Belle, I really don't have a position either, as I don't reside in wolf country. I think they have a place in the widerness and I don't mind them being there. My point was that I don't think we can return things to there so called original state. Human encroachment has changed all that. There is no more original state. We need to play the hand that we've been dealt so to speak. No question the wolves need managed and that will have to come in the form of hunting and trapping.
There is a very informative article in Field and Stream this month on this very subject. All those interested in this thread should get the magazine and read it. It was written by Thomas Mcintyre and seems unbiased and fairly written. Interstingly enough, a state wildlife biologist from the middle of wolfpack country in Idaho reports that cow to calf elk ratios have incresed. The article also reported that basically none of the large antihunting organizations have a stake or interest in the wolf restoration projects and the people responsible for the reintroduction know and agree that hunting will need to be used to keep populations in check. It is an intersting article.