It's Washington rural v. Seattle urban

[Humptulips]

I somewhat agree and I wished the WDFW could really manage wolves because I think they could, but the wolf groups have a choke collar around their neck just as they did in ID/MT and everytime WDFW make a move the wolfers don't like they are going to pull on the choke collar. Have you noticed how cougar complaints have dropped off in the NE corner. A lot of locals have told me they are tired of calling and not getting meaningful help. They say they just take care of the problem. Even our legislators say that people have lost faith and are taking care of things themselves. It's sad to see but that's what people are being forced to do.

This is what happened in Idaho, stop in any town over there and talk wolves, for many people season never ends. I hate to see this happening to wildlife management, but tell me this, do people like the McIrvins have any other choice if the system fails them? Eventually people will react to survive!

Yes, people will react to survive and what other choice do they have but will it be enough?
I don't think so.
I'm sure people in ID and MT have been shooting wolves when they get the chance plus wildlife services has removed quite a few and still they increase in number and proliferate.
Hell, even the opening of a legal hunt in MT didn't stem the increase. In ID where they went all out hunting and trapping I doubt if the total number of wolves will decrease, maybe stabilize.
In WA even if they go off the Endangered List that will only open them up to hunting. Not enough!
Same with cougar. We can hunt them all we want but without hounds not enough!
I've seen game dwindle away here on the Penninsula and the number of hunters with them ever since 655. It ain't going to get better with wolves in the mix.

Only way to turn it around is for the Legislature to overturn 655 and 713 and give WDFW a new direction. I don't see that happening.

[sebek556]

  well my friends it's been a fun ride, but I think the train will reach the station in the next few years. Talked to a warden today, and of course got on the topic of wolves. When she was expressing to me how great they were for the environment, I called Bs. When I asked her what she was going to do when she was out of a job because the game herds will no longer support hunting, she laughed and said oh they will still need us, we will always have jobs. That comment scared me the most, the brain washing has reached the lowest levels in the WDFW. They have them convinced that hunters can be removed and still have their job, only easier cause they won't be bother with the task of checking licenses anymore.

[kentrek]

imo there is too much money involved for the wolf pop to get crazy,anybody ever been on a yote hunt with a helicopter ? fish and game can control the wolfs population all the way down to zero if they please..look at the other states as a history lesson....wolfs came..game herds dropped...hunters left..then open wolf season..theres no reason to think it would be different in wa..

also if open wolf season doesnt help with pop control theres no reason to think that fish an game wont go to the next level...they need our money !

[RG]

WDFW is already stripped down to a skeleton crew of enfocement people due to the governor's and legislature's budget cuts.  They will continue to be cut because the politicians don't see it as all that important in the eyes of their constituents and in their reelection quests.  The politicians and citizens from wolf-affected areas unfortunately don't carry enough clout to influence the overall state level decisions.  Even as cut as they are, one warden on the road in region 4 for example, the philosophies of the agency still aren't changing in favor of the sportsmen and women who have always supported them and financed them.  WDFW and the commission seem to be like the bull walking around with their nose in the cow's behind.  I work with some of the enforcement people, to say they are discouraged would be an understatement.

[billythekidrock]

well my friends it's been a fun ride, but I think the train will reach the station in the next few years. Talked to a warden today, and of course got on the topic of wolves. When she was expressing to me how great they were for the environment, I called Bs. When I asked her what she was going to do when she was out of a job because the game herds will no longer support hunting, she laughed and said oh they will still need us, we will always have jobs. That comment scared me the most, the brain washing has reached the lowest levels in the WDFW. They have them convinced that hunters can be removed and still have their job, only easier cause they won't be bother with the task of checking licenses anymore.

I have been told the same thing in the past by enforcement...and they are right. They will always have jobs. There will always be poachers and game violations to investigate even if we can't legally hunt.

[Elkaholic daWg]

well my friends it's been a fun ride, but I think the train will reach the station in the next few years. Talked to a warden today, and of course got on the topic of wolves. When she was expressing to me how great they were for the environment, I called Bs. When I asked her what she was going to do when she was out of a job because the game herds will no longer support hunting, she laughed and said oh they will still need us, we will always have jobs. That comment scared me the most, the brain washing has reached the lowest levels in the WDFW. They have them convinced that hunters can be removed and still have their job, only easier cause they won't be bother with the task of checking licenses anymore.

I have been told the same thing in the past by enforcement...and they are right. They will always have jobs. There will always be poachers and game violations to investigate even if we can't legally hunt.

 Now I understand why they want every agency to have legal (not by the constitution) LEO, since when that happens their chances of catching their own bullet will magnify greatly.

[BOWHUNTER45]

I guarantee I will never stop hunting and thats a fact ..I best not even go no further with this ..

[bearpaw]

There are a lot of good comments here and I think most everyone is somewhat correct, put all these comments together and I think that is our situation.

I do think that as wolves move into other areas of the state and educate people about their real impacts that public opinion will begin to sway. We had some people in Stevens County that used to think wolves would be OK. Now that wolves are here and the impacts are being felt I don't hear anyone supporting them anymore. The ones that still do are being pretty quiet.

It won't be too many years and there will be wolves hitting the suberbs of pugetropolis looking for cats, dogs, or maybe a lone jogger. Once pugetropolis feels the real wolf impact, then things will change, hopefully there will be something left to salvage in the rest of the state.

One thing that would help change current policy is to elect candidates in November who will offer stronger support for hunting.

Rob McKenna   (supports gun ownership, sources tell me he will support hunters)
Reagan Dunn   (is a hunter, see Workman's writeup)
Mark Harmsworth   (gun owner I have spoken with that will support hunting, endorsed by sports groups, running against Dunshee)

I know there are others, maybe someone else can add to this?

[Killmore]

Bearpaw is correct about once the wolves show up on the westside that will start to change there minds. Once a pack shows up at tiger mountion(highway 18) that will get alot of attention. Have you seen how many people hike-ride bikes in that area...this will be very interesting

[boneaddict]

hopefully there will be something left to salvage in the rest of the state.

THis may be bleak but the only reason the wolves will show up in town is that the rest has already been destroyed.   Its too bad the majority doesn't have a clue.

[bearpaw]

hopefully there will be something left to salvage in the rest of the state.

THis may be bleak but the only reason the wolves will show up in town is that the rest has already been destroyed.   Its too bad the majority doesn't have a clue.

Unfortunately, you are exactly correct, hunger will drive them into town, they will be simply trying to survive.

In all honesty, I don't blame the wolves, I blame the people who want them where they don't fit into the modern ecosystems we have in most of Washington.

[boneaddict]

Curious to see what happens in the Valley this winter.   Apparantly the pack showed up back on the Golden doe or neighborhood already.   That is unseasonably early.   Of course at the same time I was in them at 7,000 feet 30 miles away     I assume they were looking for food.  I don't know

[Killmore]

So when a pack shows up at oak creek or for that matter any of the elk feed stations, will the game department take any action.

[boneaddict]

THere was one at Joe Watt/Robinson this spring along with a cougar.   The elk all bugged out and it was assumed it was overzealous shed hunters.

[bearpaw]

I'm pretty sure there is a provision in the Wolf Plan that if wolves impact herds by 25% (I think that was the number) they can take management action.