Only one thing I have to add to this is.... If the ELK population in Yellowstone has been traumatically affected by the Wolves then I would not have want to see how many Elk there were BEFORE the Wolves got there. I was in Yellowstone just 2 years ago and seen so many elk ity sent my head reeling. There were groups of elk around every corner I turned. If there were more Elk than that before the wolves were brought back then the dang elk were probably starving to death or bein hit on the highways.
BTW all you guys that keep spitting half truths about the wolf that was reintroduced not being the same species, that is a load of crap that was started by the Anti Wolf folk as an excuse as to why it shouldn't have been done. Out of all thepeople I hear talking the talk about the reintroed wolves not being the same as the native species I haven't heard ayone that can tell what the native species was. Why? Becuase the Native species WAS the GRAY WOLFo I'll pose that question to those here that keep regurgitating the crap about it not being the same species.... Show me proof and show me documentation that says what the native species was since they supposedly weren't Gray Wolves.
The Wolves that were native to Yellowstone were always Gray Wolves. The only difference in the ones that were there naturally and the once that were reintroduced is that the ones that were reintroduced were hand selected fore being strong and healthy and top of the crop so they would survive the transplant. The Wolves that I keep hearing people say that were transplanted killed the few native wolves that were left. Well no kidding, do you think that might have been do to the fact that Man came in and killed off the majority of the wolves to begin with and the only ones that were left were were the weak and a few stranglers that were having a hard go if it to begin with because Man had killed off the majority of the packs and solitary wolves don't do well in the wild? Maybe ya think?
Anyway I think I said it once before, this could go back and forth forever and never get anywhere so this is the last thing I will say on the subject... (for real this time LOL)
It really was good seeing the different attitudes about the wolf.: Thanks to everyone for the input and keeping it Civil so we could discuss it like adults.