Wedge Pack: More cattle attacked in Stevens County (poll and letter)

[CAMPMEAT]

where did you hide my dream house at? 

Well sad part is that it's not my place. But it does belong to an outfitter buddy in Oklahoma. 
I'm some what opinionated on what happens in this unit. Last nite I let Emotion over rule Common sense when I posted the photos. I have since removed them.

You're a bad boy. Go to your room and don't come out until told too !!! 

[Ridgeratt]

where did you hide my dream house at? 

Well sad part is that it's not my place. But it does belong to an outfitter buddy in Oklahoma. 
I'm some what opinionated on what happens in this unit. Last nite I let Emotion over rule Common sense when I posted the photos. I have since removed them.

You're a bad boy. Go to your room and don't come out until told too !!! 

Guess this is why I'm some what of a recluse! But I'm ok with that also.

Perhaps a social misfit.   

Didn't mean to jack the thread either. Begging pardons!

[CAMPMEAT]

where did you hide my dream house at? 

Well sad part is that it's not my place. But it does belong to an outfitter buddy in Oklahoma. 
I'm some what opinionated on what happens in this unit. Last nite I let Emotion over rule Common sense when I posted the photos. I have since removed them.

You're a bad boy. Go to your room and don't come out until told too !!! 

Guess this is why I'm some what of a recluse! But I'm ok with that also.

Perhaps a social misfit.   

Social misfit just like me !!!

[sebek556]

  your good man, great photos. As long as we don't give the wolf lovers anything to feed off its all good.

[Northway]

Northway, thankyou  for you responce. Unfortunately liberal hunting and trapping won't help us here in this state. A study was done outside the Denali NP in AK and it found that only 3-6% of the population of wolves would be harvested through the normal course of hunting. Harvest goals of 50-70% of the existing population was necessary to keep a STABLE population of wolves(zero gain).  In AK they had liberal hunting, trapping and aerial gunning. this study was in responce to AK loosing its aerial hunting ability.     

ID has used aerial gunning but it was not very effective because of the steep terrain. ID allows the use of foothold traps, WA does not.
2 of the major tools to control wolves are not an option, in this state. This state seems to have a love affair with all matter of predators, from sealions, wolves, Mergansers, courgars, bears, and even the lowly coyote. 

Since the restriction of no hound hunting for bear or cougar has been in place, hunting cougars has NOT been able to achieve harvest goals. YET the WDFW has chosen to try and make it HARDER to harvest them. We got them to take away their BS weapons restrictions, and STILL we cannot harvest their numbers which are overly conservative... Last year some Numb Nut that works at the WDFW tired to put some idiotic restrictions on night hunting coyotes, to only use Bird shot, or 22 cal rifles!  Their own attempt to change policy made NO sense! 

Wolves are not an Isolated issue. the Duff's Love affair with ALL predators and their LACK of management and understanding of the issues is the major cause for concern. We have some fellow hunters and anglers in the WDFW but they are ineffective, silenced, and/or out numbered. We need to take the WDFW kicking and screaming in the right direction, because they have proven through their ACTIONS that they are NOT a partner in managing our resources. 

Special T, do you have a link to that study? I've read through some studies from in and around Denali, but can't recall whether I've read the one you refer to. I'm terrible about saving links to relevant material like that. I think I've seen research that show a 40%/year harvest rate over a period of four years can successfully reduce wolf populations in a given area, but I need to go back and look to actually verify. I'm assuming the Idaho aerial gunning situation you're talking about was over in the Lolo.

With wolves in the equation, I've wondered whether loosening the restrictions on cougar hunting will be necessary, especially when you're talking about maintaining hunter opportunity for ungulates. Studies are showing that cougars make up a significant portion of elk calf predation, even more than wolves in some cases.

On another note, Montana also contracts with Wildlife Services for wolf control:

"Feds may get freer hand to remove problem wolves"

http://helenair.com/news/local/feds-may-get-freer-hand-to-remove-problem-wolves/article_182b1016-ec1c-11e1-bacf-0019bb2963f4.html?comment_form=true

"Federal agents no longer would need state permission to remove problem wolves under a new draft proposal released Tuesday by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Under the draft revisions to Montana’s Wolf Depredation Response Protocol, Wildlife Services agents — a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture — would be authorized to identify, target and remove wolves that are confirmed to have killed livestock. But if the confirmed depredation is in an area where wolves haven’t been previously radio collared and it can’t be determined which wolves were involved, Wildlife Services would be required to collar and release at least one wolf, which would allow biologists to track its movements."

I still haven't found anybody who is familiar with what, if any, relationship there is between WDFW & Wildlife Services.

[sebek556]

Northway, can you please show me where, anywhere where there has been a 40% harvest rate on wolves? I have never heard of such a thing. Idaho last year including natural causes had 238 wolves die, and a population of 746. that is a 32% death rate including everything, aerial gunning, trapping including snares and leg holds,  hit by cars, natural deaths, killed by each other, etc. After a 32% rate they were only expecting a 4% decrease in population.

[sebek556]

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/wildlife/wolves/
look at the 2011 Wolf Monitoring Progress Report
and Wolf Management Update, November, 2011

[pianoman9701]

Northway, can you please show me where, anywhere where there has been a 40% harvest rate on wolves? I have never heard of such a thing. Idaho last year including natural causes had 238 wolves die, and a population of 746. that is a 32% death rate including everything, aerial gunning, trapping including snares and leg holds,  hit by cars, natural deaths, killed by each other, etc. After a 32% rate they were only expecting a 4% decrease in population.

I've heard of a growth rate of 40-50%, but never a death rate that large.

[buckfvr]

I smell a plant...............

[dreamingbig]

I think I've seen research that show a 40%/year harvest rate over a period of four years can successfully reduce wolf populations in a given area, but I need to go back and look to actually verify.

Please post that research and please post examples of where they were actually able to achieve a 40% harvest rate.

[Northway]

I think I've seen research that show a 40%/year harvest rate over a period of four years can successfully reduce wolf populations in a given area, but I need to go back and look to actually verify.

Please post that research and please post examples of where they were actually able to achieve a 40% harvest rate.

I'll try to dig up that research online and post the links. 

Keep in mind that it wasn't a 40% hunter harvest rate, it was targed wolf reduction program in specific areas, carried out by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game. "Harvest" was probably not the best word to use in my original post.

[Special T]

It was an artilce that was linked and copied to this site. I did a quick search and have not come up with it. I will try to find it again later. There were 3 members that posted alot about wolves a few years ago and i cannot remeber which one it is.

[denali]

From Defenders of Wildlife web site

Suzanne Stone

Several wolf depredation experts, including myself have reviewed the state’s investigation reports and found that none of the injuries are characteristic of wolf predation on livestock.


so apparently all of the WDFW/USDA/USFW/Tribal  rigs running around up there and the 14 pages of this tread have been a waste of time, a cruel hoax 

[rasbo]

hmm rabid mountain beaver or pocket gopher maybe???defenders are not biased in any way shape or form.you didnt build that business,check is in the mail,I love you...

[pianoman9701]

I'm thinking wolverine/blacktail mix.