Deer and Elk Hunting in Idaho and Montana After Wolf Introduction

[JJB11B]

I think we should vote...Eastern Washington Residents only. If more people say  on wolves then everytime a wolf is seen it should look something like

[JJB11B]

Kill em all and sell their pelts to help fix the budget deficit

[wraithen]

As stated before, we are mad about a huge undertaking that will cost this state and its residents millions of dollars when they can't afford to stay afloat as it is. Idaho and Montana are starting proper management now before it is too late. We won't even have that option the way the current plan is stated. Just look at all the ranchers that haven't been reimbursed as they were promised. Look at the cost of finding and tracking the wolves to delist them. Our state was told numerous times to consider their plan carefully and they didn't consider much of anything. We have less wolf friendly habitat than either Idaho or Montana yet we are supposed to support just as many somehow. Let us also not forget that the anti's do exist and they are both powerful and prominent in this state.

[bearpaw]

No cherry picking going on guys. As I said, I took the first year on each game dept web site and I took the last.  If there was a real problem it would show.  Harvests go up and down naturally and they did so before the wolves. Habitat and severity of winter are the two main limitations of deer.  Habitat and roads are the two biggest ones for elk. 

As for animals being harvested in different areas..... that's the way it's always been. If I hunted the same area of Washington I did 25 years ago, I wouldn't even see a deer let alone harvest one. As habitat changes, you have to change how and where you hunt. Heck, the Panhandle of Idaho hardly had an elk in the days of Lewis and Clark. It took some huge forest fires to create the habitat they needed. Logging mimics fires now days. Hunt that heavy reprod, and you don't have much of a chance. Find the areas with good light to the forest floor and you;re in business.

My only reason for this post is to open some minds. A lot of closed ones with locks on tight.  It's not as bad as you have been told.

Sitka you are so full of it: 

Please expalin IDFG and MFWP own counts in the units affected by wolves like the Bitterroot, Lolo, Northern Yellowstone, Payette, etc?

No effect by wolves eh! 

[JJB11B]

wait are we talking about all of those huge coyotes people have been seeing?

[wraithen]

Crap! They have coyotes too!  Next you're gonna tell me there's fricken bears and cougars too!

[NWBREW]

Eastern Washington Residents only. 

Now why would you say that? 

Sitka......have you looked into what has happened to the Lolo valley elk populations? That decline is because of the wolf. What about the yellowstone herd or the Bitteroot herd? Look at those as well. Compare the elk population now to what it was at the time of wolf introduction to Yellowstone. Now look at the small businesses that have suffered or closed due to the lack of game and hunters. There is more to it then what you may think. just my 

[JJB11B]

Hey Bearpaw how much do yall charge for Wolf hunts in Idaho?

[bearpaw]

Sitka please explain the public meeting in Colville Washington today:

One rancher missing two dozen cattle in a GMU with wolves in northeast WA. 

Same rancher had 200 cow calf pairs in another nearby GMU with no wolf activity and is only missing one calf there. 

Please explain....

[JJB11B]

because most of the tree insemenators live on the west side

[NWBREW]

because all the tree insemenators live on the west side

But not all that live over here are what you say.

[JJB11B]

Crap! They have coyotes too!  Next you're gonna tell me there's fricken bears and cougars too!

Yeah we saw some this year 2 different times (I was only there for one of the sightings) They were well over 120 lb animals too and their tracks were huge too

[bearpaw]

Obviously we charge for hunting trips, but any wolf is free, I am a licensed Idaho outfitter/guide and all hunters are welcome to shoot 2 wolves each, come and get them folks, free wolves on any hunt.....

The problem is that this does no good, wolves will have to be controlled by other means. Idaho is learning that the hard way, which expalins why they are going to start arial gunning again.

Sitka-blacktail you may fool some of the people some of the time, you cannot fool all the people all the time.... and it's obvious you aren't fooling many on this forum. Are you on the Defenders of Wildlife payroll.... or the WDFW payroll....

[JJB11B]

so how about only people who have purchased hunting licenses in the last 15 years get to vote?

[NWBREW]

so how about only people who have purchased hunting licenses in the last 15 years get to vote?

There ya go.