Sharp Shootin' Cowboy (Hot Cowboy Nights, #3)(46)

“If they’re recovered, why the hell are they still listed as endangered in Wyoming?” a voice called out.

Haley glanced up in surprise. “Please, if you will bear with me, I think my presentation will answer most of your questions. If any remain at the end, I’ll be happy to stay for an open Q and A.” She glanced down at her notes in an effort to recompose. “Since the reintroduction of the gray wolf in the mid-nineties—”

“Reintroduction my ass,” someone else mumbled.

“Excuse me?” Her hands had begun to tremble.

“It wasn’t a reintroduction. The Feds imported a whole new subspecies that are half again the size of the plains wolf that used to be here. My granddaddy has picture proof from the last big wolf hunt in the ’20s. They had good reason for getting rid of the ones we had, and they weren’t near the size of those sons of bitches that you people brought down from Canada.”

“On the contrary, we’ve been conducting ongoing genetic studies that prove—”

“I don’t care about your science. The fact is there wasn’t ever any plains wolf that could take down an elk all by its lonesome. Now there’re whole packs of them that you people are allowing to wipe out the elk and moose herds.”

“According to our records, wolf depredations account for only—”

“’Sides that,” the old man continued, “most of the time they only eat half of what they kill before moving on to fresh game. Wolves are killers. It’s what they do. And they have no natural predators to control them. Now, we have to suffer for it. If you don’t believe me, you need to go talk to my buddy who runs a sheep outfit outside of Victor, Idaho. He’ll set you straight real quick, little lady. Only a few months ago two wolves terrorized the whole herd. He lost over a hundred lambs and fifty-seven ewes at a cost of twenty grand.” The old man shook his head and stood up. “I ain’t listening to any more of this wolf preservation bullshit.”

The younger man beside him spoke. “I’ve got a question that’s on all of our minds. What’s the real purpose of this so-called task force?”

Haley licked her lips. “I thought I already explained that. Our purpose is to review, monitor, and provide timely updates on all wolf management activities—”

“Updates to whom? The Fed or those fanatical activists that are suing us?” He eyed her with open hostility. “The same people you worked for.”

Haley’s chest constricted. She glanced frantically around the room that was now abuzz. They did somewhat resemble the lynch gang she’d joked about. Maybe Jeffrey hadn’t exaggerated so much after all.

“I believe Dr. Cooper stated she’d take questions at the end of her talk.”

She hadn’t noticed Reid’s entrance until he laid a hand on her antagonist’s shoulder. They stared each other down for a protracted moment. To her relief, her adversary backed down, taking his seat again with a sullen look. Reid took a place beside him and nodded to Haley to continue her lecture. The next twenty minutes passed in a blur as she mindlessly recited from her notes, her gaze remaining focused on Reid’s passively reassuring face.

“In closing, thanks to the cooperative efforts of federal, state, and tribal agencies, as well as conservation groups and ecologically-minded private citizens, we have succeeded in restoring this magnificent species to most of the Northern Rockies. We now look to you, the ranchers, sportsmen, and outfitters of Wyoming, to help us build upon this success.”

She paused, surveying the room, but rather than the smiles, nods, and applause she was accustomed to, she was met with dead silence and cold, steely stares. Her smile wavered. She cleared her throat again. “Now then, does anyone have any questions?”

Arms across his chest, her former detractor maintained his icy glower. His light blue eyes reminded her all too much of Reid’s. Did all Wyoming men have eyes that color?

After a moment of strained silence, Reid raised a hand. “I do. I think everyone in this room wants to know the same thing. We’ve already presented a wolf management plan to the Feds. What more will it take for them to delist?”

Haley replied, “While I can’t answer for the federal government’s final decision, the task force will review the data and look for assurances that breeding pairs and collared subjects will continue to be protected. We feel that further monitoring is needed since so many of our study subjects periodically migrate out of their protected habitats and into Wyoming.”

“If that’s so, what’s to keep you from slapping collars on every wolf?” her first heckler asked.

“Money and manpower,” she answered bluntly. “I wish we could monitor every wolf. We’d then be able to prove that your concerns about livestock depredation are largely unfounded, but it’s just not feasible.”

“And what about the declining moose and elk?” he pressed. “What’s your answer to that? Our herds are a fraction of what they were ten years back.”

“There are many factors for the decline of ungulates outside of predators. Namely changes in migration patterns and habitat due to expanding human interference. I’m sorry I can’t elaborate more,” Haley hedged, “but I believe my colleagues who spoke earlier can better respond about the herd decline. Any other questions?”