Not taxpayers’ problem

When John Haabberstad (Dec. 30) says that wolves have a negative effect on game populations, he clearly doesn’t understand how important a balanced ecosystem is. Like most predators, wolves play a part in preventing overgrazing. This actually promotes healthy game populations for better hunting.

Public land belongs to the predators and the people. Ranchers who lease public lands for cattle and sheep need to compromise with that land and the people’s wishes.

Just because a rancher supports the food industry is no reason why the taxpayer should have to pick up the tab when his business has a hiccup. Nobody else that runs a personal business is covered for their losses.

If a rancher sees a wolf in his feed lot or private pasture, then by all means shoot it if that’s what he wants. But don’t propagandize us into thinking that because one of his fences is down or he loses a sheep or cow on leased or private land, that this is the taxpayers’ problem.

Hire some cowboys, buy some dogs, beef up your fences, play music for your stock but don’t cut into those profits. Buck up. It comes with the cost of doing business.

Bonnie Bogart-Brown

Plummer, Idaho