Oppose the Idaho Wolf Hunt
by rd @ 10:54 pm 76 comments »
After being hunted to near-extinction, wolves were reintroduced to the northern Rocky Mountains a decade ago. More than 1,200 now live in the region. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to start removing Federal protections from gray wolves in Montana and Idaho in the next few weeks.
A couple of weeks ago Idaho’s governor, C.L. “Butch” Otter, announced he will support public hunts to kill all but 100 of the state’s gray wolves after the Federal government strips them of protection. Gov. Otter has stated that he wants hunters to kill about 550 gray wolves in his state. That would leave about 100 wolves, or 10 packs, according to a population estimate by State Wildlife officials. The 100 surviving wolves would be the minimum before the animals could again be considered endangered. The wolves are seen as a threat to the state’s big game hunting industry. State Wildlife managers have advised the governor to allow a few more than 100 wolves to survive so they don’t go back on the endangered species list if a few of the 100 should get hit by cars, or fall prey to poisons or harsh winters and the number falls below 100.
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[...] The Alternative Consumer alerts us to a dire human threat to Idaho wolves [...]
let the hunt begin…i got my wolf tag.
There’s one in every pack…
why do u want to kill wolves? there arent even that many left.
P.S. Bill is an idiot
This is a load of bull. Screwing with the balance of nature is really going to screw up the ecosystem of the northern Rockies. You want a healthy Elk population? KEEP THE WOLVES. They help weed out the old and weak ones, ensuring the strong and healthy survive.
Killing off almost the wolves is not the way to solve the problem of wolf overpopulation. Relocation projects and huge fines for killing wolves are.
TO GOVERNOR OTTER: Fines from wolf killings can be a real goldmine in terms of state revenue.
i think that you shouldn’t hunt wolves
when there’s only a 100 them, there’s just going to be a huge amount of deer, there will be to many deer!!
THIS IS COOL! UR COOL!
Idaho manages bears and mountain lion well enough. Let us manage wolfs the same way. They will not go extinct. The numbers will hit an appropriate number for the area. Unless you live right in the middle of the wolf population (as I do), you have no idea of the affects of too many wolfs. I will be purchasing a tag as soon as they are available.
Hey Eric,
Since you live in the area, what are some of the negative effects of the current wolf population?
rd
just like there are hunting seasons on elk, dear, and even other predatory animals, there needs to be a hunting season on wolfs to help control that population. we can never return the number of wolfs to its prehuman conditions, there is not the available prey, we need to control both sides, prey and predator.
Just to inform you all a little more, the wolves that historically inhabited Idaho and were ‘hunted’ to near extinction differ greatly from the wolves that have been introduced into Idaho. The wolves that were released were Canadian Timber wolves, which can weigh upwards of several hundred pounds and can easily take down an elk or even a moose. The native wolves were of a much smaller variety, hardly larger than a coyote, and rarely reaching 100 pounds, not nearly capable of the damage that the Canadian wolves cause. People talk about the ‘reintroduction’ of these wolves into Idaho…that’s a load of crap. This species of wolves never inhabited Idaho. A bunch of eccentric overzealous idiots didn’t do their research before dumping a highly aggressive, highly skilled killing machine on Idaho’s unfortunate wildlife. The wolf problem is a disease that has been injected into the delicate Idaho ecosystem and is creating chaos. You can bet that I’ll be first in line for a wolf tag.
Perhaps the wolves re-located to Idaho would not have been from Canadian stock if the native population hadn’t been hunted to extinction. Idaho’s unfortunate wildlife is not suffering from overpredation by the mythical killing machines you describe but by habitat destruction and pollution created by your well connected cattle industry. Dogs kill more cattle every year than wolves. And wolves account for (2005 figs) less than 1% of natural deaths of sheep. So get off your gun toting soapbox and enlist in the Army if you want to defend America. Your misguided crusade against the wolf just makes you another pawn of special interest groups trying to protect their right to use an abuse federal lands.
Since when did ignorance make anyone an expert, including you? Wolves were never hunted to extinction in Idaho. According to the Idaho Fish and Game, there have always been documented wolves living in Idaho, including the time that real ’special interest groups’-left wing that they are- forced the introduction of the Canadian gray wolf. Just because some excitable liberal tree-hugger had their sandals strapped too tightly and lost blood supply to their brain, they have caused major damage not only to the wildlife in Idaho, but yes, to the cattle and sheep industry! Making up statistics and data surely hasn’t gotten you to your position that you are in today (or maybe it has?), so please don’t pollute the minds of the readers with bogus nonsense and altered information.
