rather_be_huntin

I know it seems that the feelings are extreme but it's very IMORTANT you younger guys know the facts and get involved. In Utah the wolf hasn't taken root yet but here are a few fun facts that you MUST know where wolves have taken hold:


(Source: 2009 Wolf-Ungulate Study Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks)

- The Moose population in Yellowstone National Park trend count shows a decrease to almost zero.
(Source: 2009 Wolf-Ungulate Study Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks)

- The Gallatin Canyon elk herd trend count between Bozeman and Big Sky has dropped from

around 1,048 to 338 in 2008.

(Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks)

- The Madison Firehole elk herd trend count has dropped from 700 to 108 in 2008.

(Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks)

- The calf survival rate for those same elk herds mentioned above, where wolves (and bears) are
present, is extremely low amounting to as little as 10% or less recruitment or survival rate. Nearly
any wildlife professional will tell you this is an unacceptable recruitment or survival rate.
Acceptable wildlife science tells us that a 25-40% survival rate is necessary for herd sustainability.
Further, a recent MSU study shows those elk that remain in the Northern Yellowstone herd are in
below standard health as they are not feeding where and how they normally do and the females are
not getting pregnant as they should, due to hormonal imbalances. How and why did this behavior
change?
(See Montana State University Study by Professor Scott Creel in July 2009; funded by the

National Science Foundation)

Wolf numbers have far exceeded what sportsmen, ranchers, wildlife conservationists and the
public at-large were told was a desirable goal. Specifically, 30 breeding pairs and 300 total wolves
was the goal line when wolves were released in 1995. The minimum number of wolves is now
over 1,700 according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and a number of animal rights groups
such as yours believe those numbers should be 2,000 to 5,000.
This is the most disingenuous and deceiving issue relative to the entire Canadian gray wolf
introduction and your groups and others perpetuate this every chance you get. We call it, “keep
moving the goal line” politics. It is doubtful even you believe that 2,000-5,000 wolves in this area
is sustainable. However, this allows you to keep saying “We haven’t reached the goal line yet”. It
is sad wildlife management has to come such political posturing.
Wolf population goals established at the introduction in 1995 have been surpassed by some 300-
500%. Yet groups like yours continue to move the goal line and yes, continue to cherry pick your
facts to push an agenda.

- Studies show that each wolf kills up to 23 elk from November through April; that equates to up to
40,000 elk killed in six months. This number does not include those elk killed for food by wolves
from May through October. While the number of elk killed per wolf from May through October is
less than the number from November through April, it is still considerable; and that is just the elk
killed for food. These numbers do not account for those elk simply killed by wolves (surplus
killing) and yes, that does happen. Nowhere near the majority of these elk kills are simply the sick
and the old.

- The habitat loss that you cite in your letter is yet another critical reason why wolves must be properly managed and managed now. As elk ranges shrink and are encroached upon, the elk have
less chance for survival in areas where wolves are concentrated. Elk become trapped with less
habitat available. Your organization talks about elk and wolves coexisting on the same terms as if
it were the Old West again. It clearly is not and that is why man must manage wildlife as we have

for over a century.