Bugle Magazine Wolves

[fishdoggydog]

Latest issue from Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation paints a bleak picture for any elk hunting in wolf country. We have had elk reintroduced into Wisconsin ten years ago, the wolf showed up on his own ten years or so before that. The wolf has total protection in Wisconsin, same as the west, and is doing great here, same as the west. I can't say the same for the elk. The wolf was going to be eating deer, and beaver, but they have killed some elk. We have about 100 elk, and a million and a half deer, so you would not think they would be a factor. Between bears, wolves, and the Indian tribe quota that will be part of a harvest, I can't see ever getting a tag in my lifetime here. The wolf has ended up down here in the farm country and urban sprawl around Milwaukee, not just passing through from some reports. A local guy said one was sitting in his backyard, he went out to scare it, and it sat till he started getting close, then walked into the woods. He was told it was probably a coyote, but he claimed to know a coyote, and said this had big paws and long legs, a wolf.

[M.T. Pockets]

Finally got my copy of Bugle yesterday, it's too bad. The whole ecosystem has changed so much and adapted since wolves were last part of it, reintroducing them changes everything.

I've hunted in Wyoming East of Jackson, and saw wolves in 2000. I understand they've moved into this area and the hunting has declined substantially.

The ecosystem is different now, and it's man that's screwed it up. The development of the elk wintering grounds has resulted in feedgrounds. These feedgrounds create an unnatural concentration of elk and the wolves can just surround them. This prevents them from spreading out to other feedgrounds and can contribute to disease.

I have nothing against wolves in the wild, and by wild I mean where they're not being reintroduced, like Canada and Alaska. Hell, I'm from Minnesota where we're crawling with them. I do think there should be a season on them here, and other areas that can support it like Wisconsin and the Yellowstone Ecosystem. I don't understand how some people seem to worship them. Visit the Wolf Center in Ely, MN and you'll see what I mean. There's some in Jackson Hole too.

Grizzly Bears too, they need to have a little fear of man put back into them. I think each outfitter in Grizzly Country should get one tag per year. This couldn't hurt the population and it would get a little respect put back into them, I'll bet the nuisance bears that have to be killed would decline by as many bears that are killed legally.

What's wrong with lots of elk ? If it weren't for elk hunters there wouldn't be the habitat that there is now for the wolves & bears. I wish the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation would take a little firmer stand on the issue.

As for identifying a wolf from a coyote, that's easy. If your heart jumps in your throat and you lose your breath, it's a wolf. However, I wish wolf sightings were a rare occurence.

[grayghost]

I saw 11 Wolves during broad daylight in the Lamar River Valley of Yellowstone a few years ago. They were attempting to circle a large Bull Elk that was bedded on a slope overlooking the river. Snow started to fall and we had to move out before the gate to the park was locked. Didn't get to see how that story ended. One thing for sure; you don't see near as many Elk and Deer around Gardiner, MT (north entrance to the Park) as you used to. Locals pretty much despise the Wolf. Wolves also take a heavy toll on spring fawns and calves. I agree M.T., there should be limited hunting on Wolves and Griz. Good hunting, grayghost

[elkermarty]

MAYBE, we have to do what the ranchers do in some states (california)where there are cougers and cattle. Shoot them, shovel them and forget them.
I am not saying we should but......

[hnter]

Man is a natural progression of nature !!!!!!! We didn't
SCREW ANYTHING UP!!!!! , WE SIMPLY CHANGED IT !!!!, AS GOD INTENDED IT TO BE !!!! .
I'm also sick and tired of the G&F know it alls telling people that the wolf they saw was a coyote !!!.
The wolves have decimated Wyomings western Moose herd around Yellowstone and Jackson and are now moving into the Big Horns of Wyoming and have been seen as far as Denver CO, Eagle CO (road killed), Sundance, WY, Pierre, SD. (rancher kill).
There was for years a small group of indiginious wolves living in Yellowstone NP which are no longer in evidence, they were in all probability, killed by the "re-introduced" wolves. A really GOOD SHOW by the greeny controled NPS & USFWS. By the way, try getting the info on how much the "re-introduction" of the wolves trapped in Canada and those now being raised here have and are costing us in Pittman-Robertson and Dingle-Johnson Funds.
All they'll say is the data is "incomplete"and therefore unavaliable!!!! Bull Crap !!!! Another lie by the greeny USFWS

Recently a sheep rancher near YNP had over 50 sheep killed this summer by wolves. He was compensated for 1 kill and only then because that sheep died in a mountain stream which kept the carcass well enough to be examined allowing determination of the species animal which killed it.
Only a very few of the wolf slaughtered sheep had signs of being partially eaten !!!!

Some western Wyoming elk herds are down to a calf elk survival rate of only 7 per 100 births, that coupled with hunting, winter kill and old age death is not a sustainable cow/calf ratio.

Guess who will take it in the shorts with reductions in opportunities? IT sure as He** won't be the wolves will it?
Nope, Hunters will be screwed AGAIN!!!!


BTW, it's "shoot-shovel & shut up".


Darned good advice !!!!!