Do you think we should try and get a wolf biologist for a Q&A?

[Special T]

I have been discouraged by the lack of information from the WDFW and or Forest service biologists...I would try and get one to join our forum but that may not be a possibility... I'm guessing what could happen is a list of questions we could develop and submit and hopefully  get some answers to... I There have been several good questions posted on the wolf politics forum. For example, Why are subspecies not part of the wolf discussion when they are a key part to Salmon management... Another is If the USFS has okay-ed the NE portion of the state for de-listing how come the state has not pursued it? I think we may just get boiler plate responses but i would at least like a reason, even if i think it is wrong or misguided. There would be no debating the topic of wolves just asking questions like the examples... I think we could come up with some well thought out questions that should have answers... What are your thoughts about this?

[luvtohnt]

I voted no just because a wolf biologist may be biased to his study subjects, and with all of the SSS guys around here there may be problems. However i do really like the idea of forming a list of questions to type up and send to someone. I would also start by contacting the USFWS and find outwho runs the wolf monitoring in WA.

Brandon

[Pathfinder101]

luvtohunt makes a couple of good points.  I voted "yes" though.  I talked to a retired wolf bio from Alaska last year up in the Blues when we were cutting wood.
If we do get one, (based upon my conversation with this guy) he will likely:
1.  Agree with a good deal of our positions
2.  NOT advocate for complete eradication of the wolves, just keeping them at a controlled, stable population
3.  Explain the process of them becoming established and mantaining population cycles

In other words, he will probably not tell some of us what we want to hear, but it will be honest.

[Special T]

I don't think Bio's set policy so if we just knew more about the process we could spend less time bitching and accomplishing something... If the bio agrees with some of what we are saying then maybe they would point us in the right direction... Hell I'd be happy just to hear why they are having such a hard time confirming packs... It might just explain lots of things. 

[NWBREW]

In other words, he will probably not tell some of us what we want to hear, but it will be honest.

   I voted yes but as I always say.....don't ask one's opinion if you don't want to hear an answer you don't agree with.

[Special T]

 

[PLUVIUSWAPITI]

Hey guys just for info I read an article in today's Oregonian about how these wolves are now in Northeastern Oregon and are attacking livestock. Just something to read.

[turbo]

I think we would gain nothing but opinions. They have no idea what they are doing by planting the top of the food chain in a candy store.

My questions,

How do I track their radio collars so I can feed them.

Why are you trying to eliminate my hunting rights?

How do we safely exterminate them?

Why don't you plant them in Bellevue, Seattle, Olympia and Bellingham?

[bearpaw]

I didn't vote.

I don't think you can accomplish much with WDFW, all you are going to get is lip service, their endangered species section appears to be controlled by greenies.

If you want to be effective, use the hard evidence about how wolves have effected wildlife, ranching, and local economies, that is coming out of Idaho and Montana to influence legislators and county commissioners to pressure the wildlife commission to pass a reasonable management plan. There are people who are already working on this and we could use more help.

If you seriously want to try and make a difference, look at Idaho, the people of Idaho have mobilized an effort that has gotten traction and they are pressuring their own F&G into better wolf management. Trust me, the Idaho F&G isn't just managing wolves on their own free will to do so. The people of Idaho have put tremendous pressure on IDFG for proper management.

If any of you really want to do something to make a positive difference, please pm me.

[Special T]

I guess i was kinda surprised by the lack of opinion?  less than 20 votes and something like 166 reads?  guess its not worth pursuing? 

[bearpaw]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/wildlife/management/gray_wolf/draft_plan/05oct2009_draft_plan_deis.pdf

If you read the draft wolf plan you will get the WDFW's position on the wolf issue. The WDFW is using old Disney Science on the the wolf issue. If I could see any point in trying to talk to a bio I would be the first to sign on to the idea. But you are not going to get any real life answers, they are ignoring all the facts regarding predation and depredation coming out of Idaho and Montana. To top it off, I don't believe there's a single bio in WA with prior wolf management experience, asking a WDFW bio to talk about wolves would be like asking BP to give a seminar on how to prevent oil disasters. 

Once I read the wolf plan and saw all the pure Disney Science which has been used as a basis for the wolf plan, I realized the only hope for proper wolf management n Washington is to pressure the wildlife commission and elected officials with the hard facts that WDFW has chosen to ignore.

I don't think that there's a lack of opinion on the wolf issue, I think there's a lack of confidence in getting anything real from WDFW.

[Pathfinder101]

I guess i was kinda surprised by the lack of opinion?  less than 20 votes and something like 166 reads?  guess its not worth pursuing? 

People are just clicking on the thread to see if you have a wolf bio tied up in your barn.  Everyone wants a chance to kick him in the shins..

[1morebuck]

 

[runamuk]

Well theres plenty of opinions..... I think it would be interesting to talk to a biologist who actually knows something about canines in general and wild canines in specific who doesn't have an agenda ON EITHER side of the fence.  But no one wants to hear that wolves could be managed and that native wolves might actually be worth having....and that the wolves from out of this area need to be eradicated along with feral dogs......

people have made up their minds they either want to see wolves in the wild or they want to see them all dead so few in the middle it will always be a battle ground and its too bad.....

[bearpaw]

runamuk, I think I pretty much agree with your post, one of my biggest complaints is bringing in northern wolves. If they concentrated on letting native wolves repopulate it would be better. However, I still do not want to see 15 confirmed BP's required in WA before management can begin anywhere. 

I think that's just too many wolves in WA.

Now if they set a goal for 5 bp's and then studied the effects before suggesting more wolves are needed, that would be far more acceptable.