Wildlife managers plan to use helicopter gunners and government trappers in Lolo

[denali]

Posted: Friday, December 09, 2011 10:11 AM
http://www.capitalpress.com/content/AP-lolo-wolves-120911?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook

State to target wolves in Idaho's Lolo region

LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) -- Wildlife managers plan to use helicopter gunners and government trappers to kill wolves roaming the Lolo Zone, a remote, rugged area in the north-central part of the state once populated by some of Idaho's biggest elk herds.

Trapping efforts will begin later this month, coinciding with the current hunting and trapping season for wolves, said Dave Cadwallader, regional supervisor for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Helicopter gunning will begin later this winter.

Both efforts are part of a new multipronged strategy designed to better manage and control wolves in the region where elk herds are struggling to maintain historic population numbers.

"My goal is not to wait," Cadwallader told the Lewiston Tribune in a story published Friday. "Let's layer all of those tools over the top of each other and try to implement each of them."

Idaho's wolf-hunting season opened in late August, but so far only six wolves have been killed in the Lolo Zone, which includes the Upper Lochsa and North Fork Clearwater river basins. State wildlife managers had hoped to remove up to 60 wolves this season from the area, which has seen its elk numbers decline from a high of about 16,000 in the late 1980s to about 2,000 today.

The steep drop has been blamed on a combination of poor habitat conditions and predation from wolves, mountain lions and black bears. Researchers from the department recently determined wolves are the primary cause of elk mortality in the zone.

This spring, shortly after Endangered Species Act protections were lifted on wolves, the department used helicopter gunning to kill five wolves. The effort was suspended because of its high cost and low success rate, which was blamed on wolves and elk moving to lower elevations where snow had melted.

This year, aerial gunning will be timed to occur when snowpacks are heavy even at lower elevations. Snow makes the animals easier to see. Despite tight budgets, Cadwallader said the agency will resume paying for the hunting of wolves from the air to help preserve Lolo elk and the revenue once generated when hunters from around the world came to the region.

"Certainly everyone understands we have an issue here and we are going to have to spend some money to try to fix it," he said. "We have been told we will have some money to pay for helicopter time and wages for trappers if we can find some."

State officials expect the intensified efforts will irritate wolf advocates, who are already skeptical of leaving wolf management up to states such as Idaho and Montana.

Kieran Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity, called the extra wolf control measures frustrating and above and beyond the careful management state officials promised before delisting of the animals.

"The states were talking about measured actions and it turns out as soon as federal protection were lifted they are using every possible means they can to kill as many wolves as they can and there is nothing measured or rational about this," Suckling said.

Through Thursday hunters killed 153 wolves in the state and trappers had killed one. There is no quota on the number of wolves that can be killed during the hunting and trapping season. Department director Virgil Moore said he wants to significantly reduce the wolf population but stay comfortably above the 150 level that would bring a federal review and could lead to putting them back under federal protections.


Hello...hello.. anyone at WDFW see whats going on next door?..didn't think so 

[Ridgeratt]

I posted this in the WFW site but it needs to be here as well!

Ramblings from the Ratt

 I have sat and Watched/ Read/Listened to all the Wolf postings and read all the threads as to what everyone thinks needs to be done.

First there is no one who has an accurate guess as to just how many wolves that we have in this State. Be it the WDFG or the Do-Gooders who are promoting them,  the USFWS, or the members of this forum.

They don't count the transit wolves who cross borders either from Idaho to Washington or From Canada to the US. Even though the animals in question are preying on the resources here.

If the season was opened tomorrow morning in this State to a Tag that could be used 365 days we would not effect the outcome one instance. We will never as sportsman do significant damage to the resident numbers. For every wolf reported how many are never seen?

When the wolves were eliminated from the lower 48 it was due to Aerial gunners and a product call 1080 which had a tremendous side effect on what it also killed.

I can say a prime example of the ineffectiveness would be to look at the coyotes we have with all the hunting pressure they get how bad have we decimated their number's?

Not trying to thread jack just tieing this to one.

[CAMPMEAT]

Good post Rat !

[norsepeak]

Idaho has learned a hard and very exspensive lesson.  Too bad WDFW can't see that far east, instead they have to try the same thing and expect a different outcome....hmmm, what's that called again?

