Wolves

Several have stated for a fact, that wolves are responsible for elk declines in wolf re-introduction areas. Apparently they know more than the researchers studying the situation.

Researchers cannot agree, and other causes have been suggested such as climate, moderate to liberal harvest quoatas. Even one reseacher who believes wolves have contributed to the decline, agrees that wolves are not entirely to blame.

If you know for a fact that the wolves are the sole reason for elk declines, I'm sure the researchers would be glad to see your data.

Here are several links to that give some of the "number and stats" that were asked for. Many of the researchers cannot agree, so it is no wonder others can't. There some interesting information, if you take the time to read it.

http://www.yellowstonepark.com/news/archive/2005/stories.asp?rssid=12

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php...5-elkwolves.inc

http://www.fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/wildlife/wolves/elk_impacts_exec_sum.pdf


http://www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/biology/qandas.htm

http://www.mtexpress.com/1999/10-06-99/10-6pred.htm

http://fwp.mt.gov/mtoutdoors/HTML/Articles/2002/Elkvswolves.htm
 
Did you read the article on the link I posted?This has happened in the last 10 years,what else has changed in the last 10 years in this area?Wolves are the only variable that has changed in the last 10 years,we have had mild winters and tag numbers have only gone down,how much reseach do you have to do to figure this out,you dont need a diploma to see the cause/effect here.How many of the "reseachers" are being funded by the wolf groups?Probably the majority of them.Once again the distant educated man questions the opinions of those on the ground that actually see the evidence,not read about it on a website.
 
The wolf huggers are trying to stall the delisting process again,now they are trying to make it sound like Montana is asking for too much control,year after year of this BS and people wonder why the SSS issue becomes so popular,here is Montanas most recent attempt to get somthing done from todays local paper.
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2006/01/19/montana/a05011906_03.txt
Gallatin Commission OKs gray wolf measure
By The Associated Press - 01/19/06
BOZEMAN (AP) — The Gallatin County Commission voted to support a resolution calling on federal authorities to speed up efforts to remove gray wolves from protection under the Endangered Species Act.

Commissioners voted 2-1 Tuesday in support of the joint resolution, which is being sought by county commissioners in seven counties near Yellowstone National Park.

The document, which isn’t legally binding, labels wolves a ‘‘predator species’’ in need of management and requests that the governor of Montana take steps to compensate ranchers for livestock losses. The resolution also asks that government agencies do better to notify citizens when wolves are in a specific area and should set up a 24-hour hotline for people to report wolf sightings.

Wolf advocates argued the resolution, as worded, could delay the species’ delisting.

The counties are making the same mistake Wyoming did in attempting to label wolves a ‘‘predator species,’’ they said. The designation doesn’t carry the regulatory protections needed before federal agencies will agree to delist the animal.

 
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When the elk researchers are the same people who turned out the wolves what kind of answer do you think you will get?
Job secutity is important. Why is it so hard to addmit the wolves are killing hell out ot the wildlife and domestic stock when they are? Mauser
 
Yep, just what I thought, the advocates for the wolves wrote the articles that say everything is fine, and advocates for hunting say it’s a mess. Every article written in Yellowhammers posted urls proves that fact. It’s the same old fight we all get into over the same old stuff.

A study in AZ on predator prey relationships shows some compelling evidence. They have a large enclosure of mule deer with no predators. The fawn crop in the worst drought in 700 to 1000 years was 100% compared to 18 fawns per 100 does outside the enclosure. Predators are responsible; look at what happened to the Banff and Jasper parks in Canada. 40 years ago wolves re-colonized these parks and all but eliminated Moose, and Elk herds are down over 80% and still falling. These areas are not hunted, in other words hunters had nothing to do with the decline as some of these biologists have added to the mix in the Yellowstone case. The one thing hunters need to realize is the only reason we had 4000 late elk tags was to keep the Elk numbers down, we now have a hunter doing it for us. Hunting is usually justified by the fact that numbers need to be kept in check and at this time that dog does not hunt. The privilege came about because Yellowstone could not support the numbers of elk it had.

It’s quite obvious that the biologists involved are bias in there opinions both ways. It should at this point be about the original goals and all the smoke screens that they are putting up are only taking away from the original plan and objectives. The truth is the wolf biologists will not be happy until the wolf is in every area it used to be. There is great pressure to get them back in Utah and all other states that eradicated the wolf.

I wonder sometimes if a degree makes you more susceptible to look past the simple answer, look at the Mt. Lion problems in California. Biologists are stumped at the fact that human encounters and attacks are on the rise; they just cannot figure things out. The simple of the long is they outlawed hunting them, they took out the human fear factor and each generation will get bolder and bolder until it becomes painfully obvious. The simple answer is usually the correct answer.
 
NONYA do you know if the mountain sheep numbers are going down,how about the Moose numbers? There has been a lot of money spend getting the sheep pop. back up hope there are not getting killed at a high rate also Mauser
 
I havnt heard anything about the sheep but I did read that the moose calves were almost non existant when they did a fall count last year,moose are some of thier favorite prey Im sure they were the first to go.Your exactly right guys these reports are written by the geniuses that came up with this idea in the first place,you think they will take the blame for what has happened?Once they have these wolves in CO,Tx,Ut,Or,Wa,Nm,ect,ect they will be happy,until then they will continue to deny any ill effects,thier jobs depend on it.Anywhere there is a large tract of uncivilized ground with game animals on it is subject to reintroduction,just hope your state isnt next in thier plan,once the states take over this project Im sure they have another one planned.
 
Does anybody know for sure what government agency and private organizations have and are still funding the reindorduction of the gray wolves? Mauser
 
Cant say about private organizations because there is likely many but Government Agencies would be the US Fish and Wildlife Services spearheaded by the National Park Service and their policy to restore native species.

http://www.nps.gov/yell/nature/animals/wolf/wolfrest.html

Hope that helps at least a bit. Dont shoot the messanger Mauser. This was found doing a Google search. Google is a very helpful tool.
A second subsequent Google search revealed that one of the big private organizations would be the Defenders of Wildlife who provided funding when the original re-introduction stalled because of funding.
 
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I wouldn't shoot the messanger the ground this time of the year is to hard to shovel. Google is a helpful tool I have it on my favorites. Than you Mauser
 
I suppose that anyone with an opinion can find the stats and studies to back up their claims. Maybe we should just agree to disagree, no one will convince anyone to change their opinion. I will however add my vote for state's rights and to take the wolf problem into our own hands here in Idaho. I don't care what anyone says when my honey hole for elk has wolves appear and elk dissapear then I get a littel selfish. I have enough trouble sharing my elk with the lions and bears.
 
The Yellowstone early winter [Nov 15- Dec 15] wolf predation study wrapped up on the 15th. Kill rates seem typical of past years and are: (1) Leopold 14 wolves,15 kills in 30 days, 12 elk, 2 mule deer, 1 unknown; elk: 5 calves, 3 bulls, 4 cows; (2) Hellroaring pack 7 wolves, 6 kills, all elk, 2 cows, 2 bulls, 2 unknown elk, suspect feeding on hunter gut piles near park boundary, possibly affected kill rate; (3) Slough Creek pack 15 wolves, 14 kills, 9 bull elk, 3 bison kills, 2 unknown.
 
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