Washington wolf population continues to grow

[Magnum_Willys]

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Why on earth would you want there to be more wolves here. By the time that happens NE Washington isn't gonna have an elk left. Later the liberals will probably blame it on hunters cause most of the NE is any elk.  Also what makes you think they will stick to there word on the wolf plan.  Do you honestly think you will be able to buy a wolf tag and still be able to buy an elk over the counter.
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YES in 2 to 3 years there should be enough wolves to open up hunting in WA and you should see a population decline within a couple years after that as is happening in many parts of Idaho.   The sooner we get to the status quo the better - until then we are guaranteed just to see a growing wolf population.   

[bearpaw]

I'm still waiting for that outbreak of Hytidad that was predicted to devastate Idaho.

Sick! I hope it doesn't happen! As requested by the people of Idaho, IDFG finally published warnings about Hytadid Disease, for people to be careful handling wolves. That coupled with reductions in wolf populations will hopefully prevent widespread infection. But make no mistake, there have been a couple residents infected and it's ugly when it happens!

FACT: Over 60% of wolves tested in Idaho and Montana carry the worm that infects humans!

[pianoman9701]

Meanwhile I just got a letter from The Idaho Dept of Fish and Game looking for a license renewal.

In the letter it stated that "61,200 deer were harvested in 2014, the most in Idaho since 1992and the hunter success rate overall was 40%." And "20,700 elk were taken in 2014, the most since 2005 and hunter success rate overall was 24%.

"We have every reason to believe that 2015 harvest numbers will be just as strong. As our crews conduct winter population surveys and forecasts, we are excited about what we are seeing in the hills streams for this upcoming season."

So much for a predator pit.

This would seem to support the action taken by the governor to ignore the feds, as stated by Bearpaw. And let's not forget, Sitka, ungulate management is only one problem. How are the ranchers doing and what were their losses? How many pets were taken? Hunting dogs? How's the ungulate population in Lolo where a majority of the pack exist? Oh, that's right. They're down more than 60%.

No matter how you look at it, Idaho has more wolves than Washington by magnitudes. What Washington doesn't have is the habitat Idaho does. This proves that wolves aren't the end of hunting. It also proves that where habitat and weather are good, game populations ca still thrive with predators in the picture.  As for the Lolo, habitat seems to be the issue there, compounded possibly by predators. But a good fire or major logging could cure that.

I'm still waiting for that outbreak of Hytidad that was predicted to devastate Idaho.

By your comments, you seem to illustrate the point that WA can't handle as many wolves as Idaho because of our lack of habitat, yet our outrageous wolf plan is more aggressive. We have a higher concentration of wolves in NE WA than almost anywhere in ID. We need to start managing wolves here but the governor is the love child of animal rights wackos. There's no method to the madness in the WA wolf plan.

[bearpaw]

The other problem there (and here), is that hunters don't know how to communicate to save their privileges. When you're 3.5% of the population and you treat the other 96.5% with contempt, you lose. When you're able to enlighten the ignorant with facts and do it in an approachable manner, you can maintain your rights. Knowing the facts about the North American Conservation Model and why the F&W departments use hunters to help keep wildlife healthy and abundant, and being able to present those facts and statistics in a non-threatening way will make it so you don't have to make the decision to poach down the road, possibly leading to the loss of your gun rights.

You think the Steven's County Cattleman's Association is doing a good job of that??  They're a joke up here....more cowboy hats than cows and the State Cattlemen have even distanced themselves from that group.

We certainly have much different opinions. Some of the Stevens County Cattlemen are my friends. These are the cattlemen who are losing livestock, of course cattlemen finishing off steers in a feedlot in areas where there are no wolves would have a much different opinion. 

[Bango skank]

Since Idaho started actively managing wolves, 5 per hunter and I think 3 per trapper, double cougar tags and double bear tags in many areas, wildlife is bouncing back fast in areras where wolves are being removed! All we expect is honest management in WA!

But here we cant even get a 2nd bear tag or august 1st opener like the west side has.  Go figure.

[bearpaw]

Meanwhile I just got a letter from The Idaho Dept of Fish and Game looking for a license renewal.

In the letter it stated that "61,200 deer were harvested in 2014, the most in Idaho since 1992and the hunter success rate overall was 40%." And "20,700 elk were taken in 2014, the most since 2005 and hunter success rate overall was 24%.

"We have every reason to believe that 2015 harvest numbers will be just as strong. As our crews conduct winter population surveys and forecasts, we are excited about what we are seeing in the hills streams for this upcoming season."

So much for a predator pit.

This would seem to support the action taken by the governor to ignore the feds, as stated by Bearpaw. And let's not forget, Sitka, ungulate management is only one problem. How are the ranchers doing and what were their losses? How many pets were taken? Hunting dogs? How's the ungulate population in Lolo where a majority of the pack exist? Oh, that's right. They're down more than 60%.

No matter how you look at it, Idaho has more wolves than Washington by magnitudes. What Washington doesn't have is the habitat Idaho does. This proves that wolves aren't the end of hunting. It also proves that where habitat and weather are good, game populations ca still thrive with predators in the picture.  As for the Lolo, habitat seems to be the issue there, compounded possibly by predators. But a good fire or major logging could cure that.

I'm still waiting for that outbreak of Hytidad that was predicted to devastate Idaho.

By your comments, you seem to illustrate the point that WA can't handle as many wolves as Idaho because of our lack of habitat, yet our outrageous wolf plan is more aggressive. We have a higher concentration of wolves in NE WA than almost anywhere in ID. We need to start managing wolves here but the governor is the love child of animal rights wackos. There's no method to the madness in the WA wolf plan.

   The highest human population and by far the highest number of wolves with the strictest requirements.