[ICEMAN]

Idaho has learned a hard and very exspensive lesson.  Too bad WDFW can't see that far east, instead they have to try the same thing and expect a different outcome....hmmm, what's that called again?

It is the definition of insanity.

[Elkrunner]

I am not surprised....Is anyone worried about the road that we are heading down???

[norsepeak]

exactly Iceman!

[bearpaw]

Idaho has learned a hard and very exspensive lesson.  Too bad WDFW can't see that far east, instead they have to try the same thing and expect a different outcome....hmmm, what's that called again?

I'm not so sure they can't see it. How can anyone be that stupid. I am beginning to think they want to destroy the hunting in Washington.

Good writeup ridge, maybe I misread, but I don't think there was any arial gunning when they first eliminated wolves. That's been used in modern times to try and control wolf numbers in Alaska and Idaho.

[Bigshooter]

Idaho has learned a hard and very exspensive lesson.  Too bad WDFW can't see that far east, instead they have to try the same thing and expect a different outcome....hmmm, what's that called again?

I'm not so sure they can't see it. How can anyone be that stupid. I am beginning to think they want to destroy the hunting in Washington.

Good writeup ridge, maybe I misread, but I don't think there was any arial gunning when they first eliminated wolves. That's been used in modern times to try and control wolf numbers in Alaska and Idaho.

I thought 1080 on horse meat dropped out of helicopters.  And a bounty on wolf heads is how we got rid of them?   

[Hunter Dug]

They cry about how much money it cost to bring back the population and now they cry about how much it cost to manage them.  I have an idea just do away with all of it.  Put all that moneys back in to the managment of our big game animals.

[JimmyHoffa]

If they want to save some money, I'll go in the helicopter for FREE and bring my own guns and ammo!

[mulehunter]

If they want to save some money, I'll go in the helicopter for FREE and bring my own guns and ammo!

          X100

[mulehunter]

http://www.kboi2.com/news/local/State-to-target-wolves-in-Idahos-Lolo-region--135326263.html?m=y&smobile=y&c=y

Look like News are making too Loud to American. Good Example for Anti Wolf why we have to fix their b.s.   

[Ridgeratt]

Idaho has learned a hard and very exspensive lesson.  Too bad WDFW can't see that far east, instead they have to try the same thing and expect a different outcome....hmmm, what's that called again?

I'm not so sure they can't see it. How can anyone be that stupid. I am beginning to think they want to destroy the hunting in Washington.

Good writeup ridge, maybe I misread, but I don't think there was any arial gunning when they first eliminated wolves. That's been used in modern times to try and control wolf numbers in Alaska and Idaho.

Here is an early write up.

http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1047&context=vpc7&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3Dearliest%2520use%2520of%2520aerial%2520predator%2520control%2520%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D1%26ved%3D0CB0QFjAA%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fdigitalcommons.unl.edu%252Fcgi%252Fviewcontent.cgi%253Farticle%253D1047%2526context%253Dvpc7%26ei%3DxAHkTtbqMcbY2gXZitSoBA%26usg%3DAFQjCNEz8eapFK0t3mLrV4nSApV_smcY7A#search=%22earliest%20use%20aerial%20predator%20control%22

[Yummy and Tasty Animal]

Dear IDFW,

I will opperate as a gunner free of charge.  I am available every Saturday and Sunday and Holidays.

Sincerely,

YATA

P.S. Can I use a machine gun?

[mulehunter]

    

[gjbruny]

i used to hunt elk every single year in ID..... haven't bought a tag since '08. no reason to since i can save 600.00 and hunt elk these days right here with just as good of a chance. prior to '06, the area i hunted in ID had elk like we have whitetails.... they were everywhere. by the time i bought my last tag, hearing a bugle was rare, seeing an elk was more rare and wolf tracks were everywhere.


i'd happily donate my unspent 600.00 to buy chopper fuel or any poison that could be used to get rid of the wolves in ID...... heck, if WA would pull their heads out, i'd also happily match that 600.00 a year for chopper fuel and/or poison here too.

[twistiron]

i read this article the other day and was yet to have a chance to post thanks for putting it up here. i wish i had answers of why washington is willing to take the same road idaho is on, it makes me wonder if the state biologists even have a say in game management or it is entirely based on public image? i say we boycot all hunting is wash for a few years maybe when wdfw takes the hit from no tag sales they will listen to us  . i am sure the discover passes will cover there operating cost. maybe they can enact a wildlife watching permit for all there wolf petting friends to watch the critters.

