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[OTN]

Yellowstone Wolf Experiment Out of Control ©
By Jim Slinsky
http://www.outdoortalknetwork.com

It is with great sadness that I write this column. You didn’t have to be a wildlife biologist to foresee the outcome when you mix Canadian timber wolves with the wildlife of Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone’s wildlife populations have plummeted. Wolves are brutal, vicious predators and have a tremendous impact on all wildlife in any ecosystem.
I am not exaggerating. I radio interviewed a rancher, Mr. Robert T. Fanning Jr. and a big game outfitter, Mr. William Hoppe, both of whom live within sight of Yellowstone National Park. It is a whole “New World” out there since Canadian timber wolves were introduced.
Mr. Fanning is the founder of “Friends of the Northern Yellowstone Elk Herd” and Mr. Hoppe is the President. From investing hours on the phone with these gentlemen I believe the American people and the American sportsmen are not hearing the straight story on this experiment that’s flat out of control. Montana wildlife needs some relief and so do it’s private landowners, big game outfitters and ranchers.
The original plan was for 78-100 wolves to be introduced into Yellowstone. Of course, you realize hunting is not permitted in Yellowstone or any other National Park. US Fish and Wildlife personnel were concerned wildlife populations were too high and impacting flora and fauna. (Sound familiar?) The environmentalists were screaming their theme of returning to the “Natural Order” of life in the wilds. The project went forward.
The elk herd in Yellowstone was estimated at 20,000 animals at the time of the introduction of the wolves. Historic documents reveal that Yellowstone’s elk, the largest migratory elk herd in the US, was about 30,000 at the turn of the 20th century.
In less than 10 years the effect wolves have had on Yellowstone’s wildlife has been nothing less than devastating. Elk populations hang around 10,000; the moose and deer are almost completely gone. Antelope went from 600 to 200 specimens. Sheep populations have fallen from 300 to 40, possibly an inadequate amount to repopulate the Park. Wolves are attacking horses, mules, livestock and stalking children. The economic health of the region has collapsed and so has the outfitting business north of Yellowstone.
The wolves are multiplying at the rate of 34% a year. There are now 370 wolves in Yellowstone and 770 in the tri-state area of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. Wildlife in that region is getting hammered.
Forget what you heard about wolves killing only the weak and sick. Wolves are canines and like dogs, they kill by instinct and for fun. Aerial photographs document dead, red wildlife carcasses over the landscape. Wolves practice “surplus killing” whether they are hungry or not. The wildlife of the region can not rest and they live in constant fear. Like coyotes following a deer herd, a wolf pack pursuit is relentless. One wolf will kill 23-25 mature elk a year, not counting calves. Now multiply that by 770 wolves.
The recruitment of newborn game animals into their populations has been the hardest hit. Elk calf survival is averaging 14 out of every 100. In high-density wolf areas, only 4 out of every 100 calves survive the wolf packs. Keep in mind, these wolves are not native to the region. The Rocky Mountain wolf at 80 pounds, which hunts in pairs, has been displaced by this Canadian gray wolf, which hunts in packs. This predatory machine has no predator.
The Montana Department of Game, Fish and Parks has applied to the US Fish and Wildlife Service for de-listing of the wolf from “threatened” to “game” animal status. A decision will be made in December. Environmental groups have vowed to sue and tie this up in court for years. The environmentalists will stab the US F & W Service in the back in the process. They both worked together to introduce the wolves. The residents of that region desperately need relief and start the process of controlling this insidious predator.
Wolf introduction is earmarked for all of our western states. We now know what this predator can do to our wildlife, sport hunting and the economies of these states. We also know they are being used as a divisive tool against the private property owning Americans living in that region.
We simply must say “no” to wolf reintroduction. Sportsmen, private landowners and all Americans need to recognize this program as eco-terrorism on our wildlife. It is an obvious attempt to end sport hunting.
Bill Hoppe suggests if Easterners have any doubt about the brutality and devastation of wolves, they only need come to Yellowstone and witness the carnage. We only need watch the ground turn red from the blood of our valued wildlife. We only need listen to the crying of an animal being consumed alive.
We only need listen to their screams of agony.

Read Part II of this article at:
http://www.outdoortalknetwork.com

[bitmasher]

Yellowstone elk herds have not been hammered. Current numbers show the Yellowstone herd at 30k in the summer and 15k-20k in the winter. Furthermore, studies have shown that wolves take roughly 1k of elk out of the herd per year. Even if we assumed no reproduction of the elk herd, it would be impossible to reach the elk kill you are claiming in 8 years of reintroduction.

Yellowstone big horn sheep herds have not been hammered. Current census reports put the sheep herd at 500 head.

