No wolves around Missoula?

[hnt4life]

Found this article. http://www.ktvq.com/news/possible-wolf-sighting-in-missoula-neighborhood-sparks-concern/ Thought it was interesting that "state wildlife officials" said there are no wolf packs within 30 miles of Missoula. Oh yeah, there are also the multiple reports of wolves on Mount Jumbo, and the wolf I shot that was within long shooting distance of houses. So, my question is, why are supposed "wildlife officials" still denying that wolves, and lots of them, are hunting in our backyards? Politics still?

 

[jryoung]

Packs/dens are not they same as wandering wolves, expelled juveniles, no?

 

[hnt4life]

Uh? No, JR they are not. I would say the four wolves that the man encountered on Mount Jumbo while walking his dog would be considered a pack. I would think that the three wolves that were in the exact same area as the wolf I shot now have one less member in their pack. Admittedly, the intent of the reporter including this 30 mile away business is unclear. I would think that six or eight years ago, a wandering wolf or expelled juvenile would be more plausible, but in the last several years, there have been numerous congregations, slews, myriads of wolves in very close proximity to one another (close enough that the observer could see a multitude at one time) observed close to Missoula.

 

[belly-deep]

I always figure that when the guvmit is involved, they either don't tell us half of what they know or they only know half of what they think they do.

 

[jryoung]

I always figure that when the guvmit is involved, they either don't tell us half of what they know or they only know half of what they think they do.

Layer on 99% of reporters trying to communicate a condensed story and you get quite the turd sandwich.

 

[hnt4life]

...or they think we only know half of what we really do.

 

[hnt4life]

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I hear a lot of people who believe wolves are still extremely rare, and are only found in the far reaches of wilderness. I don't believe that the wolves we are seeing close to town are just cruising through. A lot of large elk herds are spending more time closer to town and lower in the valley, and not in the hills. The foothills around Missoula also support a lot of deer and smaller game. Wolves will follow the food,

 

[shoots-straight]

Might be they receive a different kind of love here, but I"ve seen less sign around Hamilton than in past years. Only one pack encounter all hunting season.

 

[hnt4life]

Could be. I would be willing to bet that most people hiking with their dogs (or without) around Missoula are not looking to shoot a wolf. Maybe with the sharp decline of the bitterroot elk, the wolves are moving to different ground ie, lower deer and moose habitat? Best case scenario is that the wolves themselves there have been thinned out a little.

 

[mtmuley]

What sharp decline of Bitterroot elk? mtmuley

 

[hnt4life]

I was just thinking the West Fork Herd going from around 2000 animals to about 775 in four years, and calf recruitment at 9 calves per 100 is a fairly sharp decline. The East Fork herd has faired a little better. I'm not saying wolves are completely responsible for this decline. The FWP study of bitterroot elk found lions as the top killer with bears and wolves following. Of course, humans kill a portion as well.

My point is, I would think the wolves would follow their food source. According to biologists, elk make up 61% of the bitterroot wolves' diets. (side note: I just figured out that the total elk herd declined right at 61% and elk make up 61% of bitterroot wolves' diets. Just a coincidence though.) If the food that I ate 61% of the time to stay alive was reduced by 61%, I would be looking somewhere else for food.

 

[tjones]

.........,,