Picture Proof - Wolves chasing Elk

[Little Dave]

Our leadership has acquired vast inventories of state and federal lands.  However, the governments are broke and cannot easily fund habitat enhancement.  This is being left to funding sources which in our state is a trickle from the general fund and revenue generated by sportsmen.  Sportsmen constrained by increasing regulation and dwindling opportunity.

In this perspective, before we can have good habitat, which precedes lots of game and enough space for wolves, we need more sportsmen to sustain our interest in habitat improvement.  To get lots of sportsmen we need opportunity.  So in that light, it's not a real good idea right now to start huge population swings in wolf and ungulate populations.  The wolves can wait until we are ready and have this planned out well.  There are plenty more wolves where these came from and there is no urgency to have so many wolves now.

We can get there from here, but we all need to sing from the same songbook to make it happen.

[WAcoyotehunter]

We need sportsmen that care more about the wildlife than their hunting opportunity.  We need people that recoginize wildlife and wild places as being the source of thier enjoyment, not just hunting. 

Don't get me wrong- I love the hunt and I love to pursue- I just feel like too many folks care more about thier ability to go out for a weekend and have a blast shooting at animals- more than they care about knowing that the animals are there.   

[jackmaster]

We need sportsmen that care more about the wildlife than their hunting opportunity.  We need people that recoginize wildlife and wild places as being the source of thier enjoyment, not just hunting. 

Don't get me wrong- I love the hunt and I love to pursue- I just feel like too many folks care more about thier ability to go out for a weekend and have a blast shooting at animals- more than they care about knowing that the animals are there.   

i dont want to start a pissin match here but i could almost guarantee you that 90 percent of the hunters would give their left testy for wildlife protection, everyone i personally know gives back to wildlife or does what they can, i know i do and i love what i do , from feeding the elk to putn up wood duck houses, i get just as big a thrill letn a deer pass instead of shootn him as i do shootn him, i would rather take a kid huntn and watch him getn somethn and i know most true sportsman feel the same way, huntn is a blast , connecting with your animal is the bonus, this state is not ready for wolves, and mr. and mrs tree hugger arent ready either, my daughter would have nightmares if she ever saw a wolf kill a baby elk and she is in a family of hunters we are a long ways from being able to   manage wolves, hell we cant even manage the cougar population,                   

[grundy53]

We need sportsmen that care more about the wildlife than their hunting opportunity.  We need people that recoginize wildlife and wild places as being the source of thier enjoyment, not just hunting. 

Don't get me wrong- I love the hunt and I love to pursue- I just feel like too many folks care more about thier ability to go out for a weekend and have a blast shooting at animals- more than they care about knowing that the animals are there.   

i dont want to start a pissin match here but i could almost guarantee you that 90 percent of the hunters would give their left testy for wildlife protection, everyone i personally know gives back to wildlife or does what they can, i know i do and i love what i do , from feeding the elk to putn up wood duck houses, i get just as big a thrill letn a deer pass instead of shootn him as i do shootn him, i would rather take a kid huntn and watch him getn somethn and i know most true sportsman feel the same way, huntn is a blast , connecting with your animal is the bonus, this state is not ready for wolves, and mr. and mrs tree hugger arent ready either, my daughter would have nightmares if she ever saw a wolf kill a baby elk and she is in a family of hunters we are a long ways from being able to   manage wolves, hell we cant even manage the cougar population,                   

  Well said.

[wsucowboy]

I'm not trying to start a pissing match, but aren't elk supposed to kill elk for food?  I view it as nature taking it's course and happy to see that it can still happen in this day n' age...

Also, if you are going to chase predators around w/ dogs you should be aware of the consequences...Geez dude.
Sorry, just get annoyed by clueless roadhunters tarnishing hunters' names.
Thanks.

Wolfmod guy, You say your you spend a lot of time in elk country and you claim that you missed a shot at a 6 point while archery hunting but you say "aren't elk supposed to kill elk for food" while any one that has spent time in elk country would know that elk don't kill elk for food. Seems to me like your just trying to stir the pot 

[turkeyfeather]

I truly hope your right jackmaster, because I have some ex-hunting partners that could care less about habitat. The only thing they care about is shooting something. That's why I only hunt with my wife, and soon to start with my 9 yr. old. She believes as strongly as we do about protecting the environment, and I told my son he couldn't hunt until he showed he could take care of the resources we have. He starts his hunters ed classes next week.

[jackelope]

I'm not trying to start a pissing match, but aren't elk supposed to kill elk for food?  I view it as nature taking it's course and happy to see that it can still happen in this day n' age...

Also, if you are going to chase predators around w/ dogs you should be aware of the consequences...Geez dude.
Sorry, just get annoyed by clueless roadhunters tarnishing hunters' names.
Thanks.

Wolfmod guy, You say your you spend a lot of time in elk country and you claim that you missed a shot at a 6 point while archery hunting but you say "aren't elk supposed to kill elk for food" while any one that has spent time in elk country would know that elk don't kill elk for food. Seems to me like your just trying to stir the pot 

Or....it's possible it was one of those dang typo's....like he meant to say wolves eat elk.
It's just a thought. I'm convinced that not everyone is on here all the time making typos to stir the pot.

