Montana Proposes To Triple Wolf Harvest Near Yellowstone

[Bigshooter]

http://mtpr.org/post/montana-proposes-triple-wolf-harvest-near-yellowstone#stream/0

[huntnphool]

Several wolves well-known among Yellowstone wildlife watchers were killed in Montana during the 2012-13 hunting season. They were among 12 wolves living primarily in Yellowstone that were killed that year after crossing into adjacent areas of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.

Under pressure from the park and advocacy groups, Montana wildlife commissioners tried to set up a no-kill buffer zone east and west of the town of Gardiner in 2012.

  How big of a "buffer zone" do they need to create to keep their pets from being killed in Idaho and Wyoming?

[bearpaw]

In typical antihunter mentality they allowed wolves to overpopulate in YNP, as a result the food sources were severely limited, now wolves move out of the park to find food. It should be open season when wolves leave the park, you can never please these anti hunting idiots anyway, end of story.

[Mudman]

Look at the bright side.  If they apply their strategy to elk then in a few more years the elk will be gone and they will fight to remove wolves to repopulate the poor elk!  Morons........

[pianoman9701]

In typical antihunter mentality they allowed wolves to overpopulate in YNP, as a result the food sources were severely limited, now wolves move out of the park to find food. It should be open season when wolves leave the park, you can never please these anti hunting idiots anyway, end of story.

It seems clear as day to anyone paying attention. They wouldn't leave the Park if their numbers were sustained by prey within the Park. One guys is quoted as saying the people who visit the park should be heard. Wouldn't these people want to see a variety of animals which includes not only wolves, but elk, bison, moose, and deer? Without controlling the wolves, they're not going to.

[Skyvalhunter]

Problem is the wolf lovers are the ones being heard. This is usually thru lawsuits. The population goes above the agreed upon quota, the state wants to control the number, then the lovers sue the state dragging it out so the population goes out of control. If you think that they don't want to eliminate hunting altogether you are fooling your self.

[elkboy]

I think it's a political move on the part of MTWFP.  They know this proposal will keep up their support among their direct constituency (hunters) without any real risk of an actual tripling of wolf harvest rates coming to pass in those units. 

[pianoman9701]

Problem is the wolf lovers are the ones being heard. This is usually thru lawsuits. The population goes above the agreed upon quota, the state wants to control the number, then the lovers sue the state dragging it out so the population goes out of control. If you think that they don't want to eliminate hunting altogether you are fooling your self.

And, you have media outlets like MTPR calling the DOW and HSUS "conservation groups". They do as much conservation as I do full splits. I can't figure out if public broadcasting is really that stupid or if they're just incredibly biased, or a little of both. I know all of these public broadcaster outlets use "reporters" who are around 12-15 years old, seemingly. Probably fresh out of college with all kinds of ideas implanted into the empty spaces.

[wolfbait]

Problem is the wolf lovers are the ones being heard. This is usually thru lawsuits. The population goes above the agreed upon quota, the state wants to control the number, then the lovers sue the state dragging it out so the population goes out of control. If you think that they don't want to eliminate hunting altogether you are fooling your self.

And, you have media outlets like MTPR calling the DOW and HSUS "conservation groups". They do as much conservation as I do full splits. I can't figure out if public broadcasting is really that stupid or if they're just incredibly biased, or a little of both. I know all of these public broadcaster outlets use "reporters" who are around 12-15 years old, seemingly. Probably fresh out of college with all kinds of ideas implanted into the empty spaces.

Do you realize you are discussing WDF&wolves partners?

[Humptulips]

I read the comments first and thought WOW!, tripling the harvest. Then I read the story, four additional wolves and out of a population of 24 in the area. That means if they reproduce at a rate of 30% ( a rate I have heard talked about frequently) there will be an additional 7 this summer roughly.
That sounds like a pretty conservative harvest and could mean more wolves not less.

[Jerky]

I disagree with the whole buffer zone idea.  Wolves that spend time in the park already get special protection while in the park.  The thinking behind the buffer appears to be to protect individual wolves that park visitors relate to.  I think wolves should be managed like other wildlife and not as individual animals.

[Bango skank]

  I think wolves should be managed like other wildlife

Me too.  Specifically, like coyotes