What will 150 wolves eat?

[bearpaw]

A widely accepted meat consumption rate for wolves is 17 elk or 44 deer per year per wolf. So 150 wolves will likely consume 2,550 elk or 6,600 deer. Where this rate really gets concerning is if the wolf population reaches 600 wolves which is about the documented average population in the other states. Please consider that Dr David Mech has also estimated there may actually be as many as 3000 wolves in ID/MT/WY.

Let's go with the lower number, the current minimum wolf count estimated at an average of 600 wolves per state. If Washington reaches 600 wolves they would likely eat 10,200 elk or 26,400 deer or most likely a mixture of both species plus who knows how many moose. Washington Hunters currently harvest an average of 8,000 elk and 38,000 deer (page 78, page 83 of wolf plan) and roughly 100 moose in all areas of Washington.

With 150 wolves it is easy to see that human harvest will need to be reduced. If wolves overpopulate as they have done in the other states, it is very easy to see that there may not be enough elk and deer to allow hunting seasons and at the very least hunting seasons will have to be greatly reduced as they have in many areas of ID/MT.

WA Wolf Plan:  http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/00001/wdfw00001.pdf

The rates at which wolves kill and consume prey are highly variable with respect to time of year and
species taken. Both rates (usually expressed as biomass per wolf per day) have been investigated in
many North American studies and average about 7.2 kg/wolf/day for kill rate (winter only; Mech
and Peterson 2003) and 5.4 kg/wolf/day for consumption rate (winter only; Peterson and Ciucci
2003). The figure for kill rate roughly corresponds to about one 150-kg elk killed per 21 days per
wolf (or 17 elk per wolf per year) or one 60-kg deer killed per 8.3 days per wolf (or 44 deer per wolf
per year).

[BOWHUNTER45]

We all know that's their plan ...let the wolves eat up everything and we will not be hunting ....Open season year around 

[Skillet]

Thanks for the good summary Dale. 

[bearpaw]

The wolf plan is further misleading because it says ungulate numbers have remained at or above objective in ID/MT. What they do not detail is that many areas of the states where wolves are concentrated many hunting seasons have been greatly reduced and many seasons have been completely eliminated.

Thousands of MT hunters annually hunted the Yellowstone migration herds every winter. Those hunts have been completely eliminated because the Northern Yellowstone elk herd has dropped from nearly 20,000 to about 4,000 elk. In the Lolo zone of Idaho the herd dropped from nearly 20,000 to less than 2,000 elk. Much of that hunting opportunity is gone. Seasons in many other areas have been reduced to compensate for high predation.

[rasbo]

I'm a firm believer its not about the wolf and its populations in the lower 48,its a tool to end as much hunting as possible,not matter what the consequences are to other wildlife and landowners livestock..the numbers don't lie, even if you lowball the amount of game eaten,areas will not sustain the wolf packs if allowed to grow,management now!!!!

[washelkhunter]

Seems like were back to SSS? Is the states goal 150 or 150 breeding pairs?

[bearpaw]

Seems like were back to SSS? Is the states goal 150 or 150 breeding pairs?

WDFW's goal is 15 confirmed Breeding Pairs for 3 consecutive years. WDFW estimated that this would figure out to approx. 150 documented wolves on the ground.

However, I think the hiring practices that WDFW is using for acquiring inexperienced wolf trappers who are not catching many wolves that we all know are out there combined with the prior experiences seen in the other states dictates that we'll end up with at least 600 wolves in the end and very possibly many more than that.

[danderson]

  How are they going to get a pack to stay in the same place, Our states wildlife populations are not healthy enough to sustain a pack in one particular unit  for 3 consecutive years.
 

[washelkhunter]

WDFW's goal is 15 confirmed Breeding Pairs for 3 consecutive years. WDFW estimated that this would figure out to approx. 150 documented wolves on the ground.

However, I think the hiring practices that WDFW is using for acquiring inexperienced wolf trappers who are not catching many wolves that we all know are out there combined with the prior experiences seen in the other states dictates that we'll end up with at least 600 wolves in the end and very possibly many more than that.

That's a 400% increase over goal. I think you're right tho.

[AspenBud]

i think some of these Seattle people should see these style pictures to see what wolves are all about.
after looking over a state survey these people seem more afraid of having coyotes around than wolves.
doesn't make since to me. they need to do a story on the news about this to spread the word of what wolves are really like. that might change some opinions.

I think you greatly misjudge how people would react. A lot of huggers buy into "the cycle of life" view.

[Elkaholic daWg]

They need to go hiking in wolf country then.

[deaner]

i think some of these Seattle people should see these style pictures to see what wolves are all about.
after looking over a state survey these people seem more afraid of having coyotes around than wolves.
doesn't make since to me. they need to do a story on the news about this to spread the word of what wolves are really like. that might change some opinions.

I think you greatly misjudge how people would react. A lot of huggers buy into "the cycle of life" view.

yeah they do, but the "cycle of life" that they have preached to them, and they fully believe, is that the wolves only kill what they can eat, and then only sick injured unfit animals.  they dont believe that wolves sport kill, and kill healthy animals.  they believe there are giant herds of limping old unhealthy deer and elk walking around that the wolves and other predators sparingly take food from on an as needed basis. 

[AspenBud]

i think some of these Seattle people should see these style pictures to see what wolves are all about.
after looking over a state survey these people seem more afraid of having coyotes around than wolves.
doesn't make since to me. they need to do a story on the news about this to spread the word of what wolves are really like. that might change some opinions.

I think you greatly misjudge how people would react. A lot of huggers buy into "the cycle of life" view.

yeah they do, but the "cycle of life" that they have preached to them, and they fully believe, is that the wolves only kill what they can eat, and then only sick injured unfit animals.  they dont believe that wolves sport kill, and kill healthy animals.  they believe there are giant herds of limping old unhealthy deer and elk walking around that the wolves and other predators sparingly take food from on an as needed basis.

Do you honestly think they care? The mindset these days is to be hands off. They'll watch a deer get killed, think it's cool, and go home and sleep well at night.

Seriously, people watch nature shows and get fascinated watching prey animals get killed by wolves or any other predator. You might cry over dead elk or deer or wastage, but they will not. The Super Bowl on the other hand...

[AspenBud]

They need to go hiking in wolf country then.

With a dog.

[deaner]

They need to go hiking in wolf country then.

With a dog.

just not a GSP right?