Livestock have not been hammered. Livestock depredations in 2001 included 40 cattle, 138 sheep, 6 dogs and 4 llamas confirmed lost to wolves. These numbers are for the entire tri-state regions encompassed by WY, MT, and ID, not just yellowstone. Futhermore, the above link notes that 18 wolves were relocated and 19 were killed in 2001 because of livestock predation. That totals 6% of the 2001 wolf population, the USFW is not dragging their feet, they are removing problem wolves.

These numbers directly refute the wolf induced blood bath you portray.

Furthermore your wolf numbers are wrong. The original experimental wolf re-introduction was to reach an estimated 300 head by 2002. While current estimates put the wolf count at between 210 and 250 head in the greater yellowstone area. The 34% growth rate you state is probably based on the one stellar year (2000) that wolves had when pup survival was unusally high and adult mortality unusually low. Also assuming a starting population of 100 the 330 your quoting would have been reached in year 4 (do the math), where it has not even come close in year 8.

Where are you pulling your numbers from Jim? The numbers I have cited depict a re-introduction that is very much under control.

[gunslinger338]

All I know is here in montana wolfs are a hot issue. And from a hunters stand point late season cow tags are way down and go down every year. cow - calf ratios coming out of the game dept are way down and this trend is only around the yellowstone hunting units. the outfitters around yellowstone that watch the herds are saying its all wolf related.

[OTN]

Bitmasher,
You quote a lot of government sites, these are some of the same folks that now say they may have got it wrong. Futhermore, Digest this...

http://www.libertymatters.org/new_page_39.htm

[bucko]

HELLO WILL IM A LITTLE MAD ABOUT THIS WHOLE WOLF THING. FOR ONE THING I THINK EVERY THING WAS GOING GOOD TELL WE BROUGHT THE WOLF BACK MY GRANDFATHER WAS BORN AND RAISED IN MONTANA AND SEEN WHAT THE WOLF DID WHEN HE WAS YOUNG. HE TOLD ME BEFORE HE PASS ON THAT THE WOLF WAS THE BEST KILLER IN THE WOODS AND THAT IF I EVER SEEN ONE THE BEST THING THAT I COULD DO IS SHOOT IT AND WALK AWAY. AFTER SEEING WHAT I SAW LAST FALL IM BELIEVING HIM. WERE I HUNT IN MONTANA. EVERY TIME I GET LEAVE TO GO HOME TO HUNT USED TO BE FULL OF ELK. BUT NOW THE LAST YEAR I NEVER SEEN A ELK TRACK OR DEER. NOW I'VE KNOW THAT THEY PLANTED WOLFS THERE FOR A FEW YEARS BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THERE TRACKS. BUT THE GAME WAS STILL THERE AND I GOT MY ELK. NOW I'VE KILLED ALOT OF ELK IN THIS AREA IN FACT I HAVN'T WENT A YEAR THAT I HAVN'T TELL LAST YEAR. I SHOULD OF STARTED HUNTING WOLF'S BECAUSE THAT IS ALL THAT I SEEN THERE. SO I THINK WE SOULD **** CAN THIS IDEA!! BEFORE ALL THAT IS WALKING IN THE OF OF THE WEST IS THE WOLF!!!

[bitmasher]

Actually the best killer in the woods is in the mirror.... :wink:

I have no problem with a rancher taking out a wolf if it is chewing on the livestock. I also have no problem with wolves being hunted like any other game animal. Same goes for national park game, predator or prey we should be allowed to hunt them.

However, the wolf deserves a place in the woods in my opinion. Sorry you didn't tag an elk this season Bucko, but I have a hard time believing it was souly the wolves fault.

Anyway welcome to the board, Bucko, always nice to have new people to kick around thoughts with.

[Keepitsimple]

SSS...if you know what it means good, if not it doesn't matter anyway.

[donmillion]

Getting all of your information from the government is a good way to get biased data, bitmasher. Getting all of your information from a rancher and an outfitter is an even better way to get biased data, OTN. I have no doubt that the truth is somewhere in between.

[supersider34]

I for one do not blame the wolves and do not belive it is as bad as they said in yellowstone. I watched a documentary on snowmobliing in Yellowstone and they showed video of elk wintering there starving to death. Literally. I saw it and was dumbfounded over why not drop feed in for them if they are basically pets as some think. I didnt see no elk being eaten alive from a wolf. Hummmm. Makes me wonder. I tell you what though I have heard nothing but whining from ranchers and outfitters over this issue for so long that it makes me sick. ranchers get more for there cattle if killed by a wolf than if the highest bidder at a sale bought it. The outfitter is whining because if he cant get a client on any game then they blame it on the wolf so he doesn't look bad. A good reason to take money from someone and still save face.
But the issue of the wolf I hear how they are killing all the game that is crap. i have researched wolves for alot of years in high school and I for one do not believe wolves kill just to kill. They kill to eat and take care of there own. So to hear how they go threw to kill everything is crap. The knowledge they have of living in the outdoors knowing when where and what game they have seen in between meals is going to go kill offf there food source. I think not. If they know to take care of one another and know when to take out a injured pack member. Wolves do understand that if we go kill this whole herd of elk or deer will we have food next month? Yeah right come on they are not stupid. humans think and so do all game. So to tell me this is wasting your breath or time of writing a response to me.
This is one subject that gets me going the worst. I am a hunter and I take game every year I have hunted and I will say this i will take game every year I hunt. If I dont it is the lack of effort on my part and not on any predator out there.