I should have said “near” extinction. Statistics (those troublesome facts again) show Idaho wolves were pretty much wiped out in the 1930’s. Feel free to provide your own statistics.
Oh, and by the way I appreciate the attempt at humor but the treehugger/sandle thing is pretty tired. Personally I don’t like any footwear with an open toe.
Thanks for contributing.
rd
Here’s a couple of links to stats from both sides of the wolf tracks.
http://www.defenders.org/wildlife/new/wolves/loss.html
http://www.cnr.uidaho.edu/range456/hot-topics/wolves-cattle.htm
I plan to buy a wolf tag, as do many of my friends, and we plan to do absolutely nothing with them. We also plan to encourage as many of our friends and family memebers to do the same. Just because Idaho farmers, ranchers,and hunters are pushing to clear the animal for hunting does not mean that it’s logical to do so!
Now buying the tag to take it out of circulation is thinking outside the box. I like it.
rd
i agree with jw myself i enjoy hunting very much and since the wolf population has gone up the elk and deer population has dropped dramatically making it harder for hunters to find big game for a food supply. I have not bought a deer or elk tag the past two years because after buying one I cant find any game to hunt for. We are already running out of big game population without the help of the wolf. The only predator to wolves are humans and if we cannot hunt them then there population will rise to a amount that wont have the food supply to support them anymore. And will then go after cattle sheep and livestock even more than they are now.
I am going to hunt wolves with a spear and a horse just like in the mideival ages. If I do that I’m sure to hit at least one a year and increase my profit and food supply by 100 dollars a month.
At least hunting them with a spear would be more of an actual “sport”. I’ve never really understood what “sport” there is in hunting these days. When you’ve got a high speed rifle with a lazer scope and you’ve got yourself outfitted with $2000 worth of other “essential” gear, it seems to me that the only difference between “hunting” and picking up meat at the grocery is the thrill of hearing the loud POP when the gun goes off. Well, that, and you get to watch an animal bleed to death.
Spoken like someone who has never hunted. I like hunting, you don’t. Why should you get to tell me what I can’t do with my free time. I don’t even know what non-hunters do in the fall and hope I never Have to find out.
It’s not about enjoying hunting or a certain “lifestyle”, it’s about killing animals that should still be on the endangered species list and had been trapped and hunted to near extinction.
By the way I have hunted, but I’ve replaced it with golf (has it’s own enviro problems), fishing (PETA is looking for my home address - catch-and-release of course) and a couple of vices. It’s not about hunting, it’s about hunting wolves.
DO I THINK WOLVES SHOULD BE WIPED OUT…ABSOLUTLY NOT. HOWEVER, DO I THINK THEY NEED TO BE REGULATED WITH A HUNTING SEASON ABSOLUTLY. YOU CAN’T REGULATE THE HERD OF ALL OTHER ANIMALS, SUCH AS ELK AND DEER, WITHOUT REGULATING THE PREDITORS. THERE ARE CURRENTLY SEASONS ON COYOTES AND COUGARS AND THEY NUMBERS AREN’T HURTING. SO NOT HAVING ONE ON WOLVES AS THEIR POPULATION GROWS WOULD NOT ONLY START TO WEAKEN THE MOOSE, ELK, AND DEER POP. BUT ALSO UNBALANCE ALL THE HARD WORK THE DNR PUTS INTO KEEPING STATE’S LOCAL WILDLIFE HEALTHY AND STRONG.
If you want to screw-up the system purchase a tag and don’t use it. When are the tags going to be available for human kill? I forgot the governments have that monopoly. Sorry.
It makes me really sad to hear that people would actually want to kill wolves. I personally think they are beautiful creatures.
I Strongly oppose this act and wish i could do more to help.
how beautiful would they be when they are eating you?
wolves are over pupulating. We started with 66, and now there are over 1300. They are doing more than just weedin out the sick/crippled, they are chomping on tons (literally) of elk calves and deer fawns, not to mention livestock issues. It’s time to start controlling the wolf population!
Wolf hunters should be shot and left for the wolves to eat. This would be the best solution to control their numbers.
These are the same jackasses that voted for Bush and are basically bringing our civilization down. It’s time to cull the herd.
I will forward your management plan to the Fish & Wildlife people immediately.
All animals (4-legged ones) were here before we took up nearly all of their ecosystems. Now we want to have the say on how many can live? What’s wrong with this picture? The Big Guy upstairs made them before he made us! That actually makes me sick to my stomach.
