On June 6, an article was run in a Wyoming paper I get called the Casper Star Tribune about a SCIENTIST's (yes, a scientist!) study of Wyoming's wolf population. For those of you who believe the feds' "scientific" studies that claim that Wyoming's wolves should not be delisted and for those of you who wont believe anything not supported by science (ahemmm......BrutalAttack), read the following article. I am copying it word for word from my paper, so you can check it out yourself if you think im making this up. Here it is:
WOLVES "SCREWED UP", EXPERT SAYS
Many of the wolves currently inhabiting Wyoming are "screwed up," an animal scientist told the Wyoming Stock Growers Association Saturday.
Jim Knight, a faculty member of the animal and range sciences department of Montana State University, discussed wolf populations and their impacts on the environments at the WSGA's 2004 SUmmer Convention and Trade Show.
From the nods and murmurs of agreement emanating from audience, it seemed Knight was preeching to the Choir.
But this time he had a viewpoint, he said, even environmentalists could agree with- recent politics on the wolves have led to a decline in the quality and health of not only wolf packs, but of moose and elk populations.
Current wolf behavior is unnatural, he siad, because he believes some of their natural instincts- including a wariness of humans and a natural heirarchy mechanism- have been decreased because of the reintroduction program.
Naturally, wolves have a dominance hierarchy mechanism, which means the only breeders in packs are "alpha" males and females. Now, though, many wolves in each pack are breeding, resulting in a population explosion, Knight said.
"At some point, maybe this natural hierarchy will kick in," he predicted.
Until then, though, he said the resulting high population density can increase certain diseases, like mange, that have already affected the state's wolves.
Knight also fears that if a mange epidemic attacks the state's wolves, it will take even more effort to get them delisted from the Endangered Species Act.
Not only that, but Knight said today's wolves are "less wary" and weaker. It's because the strongest, most active ones were killed or removed.
For example, the smart wolves that adapted to their habitats, avoided people and highways and attacked livestock were the same wolves removed from the pack.
This unnatural selection, he said, will leave a pack of the less bright, less healthy wolves to breed future pups.
"The ones that were originally kept in pens, they even started to like hearing the snowmobiles coming because it meant chow-time," he said.
Overall, he said, both ranchers and the wolf population suffer from the policies of the Endangerd Species Act.
"He had so much great information, that was just one of the best presentations of wolves I've ever seen," said Lois Herbst, first vice president fo the WSGA.
This article is just one more ray of truth shining through the bull crap of "scientific" information that the ESA and feds feed the public. How good is their scientific information if they screwed up this big in the first place? In my opinion, the only way to keep the wolves from multiplying and spreading diseases is to do what is done with all other game animals in the same situation- HUNT THEM! It only makes sense. Also, if there are already enough wolves to delist them, and they are currently having a population explosion, why aren't they delisted? The scientific panel already reviewed Wyoming's plan and deemed it appropriate for controling the wolves, so what's the holdup? This issue has gone beyond the yuppies not wanting their precious wolves being destroyed, it has become a matter of thinning out the wolves to prevent the spread of diseases, and to help the moose and elk popultions stay healthy. It's time to delist the wolves.
Also, the wolves are starting to spread way out of their borders. An article in today's paper said a wolf was found dead clear in the hell down by Denver, CO. THATS 500 MILES FROM YELLOWSTONE! And the feds are acting surprised that a wolf was that far out of the park. BULL! It was just one of the many wolves that are migrating clear out of the park. I have hear firt hand testimonies of the wolves being found regularly more than 100 miles out of the park, and Wyoming Game and Fish have confirmed that wolves are beginning to move into an entire different mountain range ( the Bighorn Mountains). I'm getting sick of the wolf situation. Something needs to be done.
windriverhunter; You may be interested in a research paper published in 2001 entitled "Canis Soupus" it is in Volume 18, No.4 of Endangered Species Update. It is authored by Stephen R. Kendrot and Paul C. Pacquet and "Defenders of Wildlife" members Nina Fascione and Lisa Osborn.
Despite the inclusion of this organization as contributors, the article is very infomative and a good read. Parts of it are included in the Sept-Oct. issue of W.C.T. magazine (a trade magazine for the Nuisance control business)and I found it to be infomative.
This issue has gone beyond the yuppies not wanting their precious wolves being destroyed, it has become a matter of thinning out the wolves to prevent the spread of diseases, and to help the moose and elk popultions stay healthy. It's time to delist the wolves
What? Maybe I am reading this wrong, If i am I apologize. You have this turned around dont you? Its a balance of predator to prey that keep the moose and elk herds healthy by killing the weak and the sick.
