
livestock father postorder ball

00:37:54.620 --> 00:37:57.799
five every morning and the next time
we get up and get coffee going to get

00:37:57.800 --> 00:38:02.879
the fires going here pretty quick
on golf golf course agenda.

00:38:03.130 --> 00:38:06.243
I just hope our president's error's gonna.

00:38:06.244 --> 00:38:09.749
There's gonna do a lot of good I really do

00:38:47.320 --> 00:38:52.110
We are really really long for

00:39:02.920 --> 00:39:10.488
Easy now but you're changing
the temperature Tm.

00:39:10.489 --> 00:39:13.889
Will not only get salmon war.

00:39:15.580 --> 00:39:18.960
Well we'll see in a few minutes

00:39:45.700 --> 00:39:50.028
What I tried to do by being out
here and driving around is just

00:39:50.029 --> 00:39:54.810
creating a human presence in
making as much noise as possible.

00:39:56.470 --> 00:40:02.418
Every evening I got
between 730 or 830 and I

00:40:02.419 --> 00:40:07.428
circle all the herd on the four wheeler
except the one that I decided that

00:40:07.429 --> 00:40:11.628
I'm going to Kant next to you so this is

00:40:11.629 --> 00:40:17.328
flattery It was a technique they
came over from Eastern Europe they

00:40:17.329 --> 00:40:20.959
don't know exactly why it works
but we'll avoid it and when

00:40:20.960 --> 00:40:25.039
it's windy you know these fif flap
in the wind And she said when

00:40:25.040 --> 00:40:30.348
I got the idea that it was avoided maybe there
could be used as the tears technique for

00:40:30.349 --> 00:40:32.719
livestock so it's been tested both in

00:40:32.720 --> 00:40:37.620
captivity and in natural
settings and it seems to work

00:40:45.940 --> 00:40:49.039
back before wolves.

00:40:49.040 --> 00:40:54.813
Would call them the BW years
before which act on the cows.

00:40:54.814 --> 00:40:58.038
Maybe once a week we get busy

00:40:58.039 --> 00:41:00.918
with hanging or whatnot maybe even
it'd be a little longer maybe up to

00:41:00.919 --> 00:41:03.723
about two weeks between checks on metallic

00:41:03.724 --> 00:41:07.308
and now We feel like we have to
check on them at least every

00:41:07.309 --> 00:41:10.758
other day and that's just
to make sure nothing

00:41:10.759 --> 00:41:14.269
has been killed or that the
wolves are bothering them and

00:41:14.270 --> 00:41:18.469
pushing them through the fences
or whatever and it's and it's

00:41:18.470 --> 00:41:22.938
a fairly long trip it takes about a
half a day just to go up to do this

00:41:22.939 --> 00:41:27.408
to check on the cap and come back down
because it's all mountainous terrain and

00:41:27.409 --> 00:41:32.958
so it's not an easy job to do
a little bit if they'd been

00:41:32.959 --> 00:41:40.683
bothered by the world they differed around our
dogs for sure they're kinda wild eyed and

00:41:40.684 --> 00:41:45.228
everything like that so does the dog
show up the they didn't appear to

00:41:45.229 --> 00:41:50.519
pay today Hey everybody it's probably fine.

00:41:56.980 --> 00:42:03.214
I've started noticing that these
last the last years so that

00:42:03.215 --> 00:42:11.215
the environmental folks are are
saying you know I like wolves.

00:42:13.070 --> 00:42:18.484
But uh but I also like branches
because where there's ranchers.

00:42:18.485 --> 00:42:21.708
There's this wide open space.

00:42:21.709 --> 00:42:25.939
So how can we have both how
can we have the rancher and

00:42:25.940 --> 00:42:33.900
wolves together and What's the poster

00:43:19.540 --> 00:43:25.603
And the killings occurred we were
upset we were really angry meat.

00:43:25.604 --> 00:43:30.394
We'd lost a few heifers in the
middle of all of our efforts.

00:43:30.395 --> 00:43:36.180
Yeah the wolves came in took the cattle
out and we were we were very upset.

00:43:38.650 --> 00:43:43.009
So we applied for a shoot on-site SOS

00:43:43.010 --> 00:43:47.628
permit and were granted that and
we took it out there but it was

00:43:47.629 --> 00:43:50.508
our choice to determine
which of the wolves to

00:43:50.509 --> 00:43:57.079
kill No they're going

00:43:57.080 --> 00:44:01.174
to go through that state section go on
the same row that Dave's gonna take.

