cherokee_outfitters

We have an upcoming problem on our hands. The division of wildlife have been playing with the idea of putting wolves in rocky mountain national park. It really hasn't been published but their was a TV show the other night discussing the topic along with what is happening on the outskirts of yellowstone national park, with elk population and ranchers livestock.

The DOW didn't really say a whole lot about Lynx introduction until they actually had lynx in the state. Then they listed them as a protected species and are spending millions on the project. That in turn takes money away from more wildlife surveys and putting more game officers in the field. Minor problem in most peoples eyes.

Okay heres the deal on rocky mountain national park. Of course you can't hunt it. And pretty much the surrounding areas are not huntable. So they got an elk boom. Very understandable. But bringing in wolves to thin down the elk population is a very bad idea. Not only will they thin out elk, they will also take out livestock, pets, and even people.

So many states are wanting to reintroduce elk herds. I say if they do have a population problem trap some of those elk and trade them to a different state. Keep the elk thriving in all areas of the united states and not let them become food for wolves. Let the areas that have wolves deal with the problem, don't add it Colorado's list of opp's.

The enviromentalists think this is such a great plan. Let nature take care of itself. We are part of nature and those enviromentalist have created this problem from the lack of hunting access. Don't forget to include the developers of high mountain ranches, where they make a refuge out of ranch lands by turning them into places like Vail and Aspen.

When and where ever you can give input to the DOW and insight to enviromentalists I say we better start doing it now. Or hunting will become a very small management tool. Besides it won't take but a few years and them wolves will be spread all over Colorado taking out elk and livestock.

BigBore1895

Well friend, I will be contacting the DOW about this. It is out of control, and to tell you the truth, I would not blame every rancher in the area for sinking a bullet into these things. As if Colorado doesn't have a bad enough coyote problem, they have to introduce these damn things. While I do not condone the extinction of any animal, people need to take into account that humans are a part of nature. These environmentalists write letters crying about this and that, and most of them spend so little time outdoors it is sad! They are all urban-liberal types, who have no idea how nature actually works. So sick of all of them. Thanks for the heads up, I thought limited voices of reason were only residing in Montana and Wyoming for the time being.

bigbulls

IMO wolves in Colorado are just fine if they have a solid plan for the future to keep their numbers iunder control. The problem arises when they want to put them in places like RMNP and will not allow hunting them to keep a check on their numbers. The wolf population will eventually get so big that they will eventually become just as overpopulated as the elk inside the park. RMNP needs to allow a limited ammount of hunting inside the park boundaries. If not the elk population will soon begin to suffer horribly and so will the wolves.

Nature used to be able to take care of itself long before we got here and took over. Now it is up to us to take care of nature or it will eventually take care of itself at the expence of all of the animals including wolves, elk, moose, deer, lions, bears, small animals, birds, and humans.

I'll be writing the DOW and giving my input as well. Thanks C.O.

txhunter58

I think if you follow the money trail, the reintroduction of wolves is heavily supported by anti-hunting groups. They realize that this CAN BE a big step toward eliminatiing all hunting. Can anyone explain the logic behind that?? It is ok for a wolf to rip up and kill an elk, but it is not ok for a hunter to kill one with a bullet/arrow, etc?? There is NO logic, that is the problem.

I agree with bigbulls, I would be ok with wolves as long as they are simply another sport animal to be hunted and controlled. HOWEVER, THIS HAVE NEVER, EVER HAPPENED ANYWHERE THEY HAVE BEEN REINTRODUCED AND I BELIEVE IT WON'T EVER HAPPEN, so I am very much against relocation of wolves into any part of Colorado.

We not only need to come out against this proposal, but also find some organizations that will fight it, and contribute to them. Put your money where your mouth is, the antis will be putting plenty of money on the other side.

