MT Wolf Population

[Drake4]

http://billingsgazette.com/news/sta...cle_312d5d1c-d140-5605-b260-a77479629fab.html

Can't wait to hear the wolf lovers argument now..I'm sure they'll come up with something good.

 

[Big Fin]

Hunters and Wildlife Services killed 205 wolves in 2011 and 44 so far this year. If we killed that many and still had this level of population increase, it is time to implement even more of the options we have.

We need to extend seasons in units that are way under harvest objective.

Time to get trapping as part of it.

Time to increase quotas in areas that got met very quickly.

Time to allow for multiple tags.

Probably many more options that can easily be implemented and not have any worry about jeopardizing the populations.

Most importantly, it is time for more hunters to get out there and start shooting them. Too much whining about wolves and not enough time spent hunting them. Same with black bears, lions, and coyotes.

 

[Lawnboy]

Global Warming

 

[JCS]

Read the article this morning. Time for you guys that live in wolf country to show us that dont live with wolves how to hunt and KILL them.

 

[SNOWCREST]

I think ALL of us in MT need to start planning out our wolf hunt for this fall now. Start researching calls, decoys etc... Wolf hunting isn't a walk in the park in my opinion, I think you'll find it's quit a challenge. Just like us from the western park of the state travel east to hunt turkeys, you in the east need to lay out time and make a trip to the west to lay one of the critters flat, they really are a beautiful trophy despite what they do as a predator.

 

[mtlion]

Here is another interesting article. Left me shaking my expletive head...

http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/activist-wants-plan-to-control-missoula-county-s-wolves/article_bd42ebca-1fc1-566f-9b41-3963a96c6e8e.html

 

[Big Fin]

Any article that quotes or relies on Toby Bridges leaves me shaking my head. The guy's opinions are way, way, way out on the fringe.

There is a reason they picked Toby to be the founder of MT SFW. Just like "peays and carrots."

 

[Ben Lamb]

Hunters and Wildlife Services killed 205 wolves in 2011 and 44 so far this year. If we killed that many and still had this level of population increase, it is time to implement even more of the options we have.

We need to extend seasons in units that are way under harvest objective.

Time to get trapping as part of it.

Time to increase quotas in areas that got met very quickly.

Time to allow for multiple tags.

Probably many more options that can easily be implemented and not have any worry about jeopardizing the populations.

Most importantly, it is time for more hunters to get out there and start shooting them. Too much whining about wolves and not enough time spent hunting them. Same with black bears, lions, and coyotes.

I'm not sold on multiple tags. I do think that we need to readjust the WMU boundaries and increase quotas in R1 specifically. R2 couldn't meet it's own quotas but trapping in select locations like 250 would be a great management option.

I'd like to see, if we extend seasons into the spring, the prohibition of shooting lactating females and pups. Just like we do with other spring predator hunts.

 

[JCS]

I think ALL of us in MT need to start planning out our wolf hunt for this fall now. Start researching calls, decoys etc... Wolf hunting isn't a walk in the park in my opinion, I think you'll find it's quit a challenge. Just like us from the western park of the state travel east to hunt turkeys, you in the east need to lay out time and make a trip to the west to lay one of the critters flat, they really are a beautiful trophy despite what they do as a predator.

I will just have to spell it out. If someone needs a hunting partner to get a wolf of 2 next season, I'm in. Have snickers bar, will travel

 

[tjones]

Multiple tags and trapping go hand in hand.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Multiple tags and trapping go hand in hand.

Two different styles of harvest.

I'd also like to see a mandatory trapper ed course for wolves like Idaho, as well as get HB 475 back.

 

[shoots-straight]

I'm not sold on multiple tags. I do think that we need to readjust the WMU boundaries and increase quotas in R1 specifically. R2 couldn't meet it's own quotas but trapping in select locations like 250 would be a great management option.

I'd like to see, if we extend seasons into the spring, the prohibition of shooting lactating females and pups. Just like we do with other spring predator hunts.

Ben, the problem I see, is as time goes on, and the new wears off of wolf hunting, many will give it up. There are certain, block headed individuals that will go no matter what. You will have guys that will have opportunities at more than one wolf, while others will only kill one if they have an opportunity during the general seasons. If your trapping, then you will have the opportunity to take more than one at a bait station or a gang type of set. This is also why we want to let the dept. have the tool to use "baiting" as a management option. Without the option to use all of these things, we will will not reduce wolf populations at all. We also need to allow the use of electronic calls for wolf, lion, and bear.

