Post by: stocmamu on March 08, 2014, 11:32:58 AM
http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings/2014/03/mar0714_17_presentation.pdf (http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings/2014/03/mar0714_17_presentation.pdf)
and summary: http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/news/mar0814a/ (http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/news/mar0814a/)
Post by: notellumcreek on March 08, 2014, 11:45:29 AM
That last slide on the power point- :yike: creepy.
Post by: hardrichard on March 08, 2014, 03:02:59 PM
Post by: wolfbait on March 08, 2014, 03:10:13 PM
That assessment was based on an annual survey by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) that confirmed the presence of 13 wolf packs, five successful breeding pairs and at least 52 individual wolves in 2013."
WDFW could have had that many packs and many more wolves in 2010 easily. How long will WDFW drag out wolf pack confirmations? How long before the Methow Valley has a confirmed livestock killing by wolves?
Post by: sakoshooter on March 08, 2014, 05:06:03 PM
WDFW ultimately killed seven members of the Wedge Pack to stop the escalating series of attacks, although two wolves were still travelling as a pack in the same area in 2013, she said.
"That was an extraordinary event that we do not want to repeat," said Martorello, noting that no wolves were killed by WDFW last year.
One hand(on the same body)doesn't know what the other hand is doing.
Post by: Broker on March 08, 2014, 06:18:58 PM
The goal is 15 breeding pairs for 3 consecutive years or 18 in one year. There also seems to be some fudge factor built in that these packs would need to be distributed over 3 regions.
So since we only have 5 breeding pairs in 2 regions of Washington, we need 3 times as many wolves as we have now, for 3 consecutive years before they are de listed. Unless of course they aren't sufficiently dispersed throughout the 3 regions.
Then the WDFW can milk this cash boondoggle for as long as they can until they must admit the wolves are sufficiently dispersed. (New 13-member Wildlife Conflict Section)
It seems that big game hunting in Washington is headed away from general seasons and will exist only as special permits in the near future. It doesn't take a scientist or biologist to know that there won't be sufficient numbers of big game animals to sustain the current level of harvest and 3 times as many wolves as we have now.
As a hunter, I am less than pleased with the goals of this wolf recovery.
For those of us with max points (and I know there are many of us) for Moose and Sheep, well you better hope like heck you get drawn in the next year or so. They will soon go the way of the mountain goat in Washington. It won't just be cougars killing them all off like the cougars did to goats, it will be wolves running them down as well.
The obvious thought comes to mind that this is not going to end well for hunters or big game in Washington.
Here's an interesting article from 2011 that is basically a crystal ball for the future of Washington big game hunting. Our story will be just a bit different. We aren't a big destination for out of state hunters like Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Our story will be less opportunities in wolf infected areas which will push the hunter base to new areas. Eventually, we'll all be putting in for special permits to hunt deer and elk each year.
http://blog.eastmans.com/the-predator-death-spiral/ (http://blog.eastmans.com/the-predator-death-spiral/)
Post by: HawkCreek on March 08, 2014, 06:33:45 PM
I know we'll never be rid of them but this isn't even a reasonably fair goal for the damn things.
Post by: wolfbait on March 08, 2014, 06:42:20 PM
Thank you for posting this.
The goal is 15 breeding pairs for 3 consecutive years or 18 in one year. There also seems to be some fudge factor built in that these packs would need to be distributed over 3 regions.
So since we only have 5 breeding pairs in 2 regions of Washington, we need 3 times as many wolves as we have now, for 3 consecutive years before they are de listed. Unless of course they aren't sufficiently dispersed throughout the 3 regions.
Then the WDFW can milk this cash boondoggle for as long as they can until they must admit the wolves are sufficiently dispersed. (New 13-member Wildlife Conflict Section)
It seems that big game hunting in Washington is headed away from general seasons and will exist only as special permits in the near future. It doesn't take a scientist or biologist to know that there won't be sufficient numbers of big game animals to sustain the current level of harvest and 3 times as many wolves as we have now.
As a hunter, I am less than pleased with the goals of this wolf recovery.
For those of us with max points (and I know there are many of us) for Moose and Sheep, well you better hope like heck you get drawn in the next year or so. They will soon go the way of the mountain goat in Washington. It won't just be cougars killing them all off like the cougars did to goats, it will be wolves running them down as well.
The obvious thought comes to mind that this is not going to end well for hunters or big game in Washington.
Here's an interesting article from 2011 that is basically a crystal ball for the future of Washington big game hunting. Our story will be just a bit different. We aren't a big destination for out of state hunters like Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Our story will be less opportunities in wolf infected areas which will push the hunter base to new areas. Eventually, we'll all be putting in for special permits to hunt deer and elk each year.
http://blog.eastmans.com/the-predator-death-spiral/ (http://blog.eastmans.com/the-predator-death-spiral/)
Not only is the wolf plan BS, but WDFW refuse to confirm livestock killed by wolves in areas with many wolves, and therefore they also refuse to confirm the impact wolves are having on deer, elk, moose etc.. The end results will be the same as the Lolo elk herd. Welcome to WDF&wolves.
Post by: buglebrush on March 08, 2014, 09:23:36 PM
The dog was going nuts last night, and I grabbed a big flashlight and my pistol to take a look. opened the door and the biggest coyote or, in my opinion, a wolf was after the dog. Sadly it took two bounds into the brush before I could get a shot off! :bash: Our dog is a lab and it was definitely bigger than the dog. Definitely could've been a wolf here in the NE corner.