I dont understand the hostility towards wolf reintroduction in Colorado

I don't know what all of the answers are, but Colorado is on the same path as Washington State.

Although introducing wolves in the fashion that CO is doing is at best misguided, that will be nothing compared to the coming multi-pronged assault on hunting as a tool for conservation and game management, and on hunting culture and hunter recruitment.

Within 10 years, or certainly within 15 years, there will be article after article about how climate change and disease caused the decimation to moose, elk, and mule deer numbers in Colorado over just a few years in the 2030s.

In addition to predator management being unthinkable from a moral standpoint according to the so called "defending wildlife and conservation groups" who will be getting funded by the ignorant-educated urban dwellers, many of these groups, who will by then effectively control the CPW, also will proclaim that predator management would be misguided anyway. Because ungulate diseases that wolves were supposed to cure, will then be replaced by other diseases that will be the clear result of climate change causing more bugs but less ungulates to survive. For instance, tick burdens that didn't seem to bother ungulates prior to being chased constantly by predators will suddenly become a problem and the result of climate change.

There will be a silver lining reported though. All of the plant communities that were in retrospect on the verge of extinction and not being well managed by CPW, will be allowed to flourish when relieved of excessive browsing and grazing pressure...even despite climate change.
Bookmark this post and revisit it in 10 years. It’s almost like you can see into the future. Sad, but it’s probably exactly how it’s going to play out.
 
A few Colorado wolves are being tracked near the Wyoming border. Got into the severe winter kill area from a few years ago and kept on going north looking for some animals. Just a thought.
 

I dont understand the hostility towards wolf reintroduction in Colorado​


^^ Now that there is funny, I don't care who you are LOL!!!
 
The healthy wildlife in MN is in and around the Cities - because the wolves are there yet. If you want a wolf season you need to introduce them into the cities, then you will see how fast the love for them turns.
 
In 2022 Minnesota and Wisconsin released updated wolf plans, those links are easily searchable on this forum. Suggest reading those plans as the issues become readily apparent and are at root a rural vs urban conflict. If wolves aren’t in your backyard there is no problem. Reimbursement for livestock losses is discussed in the Minnesota plan, they honestly point out that payments are short term and the costs will eventually born entirely by the producers as the majority of the voting public live outside the range of the wolves and will not support an assistance program for the rural population.
as a landowner in MN I can tell you the deer have disappeared too
 
Have you researched how wolf re-introduction impacts moose?
sad deal with the success of the CPW with the moose will be wiped clean quickly. I tell everyone I know, go on that moose hunt soon because they will be gone. The next batch of transplants will be in my backyard of Gunnison I fear.
 
sad deal with the success of the CPW with the moose will be wiped clean quickly. I tell everyone I know, go on that moose hunt soon because they will be gone. The next batch of transplants will be in my backyard of Gunnison I fear.
100%. Just look at Alaska. Zero moose.
 
If I'm not mistaken, and this is my biggest worry. It is less about the reintroduction, (they are already moving in on their own), but more about how Colorado will plan to manage the populations. We need to focus on making clear guidelines for what constitutes "reintroduced" we need to be able to take them off the endangered list here ASAP, and be able to regulate their populations via normal North American Wildlife Conservation models.

If we can't manage the populations, we'll for sure see negative effects on elk, moose, and deer populations before they have a chance to change their habits based around a new, formerly absent predator. We haven't had a pack hunting threat in the Colorado mountains for a very long time. The animals here don't remember what it is like to run from those kinds of threats. They'll be at a major disadvantage for a good period of time before they learn to change their habits to accommodate the new threat.

I'm no expert, and no biologist, I know there are some benefits to having them, and some negatives. The other main issue with reintroduction in Colorado, is the fact that we already have a booming and arguably over-populated lion and black bear population set. And Colorado is trying to further restrict predator hunting which is going to further cripple, not only undulate populations, but also hunter contributions and conservation fund loss because fewer people will have desire to hunt here now.
 
As expected, first predation event. The article details that under newly formed Colorado statute to reimburse ranchers for loss to wolves, only $15,000 per rancher per year is permitted. If this wolf gets a taste for calves during calving season, it wouldn’t take long to surpass that allocation…


fwiw this could easily be one of the several documented wolves not reintroduced this year, but crossed naturally from Wyomings population.
 
If I'm not mistaken, and this is my biggest worry. It is less about the reintroduction, (they are already moving in on their own), but more about how Colorado will plan to manage the populations. We need to focus on making clear guidelines for what constitutes "reintroduced" we need to be able to take them off the endangered list here ASAP, and be able to regulate their populations via normal North American Wildlife Conservation models.

If we can't manage the populations, we'll for sure see negative effects on elk, moose, and deer populations before they have a chance to change their habits based around a new, formerly absent predator. We haven't had a pack hunting threat in the Colorado mountains for a very long time. The animals here don't remember what it is like to run from those kinds of threats. They'll be at a major disadvantage for a good period of time before they learn to change their habits to accommodate the new threat.

I'm no expert, and no biologist, I know there are some benefits to having them, and some negatives. The other main issue with reintroduction in Colorado, is the fact that we already have a booming and arguably over-populated lion and black bear population set. And Colorado is trying to further restrict predator hunting which is going to further cripple, not only undulate populations, but also hunter contributions and conservation fund loss because fewer people will have desire to hunt here now.
Nailed it.

Shameless plug for CRWM.

www.savethehuntcolorado.com
 
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