[supersider34]

Instead of quoting what other people say do research on the wolf itself and read the materials on the make ups of what wolves are about. Then make a decision instead of reading what one side or the other is saying about them.
they seemed to of not took out the game population before we took over this country and another point that was given on another post is if the predators or wolves in general are going to wipe out all of our game then why in Canada does the herds and record book animals still come from there.
just another thought to put in there.

[Keepitsimple]

I've heard tell that balisstic tip bullets are untraceable? Is that true?

[rather_be_huntin]

Give me a break. Wolves have been in North American for centuries and the elk and deer have all survived just fine. They don't do near the damage humans do I'll tell you that right now. I think wolves are a part of nature and who are we to decide they no longer have a place there. Nature has its own balance. Furthermore I do believe that people are overexaggerating the effects the wolves are having in Yellowstone. I was in Yellowstone last summer and saw plenty of elk. Didn't see any wolves chasing them around.

With that being said the wolves do need to be regulated. If studies do in fact show that they are having a significant impact on other species I would be angry if they didn't issue tags and a hunting season the control the population. If a livestock owner sees a wolf endangering his property I think he should have every right to shoot it. My point is there has to be a middle ground. I just will never believe we have the right to wipe a species off the face of the earth. If its wolf habitat they should be there and regulated like any other animal.

[expatriate]

Ditto. I don't doubt that numbers have dropped since wolves were introduced. But then again, I suspect that Yellowstone's wildlife populations were unnaturally high in the first place because they had absolutely nothing to keep them in balance.

Given that environment, I don't doubt that introduced wolves would reproduce rapidly amid the Yellowstone smorgasbord. Yet as you pointed out, nature has a way of keeping things balanced. If herd numbers drop too far, wolf populations will collapse from lack of prey. If humanity eats all the fish in the sea, we'll just switch to something else. Wolves don't have that luxury, and I challenge anyone to present a case where one native species (man excluded) caused the extinction of another. And yes, wolves count as native because they lived in Yellowstone for eons until recent history.

Lewis and Clark reported an amazing abundance of wildlife throughout the West at a time when wolves were numerous and unrestrained. I empathize with the ranchers and agree that wolves attacking livestock deserve a bullet. But I don't for a minute buy the idea that wolves will wipe out wildlife in Yellowstone.

Perhaps the bigger problem is what the wolf population is going to do when nature's pendulum swings the other way and they don't have enough wildlife to support their numbers anymore. Aside from ranchers outside the park, there's campers and hikers inside Yellowstone, too. I'm not suggesting human predation, but you might see more incidents as wolves go after human food sources.

[ This Message was edited by: expatriate on 2003-03-12 22:36 ]

[bitmasher]

Quote:
Getting all of your information from the government is a good way to get biased data...


That is true; however I posted it simply to show that there is a dramatically different view than what the original opinion piece states as fact.

Another example that you don't hear about much when debating wolves is cougars. In most western states and Candian provinces cougars have active populations, CO is estimated at around 3000 cats (10 times larger than the wolf head count mentioned above) and these are "government numbers", so using the logic mentioned above, it is probably considerably higher.

Cougars munch on deer at rates at least equal to the consumption of wolves from what I have read, yet few claim that we should wipe out the cougars because they put to great a load on the game populations. I don't understand why wolves cause such a fuss (even at the relatively tiny numbers mentioned above) when cougars have shown that it is possible to have big prey, big predators, and people coexist.

[Hpooley]

Biased data is a problem on both sides. Some of the things that I am concerned about are the safety of those using the mountains. Bears are hard enough to deal with but camping with young children in wolf areas is not something I would be interested in.

Another is the fact that the hunting community has spent a lot of time and resources to insure the existence of wildlife through programs such as the RMEF. The biggest killer of wildlife is the lack of winter range that has been consumed by the human race. Hunting provides the revenue that is needed provide the resources to support wildlife. Hunting also provides a controlled method to manage herd sizes. The herd benefits and the hunters benefit as animals are not wasted to winter kill. Introducing wolves will reduce the hunter population and in tern the revenue. Pressure from predators like wolves and from the human consumption of winter range put the game animals right in the middle of a vice which they are bound to loose. Few game animal hunters will be interested in predator hunting. If game animal numbers are significantly reduced hunters will abandon the sport and the loss of revenue will be great.

I think everyone is going to loose in this deal.