I recently went to the public hearing in cody, where the state of wyoming was introducing their wolf plan. It was very interesting. much more interesting than listening to a bunch of wanna bes that have nothing better to do than state “their opinion”. You should take a step back and listen to yourselves. Learn about what you’re talking about before opening your yap. Personally I’m looking forward to hunting wolves.
To JW:
You talked about doing your research. You should follow your own advice. The wolves brought down from Canada, Alberta to be exact, are the same sub-species of wolves that live (lived) in Idaho. The sub-species is Canis lupus irremotus. They are the same sub-species because they have the same similarities as other wolves. Small differences. Overall size, color, size if muzzle, teeth, and other subtle differences. The wolves from Alberta are the same sub-species as the sub-species from Idaho. There are 23 sub-species and they are the same. My source is the YELLOWSTONE WOLF. Whats yours? Your own expertise? As for me, I’ll buying a tag too. And I swear, I will burn mine. And as for you bashing rd for lying to the readers What a load of crap! His sources are right on, whereas you HAVE NONE. A reliable source I have: http://www.defenders.org/wildlife/new/wolves/loss.hltml.
To rd: Keep it up, you are right on, not only morally, but in your sources also.
To Eric:
Management? There aren’t nearly as many wolves as there are bears and cougars. As for “Unless you live right in the middle of the wolf population (as I do), you have no idea of the affects of too many wolfs”. Well I live in Idaho and those who think wolves are destroying game populations, are ignorant and they need to get the FACTS straight.
To JZ:
First of all I believe you are a moron for agreeing with JW. That was mean, but it was honest. Again, get your Facts straight.
To Audra:
I’m with you.
To Todd:
We are not all “non-hunters”. However, your right, we can’t tell you what to do; we are just pointing out what is logical, morale, and intelligent.
To Ned:
WOW! Your “smart”. Wolves don’t eat people.
To Justin:
Yet again, get your facts straight. But thank you for not being a jerk.
To Patrick:
A little fanatical, but whose complaining.
To GW:
We “wanna bes” DO have our facts straight, maybe you should do the same.
I just finished my whitetail hunt in Idaho, and am stunned by this problem. EVERY elk and moose track we saw in the snow had wolf tracks on it. the owners of both sports shops we went to were telling us of many guides leaving the area due to the loss of the elk populations ( and esp. the moose pop.) NO , these are NOT the same “native” wolves that were almost shot-off in the past , and yes they ARE man-killers …a guy camped by us had (2) wolves at 15 yards coming at him as he was bent over looking at a buck track in the snow …he fired a shot from the hip , and they veered off into the woods - I’d like the liberal city sob’s that don’t believe me to go on up there for a 3 day hike without a gun ( or do some more research)as far as I’m concerned , you don’t need a tag , and there’s no bag limit …don’t get me wrong , you can’t blame a wolf for being a wolf , but they are breeding like jackrabbits , and what they are doing to the REAL native wildlife is a discrace …you should research the elk pop. in yellowstone park before the same wolves were “introduced” vs. now - and realize what’s really hapening in Idaho’s woods
here …gee , don’t choke on yer’granola http://www.klewtv.com/news/local/11492306.html
I’m not much for granola or deer hunters who are affraid to go out in the woods.
Interesting reading.
Looking at the lack of proper use of the english language on both sides, but especially on the side of the “Wildlife Defenders” is really pitiful.
For those who say that the wolf is not a problem, ask the farmers/ranchers who have lost livestock.
As for taking only the weak and sick animals, I have personally seen pictures of approx. 17 cows and calves(Elk), slaughtered bu wolves, and the bulk of the meat left to rot. The carcases of the cows were mostly eaten around the uterus are, where the unborn calves were.
I have heard of large flocks of sheep slaughereed in a killing spree by wolf packs.
I have to agree, that the wrong wolf was brought here, and shoved down our throats.
Typical left management
I think Gev. otter has the right idea, just a bit too radical.
Wonder what the wolf supporters will say when the first human gets killed?
I think that the wolves don’t totally need to be wiped out, but controled. I live in MOntana and even if they don’t kill the livestock they sometimes chase them around making them loose lots of weight and nobody wants to buy tht certain herd of cattle making the ranchers loose money.
There should be some sort of hunting season, but not a wipe out.
The origianll goal for the wolves wass 300 and now the population is 4x greater.
we should focas on another animal and not an animal that is thriving.
Those who want to burn their tags, don’t do it. I am sure that the government only wants to do what is best and they won’t try to wipe something that has cost Montana 1 Billion tax dollars.
Wolves are doing fine adn whatever is the governemts business should be their business until they want to get rid of it then you should start freakin’ out.
I live in Idaho and agree that what was done to the wolves was wrong, but the population is hurting the rest of the ecosystem and you other people are being ignorant and narrow minded.
