Another one bites the dust: dead transplanted wolf in Colorado

[lastlight]

Wolves have had such an impact on the part of western Wyoming that I live in, that you can only kill three elk a year now. Wolves are exactly what Buzz says they are: an excuse for hunters and a reason to complain.
I won't be holding my breath for the eminent collapse of elk and deer hunting being foretold by all the winers in Colorado.

How many times of all you spoiled Wyoming brats hunted country that doesn’t have a million private ranches for elk to safely winter on every year? Yea come back to me when you come over here and get your ass kicked. Might see 3 elk, probably won’t tho.

Lol kidding a little I’m genuine jealous of Wyoming, easiest elk hunting I ever experienced over there. It was like shooting fish in a barrel.

 

[BuzzH]

Buzz how many times have you hunted in the LoLo pre and post wolf reintroduction?

Yeah more burns would help, I agree. But if you knew about the elk slaughter every winter in the Clearwater River basin from wolves you’d stop and think a moment. It’s ruff country, no where for those elk to hide (private ranches). Get a snowmobile and ride into this country in February.

Comparing Wyoming landscape dynamics to the Lolo and Selway is beyond stupid. It’s all regional. Wolves have drastic effects in some areas and less in others. That’s a fact. I fill my elk tag every year in a sub 10% success unit (almost all success is from outfitters), doesn’t mean i should pretend it’s not very difficult compared to before wolves. And my regional
F&G reps agree every time. That’s why they pay professional wolf hunters. TO HELP THE ELK HERDS.

So where specifically? I've hunted quite a bit on the Idaho/Montana border near the headwaters of Kelly Creek, West Fork of Fish Creek, Admiral Peak, Cedar Log lakes, Indian Ridge, all forks of Indian Creek.

Comparable enough?

I've hunted NW Montana every year since 1979....so however many years that is. Almost all of it in the areas reoccupied by the Flathead and Ninemile wolves as well as the reintroduced wolves.

So, yeah been around them longer than the reintroduction.

Wolves have not wiped out elk anywhere and they wont in Colorado either.

 

[BuzzH]

How many times of all you spoiled Wyoming brats hunted country that doesn’t have a million private ranches for elk to safely winter on every year? Yea come back to me when you come over here and get your ass kicked. Might see 3 elk, probably won’t tho.

Well, let's see...45 years in NW Montana in wolf, grizzly, and mountain lion central. All on public land.

You?

 

[Laszlo Cravensworth]

Well, let's see...45 years in NW Montana in wolf, grizzly, and mountain lion central. All on public land.

You?

You don't get it Buzz. Wolves are special and different in every place they go outside of Montana, Wyoming, and the great lakes.

They kill all the people and stampede the cattle when they move into a new area.

 

[mtmuley]

You don't get it Buzz. Wolves are special and different in every place they go outside of Montana, Wyoming, and the great lakes.

They kill all the people and stampede the cattle when they move into a new area.

And pets and children. mtmuley

 

[Banger]

Lolo and Selway...habitat issues, well documented longgg before wolves were reintroduced. Frank Church, same deal. Bob, pounding on elk with a rifle Sept. 15-end of November, yep it's the wolves fault.

Search function will lead you to the first light.

Carry on.

I would offer that wolves DID have an impact in the Frank Church. We killed bulls annually hunting one of the numerous huge burns, but elk sightings steadily decreased as the years went by. The amount of feed for elk was staggering towards the end, but simply unused. I question the habitat excuse given the frequency of large burns in that country.
So we quit the Frank in the early 2000’s and started hunting Wyoming. Way easier hunting, better habitat, and more elk.

 

[bayoublaster7527]

It is hard for me to have much sympathy for how the Colorado wolf reintroduction has failed. And not because I hate wolves. It is the product of watching the Governor and First Gentleman repeatedly manipulate CPW and stack the commission with anti-hunting activists. And listening to the “wolf advocates” rant and rave at every meeting about how hunting and trapping is the moral equivalent of slavery, every rancher is evil, and launch death threats against CPW officers. Starts to wear on a well-intentioned hunter who honestly believes in conservation.

