Wolves back on the endangered species list in the west??

[frank church guy]

i hope i am not pissing mr avery off. If I am I will quit social media. I dont want that. I know why I don't belong

 

[Trap]

We can agree or disagree on optimal wolf numbers in our fine state. However, my own personal observation is that the wolves we have aren't as easy to find as some make it out. On average, I'll run into a wolf or two a year... but many years I've not seen a one. In spite of many nights a year spent on the hill between Island Park, the Lemhis, beaverheads, pioneers, boise river, Lowman area, and sometimes in the white clouds... I rarely hear a howl or find a track. I've run into a pack in the white clouds, another by Sunbeam, and another above salmon. but the rest of my encounters have been with solo wolves, usually glassed at a distance.

I usually see tons of tracks lion hunting but rarely see wolves. but I am in the panhandle jungle when lion hunting sometimes you can’t see 5 yards

 

[Wrench]

Church guy, I don't think I'd sweat Ryan being pissed

You bring something special to this place. There's not many who can say they have wintered where you're at. That kind of experience is worth a lot to a whole bunch of us.

Keep feeding information, many of us appreciate it.

 

[BadDogPSD]

If you guys haven't read the book 'The Real Wolf' I highly recommend it. I believe I first heard about it on this website a few years ago...

 

[BadDogPSD]

ypu are telling me I am not looking hard ? i run around everyday trying to hunt these guys. I hope i am confusing threads

I don't think Ryan was responding to you. He quoted @packgoatguy .

 

[3325]

How did Idaho and Montana get so far over recovery population goals? At the end of 2021, Wyoming had an estimated 327 wolves total. Outside of national parks and reservations, Wyoming had 147 wolves in 11 packs.

 

[N.ID7803]

Because we were not allowed to manage them until 2011, so from 1996-2011 they feasted on dumb, unsuspecting big game with little intervention. Even after 2011 there was a huge learning curve for local trappers/hunters. Most take was incidental during general hunting season in Sept-Oct.

 

[QuackAttack]

How did Idaho and Montana get so far over recovery population goals? At the end of 2021, Wyoming had an estimated 327 wolves total. Outside of national parks and reservations, Wyoming had 147 wolves in 11 packs.

many of the counts are lies. Some of the people creating the numbers are intentionally dishonest because they see it as their job to protect the poor fuzzy wolves and if they gave accurate numbers, hunters would shoot them.


They lie for the greater good…noble purpose and all…

 

[Ross]

As noted after they reached the agreed amount of recovery litigation by some montana peach of a judge halted the ability to mange once objective was reached….the fiasco then began for Idaho and Montana to try to manage in a losing battle now trying to level the playing field and get to a reasonable number of them..good luck on that they say February is a good month to be after them as it is mating season only good one a dead one

 

[QuackAttack]

https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/judge-restores-protections-gray-wolves-us-82809306

 

[Chris_in_Idaho]

So we can still hunt them in Idaho?

 

[QuackAttack]

So we can still hunt them in Idaho?

for now.

But, that ruling should terrify anyone who wants science based management. The population the judge is protecting is older and better established than many western packs. Under that logic, you could ban sport hunting entirely. Its so open ended and not based on actual management practices, that it could be precedent for anything.

 

[wind gypsy]

for now.

But, that ruling should terrify anyone who wants science based management. The population the judge is protecting is older and better established than many western packs. Under that logic, you could ban sport hunting entirely. Its so open ended and not based on actual management practices, that it could be precedent for anything.

From what I've read about this, the relisting has nothing to do with biology or supposed risk to the wolf population and everything to do with the Fish and Wildlife Service not following all of the requirements of delisting under the ESA.