00:44:01.175 --> 00:44:04.129
But just go path there
and then just keep going

00:44:04.130 --> 00:44:07.069
until the road ends they didn't
take a car on this road over

00:44:07.070 --> 00:44:09.889
whom my thought is if we had maybe somebody

00:44:09.890 --> 00:44:14.404
here then there's this timber in
the middle of the state section.

00:44:14.405 --> 00:44:19.409
Maybe someone there then maybe somebody
just up here by this water drop

00:44:32.980 --> 00:44:36.978
I came to this arrangement
because the way we do things

00:44:36.979 --> 00:44:40.804
we try to coexist with
with predator species.

00:44:40.805 --> 00:44:44.839
Try and make it a large
tracts of open land for

00:44:44.840 --> 00:44:49.188
wild animals and to have to to have
ten up into conflict like this

00:44:49.189 --> 00:44:52.938
and have to be running around
after an animal that I think is

00:44:52.939 --> 00:44:55.518
really impressive animal with a gun

00:44:55.519 --> 00:44:59.089
is just a really difficult
thing I think a lot of places.

00:44:59.090 --> 00:45:03.078
Probably would be calling for the
extermination of the whole pack

00:45:03.079 --> 00:45:09.049
and I think we're very interested
in the notion that there

00:45:09.050 --> 00:45:12.949
may be some sort of middle ground
where we can occupy this land

00:45:12.950 --> 00:45:17.869
And have minimal levels of loss
and the wolves can also remain

00:45:17.870 --> 00:45:20.868
a presence here and that's what
I'd really like to see would be

00:45:20.869 --> 00:45:27.049
the ideal son range personnel
shot to members of the wedge

00:45:27.050 --> 00:45:30.439
back and the attacks on cattle
stopped for the rest of

00:45:30.440 --> 00:45:38.440
the summer and early fall the wolves
attacked again killing two more heifers.

00:45:39.310 --> 00:45:42.693
Three more members of the
wage backwards shot.

00:45:42.694 --> 00:45:50.694
This time by federal agents we would like to
try and coexist with them they are a species

00:45:52.879 --> 00:45:57.608
that was put on this Earth like
any other So but but it but it is

00:45:57.609 --> 00:46:02.903
a bit of a war we have to let them know
more than just a shot across the bow.

00:46:02.904 --> 00:46:08.078
Our hazing efforts were met with success
for seven years and then all sudden

00:46:08.079 --> 00:46:10.689
this year as Todd said they
changed their tactics and

00:46:10.690 --> 00:46:13.493
came in and said you know what
that hazing stuff they do.

00:46:13.494 --> 00:46:16.478
Doesn't seem to work so we
had to up the ante we'd

00:46:16.479 --> 00:46:19.328
like to be able to work with this
pack because if they learn our ways

00:46:19.329 --> 00:46:22.568
and we learn their ways we
can coexist and that's what

00:46:22.569 --> 00:46:26.184
this is all about if you
work with one pack.

00:46:26.185 --> 00:46:28.509
Whether we kill a few and the rest remain

00:46:28.510 --> 00:46:33.203
aside that pack will eventually
claim this territory is their own.

00:46:33.204 --> 00:46:36.759
So that if new packs come in
they will defend their territory

00:46:36.760 --> 00:46:41.494
against A potential new
predators on our cattle.

00:46:41.495 --> 00:46:46.474
So in a twist of fate if we can
figure out the detente with one pack.

00:46:46.475 --> 00:46:52.324
Over time they actually end up being
more of a defense mechanism to

00:46:52.325 --> 00:47:00.325
incoming packs than we might come up
on top and look down this morning.

00:47:02.500 --> 00:47:06.904
That group was going somewhere
they're pretty unsettled.

00:47:06.905 --> 00:47:14.905
There probably the most active group of the
heard this morning Is is just walk through

00:47:16.459 --> 00:47:20.568
them and when they gave to

00:47:20.569 --> 00:47:26.179
my pressure which was me I would release
you to watch me step back a little bit.

00:47:26.180 --> 00:47:30.489
Just let them know that
that everything's alright.

