banjo201

Here is an interesting article from the Billings Gazette on the effects of wolves on elk populations.
http://www.billingsgazette.net/artic...te/20-wolf.txt

huntingson

That is interesting. I have never thought about that aspect before. I am too far removed geographically to make an informed opinion about the wolves, but looking at it from a strictly hunting aspect they don't seem to be good.

Wheatley

They have cut alot of the moose down in western Wyoming as well. Used to see the moose all the time but sightings are much less often now.

EKM

Read it and weep.
Tree Huggers 5, and Hunters about -2.... and to think some hunters whole heartedly supported the wolf re-introduction.... what a sales job it was [very romantic idea, but pure poison if you are a hunter].

We were:
Out planned,
Out figured,
Out sold,
Out financed,
Out politic-ed

and if the trend continues, soon....

Out of game..... won't be a need for hunters to keep nature in balanceat this rate [look what happened to the historic "Gardiner Hunt" just outside of Yellowstone.

The "greatest generation" knew exactly what they were doing when they irradicated wolves in the lower 48.... won't be long before the "elk smorgasboard" of Colorado [largest elk herd in the world] will start to be turned intowolfmunchies once the scourge arrives here.....

I'm glad my wife, my boys and I got to see it and hunt it in the "glory days" [maybe a few more years to go and for that I am thankful].

shed33

A pack of wolves just killed three of my buddys hound dogs in Avery Idaho last week. Front page of the St. Maries Gazettenews ... wolves came in very close to town while he had jumped a hot cougar track. He had to fight them off by shooting several times over their heads to get his dead dogs out. He sold his last dog for 5,000. People are very misinformed imo. It will take the killing of a child before something is officially done here in this state. The state is taking no action as of now on my friends case. They literally have no fear of humans here because they are protected by the feds.

wyotimberghost

That's no joke. I used to enjoy counting how many moose I saw heading east from Togwote pass during the summer/fall. I'd see probably 5 moose each time. Now I consider it good luck if I see one moose.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service is a complete joke when it comes to wolf management in the Rocky Mountains. But whats new?

cherokee_outfitters

The nature lovers would love to see wolves not hunters manage game populations. Whats so great about lying on the ground having your guts ripped out while you still alive? Wolves are natural predators but even the indians shot wolf out of there area's to increase game populations. They kept them managed just like we are supposed to do. Humans have been apart of the enviromental balance long before any tree hugger ever wrote their first denial of hunting.

Wolves have their place in established area's and need to be regulated regularly

BrutalAttack

Wolves in Idaho have had an additive effect on elk mortality. Additive means in addition do, not causative. Lack of disturbance (logging and fire) had elk populations headed down long before the wolves were a gleam in a tree huggers eye. So, while wolves have certainly taken their fair share you can place most of the blame on the Clinton Roadless Bill, 50 years of fire suppression, and black bears which take up to 90% of elk calves in some areas of Idaho. A healthy elk herd in good habitat could have absorbed the extra mortality from wolves.

The one single thing that hurts the herds the most is losing calves. What we are seeing right now is bears getting the majority of thecalf mortality(under 8 months) and then once they get to 8-10 months wolves get the majority. So, logic dictates that if we can keep more calves alive, when they get to 8-12 months they will be better able to absorb the wolf mortality. It doesn't help the wolves are taking adult cows either.

Again these problem areas were this way long before wolves arrived. They just added to the mortality. It's all a big mess and the truth is never as black and white as most of you would like to make it.

frozendisc

BrutalAttack, you are so arrogant...Re: Additive means in addition! You should have read the article, as it wasspeaking to the lowered pregnancies, not to calf mortality. According to this article, the healthy ratio is way above what seems to be found in areas a wolf population,such as the Park. NO herd can sustain itself with the numbersstated in this article, let's hope the numbers are wrong.....

tangozulu

How can anyone calling themselves hunters be apposed to the reintroduction of wolves. You need more respect for a fellow hunter, thougha 4 legged one. Wolves were eating north american wildlife long before we ever showed up.
I for one have been compeating with wolves for elk and moose my whole life and haven't had any trouble filling my tags. If we were really concerned about moose/elk/caribou being taken by 4 legged preditors, the grizzlies would be the first poisoned off.
Does'nt sould like an ethicall position for any hunter to take.