Wolf killer

You can tell by my handle that I am not a wolf lover. You are about 5-years behind the enviro-wacko's. They have been planning to re-introduces wolves into Colorado for at least 5-years that I know of. I was told about this plan during a meeting about wolves in Montana & Wyoming. Ed Bangs was the one who said they had places in Colorado for wolves. Ed Bangs was (or is still?) the man in charge of the wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone National Park.
I think there is a way to block the reintroduction of wolves & lynx into Colorado. Write your senators & congressmen. Tell them to vote NO on the introduction of non-native animals in the state of Colorado. This would eliminate the introduction of the Canadian grey wolf & the canadian Lynx. I think you can talk them into a NO vote with the mention of Mad Cow, CWD and anything else you can think of?
IMHO The wolf reintroduction effort has gone too far for the "average joe citizen" to stop it. You will need help for Washington D.C.

Good Luck,

Wolf Killer

dbcooper

I wouldn't presume to tell you how to feel about wolves - everybody is entitled to their opinion and even hunters are all over the board on this issue. But cherokee included some bad information in his post and everybody should be working from the facts on this issue. First, the Colorado DOW doesn't have the authority to reintroduce wolves or any other species. The legislature passed a law after the lynx reintroduction that requires legislative approval prior to any reintroduction. There is no way that the Colorado Legislature would approve the reintroduction of wolves. There have been discussions about how to control wolf populations in RMNP. Wolves were listed as an alternative but they wouldn't be reintroduced by the DOW - they would have to be reintroduced by the Park Service or Dept. of Interior. Although in theory the Federal Agencies could act (under the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution) to reintroduce wolves without seeking state legislative approval - it is very unlikely that they would do this becuase they could not provide assurance that the wolves would stay in the Park (which of course they won't). Trapping elk and moving them from RMNP is not an option because CWD is endemic in the wild population and it would be grossly irresponsible to move animals that may have CWD. Finally - the lynx reintroduction was funded almost entirely by Vail Assocaites and very little sportsmen dollars have gone to the project - and again - a blanket statement that sportsmen don't support species reintroduction is far too broad. Wolf Killer said that Ed Bangs stated that Colorado has viable wolf habitat and that is a correct statement - Bangs said it and "biologically" Colorado has viable wolf habitat. Bangs has never said that wolves should be reintroduced into Colorado. He has talked at length about the potential for wolves to migrate into Colorado from both New Mexico and Wyoming. The DOW is trying to develop a plan to deal with wolves if they migrate, but there are NO plans to reintroduce wolves into Colorado.

Hope I didn't unnecessarily ruffle any feathers - I am ambivalent about them myself but I think everybody should have correct information when you discuss them.

NwOutdoorShop

I have elk hunted in colorado for 2 years now in unit 21. We have seen about a dozen Wolves there. One other problem there is Wild Horses. I just hope the DOW is doing what it needs and not what the damn tree huggin, wool waring,granola eatin,pavement pounding liberals want. Colorado has one of the best DOW's that i can think of and have been doing one heck of a job as far as I think.

Wolf killer

dbcooper I am not a wolf lover. I do however respect Ed Bangs. I would never try to put words in his mouth. I have talked to Mr. Bangs a few times & he was a pleasure to talk to.
Bruce Babbit Cramed wolves down the throats of the good people in Arizona, Wyoming & Montana.
I just wish we all could reach a happy medium. I would be in favor of a dual listing for the wolf. I would protect them in the National parks & Wilderness areas. I would open season on them 24/7, 365-days a year on private land. I would have a controlled hunting season on National forest land.

jjt

if colorado doesnt already have wolves they will very very soon

if not by reintroduction they will migrate

i am not a wolf lover by any means and i stand firmly behind ther being controled

that being said

they have been trapped and relocated from Utah (3 years ago)
this winter there were sightings and confirmed kills of livestock around Rawlins
so like i said if there not there already it is a very short time before they spread to colorado

my suggestion is to shoot them and hide them under the nearest pine tree

my other suggestion is to get the CO DOW to get an effective plan in the works for there management and not get stuck in beurocratic bulsh!^ like wyoming is right now

bigbulls

That attitude toward the wolves is the exact reason that we are even discussing this in the first place. If we keep that kind of attitude towards animals then there won't be any for us or our kids in the future. That kind of crap has got to stop if we want to get anywhere with this.