[bearpaw]

Since Idaho started actively managing wolves, 5 per hunter and I think 3 per trapper, double cougar tags and double bear tags in many areas, wildlife is bouncing back fast in areras where wolves are being removed! All we expect is honest management in WA!

But here we cant even get a 2nd bear tag or august 1st opener like the west side has.  Go figure.

ANOTHER FACT:
I just had a conversation with IDFG last fall. With double bear tags in most units, hounds and bait legal, bear hunting open to harvest every month bear are out except July and August, bear are still above objective in many areas!

ANOTHER FACT:
Cougar hunting is open in most units Aug 30 to March 31. Two tags in many areas, hound hunting open Dec 1 to March 31. Some units have seasons open until June 30.

MORE IDAHO FACTS:
Per IDFG Regs: 5 wolf tags for hunters, 5 wolf tags for trappers. Most seasons open Aug 30 till March 31, many private land areas are open year around. Any hunter with a non-resident deer or elk tag can also use the tag on a bear, cougar, or wolf.

[pianoman9701]

The other problem there (and here), is that hunters don't know how to communicate to save their privileges. When you're 3.5% of the population and you treat the other 96.5% with contempt, you lose. When you're able to enlighten the ignorant with facts and do it in an approachable manner, you can maintain your rights. Knowing the facts about the North American Conservation Model and why the F&W departments use hunters to help keep wildlife healthy and abundant, and being able to present those facts and statistics in a non-threatening way will make it so you don't have to make the decision to poach down the road, possibly leading to the loss of your gun rights.

You think the Steven's County Cattleman's Association is doing a good job of that??  They're a joke up here....more cowboy hats than cows and the State Cattlemen have even distanced themselves from that group.

What the Stevens County Cattlemen do doesn't at all reflect on the hunting community. It reflects on the cattlemen, families who are losing their shirts. Why you bring them up for this comment I have no idea but it's a disjointed reference. It has nothing to do with the view of hunters in the public eye. Try again, wacoyote.

[idahohuntr]

It would never happen with our current governor, but I would personally support a position similar to what Idaho's Governor Otter took, preventing Idaho wardens from providing info to the USFWS to prosecute individuals for killing wolves. I would also fully support any sheriff or county commissioner candidate who promised to try and open his county up to responsible predator management!

So your position is that, law enforcement should ignore or abet illegal activity?

State of WA seems out of touch with hunters, ranchers, and rural residents. My personal position, I would strongly support any county that creates their own hunting regulations! Local control by local government! Exactly as I strongly supported Governor Otter. 

Yea - lets have each county set their own hunting regulations, sell their own licenses, run their own good-ol-boy clubs...that would be a disaster far more damaging to hunter opportunity in this state than any level of predators that will ever exist here.

[2labs]

Do ya think they would dispute a Mercer Island pack!

[RB]

I would like to see the remaining breeding pairs in King county. Just think of the great tourism it would create, you could ride the ducks then go see the wolves after spotting them from the space Needle! 

[pianoman9701]

Do ya think they would dispute a Mercer Island pack!

The Bainbridge pack, the Widbey pack, the Orcas pack. I bet those would all go over well with the pro-wolf gang.

[bearpaw]

It would never happen with our current governor, but I would personally support a position similar to what Idaho's Governor Otter took, preventing Idaho wardens from providing info to the USFWS to prosecute individuals for killing wolves. I would also fully support any sheriff or county commissioner candidate who promised to try and open his county up to responsible predator management!

So your position is that, law enforcement should ignore or abet illegal activity?

State of WA seems out of touch with hunters, ranchers, and rural residents. My personal position, I would strongly support any county that creates their own hunting regulations! Local control by local government! Exactly as I strongly supported Governor Otter. 

Yea - lets have each county set their own hunting regulations, sell their own licenses, run their own good-ol-boy clubs...that would be a disaster far more damaging to hunter opportunity in this state than any level of predators that will ever exist here.

Typical response I bet you love big government also

   It's obvious what the status quo WDFW has gotten us!

[Dan-o]

It would never happen with our current governor, but I would personally support a position similar to what Idaho's Governor Otter took, preventing Idaho wardens from providing info to the USFWS to prosecute individuals for killing wolves. I would also fully support any sheriff or county commissioner candidate who promised to try and open his county up to responsible predator management!

So your position is that, law enforcement should ignore or abet illegal activity?

State of WA seems out of touch with hunters, ranchers, and rural residents. My personal position, I would strongly support any county that creates their own hunting regulations! Local control by local government! Exactly as I strongly supported Governor Otter. 

Yea - lets have each county set their own hunting regulations, sell their own licenses, run their own good-ol-boy clubs...that would be a disaster far more damaging to hunter opportunity in this state than any level of predators that will ever exist here.

Typical response I bet you love big government also

   It's obvious what the status quo WDFW has gotten us!

I agree that status quo WDFW hasn't gotten us the best possible result, but, Bearpaw, would you actually support county by county control??

Why not township by township?

Why not private land owner by private land owner?

[REHJWA]

Township maybe....

Private ...all game including predator species should belong to the public....with public control....I would bet there are just as many liberals who have large land holdings as conservatives.....look how timber companies are running it already....sure I wish it were better but .....it could get worse too.

It may not be working in our favor but I'll take a Democracy over a Dictatorship any day.

What needs to happen in WDFW is what happen with the DOT and DOC directors , hold  persons in critical positions accountable.... You only have to look at the "diversity" of the "Wolf Advisary Group" to see how predators rate in this state..

We need to find better ways to make our positions heard... 

Maybe a "Hunt Washington " predator advisory group to counter, highlight and recommended issues of concern to present to the WDFW....or better yet Senators and Representatives.