Were wolves imported into Washington on the downlow?

[no.cen.wa]

If you look at Yellowstone National Park, 74 wolves were introduced  in 1995, there were 19000 elk, 4000 moose, 5 years later, year 2000, there were 175 wolves, 11,000 elk, and 2000 moose, a one month period in 2014 wolves killed 148 elk, 23 deer, and 20 buffalo.
We're just starting to see what they do here. Information taken from www.biggameforever.org
Sad,
John G

[idahohuntr]

If you look at Yellowstone National Park, 74 wolves were introduced  in 1995, there were 19000 elk, 4000 moose, 5 years later, year 2000, there were 175 wolves, 11,000 elk, and 2000 moose, a one month period in 2014 wolves killed 148 elk, 23 deer, and 20 buffalo.
We're just starting to see what they do here. Information taken from www.biggameforever.org
Sad,
John G

You indirectly make another point...wolf numbers rise rapidly and in certain areas prey starts dropping rapidly from all time highs...high predator numbers and low prey would further explain why lots of wolves started moving into N. Idaho and NE Wa soon after reintroduction.

[ne kid]

Not an expert by no means, but my dad has been a logger and trapper for 50 years spent more time in the woods in the Northeast than most of us put together. His father was a logger also never seen a cougar in his lifetime. My dad never seen a wolf till 2000. He can tell you the habits of every animal out there from a pine squirrel to a bobcat. I take what he says as gospel. He says the wolves had help I'll take his word for it. My dad is 73 never lived outside of Ferry county other than military service. I take his word for it. It is not natural what has happened here. They had help. Prove me wrong.

[nwwanderer]

They certainly had help, federal and state protection.  Add to that a state, Idaho, with management early on, a declining prey base and close protected habitat and the move was (is) on.  They need to have the same status as a coyote.  Stop spending a dime on them with the exception of damage payments and move on.  They are far past recovery and will continue to fill usable voids.

[Ghost Hunter]

This is probably a crazy theory to a lot of folks but do we ever stop to think that the advent of social media and everyone talking about everything all day long and people meeting new people and the long range rumor mill and all that has something to do with this? Pre-social media, I'm not sure how I would have ever even heard of a wolf pack in the Methow or anywhere else for that matter had it not been talked about in forums like this and other social media avenues. I think social media magnifies the presence of wolves in the sense they were always there to a degree....they just weren't talked about.
 
Call me crazy. It's nothing new.

Try reading 'Stalking The Herd' for an example of impact pre-social media had on a different dilemma/subject matter.  It went on for years with the cattle killings in the 70's - 80's.  Press, ranchers, and authorities in numerous professions/public agencies fed on and added to the hysteria.

[Lumpy Taters]

So here is my wolf story.  This very year during modern rifle deer season I personally saw a lone wolf in the 550 GMU near the toutle valley.  I am sure this was a wolf and if it would have stuck around long enough I would have got a picture to prove it.  I have hunted for a long time and know the difference between a coyote, dog and a wolf.  For years by word of mouth talking hunter to hunter on the side of a road I have heard and up until now disbelieved the stories of wolves in this area. Well seeing is believing.  Long before social media became king there where stories of sightings. Never a pack but a wolf here or there.   

It is a know fact that wolves will spread and 100's of documentaries prove that solo animals will go out on their own and look for mates and food.  If they find both then you have a new pack.  If not they keep looking.   A few years ago there was a female in Oregon called OR 7 that wandered all over that state and ended up down in California and came back with a mate.  Wolves are everywhere and on the west side are extremely hard to catch on camera.  There is way too much cover for them to hide in.   

Do I think they were all planted here NO, but do I think they had secret help getting established and protected while they did so YES.   

[Jonathan_S]

Not an expert by no means, but my dad has been a logger and trapper for 50 years spent more time in the woods in the Northeast than most of us put together. His father was a logger also never seen a cougar in his lifetime. My dad never seen a wolf till 2000. He can tell you the habits of every animal out there from a pine squirrel to a bobcat. I take what he says as gospel. He says the wolves had help I'll take his word for it. My dad is 73 never lived outside of Ferry county other than military service. I take his word for it. It is not natural what has happened here. They had help. Prove me wrong.

Prove they didnt have help? How would anybody prove that?

[ne kid]

You can't. Nobody can prove anything, unless they actually witnessed it.

[pianoman9701]

Not an expert by no means, but my dad has been a logger and trapper for 50 years spent more time in the woods in the Northeast than most of us put together. His father was a logger also never seen a cougar in his lifetime. My dad never seen a wolf till 2000. He can tell you the habits of every animal out there from a pine squirrel to a bobcat. I take what he says as gospel. He says the wolves had help I'll take his word for it. My dad is 73 never lived outside of Ferry county other than military service. I take his word for it. It is not natural what has happened here. They had help. Prove me wrong.

Prove they didnt have help? How would anybody prove that?

You can't prove a negative.

[Jonathan_S]

  That was my point J 

[pianoman9701]

I was agreeing.

[Jonathan_S]

 

[boneaddict]

That being said, Epstein didn’t hang himself.

[pianoman9701]

 

[wolfbait]

Which Wolf Is The Right Wolf? Pt 1
https://www.bowhunting.net/artman/publish/Lobo_Watch/Which_Wolf_Is_The_Right_Wolf.shtml


Which Wolf Is The Right Wolf? Pt 2
https://www.bowhunting.net/artman/publish/Lobo_Watch/Which_Wolf_Is_The_Right_Wolf_Pt_2.shtml

Ed Bangs admitted dumping wolves around ID etc, he said the reason for doing so was because the wolves weren't dispersing fast enough.