Multiple wolf packs in the Methow Valley?

[winshooter88]

Last year the WDFW started a predator/prey study, part of it in the northeast corner (whitetail) and part of it in the Methow (mule deer), so you may be seeing allot of collared deer, cougars and wolves. By the way the official number of wolf packs in the Methow area is now up to 2.

[jackelope]

53 cougars were collared in western Okanogan County over an 8-9 year period, from 2006 through 2014.  112 cougars were collared statewide over a 14 year period in four study areas.  The link is to a meta analysis of the data from four studies, I included it because it shows the study area locations and numbers collared in each area.  http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecs2.1828/full

This was one from the Blues. If I remember correctly the biologist suspected he was collared in 2009 5-10 miles away from here. Date on the pic is accurate.




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[boneaddict]

the official number of wolf packs in the Methow area is now up to 2

Easily two short without any stretch of imagination

[winshooter88]

I wasn't saying that I agree with their, (WDFW's) assessment, just that 2 is what they say.

[boneaddict]

 


Here’s one of those puddins

[bigmacc]

53 cougars were collared in western Okanogan County over an 8-9 year period, from 2006 through 2014.  112 cougars were collared statewide over a 14 year period in four study areas.  The link is to a meta analysis of the data from four studies, I included it because it shows the study area locations and numbers collared in each area.  http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecs2.1828/full

Great info , well I said awhile back that in the 55 plus years I have hunted the Methow I have seen more cougars in the last 10 years than I have seen total in the other 45 years. Just seems they are spending a lot of time, man hours and money in "predator management" in the Methow, the deer herd seems to have taken a back seat, that statement could be wrong but seeing a booming predator population, collared cats everywhere, cougar kills(we seen over 20 cached kills in the same 10 day period in the same 2 units) scattered around like I have never seen before and some of the locals I know over there telling me to watch my back trail regularly when I,m out there and advising about making sure I have my "close up gun" on me when I,m out and about, then throw in a deer herd thats not even a faint shadow of what it was 10 years ago let alone 20 years ago, and oh yes, throw in the wolves and its easy to see something is just not quite right with this situation. If they are spending all the time and money studying the predators over there to help the deer herd, its not working, by the time the "study" is over the deer may be all but gone.

[bobcat]

Shouldn't the predator populations decrease right along with the deer? Or do they make up for the lack of deer by eating pets and livestock? Just wondering, since it seems an historically low number of deer should also result in a low number of predators, since those predators can't live long and continue reproducing if they have nothing to eat.

[Alchase]

53 cougars were collared in western Okanogan County over an 8-9 year period, from 2006 through 2014.  112 cougars were collared statewide over a 14 year period in four study areas.  The link is to a meta analysis of the data from four studies, I included it because it shows the study area locations and numbers collared in each area.  http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecs2.1828/full

Thanks for the info Doublelung, it puts that “53” in perspective.

Would you have any inside information on any “wolf plants”?

Inquiring minds want to know?

Anyone ever done a FOIA request for information on transplanted wolves?

[Special T]

A request for the number of wolves collared in general areas should be available by recovery zone.

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[Axle]

It’s almost funny - but actually very sad.
The pro-wolf crowd on this forum follows Wolfbait around like a pack of wolves trying to discredit him at every turn. The true hunters and conservatives see what is happening and there are many on this forum that will not stand up in his defense but they agree with him. They just don’t want to get ridiculed and I really can’t blame them.
Our government has been attacking hunters (conservatives by nature - similar to the military) in many ways. The corrupt, unlawful wolf introduction of non-native wolves was a jewel in their crown of corruption!
The goal of the liberal agenda is to destroy the conservative movement at every angle.
Most hunters are either blind to this or they simply don’t want to hear it or don’t want to take action.
They may sadly wake up one day to find there is no hunting available and conservatives (most hunters) will be blamed for ‘killing off’ the ungulates they desire to hunt - but were denied the management tools to sustain huntable numbers of ungulates. That’s the back door plan of those who support these non-native wolves. I hope you aren’t surprised by this.
Part of the plan is to discredit those who are sending out the warning messages.
That’s the job of the liberal media. Some are on this forum. I wish they weren’t but they are and they are very loud.
Regardless of the number of cats, wolves, coyotes, or bears – we have far too many predators in this state and this state’s wildlife department is part of the corruption and they are not managing for hunters. They are managing for predators. I have been saying this for 30 years or more.
I’ve been ridiculed too but I know where it comes from.