So you are going to put wolves in the same catagory as Rats by saying they spread diseases?
Wolves inhabitated almost every state in this country before we came along...If I got the story right, it was us that almost desimated our Deer and Elk herds..
No predators= sick animals= CWD= no hunting for you this year
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Rico, The fastest Bow in Texas.
Rico I really feel that ones feelings about wolves in the wild is greatly influenced by what you do for a living, those that have livestock despise them whether they them selfs lose livestock to them or not, they view them as a threat so they hate them. Then you have the other end of the spectrum which is the folks that in no way would ever be affected by wolves no matter what the population of them grew to thinking that they are wonderful and until they eat one of my children they should be protected. You will find very few middle of the roaders on wolves, they are either loved or hated.
I bet I can guess what windriverhunter's viewpoint is on wolfs.
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The Tazman aka Martin Price
Proud father of a Devil Dog
I just read an article yesterday that stated a bunch of dogs & other family pets in Wyoming have died eating poisoned hot dogs & ball of meat meant for wolves.
Are they really that bad up there ? The poisoned items were left in the woods by a unknown person.
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Take the "Training Wheels" off your bow. Go traditional !
Yes, the wolves are really bad. In Salmon, Idaho, every year there are dogs that are killed on their leashes by wolves. Here's the kicker..... this is in the middle of town!! And it has happened in broad daylight! Are they leary of people? NO! And as for the people who say, "Well, at least they won't attack a person." There are already people reporting that if they hadn't defended themselves, they would have been attacked because the wolf was on the charge. I have a great idea... let's re-introduce predators and pests to all those places in America where they once lived and let people know how hard it is to live with something that was forced on you. Rattlesnakes and wolves left in Central Park? I'd love to see it!!
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"If guns kill people I can blame misspelled words on my pencil!"
Slugman, that should tell everyone something about what is really part of the problem. Domestic aminals left to run at large. Im not saying the Wolves are not out of balance with the natural order there but they are not the complete problem.
I had wolves around my area in Northwestern WI for years. Never mentioned the sightings to anyone other than the local DNR Officer. One of my neighbors saw a pair of Wolves during the Deer gun season and automaticly blames the Wolves when he lost some calves that spring. He put out poison to kill what he knew were the totally to blame Wolves. Well he killed a bunch of dogs and the neighbors were up in arms.
First when the dogs did not come home after a couple of days, "The Wolves got em" but when they found a couple dead or dying from the poison, they were about the hang the guy with the poison.
They let their dogs run at large and kill Deer and cattle, the nieghbor blames the Wolves and puts out poison and kills their pretty little pets. What a bunch of dopes.
I hope they get the Wolf problem in check not only in WY but also in ID.
Another good read is an older book " Never Cry Wolf". It was made into a silly Diseny movie but the book is actually very good and informative regarding the behavior of Wolves in their natural setting. The reseacher who is no woodsman goes to the north and actually spends about a year there studing first hand the habit and behavior of Wolves in the wild.
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Now you have to picture a combination of PeeWEE Herman and Wally Cox but with less muscle tone, trying to be intimidating None of this is funny! Message edited by Cougar Mag -- 1/7/2005 1:16:42 AM >/b]
What? Maybe I am reading this wrong, If i am I apologize. You have this turned around dont you? Its a balance of predator to prey that keep the moose and elk herds healthy by killing the weak and the sick.
The moose and elk herds were very healthy and their numbers were fine before the reintroduction of the wolves.
First of all, wolves dont just kill the sick and weak animals. This has been noticed several times in the wild. They kill any animal that they can, which is quite a variety since the wolves are such good predators and they hunt in packs. That is why they are hurting the elk and moose populations. The scientist himself said the elk and moose herds are declining.
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....have led to a decline in the quality and health of not only wolf packs, but of moose and elk populations.
Don't believe me? Check up on the numbers of the Yellowstone elk herd since the wolves were reintroduced- they have dropped significantly.
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So you are going to put wolves in the same catagory as Rats by saying they spread diseases?
Based on this article, the matter of diseases being spread sounds to me to be limited to the wolf packs. Therefore, I meant that the wolves need to be hunted to protect the wolf packs from being overridden with disease, just like when deer populations that have too high of numbers need to be hunted to prevent the rampant spread of diseases. I never said the wolves are spreading diseases like rats- the spread of diseased is just within the wolf population itself.
Scientist Presents Wolf Study Results