 

[OMB]

From what I've read about this, the relisting has nothing to do with biology or supposed risk to the wolf population and everything to do with the Fish and Wildlife Service not following all of the requirements of delisting under the ESA.

sounds like exactly what the Wisconsin DNR is doing right now. They refuse to put a plan in front of the state Natural Resources Board, and until they do, a state judge says a wolf hunt can't happen. Recovery was supposed to happen at 350 wolves, the DNR estimates we're at 1100+, and we killed over 200 in 3 days last February (nobody believes the DNR estimates, in other words.)

Judges striking down scientific management is bad, but it's even worse when the supposedly neutral scientific management is being purposefully obtuse.

 

[Zappaman]

Submitted...

 

[danrippa]

Unreal

 

[TaylorSnipesOutside]

We can play the blame game all day. This fight was coming either way. The fact is Idaho was not killing enough wolves! There were more pups being born in a calendar year than wolves killed in a calendar year according to the IF&G. IMO the percentage of wolves killed in Idaho this year won't increase much.

I just got back from a trip to the Selway. The wolves have moved into the area I have been hunting for the last couple of years. It was a ghost town. But we did manage to kill one. I wish all hunters could see the carnage I have witnessed from these vile land sharks over the last 15 years. Please comment on the link above!View attachment 329111

I hunted 7,9, and 10 last fall. Wherever there was elk sign, and there wasn't a ton, there were bear tracks in the elk tracks. Didn't hear a wolf in two weeks. A trapper I talked to hadn't seen a fresh track in 5 weeks. However, in the spring I was covered up in wolves.

To me it seems like north Idaho public land is officially a "predator pit" as Val Geist has termed. Wolves blow through an area and kill most of the game, then bears move in and enjoy all the browse that isn't being eaten, and keep game suppressed by eating ungulate offspring.

 

[N.ID7803]

I hunted 7,9, and 10 last fall. Wherever there was elk sign, and there wasn't a ton, there were bear tracks in the elk tracks. Didn't hear a wolf in two weeks. A trapper I talked to hadn't seen a fresh track in 5 weeks. However, in the spring I was covered up in wolves.

To me it seems like north Idaho public land is officially a "predator pit" as Val Geist has termed. Wolves blow through an area and kill most of the game, then bears move in and enjoy all the browse that isn't being eaten, and keep game suppressed by eating ungulate offspring.

Units 7 and 9 are interesting units. There has been a lot of wolf trappers and hunters in those units taking out a lot of wolves, yet the animal populations do not seem to be rebounding like one would think. Will be interesting to see what that fire does to the area.

 

[TaylorSnipesOutside]

Units 7 and 9 are interesting units. There has been a lot of wolf trappers and hunters in those units taking out a lot of wolves, yet the animal populations do not seem to be rebounding like one would think. Will be interesting to see what that fire does to the area.

In unit 7 last spring, I was bear hunting and had a wolf in my scope chasing a whitetail at 330 yards cross canyon and I pulled the trigger leading 6 inches high and a foot in front of its head... aaaand my safety was on. FML

I then cussed myself and heard what I'm pretty sure was a bear under my on my side of the hill scramble down and out of my life.

Then turkeys gobbled and wolves howled all around me. That was a dark, lonely walk in the woods back to my truck.

Fortunately, I got a bear several days later, 2.5 weeks into my hunt. That was a tough win. Shit eating grin the whole drive back to Florida.

 

[N.ID7803]

In unit 7 last spring, I was bear hunting and had a wolf in my scope chasing a whitetail at 330 yards cross canyon and I pulled the trigger leading 6 inches high and a foot in front of its head... aaaand my safety was on. FML

I then cussed myself and heard what I'm pretty sure was a bear under my on my side of the hill scramble down and out of my life.

Then turkeys gobbled and wolves howled all around me. That was a dark, lonely walk in the woods back to my truck.

Fortunately, I got a bear several days later, 2.5 weeks into my hunt. That was a tough win. Shit eating grin the whole drive back to Florida.

That's rough man. At least you didn't go home empty handed. Bear tastes better than wolf anyways. I let one get too close to me last fall and missed, watched $2K run out of my life. That was long walk back to the truck.