To Wolf:
The pioneers like my great grandfather who made a long hard trip to Idaho wiped out the indians in Idaho. Does that makeme feel good? No but that doesn’t make me think that we should give all of the land back to them.
And to everyone who thinks that buying a tag so someone that would use it doesn’t get one: You are wasting your money. There is a lot of big game hunters who won’t waste their money on a tag, but will still shoot every wolf they see until they send them back to the great white north.
all you people that oppose the hunt are completly blind and ignorant. the stupid media has told you that they need to be left alone for some stupid balance. if you dont deal with them, if you live in the city, then you need to shut up and quit trying to give your liberal 2 cents about the matter. the ranchers are the ones haveing to die and suffer finacially, so that you can say “we have a balanced ecosystem.” im sorry how can you say idaho is balanced by putting “canadian” wolfs here. if you people like them so much put a couple packs in the neighborhoods, im sure you’ll want them gone to when they start eating you, your kids, and you favorite dog spot. wise up people.
Just let me know when they open the season on all the big hunters who derive such joy from needless slaughter. I hunt and track game for meat. But I think I could hunt and track idiot’s who breathe my air and waste life just for the bloodsport.
Well, I drop them when I see them, and when they get too close to town so does US Fish and Wildlife, last spring they smoked a whole pack, 8 of them, from a helicopter. If tage become available, I’ll buy one and limit myself to the one the tag allows me to take, otherwise, I’ll kill as many as cross my path.
Dont get me wrong, I supported the reintroduction of the Wolves to Idaho, I dont think any of us expected the populations to grow so large so fast. Now it’s time to control the populations of them the same way as we do other game.
Wow, what a bunch of arrogant pr*#ks. Yeah, the wolves are reproducing sooooo fast. They’re still an endangered species yet there’s too many of them? Are you that dense?!
Let me tell you the truth about this situation here. There’s not too many wolves, there’s too many people. How about we start gunning people down instead? That’s the only answer by your logic. You can’t just plow down every ecosystem everytime it becomes a minor inconvenience for you. At the rate of human expansion that will leave nothing but concrete and highrises in no time. Sadly the world can not sustain itself in that manner and will only result in our own deaths as a result.
Are people really so short-sighted? This is especially hypocritical for a pro-life administration or anyone who supports the pro-life movement. A fetus in the stages of development in which abortions are carried out is far less developed than a wolf or even a wolf pup. Even mosquito is, at most stages of an abortion, more developed. Just another example of American hypocrisy used to promote any agenda that is convenient to a minority with complete disregard for the planet and the environment.
Heck, my uncles records show 40 lost calve and 3 lost cows to wolves, i’m loadin’ the ot 6 let the fun begin, and Shoot, Shovel, Shut up no longer aplys, thank you “Butch”
Written by Larry….”I have personally seen pictures of approx. 17 cows and calves(Elk), slaughtered bu wolves, and the bulk of the meat left to rot.”
To me that sounds like what people do. Just last year about 10 elk were illegally shot and killed, sections of meat were cut from their backs and the animals left to rot. People are a lot worse than animals.
As far as wolves reducing the deer and elk population to the point people can’t hunt them, is rediculous. People should consider all the points of the situations. To name a couple, there are poachers and many many deer and elk are killed along our highways by careless drivers. Before we start to prosecute the wolves by killing them just because they have a need to survive, we should examine ourselves and our impact on the deer and elk.
Why not just take a few of the wolfs out? Its not going to damage there population growth, especially if they grew in numbers that fast. If people think wolfs are like people they need a reality check, this creatures need to be kept on a leash. We the humans can punish one another in are society for doing the wrong, but we cant punish the creature that kills the ranchers life stock and damage herds of deer and elk to where there is nothing left of the heard? whats up with that!!! LETS GO HUNTING!!!!!!!!
WELL LIVING A WORKIND CATTLE RANCH AND KNOWING THAT WHEN YOUR HERD STARTS GETTING PICKED OFF BY WOLVES AND OR COUGARS IT REALLY HURTS YOUR PROFIT!! AND EVEN THOUGH WE HAVENT SEEN ANY WOLVES ON OUR RANCH YET…BUT KNOW THEY ARE IN OUR PRESENTS!!! IT PISSES ME OFF WHEN THEY SAY THA WE CANT SHOOT OR HUNT THEM! WHEN THERE POPULATION CAN GROW MORE RAPIDLY THAN WHAT WE AS A SOCIETY CAN HANDLE! THEY OVER POPULATE AND RUIN CATTLE HURDS NOT TO MENTION OUR PERISHING ELK ADN DEER PROBLUMS SO I SAY LETS LOAD UP THE 25.O6 AND GO KILL SOME WOLVES!!!
