Maggie's Farm

Kentucky has established an elk herd, and a controlled hunt each year (40 animals harvested for 2007, I believe). It takes a dedicated effort to re-establish a large animal species, or to eliminate a small one for that matter. Feral cats, wild dog packs, feral hogs, coyotes, armadillos, walking catfish are a few species that need controlling before they destroy ecosystems they have invaded. Urban sprawl has created disjointed areas of habitat, none of which is suitable for a self-sustaining ecosystem for large ungulates and corresponding predators. Animals are being isolated by development and forced to adapt to the destruction of the nature that previously sustained their kind. A few miles from my home, a deer population in a no-hunting area of public land over-bred and destroyed their food sources. The entire herd was starving, government marksmen were finally brought in to thin the herd. The state government control of harvesting of bucks & does led to such a huge population mismatch that the 2007 deer quota limit was 10 does and 2 bucks. Alaska may be the only place in America left, barring annexation of Canada, where there is sufficient contiguous land for natural large herds of grazing animals, wolf packs, black and brown bear to co-exist with infrequent trespass by man. The best the lower 48 can expect is to expect and tolerate the occasional presence of predator and prey in our space. I find it thrilling to know that the black bear may show up in my yard to feed at the same crib the deer, racoon, squirrels, and birds share. The danger is worth the feeling of being surrounded by life beyond my control. I imagine living with wolves has much the same exciting expectation.

Much of America would starve if forced to feed itself outside of restaurants and grocery stores. Those in my teepee would be warm and well-fed, and a wolf at the door would make a nice rug, but there are no wolf packs within a thousand miles. More's the pity.