The article of Nov. 30 about saving the mountain caribou in Boundary County makes me see red. 

Periodically the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, supported by a myriad of bleeding heart environmentalists, wastes more taxpayer money to "save" the small woodland caribou herd of Idaho/Canada. At the same time taking more land out of multiple use.

Some time ago it was tranquilizing Canadian caribou and helicoptering them to Boundary County - killing many in the process. The ones they didn't kill walked home. A major boondoggle. In the meantime they had the classes at Mount Hall Grade School each "adopt" a caribou and track it by its collar until it died or left the area. Hopefully they didn't turn any good farm kids into soft headed enviros.

The caribou is not an endangered species. It just happens they live in Canada and wander our way from time to time. The caribou saviors say "the caribou are the most endangered species in the lower 48." It is fair to say few are here but not that the sub-species is endangered - except maybe by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

It is now proposed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to declare 375,000 acres as critical habitat off limits to recreation or any other beneficial use. The theory is that caribou can't co-exist with human activity. I have seen pictures of caribou feasting on moss at one end of a down tree while a logger was bucking up the other end. The late Paul Flinn, former Fish and Game warden, made a long and exhaustive study of the caribou in the Selkirks during the ‘50s and ‘60s. He took countless pictures including the one referred to above. I submit he knew more than any other person about that herd. He did not subscribe to the notion that the caribou must have a habitat all their own.

In addition to taking 586 square miles out of public use and designating it exclusively caribou habitat, the article talks about the possibility of "augmenting" the population. If that is to be done let's hope the tranquilizer, net and helicopter technique is not used. It didn't work out so well last time. Why not leave them alone? If they wander over our way from time to time, great. We are broke, let's not waste any money on this ill-considered venture.

Whether you agree or disagree there is a 60-day comment period. Comments can be submitted electronically at www.regulations.gov. Hard copies can be sent to Public Comments Processing. Attn: FWS-R1-ES-2011-0096, Division of Policy and Directives Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM, Arlington, VA 22293.

DEAN HAAGENSON

Hayden