WE DONT NEED TO CLEAN THEM OUT BUT WE DO NEED TO MAINTAIN THERE POPULATION!! AT LEAST MAKE A HUNTINg SEASON FOR THEM! TO REGULATE THERE PRESENTS!
Livestock deaths by wolves are compensated to the tune of 700% of the value of the lost stock in Wyoming and with $154k of funds from Defenders of Wildlife in 2006. Wolves are estimated to account for less than 1% of livestock losses in affected states. It’s just nice headline grabber. Another instance of the cattle lobby, which gets free use of public and federal lands, to have some misguided individuals do its dirty work. Just because you get to shoot a gun doesn’t make it patriotic, just the opposite.
I have a friend who has a ranch in Montana. The ranch has been in the family for generations. She said they have NEVER had a wolf problem. I think people are too quick to judge the wolf as the only problem, and people will not look at the whole picture. You have to look at problems from poachers, elk and deer getting killed by drivers among other things. I am not saying that wolves and other predetors don’t take livestock; I am sure it happens. What I am saying is that it is blown way out of proportion and people are exagerating the issue.
Only the narrow minded people are too quick to come to a conclusion and want to whip out the gun and start killing the wolves. It is too easy to kill off what ever is in your way rather than use your brain to other solutions.
It is a proven fact that llamas are excellent “watch dogs” for herds. People have put llamas in with their herds and the results of livestock not killed by predetors is greatly reduced.
You have to use your brain not your brawn.
Patrick said it best!!!!Same jackasses that voted for the Idiot who is making us a new 3rd world country!!!! Takes a real man to shoot an animal from a plane!As for the guy who said you have to be a city liberal to be against this…wrong..I grew up hiking and watching all kinds of wildlife in their forest!I love the peacefulness of the woods!Let them Be!
I will buy a tag, and I will hunt and kill to fill my tag.I then will have the hide tanned and will proudly display it on my wall. Everyone forgets wolves have been hunted from the beginning of time. Our ancestors did this and wore them to keep warm. I hunted for 15 years in the same area, and did well untill 40 wolves invaded the area the last year I hunted this area there were no elk, no deer, no bears, and any other small game seen over a 5 day period, not even tracks. But I did see 6 free running wolves at 50 yards coming down the ridge next to me.Dont say they dont wipe animals and ares out if you dont actually go out and see it for yourself, but just sit in your lazy chair and believe everything you see on CNN.Ive seen wolf kill first hand and see the waste of animal, have you? When a wolf comes down over the Boise front and kills a child of one of the SAVE THE WOLF,WHALE,TREES,etc who do you think will be looking to change thier talk then! Go ahead and buy a tag and dont use it, the Fish and Game can use your money, and next year when the limit of kills has not been reached they will double the number of tags to sell and more tags and more money collected for our hunting benifits. SAVE A WOLF SHOOT A TREE HUGGER!!
I will buy a Butch Otter tag, and I will hunt and kill to fill my tag. I then will have the hide tanned and will proudly display it on my wall.
Sincerely,
A Gray Wolf
It’s so funny to hear Rick say that we would want to hunt if a wolf kills one of our loved ones. Bees kill more people than wolves or mountain lions or sharks have put together. I don’t see you doing anything about the bee overpopulation. And talk about wasting an animal? Everyone in my family hunts for antlers and leaves the bulk of the animal to rot, or takes the meat home and throws the old meat out of the freezer. I’m not against hunting, just against hunters that kill for no reason except for the thrill or the trophy.
Wolves should not be hunted. Period. they do not know that they are wolves, and do not know that they are misjudged. be kind to mother nature’s children
Wisconsin has about as many wolves as Idaho and Minnisota thousands more. They still have lots of deer to hunt. In addition they don’t whine about their situation like “westerners” do.
The primary problem with Earth is that there are too many people; this leads to competition for limited resources and damages ecosystems. Humans have caused the extinction of more species than any other animal. How do you like yellow star thistle ruining so much range land in Idaho? How about soaring gas and food prices?
I hope to see a wolf in Idaho this summer.
did you like the bully in high school? he made everyone a little sketchey just being around and ya didnt even make a peep in fear that he would see ya. try a porkchop neckless and a hike by redfish lake this summer, you’ll see one.
I think we should just kill them all and save are elk for us hunters. i dont think we should have the wolves. they have done nothing but take jobs, kill cattle, and kill deer, but the things the hurt the most is ELK witch i love to hunt and we should not sit around with a finger up are butts and go out there and fix the hole thing.
