Where are the Elk, dang it!

[chickened]

The pre-human wolves did not have a domestic animal smorgasboard to dine on, the wolves reintroduced into the lower 48 are not the same wolf that was here originally they are a canadian wolf that are much larger and are considered an apex predator.

Parvo, distemper and other canine diseases have already wiped out certain packs of wolves in the yellowstone area and other areas and the USFW will not re-introduce wolves to those areas because certain diseases remain in the soil for years.

The folks that buy tags to hunt will quit buying tags when the deer and elk #'s get below huntable #'s. It is already happening and under current laws and acts the money collected from the Pittman Roberts Act is earmarked for wildlife agencies and that money will dry up then taxpayers will be funding everything.

Managing wolves is the logical choice.

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

elk numbers go up, predator numbers go up. Then elk numbers go down, then - surprise! - predator numbers go down.

It's HOW those predator numbers go down that you need to consider. Starvation is a terrible process. Far kinder to hunt them than to let them starve once their normal prey are gone.

JMO


Rusty​

 

[chickened]

Good point, another way to look at it is like what happened on my last hatch I had a chick that had slipped tendon on both legs and could not walk to the feed only inches away. I had a choice watch it starve to death over 3 or 4 days or humanely dispatch it. I chose the latter.

Male wolves will kill wolf pups and young males from other packs or pups it did not father, not the warm fuzzy creature one thinks it is.

 

[herfrds]

SW we have an 85% deer loss in our area thanks to disease and predators.
We can only shoot bucks over here, but I would rather have a nice dry yearling doe.

Any pro wolf people need to watch www.cryingwofthemovie.com
It was shot here in MT and that old guy they talked to outside of Gardiner was really interesting.
I remember going through YNP and seeing tons of wildlife, now we rarely see anything.

 

[rufus]

In Arizona, the native elk were exterminated by Native Americans prior to the arrival of Europeans. The were re introduced in 1913. Since then, they have grown to a healthy population. Now, the Feds have re introduced the Mexican wolf. Let's see how that plays out.

For what it is worth, all of the wildlife animals that the Lewis and Clark expedition encountered were rebounding from over hunting. They were thriving in the 200 year shadow of small pox and other introduced diseases that decimated the Native Americans.

When people are removed from an area wild life returns to a natural balance. This is happening in Chernobyl and the DMZ between the Koreas. Let's see what happens in the exclusion zone in Japan.

Rufus

 

[chickened]

And the OWS sites

Would be interesting to see where the Indians Lewis and Clark encountered in Oregon got thier dogs from. They ate dog meat near now Umatilla Oregon.
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[SkyWarrior]

This year, I've seen more mule deer than whitetail. Just an observation.

We have a draw for whitetail does and my husband was lucky enough to get one. We both got our bucks -- muley buck (with permit) and whitetail buck. Husband got his whitetail doe -- she was in good shape.

The latest figures from the FWP check stations is about 5.3% success rate for all big game. That's pretty abysmal.

If we have as bad of a winter as last year, we'll probably lose more animals. The wolves have been taking a fair number and need to be managed. The hunts will hopefully do that, rather than have taxpayers pay to have FWP kill off whole wolf packs because of damage to herds and domestic livestock.


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[Matthew3590]

The elk population in the smoky mountains is doing very well right now. Finally reached a healthy herd size of 100.

 

[Mahonri]

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When elk numbers go down, then the predators/wolves start eating the farmers/ranchers cattle. There needs to be wolf hunting by humans as well. Because there is cattle, things do NOT regulate by themselves.

 

[rufus]

Wolves are opportunistic hunters. They take what is there and what is easiest. Given the choice of risking getting killed by an angry elk or taking a couple of kids waiting for the school bus, guess what they will do? Mankind is not magically and mystically exempt from the acts of nature.

When people are present with their livestock and pets, the situation is altered.

Rufus