[wraithen]

We could dig our heels in and fight this and lose at every turn with small inconsequential victories or.... We could accelerate the outcome and prove our point and get things back into our hands that much quicker. I say instead of fighting this we join the anti-hunting groups and help them topple the state. Pendulum swings back that much quicker and they shut their mouths for a few years.  Plus it would really confuse them.

[lastmk8]

Anyone know what they are planning on doing with the wolves they "trap"?  Wonder if these would be live traps by any chance??  Haven't heard any plan for those, but if live traps are used I have an idea that just might work.  As I recall, you keep the wolf in the trap, attach a nice long piece of rope to the trap, then take the whole thing down to the lake.  Throw the SOB as far out as you can and see how long that mountain mutt can keep it afloat!!!  Then pull it back in and go set it up again!!!  I guess not very humane, so if that doesn't work I guess I could just provide guns and ammo too!!

[twistiron]

 you did not hear, the state of washington is buying each live wolf for relocation in the olympic national park!






JKJKJKJK  it just sounded like something we could exspect from this state!

[elkfins]

you did not hear, the state of washington is buying each live wolf for relocation in the olympic national park!






JKJKJKJK  it just sounded like something we could exspect from this state!

I'd be ok with this if they would relocate them into downtown Seattle.

[twistiron]

I'd be ok with this if they would relocate them into downtown Seattle.

haha release them on the occupy protesters, let them see how fuzzy they are.

[dannysdaddy]

my family ranches in that area and will not go sit on the porch without a gun now.  too many close calls with the wolves.

[mulehunter]

someone named Amos Miers asked him how many elk are in the Lolo Zone and what science is "misguiding" the State agency. He responded:

"I don't really know how many wolves are in that area. I suspect there is not as many as people want to believe because what are they eating IF all of the elk are gone? The wolves won't stay in that area if there is NO food source. But IF Idaho Fish and Game goes wolf hunting in a big enough area, they will probably kill some wolves. It will be expensive and a total waste of money to start this endeavor because they will have to keep killing wolves for the next 5-10 years straight. Not a wise decision."     

[Elkaholic daWg]

And This biotch was in charge of USFWS for how long.?

__________________________________________________________________
Aerial gunning, bounties, shoot-on-sight policies -- our wolves are facing urgent threats.

Even if you've never donated before, now is the time to make a difference for wolves and other wildlife. Please make a year-end, tax-deductible donation today to help save wildlife.
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Anti-wolf sign (Photo: Suzanne Stone/Defenders of Wildlife)
Anti-wolf extremism is what we're up against in the fight for a lasting future for our wolves -- and it's the most dangerous weapon the anti-wolf crowd has.

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Please make a year-end, tax-deductible donation now to help Defenders of Wildlife lay the groundwork for sensible, science-based solutions to ensure a lasting future for America's wolves and other wildlife.
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Dear George,

Federal sharpshooters are preparing to gun down up to 75 wolves from aircraft on public lands in Idaho, capitulating to the misguided fears of anti-wolf extremists.1 Montana "sportsmen" are offering $100 bounties for dead wolves.2 Some radicals are even calling for the "wolf war, round two."3

If it seems ridiculous, it's because it is. But this extremism is what we're up against in the fight for a lasting future for our wolves -- and it's the most dangerous weapon the anti-wolf crowd has.

Please make a year-end, tax-deductible donation now to help Defenders of Wildlife stop aerial gunning in Idaho and lay the groundwork for sensible, science-based solutions to ensure a lasting future for America's wolves and other wildlife.

Our fight for wolves isn't about inflamed rhetoric. It isn't about extreme measures. It's about treating wolves and other native wildlife as they should be -- as natural parts of a balanced ecosystem.

That's why we're working on the ground with those who are living closest to these amazing animals -- and have the most at stake. Our pioneering work with ranchers in the heart of wolf country has saved countless wolves by protecting livestock with non-lethal deterrents.

That's why we're collaborating with state and local officials in places like Oregon and Washington -- to find the best solutions possible for wolves as they begin to return to their native homes in these states.