 

[nylogger]

Kill two wolfs and get a free deer tag, three an elk tag , four a moose tag, etc.etc.

 

[shoots-straight]

One only has to look north to Canada, or Alaska and see how liberal the season structures are up there. In Alaska you kill 10 in many areas. Snares, bait, electronic calling. Same day aerial hunting etc. The have a really hard time of reducing wolf populations. I know we have more acess to our wolves, but we need to push the envelope, sooner than latter. We're not in danger of pushing the populations down enough to alarm anyone. It's now a case of the ethics police getting involved. Lets face it, that's rediculous at this point.

 

[Ben Lamb]

One only has to look north to Canada, or Alaska and see how liberal the season structures are up there. In Alaska you kill 10 in many areas. Snares, bait, electronic calling. Same day aerial hunting etc. The have a really hard time of reducing wolf populations. I know we have more acess to our wolves, but we need to push the envelope, sooner than latter. We're not in danger of pushing the populations down enough to alarm anyone. It's now a case of the ethics police getting involved. Lets face it, that's rediculous at this point.

You're comparing apples and oranges. it's like saying that early season rut rifle hunts for elk in Bob are okay, so we should be able to do that in the Breaks. Different dynamics, different geography, different worlds.

Let's move to a more aggressive season, but do it with a broader view. Legislative changes for baiting and electric calls are going to be controversial and problematic and will divide the hunting community.

 

[Jon Boy]

Kill two wolfs and get a free deer tag, three an elk tag , four a moose tag, etc.etc.

Now thats an idea Last season I wasnt able to go wolf hunting because of the absolutely ridiculous NON RESIDENT PRICES. That one thing that needs to be changed.

 

[drahthaar]

We have to have multiple tags. Some guys have a knack for getting into them, some guys put in more effort, we have to let them have multiple tags. If you allow trapping, you are going to have to have multiple tags. If a guy can whack 10-20 of them, let him.
We need changes to trapping regs to allow serious bait piles, programs where trappers can get their hands on roadkill and such. You need to follow the Canadians lead on this, they already have this crap figured out!! I have said this over and over, Region 1 needs to be managed like region 4 in BC, when it comes to deer, elk, bears, wolves, etc. The Canadians are pounding wolves right now. Now is the time when ungulates are yarded up, getting pummeled by predators. You try to tell the local bios about what the Canadians are doing and they look at you like you have a third eye. They have doubled their elk numbers over the past 10 years, while we cry that there is no game left, and try to re-invent the "hunting wheel" when it comes to game management. I can't speak for other MT regions, but we could be doing so much better here in R1, and proof of that is just north of us. It drives me nuts to see the success up there when it comes to elk and deer, and we act like they are on another planet.

 

[Big O]

Now thats an idea Last season I wasnt able to go wolf hunting because of the absolutely ridiculous NON RESIDENT PRICES. That one thing that needs to be changed.

Beat me to the punch with that qoute. I spent alot of time in MT last year and will do the same this year, just too steep a price after forking out for the combo license & hopefully bear tag.

 

[tjones]

Legislative changes for baiting and electric calls are going to be controversial and problematic and will divide the hunting community.

Those are going to be THE least problematic wolf bills coming next session.

 

[Ben Lamb]

We have to have multiple tags. Some guys have a knack for getting into them, some guys put in more effort, we have to let them have multiple tags. If you allow trapping, you are going to have to have multiple tags. If a guy can whack 10-20 of them, let him.
We need changes to trapping regs to allow serious bait piles, programs where trappers can get their hands on roadkill and such. You need to follow the Canadians lead on this, they already have this crap figured out!! I have said this over and over, Region 1 needs to be managed like region 4 in BC, when it comes to deer, elk, bears, wolves, etc. The Canadians are pounding wolves right now. Now is the time when ungulates are yarded up, getting pummeled by predators. You try to tell the local bios about what the Canadians are doing and they look at you like you have a third eye. They have doubled their elk numbers over the past 10 years, while we cry that there is no game left, and try to re-invent the "hunting wheel" when it comes to game management. I can't speak for other MT regions, but we could be doing so much better here in R1, and proof of that is just north of us. It drives me nuts to see the success up there when it comes to elk and deer, and we act like they are on another planet.

How much winter range has BC lost due to an population increase? Noxious weeds ,etc? You have to look at the whole picture, not just focus on one solution. I'm all for killing wolves, but I'd rather have a good understanding of what's really going on before applying any one method.