Here we go again

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Tue, 2011-12-13 13:05

numbnutz

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Location: portland,oregon

Joined: 09/06/2007

Posts: 3050

Here we go again

Another dead cow found from another wolf attack, I think the anti's that are delaying the removal of some of the wolfs should pay the rancher for his losses instead of the tax payers.

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/news/2011/december/121311.asp

Tue, 2011-12-13 13:57

Critter

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Location: Western Colorado

Joined: 03/26/2009

Posts: 2775

It even appears that wolfs

It even appears that wolfs are causing even more problems in the Montana/Yellowstone areas with mountain lion cubs. This last weekend I watched a couple of shows on the Discovery channel or Animal planet on cougars and they are thinking that the wolfs are killing the kittens. Right now it is a lot of speculation but that is the way that their studies are leaning.

So it may get interesting when the find out that the decrease in mountain lions is caused by the wolfs in the areas, then who are the tree hugers going to blame.

Tue, 2011-12-13 17:11

Ca_Vermonster

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Location: San Diego, CA

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Oh, I am sure they will blame

Oh, I am sure they will blame hunters somehow. Probably say that if we hadn't killed the elk, then the wolves would not need to be preying on the mountain lion cubs....

Sat, 2011-12-31 21:54

Kurgan

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Joined: 12/31/2011

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is that not true though? just

is that not true though? just wondering.

Mon, 2012-01-02 09:49

Romey

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Location: Montana

Joined: 10/24/2006

Posts: 449

Uh NO

Mon, 2012-01-02 10:09

Kurgan

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Joined: 12/31/2011

Posts: 7

If there are five eggs in a

If there are five eggs in a basket, and I take one, and you take one, then one gets hit by a car, that only leaves 2 eggs... so instead of having egg salad sandwiches the wolf family decides to go out for fried chicken instead. makes sense to me, but perhaps it's too politically charged for me to even be talking about.

Mon, 2012-01-02 11:39

Umpqua Hunter

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Joined: 05/26/2011

Posts: 56

Hi Kurgan: IMHO the problem

Hi Kurgan: IMHO the problem with wolves that feed on cows is often not an issue of if there is enough game, but rather a wolf that becomes conditioned to hunting the easier prey.

A wolf does not say, "oh there are plenty of deer, so I am not going to kill that moo cow". It is far easier to hunt a dumb moo cow then a wary elk, and when a preditor learns it is easier to hunt ribeye steak then a wary deer or elk, that becomes that preditors preferred prey. Even where there is plenty of game, certain preditors become accustomed to livestock. What I understand from the situation in Oregon is there are specific wolves (the alpha male and one other wolf in the pack) that are doing the damage, and Fish and Game believes those specific wolves need to be harvested.

I live in cougar country. I have 50+ game camera pictures in the last year of four different cougars. Only a few hundred yards from where these pictures were taken there are cattle and sheep, yet rarely do the cougar kill the livestock. I have also never seen one of these cats. However when a cougar does start killing livestock, Fish and Game will authorize harvesting that cat using hounds.

Fri, 2012-01-13 10:37

Romey

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Location: Montana

Joined: 10/24/2006

Posts: 449

Trained biologist go out and

Trained biologist go out and count X amount of say Elk for example. They conclude that a certain amount of land of that area can sustain a certain amount of elk if this number exceeds that sustainability more tags are issued. Within those tags a certain percent or success rate is factored in. If that herd is in decline, tags go down to maintain herd numbers and herd heath. Wolves dont care and have a much much higher rate of success rate then any group of hunters ever. Entire seasons are closed perminantly in Montana due to wolves and recovery may not ever happen.

So no, its NOT the same effect as hunters have.

I know of some calving grounds where a person could see elk by the hundreds and youll do well now to see a single cow in the whole unit.
I also hypothesis that this is also part of the reason there has been a major upswing in bear attacks in the last few years.