[wolf moderate]

"Wolfmod guy, You say your you spend a lot of time in elk country and you claim that you missed a shot at a 6 point while archery hunting but you say "aren't elk supposed to kill elk for food" while any one that has spent time in elk country would know that elk don't kill elk for food. Seems to me like your just trying to stir the pot  "

Obviously it was a typo.  It's obvious that many of you aren't true sportsmen, but rather just shooters who don't care about a balanced ecosystem.  Elk aren't supposed to be "fed" imo.  I also think that if you are going to hunt cougars w/ dogs (which I agree is necessary in order to keep the population w/in parameters) you should be ready for the consequences...It's not a zoo out there, these are wild animals. 

Anywho, I am all for wolves, so long as they are kept "in check".  Not sure what the issue is with that, but then again I'm not a road hunter.  I hear road hunters around my area that are constantly whining because elk aren't standing out in the meadows anymore along side the road.  Sorry that you have to get off your fat arse and actually hunt now.  Don't get me started on the lazy ATVers! 

Well, I can see this isn't my find of "hunters".  I'll find my way back to areas that care about all wildlife and ecosystems.  Not just elk.  Look at the Mt. Emily area of Oregon.  Sad the way that overhunting has trashed this former elk mecca.  No wolves to blame on that cluster fck of management  Just piss pour management.

[rtspring]

WOLFMOD,

I went fishing in a lake one time and pulled up a lantern that was still lit from the bottom of the lake.  Now if you quit feedin us a bunch of BS I will change the story and put the lantern out..

I think just from your name that you are up to no good here. Consequences? like what? I hope that you share with us that wolves are getting out of hand and people were made to beileve one thing but in the end the outcome was no where near what was originally planned. I for one will not tolerate the destruction of Elk herds that I have fought hard to build up as a Hunter and person who loves the outdoors as much as any other that walks the hills...  I have no problem with wolves being back in the hills, but I will not have them overrun the populations of wild game like they have else where. And I damn sure won't let them try to attack me or my family while being involved in outdoor activities.......

[wolf moderate]

Ok, lets have a civil debate.  Where are these herds that have been decimated?  I hunt the Sawtooths in Central Idaho and they are one of the herds that have been impacted by wolves.  The Lolo herd is another.  But overall, the elk herds are meeting management goals in most of Idaho GMU's.  Now there are a "few" GMU's that have been impacted by wolves and I'm all for reducing the population of wolves.  I don't want to see boom n' bust cycles by any means.  What is wrong w/, say, 500 wolves in Idaho?  I don't see anything wrong w/ it, so long as they do not have major impacts on hunters.  Hunters and outdoorsmen are the economic powerhouse for rural communities no doubt.  While chasing a herd of elk last season early in the morning, I stopped for a minute to catch my breath and all the sudden a pack of wolves began howling.  I was stoked so started towards them to sneak a peak and they would stop.  Well this continued for a bit till' I gave up.  I started walking away and when i stopped they would howl, closer then before.  This continued for about an hour.  Personally these kinds of experiences reflect a true wilderness experience, not some artificial zoo where there are no predators.  It's become a whole, or at least as close as can be expected to a truly wild place. 

Here is an excellent reference that I like.  http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/wolf/ID_wolf_plan_2008.pdf

Anyhow, I just do not think the way in which some hunters are acting towards wolves, are putting us in the best of light.  Morons that spout "SSS" are at the top of the moron scale.  Also, I've killed bears and will continue to do so, because I believe it's my little part to manage the population.  Same goes w/ cougars (should I ever get a chance to take one) and will be the same way once wolves are able to be hunted again.  Basically, my point is, what's wrong w/ a few wolves around?  Doesn't it add to a true wilderness experience?  Now don't get me wrong, I'm as pissed as everyone else about the bunny huggers using the courts to keep the states from managing wolves.  Once the states are granted the opportunity to manage the wolves, they will do as good a job as they do with elk, bears and cougars. 

Thanks for letting me post 

[BOWHUNTER45]

WOLF Moderate ... I think its the way you presented yourself ..... no one wants to kill all the wolves just keep them at managable levels .....

[JimmyHoffa]

Wolf Moderate,  The problem I see with wolf introduction is what you pointed out---their management.  I wouldn't mind some wolves, but I seriously doubt the state or feds would get the management part right.  Just take a look at other species in other places to see the problems people manage to create for themselves.  California outlawed cougar hunting years ago.  The population grew so large that the bighorn sheep numbers were really hammered.  But the cougars were protected, so they had to sit and watch the sheep decline.  Finally the sheep were given ESA protection that allowed the state to reduce cougar populations.  Another example would be sea lions.  All the concern the state has for salmon and steelhead, and acknowledge that in certain areas the sea lions are the major impact.  But can't seem to do anything about them...so sit by and watch the fish disappear.  Until they are given a higher protection rating than the sea lions.

[BOWHUNTER45]

I know it really sucks we have such idiots running the show ....there has to be away for us to get away from such stupidness ....

[wolf moderate]

The nice thing is that w/ the delisting rider that just passed, states will have authority to manage the wolves again. Now that states have control, they need to make sure that they don't lower the population of wolves too much, or else they risk having the wolves re-listed again.  Hopefully, they will not act too extreme and try to reduce the populations too much, because if the wolves are put back on the ESA, it will be w/o the 10 (J) status, which allows Wildlife services to kill problem wolves.  That would really suck!   

The nice thing about OR, WA, ID, MT, and WY is that they aren't as liberal as California.  Hopefully, this will mean that we won't have to worry about issues that CA has had, like w/ the cougars.  Then again, who knows.

[grundy53]

For starters wolfmod. You would get a lot further with people if you didn't come on here with your first few post and accuse us of being a bunch of moronic fat road hunters. Also Washington is as bad as California. That's why we are so worried.