collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Wolves and big game breeding cycles?  (Read 1772 times)

Offline Fowlweather25

  • Washington For Wildlife
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2011
  • Posts: 1622
  • Location: Rochester, wa
Wolves and big game breeding cycles?
« on: January 31, 2012, 01:28:12 PM »
Just curious here could just be me, but we lose a TON of big game animals to wolves and cougars. Has anyone ever put any thought into the fact that just a wolf or a cats presence stresses the big game animals tremendously? So in the fall and winter months when breeding is at it's yearly peak and deer and elk are at their most vulnerable, wouldn't it make sense that just the stress of these two apex predators alone could be enough to stress out the does and cows to the point that their heat cycles are interrupted, thus causing them to go unbred?
What would life be without the thrill of the hunt?

Offline Killmore

  • Washington For Wildlife
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2010
  • Posts: 754
  • Location: Ellensburg WA
Re: Wolves and big game breeding cycles?
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2012, 03:45:52 PM »
Yep, and even if they get bred they can abort at anytime from to much stress.

Offline Machias

  • Trapper
  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • Explorer
  • ******
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 18929
  • Location: Worley, ID
Re: Wolves and big game breeding cycles?
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2012, 03:47:10 PM »
Montana State just did a study 2 years ago I think.  The elk in the study were being bred as normal, but what had changed drastically was the quality of the feed they were able to consume had gone down since they spent alot more time in the dark timber instead of the meadows and the added stress in winter caused them to abort more often.  Both of those issues caused a striking decrease in calf recruitment.  So it was not X number of wolves eat X number of elk, it was that plus drastically lower calf to cow ratios.
Fred Moyer

When it's Grim, be the GRIM REAPER!

Offline sebek556

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: May 2011
  • Posts: 2603
  • Location: ne,wa
Re: Wolves and big game breeding cycles?
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2012, 03:47:58 PM »

Offline Machias

  • Trapper
  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • Explorer
  • ******
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 18929
  • Location: Worley, ID
Re: Wolves and big game breeding cycles?
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2012, 04:07:50 PM »
That's the one, thanks!!
Fred Moyer

When it's Grim, be the GRIM REAPER!

Offline Fowlweather25

  • Washington For Wildlife
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2011
  • Posts: 1622
  • Location: Rochester, wa
Re: Wolves and big game breeding cycles?
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2012, 06:06:23 PM »
Wow so I wasn't full of crap?! Huh!
What would life be without the thrill of the hunt?

Offline sebek556

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: May 2011
  • Posts: 2603
  • Location: ne,wa
Re: Wolves and big game breeding cycles?
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2012, 06:09:04 PM »
 :chuckle: nope your good

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

Anybody breeding meat rabbit? by jackelope
[Today at 10:02:50 PM]


DIY Ucluelet trip by metlhead
[Today at 09:40:00 PM]


Survey in ? by metlhead
[Today at 09:35:57 PM]


Alaska Fishing Guide and Lodge Recommendations by Tbar
[Today at 09:31:49 PM]


Colorado Results by cem3434
[Today at 08:35:51 PM]


NEED ADVICE: LATE after JUNE 15th IDAHO BEAR by Sliverslinger
[Today at 08:31:23 PM]


New York deer by HighlandLofts
[Today at 08:17:24 PM]


Resetting dash warning lights by Sandberm
[Today at 08:13:27 PM]


Please Report Problems & Bugs Here by Mossy
[Today at 06:17:02 PM]


What's flatbed pickup life like? by Special T
[Today at 05:52:28 PM]


Oregon spring bear by Fidelk
[Today at 04:58:27 PM]


Idaho General Season Going to Draw for Nonresidents by idahohuntr
[Today at 01:51:40 PM]


Seekins PH2 & Element sale by BigJs Outdoor Store
[Today at 12:40:26 PM]


Kokanee Fishing Tournament!! 🎣 June 13-14, Joseph OR by WRKG4GD
[Today at 11:42:02 AM]


wings wings and more wings! by birddogdad
[Today at 11:00:11 AM]


Jim Horn's elk calling, instructional audio CD's. by WapitiTalk1
[Today at 09:46:03 AM]


Wyoming elk who's in? by link
[Today at 07:00:33 AM]


CVA Optima V2 durasight rail mod by craigapphunt
[Today at 05:56:00 AM]


Last year putting in… by wa.hunter
[Yesterday at 11:02:00 PM]


HUNTNNW 2025 trail cam thread and photos by huntnnw
[Yesterday at 10:34:36 PM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2025, SimplePortal