That's why we're working to reform the Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services program -- to ensure these federal servants take a more balanced approach toward wildlife and move away from lethal control and adopt more non-lethal solutions.

Defenders supporters have already sent more than 50,000 messages to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, urging him to stop the ill-conceived plan to kill up to 75 wolves in Idaho from airplanes. And we've gathered more than 75,000 comments opposing Wyoming's shoot-on-sight wolf plan.

In the year ahead, we hope to expand all of these efforts for our wolves, but we need the help of compassionate Defenders supporters like you.

Will you join us with a year-end tax-deductible donation to support our fight to save America's wolves and other wildlife?

We're fighting the good fight for our wolves and other wildlife. Our fight is the longer, tougher road -- but ultimately the one that will ensure a safer future for our wolves and other wildlife.

Our work to save wolves and other wildlife is unique and ambitious -- and so is our goal. Help us raise $200,000 by 11:59 pm Eastern on December 31st to ensure that we can continue the fight for our wildlife and wild places into the new year.

George, if only 200 people from Washington give just $20 or more, we can easily reach this goal. Will you help?

Please make a year-end, tax-deductible donation now to help save wolves and other wildlife.

Together, we can ensure a lasting future for America's wolves.

Jamie Rappaport Clark    

Sincerely,

Jamie Rappaport Clark
President
Defenders of Wildlife
P.S. Make a secure tax-deductible donation for 2011 online now or by calling 1-800-385-9712 before 11:59 PM ET on Dec. 31st, and your donation will be tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law.

[mulehunter]

    

[seth30]

Mongolia seems to have a great way of hunting wolves  

[bearpaw]

Clark was the head of USFWS for several years, we have the same problem in WDFW, many of them are potential future employees of Defenders.

Same problem with many biologists, many (not all) are wolf lovers who got degrees and went to work for WDFW.

[bearpaw]

They infiltrated the IDFG too. That is why that agency was so misguided for so long. Now with a new director, and the fear that other heads will roll, IDFG is somewhat pulling their heads out of their dark area and starting to manage wolves. Fortunately for Idahoans, there aren't as many wolf lovers as we have in WA.

[Elkaholic daWg]

Clark was the head of USFWS for several years, we have the same problem in WDFW, many of them are potential future employees of Defenders.

Same problem with many biologists, many (not all) are wolf lovers who got degrees and went to work for WDFW.

 She's back today..........



.........George -- Already, nearly 1,300 caring people like you have made a year-end donation to counter the deadly and urgent threats facing wolves.

But we need your help to make a difference for our wolves -- and to reach our goal of raising $200,000 to help endangered wildlife in 2012.

Please make a year-end, tax-deductible donation before 11:59 PM (Eastern) on December 31st to help save wolves and other wildlife in the coming year.
Stop the War on Wolves: Your year-end, tax-deductible donation will support Defenders work to save wolves and other wildlife -->Donate Now

Anti-wolf sign (Photo: Suzanne Stone/Defenders of Wildlife)
Anti-wolf extremism is what we're up against in the fight for a lasting future for our wolves -- and it's the most dangerous weapon the anti-wolf crowd has.

Help Save Our Wolves -- Donate Now

Please make a year-end, tax-deductible donation now to help Defenders of Wildlife lay the groundwork for sensible, science-based solutions to ensure a lasting future for America's wolves and other wildlife.
Share on Facebook! Share on Facebook
Dear George,

Federal sharpshooters are preparing to gun down up to 75 wolves from aircraft on public lands in Idaho, capitulating to the misguided fears of anti-wolf extremists.1 Montana "sportsmen" are offering $100 bounties for dead wolves.2 Some radicals are even calling for the "wolf war, round two."3

If it seems ridiculous, it's because it is. But this extremism is what we're up against in the fight for a lasting future for our wolves -- and it's the most dangerous weapon the anti-wolf crowd has.

Please make a year-end, tax-deductible donation now to help Defenders of Wildlife stop aerial gunning in Idaho and lay the groundwork for sensible, science-based solutions to ensure a lasting future for America's wolves and other wildlife.

Our fight for wolves isn't about inflamed rhetoric. It isn't about extreme measures. It's about treating wolves and other native wildlife as they should be -- as natural parts of a balanced ecosystem.