[Pinetar]

  Well said Axle

[zwickeyman]

Axle

You wont ever find truer words written on this forum than what you say. I agree with you 100% and applaud you Sir

[bigmacc]

Shouldn't the predator populations decrease right along with the deer? Or do they make up for the lack of deer by eating pets and livestock? Just wondering, since it seems an historically low number of deer should also result in a low number of predators, since those predators can't live long and continue reproducing if they have nothing to eat.

Well bobcat I think that is what a lot of us with history in the Methow have been saying for the last 5 to 10 years, IMHO I think that if things continue the way they are now, what we are seeing is the beginning of the end of this herd. Remember, back in the day(prior to the predator boom) this herd fluctuated between 30 to 40 thousand head so there has been plenty for them to eat. I believe F and W says the herd is between 15k to 20k now days( a lot of us think those numbers are much, much lower) so the herd is AT MOST half of what it was. So I guess if things stay the same then in about another 10 years this herd is going to really be in bad shape and will probably be down for the count, more livestock and pets will be targeted and eventually the predators will move on to "greener pastures" ...

[Alchase]

It’s almost funny - but actually very sad.
The pro-wolf crowd on this forum follows Wolfbait around like a pack of wolves trying to discredit him at every turn. The true hunters and conservatives see what is happening and there are many on this forum that will not stand up in his defense but they agree with him. They just don’t want to get ridiculed and I really can’t blame them.
Our government has been attacking hunters (conservatives by nature - similar to the military) in many ways. The corrupt, unlawful wolf introduction of non-native wolves was a jewel in their crown of corruption!
The goal of the liberal agenda is to destroy the conservative movement at every angle.
Most hunters are either blind to this or they simply don’t want to hear it or don’t want to take action.
They may sadly wake up one day to find there is no hunting available and conservatives (most hunters) will be blamed for ‘killing off’ the ungulates they desire to hunt - but were denied the management tools to sustain huntable numbers of ungulates. That’s the back door plan of those who support these non-native wolves. I hope you aren’t surprised by this.
Part of the plan is to discredit those who are sending out the warning messages.
That’s the job of the liberal media. Some are on this forum. I wish they weren’t but they are and they are very loud.
Regardless of the number of cats, wolves, coyotes, or bears – we have far too many predators in this state and this state’s wildlife department is part of the corruption and they are not managing for hunters. They are managing for predators. I have been saying this for 30 years or more.
I’ve been ridiculed too but I know where it comes from.

I have not read one person say “we want more wolves” intact it has been a crossed the board in agreement we have way too many predators.
The question the thread brought up again, was the assertion that the wolves were illegally transplanted.
If you have some information to share that proves that wolves were transplanted please share with the rest of us?
Many on here have talked about the duplicity of the WDFW reguarding wolves in the past, and would love to have the “smoking gun” that shows they did transplant wolves.
Yet no one has stepped up with anything that shows they did.
This argument has been on going since this sight has been up. In all that time, nothing has come up supporting the position that wolves were illegally transplanted.

[DaveMonti]

The pro-wolf crowd on this forum follows Wolfbait around like a pack of wolves trying to discredit him at every turn.

...they are not managing for hunters.

Regarding the first line above, I haven't seen anyone attack Wolfbait.  Nobody is trying to discredit him.  People are asking for him to provide proof, or FACTS, about his claims. 

Secondly, as far as the WDFW "managing for hunters", who actually thinks the department is there to serve hunters?  They are chartered to manage all wildlife in the state, NOT JUST GAME ANIMALS.  Myself, and many, do not necessarily agree with the WAY the department is managing the wildlife, but if you think the WDFW exists to insure there are overpopulations of game animals throughout the state so every hunter can harvest a trophy, you might need an adjustment in your expectations. 

I'm no fan of predators or the way they are managed.  However, when someone like Wolfbait incessantly makes conspiratorial claims with no real proof, he runs the risk of being perceived as someone who has an entire tin foil wardrobe. 

It's not only the message that one delivers, but the WAY it is delivered that makes people listen and respect the messenger.