Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Wolf hunting has been hard going with theweather turning cold and the snow getting deeper,but the bag harvesting of the carnivorous wolf is at 131 with 89 wolves left to harvest.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Wolf Kills
October 10,2009 The wolf hunt in MOntana"s Yellowstone district is terminated for a while as the quota is getting close to 9 wolves harvested.
Sept.30,2009
Wolf hunters in Idaho have bagged 15 wolves as of tonight.
Wolf hunters in Montana have harvested 7 wolves since the opener.
Sept.30,2009
Wolf hunters in Idaho have bagged 15 wolves as of tonight.
Wolf hunters in Montana have harvested 7 wolves since the opener.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Wolves at a Glance
Wolf education
Sept.25,2009
As today draws to a close,there have been no wolves harvested in Idaho or Montana.
"Wolf packs typically include a breeding pair, their offspring, and other non-breeding adults. The average pack size is 8.1 animals.
Wolves are capable of mating by age two or three; sometimes form lifelong bond.
Wolves can live 13 years and reproduce past 10 years.
An average of five pups are born in early spring. They and are cared for by the entire pack. For the first six weeks, pups are reared in dens.
Dens are often used year after year.
Pups depend on mother's milk for the first month, then weaned and fed regurgitated meat brought by pack members.
By seven to eight months, pups begin traveling with the adults.
After a year or two, wolves may leave and try to find a mate and form a pack.
Lone, dispersing wolves have traveled as far as 600 miles in search of a new home.
Wolf packs live within territories that they defend from other wolves.
Territories range from 50 square miles to more than 1,000 square miles.
Wolves travel as far as 30 miles in a day to hunt.
They trot at about 5 miles per hour, but they can run as fast as 40 miles per hour for short distances"
Sept.25,2009
As today draws to a close,there have been no wolves harvested in Idaho or Montana.
"Wolf packs typically include a breeding pair, their offspring, and other non-breeding adults. The average pack size is 8.1 animals.
Wolves are capable of mating by age two or three; sometimes form lifelong bond.
Wolves can live 13 years and reproduce past 10 years.
An average of five pups are born in early spring. They and are cared for by the entire pack. For the first six weeks, pups are reared in dens.
Dens are often used year after year.
Pups depend on mother's milk for the first month, then weaned and fed regurgitated meat brought by pack members.
By seven to eight months, pups begin traveling with the adults.
After a year or two, wolves may leave and try to find a mate and form a pack.
Lone, dispersing wolves have traveled as far as 600 miles in search of a new home.
Wolf packs live within territories that they defend from other wolves.
Territories range from 50 square miles to more than 1,000 square miles.
Wolves travel as far as 30 miles in a day to hunt.
They trot at about 5 miles per hour, but they can run as fast as 40 miles per hour for short distances"
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Oregon wolves
As you can see the western states all are getting their share of wolves,this is why I emphasize that hunting the wolf will never fracture the wolf's infrastructure now.
To many places to hide and to big an area to kill off the wolf population.
Oregon has to kill two wolves that have moved in to close to a cattle ranch.
Sad news came in early yesterday morning, on the same day that Idaho kicked off the first wolf hunt in the West in decades.
Oregon's fledgling wolf population is taking a hit this week as ODFW yesterday issued a kill order on two wolves that have repeatedly ventured too close to a northeast Oregon ranch--and at times killed livestock.
The pair of wolves have traveled together in and out of the Eagle Cap Wilderness and made headlines this April after a late night foray into a sheep pen in the Keating Valley.
Here at Oregon Wild, we are saddened by this blow to the still small wolf population in our state. We hope that this action to kill two wolves (an action that follows the protocol of the Oregon Wolf Management Plan) quells the hyperbole from those in the ranching community who feel the need to shoot any wolf on sight. Our plan can accommodate the removal of wolves that chronically depradate livestock. Wildlife managers have all the authority they need
To many places to hide and to big an area to kill off the wolf population.
Oregon has to kill two wolves that have moved in to close to a cattle ranch.
Sad news came in early yesterday morning, on the same day that Idaho kicked off the first wolf hunt in the West in decades.
Oregon's fledgling wolf population is taking a hit this week as ODFW yesterday issued a kill order on two wolves that have repeatedly ventured too close to a northeast Oregon ranch--and at times killed livestock.
The pair of wolves have traveled together in and out of the Eagle Cap Wilderness and made headlines this April after a late night foray into a sheep pen in the Keating Valley.
Here at Oregon Wild, we are saddened by this blow to the still small wolf population in our state. We hope that this action to kill two wolves (an action that follows the protocol of the Oregon Wolf Management Plan) quells the hyperbole from those in the ranching community who feel the need to shoot any wolf on sight. Our plan can accommodate the removal of wolves that chronically depradate livestock. Wildlife managers have all the authority they need
Friday, September 18, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
wolf harvested on second day of hunt.