As a sportsman, I’m lookin forward to culling the wolf population. A single wolf will kill 4 elk a month. 2 to eat, and 2 just for a “thrill kill”.
Support the Wolf Hunting Ticket!
Isn’t what you’re doing a “thrill kill”? A true sportsman has an appreciation of predators.
Don’t anyone get me wrong - I am vehemently against the hunting of wolves and I know all the facts, how they are notoriously shy and are notoriously misunderstood by the idiot Christian populations of both Europe and America. But even if you absolutely have to kill them, you’re doing it terribly wrong by simply taking numbers. Wolves have an extremely important social hierarchy within their packs, and I’m quite sure the majority of foolish hunters out there who like to think they’re smart and tough wouldn’t be able to tell an alpha from a beta if you gave them all the wolf almanacs in the world.
If it’s so necessary to tone down their populations, I think it’s better if you have biologists who actually study the packs do so - that way they can know which wolf plays what role. No matter what their position in the pack a wolf’s death will be mourned by its family, but it is slightly less damaging to their society to take out a subordinate rather than their leaders or their omegas (who play the incredibly important role of pack peacemakers.) Furthermore, if biologists do this, they will be able to employ humane methods of culling numbers - putting them calmly to sleep, rather than the typical savage hunter’s method of running a wolf down from the safety of a vehicle and watching it struggle for hours to escape before it collapses in agony.
But of course, humans have always been dumbass retards, so why would they think of something like that?
I am amazed and all of the absolute knowledge out there. You all know everything about what wolves think and what they feel and their humanlike emotions and what they target and how humanely they do their killing. If I didn’t know better I would think some of you think they are actually humans. Great job animal lovers. You people put your money where your mouth is. None and I mean None of the “wolf petter” organizations have put up even a fraction of the money for wildlife management that the hunters do every year. You have been afforded the ability to enjoy observing the wildlife you are defending because of the money the hunters have put into keeping them in balance. Now that the hunters want to keep the wolf population under control you think they are barbaric and cry and show us that you really don’t have much knowledge about how things really work but you show how uninformed you really are. I find it very interesting that our country is so divided. This is just like another “Liberal vs. Conservative” issue. My observation is the “wolf defenders” are the Liberals and the “Wolf managers” are the Conservatives and there is no give and take and there will never be common ground. So my parting statement is this: Wolf protectors “Come up with Millions and Millions and Millions of dollars every year and develop management plans and even after you do, expect huge opposition and maybe even overturn your laws and plans after all your money and efforts have been put into it. Seems the ones who have no vested interest in things get heard more than those who have been putting time and money and effort into it most of their lives. Yes your opposition is going to save our solar system and have this perfect “superficial” ecosystem you seem to know all about. Was our ecosystem ever harmed when there were no wolves?
Hunters do support many game management programs financially through the purchasing of game tags and licenses, not through some altruistic effort to preserve nature and wildlife but to preserve and finance programs that will enable them to continue to pursue hunting and fishing. Nothing wrong with that. In the case of the wolf who’s numbers up until the last 20 years have been at zero in Yellowstone and the surrounding area, management by hunting is premature.
Do some reading on biodiversity. You’ll see that predators have major role in keeping rodent and deer populations in check and game herds healthy. In 2005 domesticated dogs killed more than 5 times as many cattle as wolves did. I don’t see anyone selling “Dog” tags. There’s a place for hunting in most game management programs. The wolf, at least at current numbers, should still be protected and not a targeted species by lobbyists, special interest groups and those motivated by lame, misguided prejudice.
This isn’t a liberal vs. conservative battle (conservatism means to conserve) There are inflexible people on both sides of the wolf hunting issue. Too bad game management has fallen victim to the same political forces that call the shots in Washington. A bunch of oil men, big agri-companies, cattle ranchers and their lobbyists writing big checks to call the shots. That’s government corruption not politics.
What do you expect from Idaho? A state where the biggest asparation is becoming a potato, would, of course, want to kill off what cost millions of dollars to replace. The state aborist doesn’t even know ‘there a problem’ with whitebark pines, yet another endangered mess. Where do they get these people?
The ignorance of American people is stunning and only out-done by their need to kill and main for fun and the extent to which they rationalize sport hunting. There are absolutely no studies or statistics that indicate Idaho is over-populated by wolves and that wolves are any source of waning deer and elk populations. However, there are studies that indicate that human hunters are a source of small and weaker deer herds. Why? Because unlike wolves and other “normal predators”, man kills the biggest and the best deer and elk and moose, thereby weakening the genetic pool.
