Northern Colorado wolves

[blicero]

Now that wolves are establishing themselves in the Rawahs, does anyone who has spent time elk hunting with wolves in the mix have any insights to share about how wolf presence changes elk behavior and hunting strategies?

 

[ElkNut1]

Eventually it will. I remember when wolves were 1st introduced here in our area of Idaho many of us felt there would be an immediate impact on our elk hunting. As time went on it was 10-12 years after introduction that we noticed anything at all. -- Of course if you have greater numbers to start with than us then it could differ.

Bottom line, the elk adjust, the wolves adjust & we adjust. We adjust because we have too, doesn't mean we like it but it is what it is! Go hunting as we do & don't worry about wolves, do your part in willing to be persistent & not give up & you'll succeed! Elk hunting was never meant to be easy! (grin)

ElkNut

 

[LongWayAround]

There are not enough of them and they haven't been around long enough to affect anything.

 

[cnelk]

We’ve already seen a change where elk and deer have been wintering than in years past - just based on the amount of sheds we aren’t finding

 

[TreeWalking]

We’ve already seen a change where elk and deer have been wintering than in years past - just based on the amount of sheds we aren’t finding

If the wolves are where the snow gets deep enough to slow the elk down and there are maintained roads in the area then the wolves will stay very healthy and have large litters since the energy expended to run down an elk is much less than in roadless areas. Oil and gas have been a great friend of the wolf.

 

[blicero]

We’ve already seen a change where elk and deer have been wintering than in years past - just based on the amount of sheds we aren’t finding

I was poking around on YouTube and found this random guy's video; he was hiking West Branch / Camp Lake trail a week ago and mentions around the 14:30 timestamp seeing two large wolves up there. So they've definitely come into Laramie River drainage and aren't just hanging Walden anymore

 

[Overdrive]

I was poking around on YouTube and found this random guy's video; he was hiking West Branch / Camp Lake trail a week ago and mentions around the 14:30 timestamp seeing two large wolves up there. So they've definitely come into Laramie River drainage and aren't just hanging Walden anymore

Different pack in Laramie River the ranchers have seen grey colored wolves there. The North Park pack is all black all 8 of them.

 

[Overdrive]

This was west of Honholz lakes last year 3rd season.

 

[cnelk]

August 2020 - North Park

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Wolves are great...gotta love a good thrill kill. Herd of 19 killed for fun.
Earlier generations were much smarter than we are now.