This was in WSU News today

[Evil_EdwardO]

http://news.wsu.edu/articles/36900/1/Return-of-wolves-aids-grizzly-bears-in-Yellowstone

[pianoman9701]

I saw this on the news this morning. So, too bad for the elk herds but great for grizzlies. WTH? 

[bearpaw]

they will spin the news to benefit wolves any way they can, just like WDFW has done thus far regarding wolves in wa

[WSU]

It doesn't seem "spun" to me.  Basically, the study says wolves eat elk.  Elk eat berries (the bush, anyway), as do grizzlies.  With less elk eating the berries, there are more berries for the grizzlies. 

Whether you prefer elk or grizzly bears isn't part of the study.  The above facts are.

[Mr Mykiss]

Posted for BLUESBULLS I sent him the same article:

"For several years we lacked spring/summer moisture which produces late summer/early fall berries. Well get this, the last 2 years we’ve had exceptional, record high precipitation in the late spring/early summer and had bumper crops of berries. Remember 3 years ago when you guys had a lot of bear issues in Idaho? Well that was in part due to the lack of berries. No problems last year, right? Well there you have it, just plain old good conditions for berries the last 2 years. They sure can come up with a lot of ******* to save some wolves. They might want to read up a little bit and find that “elks” are “grazers”, not “browsers” and therefore berry bushes would not be a main part of the “elks” diet. If I’m wrong then I will be hunting elk on the _____ road only because it’s loaded with berries right now and the “elks” are sure to come feed. Weird though, I was there Saturday and all of the elks were elsewhere eating grasses???"

I told him that he was smart and should be a wildlife biologist. Maybe not...he'd probably turn rotten with a little persuasion of the QUALITY ELK TAG kind

[WSU]

Interesting info.  It would certainly call the study's conclusion into question if that isn't accounted for.

[Bob33]

More here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23495074

"Unfortunately, as wildlife ecologists working in a vast landscape such as the greater Yellowstone ecosystem it is very difficult to unravel the complexity of the patterns."

[BIGINNER]

Posted for BLUESBULLS I sent him the same article:

"For several years we lacked spring/summer moisture which produces late summer/early fall berries. Well get this, the last 2 years we’ve had exceptional, record high precipitation in the late spring/early summer and had bumper crops of berries. Remember 3 years ago when you guys had a lot of bear issues in Idaho? Well that was in part due to the lack of berries. No problems last year, right? Well there you have it, just plain old good conditions for berries the last 2 years. They sure can come up with a lot of ******* to save some wolves. They might want to read up a little bit and find that “elks” are “grazers”, not “browsers” and therefore berry bushes would not be a main part of the “elks” diet. If I’m wrong then I will be hunting elk on the _____ road only because it’s loaded with berries right now and the “elks” are sure to come feed. Weird though, I was there Saturday and all of the elks were elsewhere eating grasses???"

I told him that he was smart and should be a wildlife biologist. Maybe not...he'd probably turn rotten with a little persuasion of the QUALITY ELK TAG kind

   that though actually crossed my mind while reading this article.... 

[AspenBud]

Posted for BLUESBULLS I sent him the same article:

"For several years we lacked spring/summer moisture which produces late summer/early fall berries. Well get this, the last 2 years we’ve had exceptional, record high precipitation in the late spring/early summer and had bumper crops of berries. Remember 3 years ago when you guys had a lot of bear issues in Idaho? Well that was in part due to the lack of berries. No problems last year, right? Well there you have it, just plain old good conditions for berries the last 2 years. They sure can come up with a lot of ******* to save some wolves.

Quite likely.

They might want to read up a little bit and find that “elks” are “grazers”, not “browsers” and therefore berry bushes would not be a main part of the “elks” diet.

Do berry bushes qualify as "shrubs?" If so, you're not entirely correct.

Diet

Summer:  grasses and forbs
Spring and Fall:  grasses
Winter: grasses, shrubs, tree bark and twigs

http://www.rmef.org/ElkFacts.aspx

[jackmaster]

idk if this is true or not but i heard that yellowstone isnt bringn in squat for money because there isnt anything to hardly see there anymore, i dont have a clue because i have never been there... i love how they are ok with replacing herbavores with 2 of the most violent carnivores known to man   

[Mr Mykiss]

I didn't write it but I trust the source.
Aspen ask yourself this... have you ever seen elk poop made of berries??**

**If you did then you're wrong, it was bear poop!!

[AspenBud]

I didn't write it but I trust the source.
Aspen ask yourself this... have you ever seen elk poop made of berries??**

**If you did then you're wrong, it was bear poop!!

You see many berries in winter when elk snack on bushes?   
 
 They don't eat just grass in winter, they would starve when the snow falls in a place like Yellowstone. And bushes chewed to the ground don't produce berries in Spring and Summer.

But believe whatever "facts" you want to. This is the internet after all.

[snowpack]

I know they have tall fences around some of the berry farms to keep the elk out.  Haven't heard of the elk eating the actual berries, but they do eat some bushes and trample a lot of bushes.  I know they eat salal bushes, but haven't seen where they eat the actual berry.  Interesting to know.

[Curly]

I didn't write it but I trust the source.
Aspen ask yourself this... have you ever seen elk poop made of berries??**

**If you did then you're wrong, it was bear poop!!

[AspenBud]

I know they have tall fences around some of the berry farms to keep the elk out.  Haven't heard of the elk eating the actual berries, but they do eat some bushes and trample a lot of bushes.  I know they eat salal bushes, but haven't seen where they eat the actual berry.  Interesting to know.

 

Eating the bushes does the damage. Eating berries is not the problem.