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Deer and Elk Hunting in Idaho and Montana After Wolf Introduction

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Sitka_Blacktail:
I keep hearing about how bad the hunting is getting in Idaho and Montana since the wolves were introduced.  Well anybody can make up a good story, but I was curious, what the real truth is. So I went sifting through the harvest reports of both States. What I found is the opposite of what "common knowledge" says it is.  Instead of a shrinking harvest, it's actually staying about the same give or take natural ups and downs in game cycles.  I went back as far as the records went on the website of both game departments (1999 for elk and 2001 for deer in Montana and 2000 for Idaho) and then compared it to the newest year listed. In Montana, that was 2008 and in Idaho, that was 2010.

Montana total deer harvest
2001 ----- 111,991 total deer (19,801 taken by non res hunters)
2008 ----- 124,140 total deer (20,507 taken by non res hunters)

Montana total Elk Harvest

1999 ----- 18,209 total elk (Not divided into res & non res)
2008 ----- 23,916 total elk (3846 taken by NR hunters)

So Montana, (in spite of a growing human population and associated loss of hunting areas, and in spite of an ever expanding wolf population), actually had a higher harvest total of both deer and elk than it had when wolves were still getting established.  Hard to believe isn't it?

Idaho total Deer Harvest

2000 ----- 42,950
2010 ----- 35,764

Idaho total Elk Harvest

2000 ----- 16,601
2010 ----- 16,766

So in Idaho, elk has remained fairly constant overall, and the deer harvest has dropped a bit, but is still well withing historic ranges pre wolf. And anyone paying attention knows the deer in the Panhandle got knocked down pretty hard by the winters of 2007-08 and 2008-09 the same as in northeast Washington.  My friends in that area tell me that deer are coming back now.

So let 'er rip and try to explain to me how hunting really isn't as good as it used to be and how it's all because of the wolves.  Because the fact is,  the people who are pushing the BIG WOLF SCARE are people who have ulterior motives that include money, and power and influence.  If you're going to give your money and time and support to organizations, at least have the facts and don't do it out of fear.

JoeE:
And the benefit of wolves is what again?

high country:
Break your study down to specific gmu's. You will see that there is a shift in harvest locations. I spoke to guys in the Joe that have killed elk for decades from the same camps and now they see few to none, yet right in cda there were gobs of elk. I know that Idaho as a state has lost a ton of money due to predation and they would not be so activly seeking ways to reduce the wolf population were it not harming the herd.

frostman:
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/?getpage=121

The management strategy employed by the state managers in Idaho may have something to do with the stable harvest numbers.
 
Montana has a similar management strategy.

Thing is, they are not near the quota. Without proper management, these killing machines WOULD make Idaho and Montana like Yellowstone.

Check out the status of the Northern Yellowstone herd. They are not allowed to manage wolves there.

Good on Mt & Id for proper management of a species not so endangered, anymore.

wraithen:
Stop guys, sitka is baiting, and blatantly. Don't let him chose the terms for you. Sitka, most of us don't have a severe reaction to wolves being in this state. What gets most of us up in arms is the lack of the state to specify what they mean by proof, where the funding is coming from, who is tracking the wolves.... basically it's an open ended idea that was passed without a P L A N. Their plan was to sit around and hope they can afford to keep an eye on the wolves magically during a financial crisis. Just out of curiosity though, I would like to know why you decided to pick a fight anywhere you think someone might lash out at you on this forum. Most people are generous and agreeable on this site. Why try to ruin that? What's the real issue?  :dunno: 

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