 

[lastlight]

So where specifically? I've hunted quite a bit on the Idaho/Montana border near the headwaters of Kelly Creek, West Fork of Fish Creek, Admiral Peak, Cedar Log lakes, Indian Ridge, all forks of Indian Creek.

Comparable enough?

I've hunted NW Montana every year since 1979....so however many years that is. Almost all of it in the areas reoccupied by the Flathead and Ninemile wolves as well as the reintroduced wolves.

So, yeah been around them longer than the reintroduction.

Wolves have not wiped out elk anywhere and they wont in Colorado either.

Im talking Idaho Unit 10/12. Not entirely sure where those elk winter you've hunted on that side but there is civilization over there. In the heart of clearwater basin they winter on the river bottoms completely void of private and humans from Nov-June. There used to be 20-30K elk over here. I talked to the biologist this year and the latest count was around 300-400 total for unit 12, no idea on numbers in 10 yet. She mentioned wolves have had a major affect. Mountain lions are thick over here and kill more than they have to because wolves know how to take their kills.

You'd be the only one if you truly hunt NW MT every year that doesnt think wolves have reduced elk numbers drastically.

Again, its all regional. Where I hunted in WY I had wolves howling around me and a boat load of elk and deer. Different country and winter grounds. And I imagine wolf hunters have more success in that accessible country. All my guide friends from the Lolo to the Frank know wolves are the culprit over the last 10-15 years, especially.

 

[BuzzH]

Im talking Idaho Unit 10/12. Not entirely sure where those elk winter you've hunted on that side but there is civilization over there. In the heart of clearwater basin they winter on the river bottoms completely void of private and humans from Nov-June. There used to be 20-30K elk over here. I talked to the biologist this year and the latest count was around 300-400 total for unit 12, no idea on numbers in 10 yet. She mentioned wolves have had a major affect. Mountain lions are thick over here and kill more than they have to because wolves know how to take their kills.

You'd be the only one if you truly hunt NW MT every year that doesnt think wolves have reduced elk numbers drastically.

Again, its all regional. Where I hunted in WY I had wolves howling around me and a boat load of elk and deer. Different country and winter grounds. And I imagine wolf hunters have more success in that accessible country. All my guide friends from the Lolo to the Frank know wolves are the culprit over the last 10-15 years, especially.

May not be a winter range problem and if you believe the biologists, research, etc. its most likely a summer range issue for a variety of reasons.

No, I'm not the only one that thinks that, most that pay a lick of attention and have a clue know the reduced elk numbers can not be blamed on one issue. There are a ton of other factors that go into it, including in Montana at least, continued antlerless harvest via archery hunters and youth. Do we want to discuss 12 week MT general OTC hunting seasons?

What do you blame on the declines that were happening long before wolves were even reintroduced?

Well cheer up, I'm sure Idaho will continue to issue you an OTC tag to pound on what's left. They do the same thing in Montana.

Yep, its all the wolves...

 

[Blue Steel]

Wolves have had such an impact on the part of western Wyoming that I live in, that you can only kill three elk a year now. Wolves are exactly what Buzz says they are: an excuse for hunters and a reason to complain.
I won't be holding my breath for the eminent collapse of elk and deer hunting being foretold by all the winers in Colorado.

Different states take different approaches to wolves and other predators.

Wolves are also actively managed in WY where you are.

Not in Oregon (ie, no wolf tags to buy OTC, no trapping). Unless they kill livestock, which sometimes means ODFW has to come in to remove multiple wolves at once. Even the County Sheriff's Office website has a link on their homepage to report wolf "interactions".

And at least one of those wolves Oregon donated to Colorado a few years ago (donated out of my primary elk hunting unit, no less), already had a history of livestock attacks. The reason why Oregon donated the wolves from NE Oregon is because we have plenty to spare.

 

[Blue Steel]

You don't get it Buzz. Wolves are special and different in every place they go outside of Montana, Wyoming, and the great lakes.

They kill all the people and stampede the cattle when they move into a new area.

You're there in S Oregon, and I'm not sure if you've ever hunted NE Oregon, but would you agree different states have taken different approaches to managing predators, including wolves? If so, has Oregon been doing a good job managing predators and elk herds, esp. in NE Oregon?

 

[Blue Steel]

And pets and children. mtmuley

What are you talking about? Are you Buzz's burner account?