I for one am cancelling my Idaho backpacking trip, which reduces the income to state by about $2000. That’s about 90 wolf tags to be sold to make up just one outlanders recreation revenue. I urge all non-killing outdoorsmen and women to boycott Idaho until the wolf slaughter stops.
I just spent the last two weeks in the idaho wilderness. In years past I’v done the same.
I can honestly say that wolves are reaking havok on Idaho elk, deer, and other big game.
I came across more wolve tracks than elk, or deer. I also last winter spent some time in the Mc call, Idaho city area and the same was the case.
I agree the elk are being hit the hardest, and have seen with my own eyes the huge impact.
the comments that ryan left are very true. I just returned from a 10 day trip in the mountains in Idaho between council and McCall and the wolves have destroyed the Elk and deer in this area. I don’t feel that I can bring my family back to camp there until The state of idaho gets the wolves under control.(unless we carry a gun) I wonder how all of you “wolf supporters” are going to feel when the wolves migrate to were you live and start feeding on your pets and kids yes I said kids because it will happen if we just let the wolves continue to go unmanaged. wake up people and listen to the people that started this “reintrodution program” they have ALL said that it is time to turn this over to the states to manage as they see fit. it is not just Idaho that is being effected by this fiasco montana and wyoming and alaska are being affected also. for all of you that think that the wolves feed only on the sick and weak go to saveourelk.com and see the truth about what the wolves are doing to the wild life in Idaho and other states.for the lady that wrote that she is going to cancel her backpacking trip to Idaho well that is probably a good idea at least you won’t have to worry about being attacked by a wolf. that is another great reason for the state of Idaho to manage the wolf population your just a small part of the states income the non resident tags that they sell for deer elk bear and other game far outweighs your $2000.00 that you would have spent. so you made a very good point as to why Idaho SHOULD manage the wolves it is going to have a huge impact on the states income if they don’t I have been traveling from the midwest to the state of Idaho for vacations for years and the effects that I (as a noresident) have seen that the wolves have had on the wilderness of Idaho just makes me sick. i encourage everyone that reads this site or posts here go to saveourelk.com and read ALL of the articles on this site it will show ALL of you the truth about the effects that these NON native wolves have had on our wilderness. I am wondering why if the wolves have been recomended for delisting by the “experts” are people still fighting to keep the wolves on the protected list??? what about the ELK, Deer and other wildlife that the wolves are exterinating???? why aren’t you people concerned about those animals???? if we don’t manage the wolves they will be wiped out and from what I observed while I was in the mountains this September it won’t be much longer
If you want to save the elk you have to rememder The only good wolf is a DEAD wolf
BJ you make a great point. This year when I went elk hunting I could hardly find any fresh elk tracks. And when I finally found one, the wolfs had beaten to it. They tracked the elk and cornered it between some fallen trees. There was no escape. They ripped it apart and left it. People that think that wolfs are good to have around need to go up and see what is really happening. Instead of saying they did their research. The real research is seeing it first hand. And remember the only good wolf is a DEAD wolf!!!!!
Well, here we are once again. The Greenie’s who live in the cities tout their knowlege of wolves, when they have never seen one first hand.I live in North Idaho, and I have seen many wolves. There are pac’s where the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service don’t even count for their Census.We (Idaho Hunting comunities), Have spent Billions of dollars to bring back the Elk, Moose, and more recently, the Mule Deer and Carabu populations. This is not only benificial to the eco-system, but to all of us who hunt them.Now with their great wisdom, they have introduced the most agressive killing machine the state has ever seen, and that’s only second to the other idiotic idea of introducing the Grizzly. Now how are you going to protect all of these animals with these agressive killers?
The idea (on Paper) is wonderful, but that’s where the good idea ended, and the greenie’s took over. Without looking at the big picture, it’s too late.The Large game popultion is beeing wiped out, plane and simple. where are the facts?, you might ask. The fact’s are not not that factual. The greenie’s run both of the agencies that are responsible for this enormous smoke screen.
Here is a senerio. A Greenie from Main, moves to any one of the Western states, get’s a position with either the USFWS or, IDFG. They go out and count the wildlife populations. Wearing their save the wolves hat, and Sweatshirt, they go out tippy-toeing through the wood’s to do their counting. They return later that after noon to report to teir supervisors…. 1 Elk, 1 Moose,3 whitetail deer, and a bear track, but didn’t know what kind of bear. This report is taken by a numbers cruncher down the hall, and wala, a report is generated… 15,00 Elk, 450, Moose, 3,000 White Tail, and 50 Grizzlies.Oh! and 2 Wolves. These numbers now go to the agencies head’s, and higher up from there.The number’s then get further tangled, and muddied up, and then wala!, the poweres that be make their idiotic vote for the policy we now have to live with.