00:47:30.490 --> 00:47:38.490
And they can they can go on eating and not
be so stressed ideas just to keep them

00:47:40.250 --> 00:47:46.158
gain and white and East us peace the dollar

00:47:46.159 --> 00:47:48.889
took my quiet or dog with me just so they

00:47:48.890 --> 00:47:52.800
can get used to them quite
cattle are healthy again

00:48:01.060 --> 00:48:05.073
When the Aspen's and
cottonwood start to turn.

00:48:05.074 --> 00:48:07.564
It's time to round up the cattle.

00:48:07.565 --> 00:48:12.949
Most will be shipped to
markets in the Midwest but

00:48:12.950 --> 00:48:15.828
just how well accounts can mix
with wolves is about to be

00:48:15.829 --> 00:48:19.413
measured on the ranches livestock scales.

00:48:19.414 --> 00:48:25.529
Each camphor Heifer is expected to gain
at least 500 pounds over the summer.

00:48:26.050 --> 00:48:30.978
If we figure the the
difference of the gain.

00:48:30.979 --> 00:48:37.159
We're about we're about 80 to a 100 pounds
light on on all these heifers where we've

00:48:37.160 --> 00:48:44.164
had Just stored in 900 heifers here so if
we have 900 heifers are say 880 heifers.

00:48:44.165 --> 00:48:52.165
Is 880 thousand pounds or 88
thousand pounds times one or five.

00:48:52.940 --> 00:49:00.120
Has about a night we're short about
$92,400 in gain on these cattle

00:49:17.510 --> 00:49:21.468
and it's good to see it go
Which they were weighing

00:49:21.469 --> 00:49:25.338
a little bit more guy who
owns them is really upset ten

00:49:25.339 --> 00:49:30.048
math losing a lot of money today and has

00:49:30.049 --> 00:49:31.998
done a very good David it's good
to get them the hell out of

00:49:31.999 --> 00:49:35.999
here now we can rest a little bit.

00:49:44.110 --> 00:49:48.349
I squared and I kept me row by
far the biggest one and then

00:49:48.350 --> 00:49:52.744
five pounds of beef

00:49:52.745 --> 00:49:57.123
that's our bottom line is pounds of B and
when you don't have as many pounds to sell.

00:49:57.124 --> 00:50:03.858
There's the problem For

00:50:03.859 --> 00:50:06.618
large cattle operations it's a
blow when the cows come back

00:50:06.619 --> 00:50:12.030
light but for the Davis's
it could mean disaster.

00:50:12.580 --> 00:50:16.968
We've got our account so
we're pretty happy with

00:50:16.969 --> 00:50:24.330
that bears like buy everything came
home from the Goodyear I guess.

00:50:26.020 --> 00:50:30.198
We don't know until they run
across the scales for sure about

00:50:30.199 --> 00:50:35.909
the way but either right now they
they look pretty good I think

00:50:48.010 --> 00:50:50.748
The cows are overthrown they're on

00:50:50.749 --> 00:50:56.808
their way it's good to have them home
yeah it's it's nice to get rid of

00:50:56.809 --> 00:50:59.118
them in the spring and admin
go to the mountains but

00:50:59.119 --> 00:51:01.459
that's good failing to see him come home on

00:51:01.460 --> 00:51:09.460
the fall quickly gives

00:51:11.299 --> 00:51:15.649
way to winter in Yellowstone country it's
time for the righteous to take stock of

00:51:15.650 --> 00:51:21.300
their gains and losses and to
make plans for the future.

00:51:21.760 --> 00:51:24.589
But the place Worth.

00:51:24.590 --> 00:51:29.268
Who knows I mean maybe beyond our
wildest dreams and we could possibly

00:51:29.269 --> 00:51:34.398
trade this for a place
maybe without this beauty

00:51:34.399 --> 00:51:38.388
in will stay in the plane somewhere and

00:51:38.389 --> 00:51:42.693
probably could trade this ranch for 13
times as big and still be ranchers.

00:51:42.694 --> 00:51:50.283
But not be here where the the vacation
there's like to stay to 120 I've

00:51:50.284 --> 00:51:56.689
I've done a lot of people around this table

00:51:56.690 --> 00:52:00.558
and whatever we've already Boy air whatever

00:52:00.559 --> 00:52:04.398
it is probably drank enough
coffee to slow the battleship.