That's why we're working on the ground with those who are living closest to these amazing animals -- and have the most at stake. Our pioneering work with ranchers in the heart of wolf country has saved countless wolves by protecting livestock with non-lethal deterrents.

That's why we're collaborating with state and local officials in places like Oregon and Washington -- to find the best solutions possible for wolves as they begin to return to their native homes in these states.

That's why we're working to reform the Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services program -- to ensure these federal servants take a more balanced approach toward wildlife and move away from lethal control and adopt more non-lethal solutions.

Defenders supporters have already sent more than 50,000 messages to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, urging him to stop the ill-conceived plan to kill up to 75 wolves in Idaho from airplanes. And we've gathered more than 75,000 comments opposing Wyoming's shoot-on-sight wolf plan.

In the year ahead, we hope to expand all of these efforts for our wolves, but we need the help of compassionate Defenders supporters like you.

Will you join us with a year-end tax-deductible donation to support our fight to save America's wolves and other wildlife?

We're fighting the good fight for our wolves and other wildlife. Our fight is the longer, tougher road -- but ultimately the one that will ensure a safer future for our wolves and other wildlife.

Our work to save wolves and other wildlife is unique and ambitious -- and so is our goal. Help us raise $200,000 by 11:59 pm Eastern on December 31st to ensure that we can continue the fight for our wildlife and wild places into the new year.

George, if only 200 people from Washington give just $20 or more, we can easily reach this goal. Will you help?

Please make a year-end, tax-deductible donation now to help save wolves and other wildlife.

Together, we can ensure a lasting future for America's wolves.

Jamie Rappaport Clark    

Sincerely,

Jamie Rappaport Clark
President
Defenders of Wildlife
P.S. Make a secure tax-deductible donation for 2011 online now or by calling 1-800-385-9712 before 11:59 PM ET on Dec. 31st, and your donation will be tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Better not stop hunting now, as in a few years you might not have anything left to hunt.   Within 7 years (according to the minority report) the allocated elk #'s for hunting will be killed annually by wolves, and I think it said 35% of the deer.

A blatant lie. Is this all the better argument that anti wolf people have? Montana and Idaho have had wolves for 15 years now and are still harvesting respectful amounts of both deer and elk.  Or are Washington wolves Super Wolves?

[wraithen]

Hey sitka, how about you respond to your original thread. You still won't explain quite a few things. Keep yourself contained or the mods will get annoyed and treat your account like an idaho wolf. Unless you're a super wolf.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Better not stop hunting now, as in a few years you might not have anything left to hunt.   Within 7 years (according to the minority report) the allocated elk #'s for hunting will be killed annually by wolves, and I think it said 35% of the deer.

A blatant lie. Is this all the better argument that anti wolf people have? Montana and Idaho have had wolves for 15 years now and are still harvesting respectful amounts of both deer and elk.  Or are Washington wolves Super Wolves?

No we just have less deer and elk for them to eat, oh I forgot they will stop eating them when the herd is right sized for it habitat. 

[JJB11B]

Idaho has learned a hard and very exspensive lesson.  Too bad WDFW can't see that far east, instead they have to try the same thing and expect a different outcome....hmmm, what's that called again?

I'm not so sure they can't see it. How can anyone be that stupid. I am beginning to think they want to destroy the hunting in Washington.

Good writeup ridge, maybe I misread, but I don't think there was any arial gunning when they first eliminated wolves. That's been used in modern times to try and control wolf numbers in Alaska and Idaho.

they are also currently using aerial gunnery to kill hogs in other states. If there is no hunting in Washington then obviously Washingtonians dont need to have guns....its back door gun control....let the arguments begin

[JJB11B]

Hey sitka, how about you respond to your original thread. You still won't explain quite a few things. Keep yourself contained or the mods will get annoyed and treat your account like an idaho wolf. Unless you're a super wolf.

 

[Ridgeratt]

Clark was the head of USFWS for several years, we have the same problem in WDFW, many of them are potential future employees of Defenders.

Same problem with many biologists, many (not all) are wolf lovers who got degrees and went to work for WDFW.

Wow I think I have heard that statement before! What a better way to promote their agenda than from the inside!

We used to have USFWS predator control specialist that lived in Spokane he has since moved to Utah! But last I heard he was the go to guy for aerial gunning and he was the one teaching there folks now.