Now don’t sit in your town house in down town Big City, in your leather recliner, sipping tea, with the new issue of save the world, and dictate to us how to manage wildlife. We (The Hunting Communities) have been saving wild life for a very long time, and without us you wouldn’t have anything to look at in the first place.
Oh, by the way, I have never seen a greenie, or a wildlife biologist in the back country, and probably never will.
The wolves are going to have their populations reduced, with or without your approval.
Well you know what, i think the human population is over populated, thats probably exactly what the animals that we have driven to extinction thought in their final moments of life, i can beliefe to some extent for a hunting season for wolves even though i love them dearly, but only because if they start killing too many deer and arnt able to find food they’ll starve to death but thats the only reason why. Animals were here before we were and we have screwed up our world, with the polution, global warming and forests being cut down, meaning animals homes are being destroyed.
I just had first hand experience with wolves in eastern idaho. We were hunting for mule deer and after two weeks seen only a handfull. Generaly there are large groups of does all over where we hunt. Now all we saw was small groups of deer very afraid of everything. Normally you can watch the groups for as long as you wanted but now they are afraid not of man something else. On a hike i came across more carcases of deer and elk than i ever seen before. What i don’t understand is the people who don’t want wolves managed don’t care about the other animals. If you could watch, time and time again, a wolf stalk a deer, or elk, attack them, tear the guts and anus out of the animal while they are still alive you might have a different opinion. Manage wolves just like deer, and other game. Hunters do not let an animal suffer, a clean quick kill is more humane. We did see 6 wolves while we were there, they are huge. you don’t think they are that big. Oh and to you peta, green, wierdos, something to help you sleep at night. We did NOT gut shoot some of those wolves so they would stumble around for days with the worst pain they have ever experienced unable to eat or run, slowing the pack down, not able to kill any more game. Just imagine with the current wolf population, how many times a day game are brutaly killed, i wish you could watch for a day all of the attacks on your tv, you would then say “they are killing baby deer, and bunny rabbits, and cats, and dogs and cute little sheep. we have to stop them.” what ever you get stuck in you head on any given day is what you want to make a stink about. tomorrow look out all of our electricity has to come from solar or wind, oh not wind it kills birds. and when you talk about killing people it shows you how emotionaly unstable you are.
Fact: Wolves are stupid
Fact: Most wolf supporters have never seen a wolf other than a stuffed animal version and mistakenly believe that the real thing is just as tame.
Fact: A wolf is nothing more than a wild dog, a very ugly inbred wild dog.
Fact: If your dog gave birth to a wolf pup you would kill it too.
Fact: Idaho has seen next to nill in dollars from tourist coming to see wolves.
Fact Humans rule and wolves drool!
Fact: I can’t wait to hear the sound of a wolf lovers breaking heart when the first wolf gets tagged and bagged.
well your just stupid. wolves are just like any other animal. and i wouldn’t be talking because you probably haven’t seen one either.
look i like animals all of them i think wolves are gorgeous and im a hunter myself. i wouldn’t mind to have a hunt for wolves but just to keep them from over populating.As long as they dont go on the verge of extinction again its all fine with me. they should have a hunt just like they have hunts for elk and deer and everything else.
Alright PETA freaks this is how it is. Why don’t YOU come to North Idaho, where you drive one mile up the road from your home and find a cow elk slaughtered by a stinkin nasty wolf. That’s happened to me TWICE. Why don’t you come up here, drive in the middle of the woods in a log truck, with no weapon for defense, and be face to face with a wolf while you’re outside. Oh, and have it growl at you while it gets ready to pounce and rip you apart. I’m sure you mindless, dope smoking, freaks would want it dead on the ground. No matter what your activist groups brainwash you with, wolves are a MENACE to animals and people! The woods of North Idaho are our workplace — not our playground or tourist retreat. And when it comes time for hunting season, we need harvested elk and deer to fill our freezers so we don’t starve. All of you green peace, free love, save the wolves morons need a dose of reality. Get a frickin clue.
It’s surprising how many self-proclaimed outdoors-men seem shocked by natural predation. Hanging a deer or elk carcass from a beam in the front yard is badge of courage while a predatory kill by a native American species is a ’slaughter’. Another tidbit…there are almost no recorded wolf attacks on humans in North America. A lot of Americans appreciate nature and would love to see a wolf in the wild. Land of the Brave…really?