00:52:04.399 --> 00:52:09.679
Right at this table And if you
have no tables stood up but

00:52:09.680 --> 00:52:17.680
here it's kinda hard you have
new ideas with old ideas.

00:52:19.354 --> 00:52:23.118
My ideas are a little
different than my dad and it

00:52:23.119 --> 00:52:26.568
might take a little little
jumping around and get them

00:52:26.569 --> 00:52:33.499
to come together but I hope one
day we can maybe get it to

00:52:33.500 --> 00:52:36.769
work out a little and so I can be sitting

00:52:36.770 --> 00:52:41.418
here making the decisions will he
sits in here and Koresh watches me.

00:52:41.419 --> 00:52:44.928
Why can't just be like God I'm
going to take over day and

00:52:44.929 --> 00:52:48.064
the wolves are not going to
be here I mean that's not

00:52:48.065 --> 00:52:51.018
Just like San Juan wished again

00:52:51.019 --> 00:52:54.018
golfers and everything else were gone
too it's just one of the things you

00:52:54.019 --> 00:52:57.258
have to accept them go
into it and know that you

00:52:57.259 --> 00:53:01.383
might have some losses as saying
but you just gotta live with it

00:53:01.384 --> 00:53:05.209
I guess we're still recovering
from that one year that we lost

00:53:05.210 --> 00:53:10.338
all that weight and we never know
from day to day whether it's

00:53:10.339 --> 00:53:13.129
going to happen again I mean we've
had wolves how will appear in

00:53:13.130 --> 00:53:16.699
the hill behind the house just the last few

00:53:16.700 --> 00:53:19.789
nights here and we'd have no
Which morning we're gonna wake

00:53:19.790 --> 00:53:23.089
up and have more of our cattle
kill that air we don't know we

00:53:23.090 --> 00:53:29.658
hope it's true won't happen but it's your
good any morning and this year we're bringing

00:53:29.659 --> 00:53:36.469
back The same cattle owner that
suffered the losses from last year.

00:53:36.470 --> 00:53:38.298
He's the one who's questioning.

00:53:38.299 --> 00:53:41.358
Do these guys have what it
takes to make sure that

00:53:41.359 --> 00:53:44.899
my cattle are in a safe way
that shear we may have to

00:53:44.900 --> 00:53:50.193
increase the range writer program we
may have to increase the number of of

00:53:50.194 --> 00:53:52.189
aggressive heading them off at

00:53:52.190 --> 00:53:54.558
the pass incidences in order

00:53:54.559 --> 00:53:59.039
to achieve that they taught that we had
achieved by the end of last summer.

00:53:59.140 --> 00:54:04.248
They spent the entire winter chasing
the anchored up and over the past

00:54:04.249 --> 00:54:09.514
and came back when the L Kurt came back
you know when the snows got too heavy.

00:54:09.515 --> 00:54:17.515
So It's just another round sort of like
a boxing match thought around ten or 11

00:54:21.250 --> 00:54:25.279
it's been said that the best
wolf habitat resides in

00:54:25.280 --> 00:54:31.548
the human heart you have to leave a little
space for them to live but how much

00:54:31.549 --> 00:54:36.499
space are we willing to share the
return of the Yellowstone wolves is

00:54:36.500 --> 00:54:41.508
more than an experiment
it's a test wolves test

00:54:41.509 --> 00:54:44.538
the patients and endurance and
the ranchers who live among

00:54:44.539 --> 00:54:49.098
them who in a twist of fate
may now hold the key to

00:54:49.099 --> 00:54:54.634
their survival and wolves test our
tolerance of things we can't control

00:54:54.635 --> 00:54:57.228
That wild nature we chose to preserve in

00:54:57.229 --> 00:55:01.998
the first national park and the
last remnants of the old frontier.

00:55:01.999 --> 00:55:05.550
We still call paradise

00:55:38.020 --> 00:55:42.468
For more information about
this program visit IT vs. dot

00:55:42.469 --> 00:55:44.190
ORG

00:56:22.390 --> 00:56:24.018
Major funding

00:56:24.019 --> 00:56:24.170
for

00:56:24.171 --> 00:56:28.158
this program was provided by the
corporation for public broadcasting.

00:56:28.159 --> 00:56:30.799
Additional funding was provided by

00:56:30.800 --> 00:56:38.800
the Montana Committee for the Humanities
and the greater Montana Foundation