On the second day of the wolf hunt a hunter has harvested a wolf near Cooke City,Montana.That is by Yellowstone National Park.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Wolf Harvest
As of today there haven;t been any wolves harvested in Montana,but the season just started today in a few hunting zones.
As I was hunting deer yesterday I came upon wolf tracks at the Goat Lakes trailhead at a water hole I hunt at.It was a track with measurements of 3 inches wide by 4 inchs long.
It kinda sent a chill up my spine as that is a full grown wolf and most likely a male.
As I was hunting deer yesterday I came upon wolf tracks at the Goat Lakes trailhead at a water hole I hunt at.It was a track with measurements of 3 inches wide by 4 inchs long.
It kinda sent a chill up my spine as that is a full grown wolf and most likely a male.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Federal trappers using rifles wiped out a wolf pack this month that had shown up near Mount Fleecer, southwest of Butte, and was preying on cattle on private land near there.
The Fleecer pack was discovered in August after a calf was killed on a private ranch near there, said Liz Bradley, wolf management specialist with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Federal trappers with U.S. Wildlife Services set traps and caught a female wolf the next day.
That wolf was collared and found to be living with three other adult wolves that together were called the Fleecer Mountain pack. Bradley said the wolves were hanging out on the private ranch close to newborn calves.
And because it was summer there were few natural prey species around that area, which did not bode well to keep the wolves out of trouble.
“Our biggest concern in this situation was there were no elk or deer in the area,” she said. “There was a lot of potential for further problems in there because that particular landowner was calving — we had a real chronic pattern of depredation starting and wanted to stop it before it got worse.” Another calf was suspected of being killed by wolves on Sept. 10. The landowner, who was not identified, also spotted a wolf attacking a calf shortly thereafter and unsuccessfully tried to shoot it, Bradley said.
This is what happens when the wolves kill all the wild game animals.They have to eat,so they start on the cattle,after the cattle are gone they will start after the human beings.
Some have allready done this in Alaska and chased people in other states.
FWP officials moved forward with the decision to kill the wolves. One was killed by shooting from an airplane on the ranch, prompting the pack to cross Interstate 15 and head into the Highlands, she said.
But once there the wolves were again in close proximity to cattle and also lacked natural prey. Federal trappers shot the three wolves from helicopters.
One of the wolves was hit but not recovered, although trappers suspect it died, Bradley said.
FWP has received reports of wolves in the Mount Fleecer area for years, so the pack’s appearance wasn’t that big of a surprise, Bradley said. The closest confirmed wolves to the area are a pair that has been confirmed living on the Mount Haggin Wildlife Management Area, south of Anaconda.
The Fleecer pack consisted of four adults and there was no sign of pups, she said.
Montana has an estimated 394 wolves living in 71 packs scattered throughout the state, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Fifty wolves have been killed this year through management actions in the state.
Federal Judge reached a decision on the continuance of the Grey Wolf hunt today.
He stated that the wolf hunt will continue in Montana and Idaho as scheduled.
Wisconsin is having trouble with the grey wolf also as the wolves are killing hunting dogs and people's pet dogs in their own yards.Here is more information on the wolf hunts-
Wolf hunters won the battle, but wolf supporters may win the war in the lawsuit over hunting the once-endangered species in Montana and Idaho.
U.S. District Judge Don Molloy turned down requests to stop 2009 wolf hunting seasons in the two states in an order released late Tuesday evening. In his 14-page opinion, Molloy said the 14 conservation groups opposing the hunts failed to show wolf populations would suffer irreparable harm, even if individual wolves were killed by hunters.
That means Idaho's already open wolf hunting season may continue and Montana hunters may begin hunting wolves in four backcountry regions starting next Tuesday, Sept. 15. Idaho hunters had reported four kills as of Wednesday.
"We still have a population that passed the recovery goal some time ago," U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman Joshua Winchell said in the wake of Molloy's ruling. "That's a wonderful success story that anyone interested in wolf recovery should be happy about. That plan is consistent with the overall goal of ensuring the continued success of wolves.
"Wyoming didn't put forward a plan that we were comfortable with. Montana and Idaho did. We're going to maintain our ability to manage wolves in Wyoming. At the end of the day, the Endangered Species Act is a law, and we have to make sure we follow the law."
Idaho Fish and Game commissioners authorized a quota of 220 wolves for public hunting this fall. Montana's quota is 75 wolves. Federal and state government shooters also kill numerous wolves every year in response to livestock attacks.Montana’s first-ever, fair-chase wolf hunting season is set to open Sept. 15 in some backcountry hunting districts, but the general season opener is still several weeks away.
Wolf Hunting Seasons Wolf hunting season dates correspond to Montana’s early backcountry big game and general big game rifle seasons. Season dates are:
Sept. 15–Nov. 29 in early backcountry deer and elk hunting districts 150, 151, 280, and 316
Oct. 25–Nov. 29 in statewide Wolf Management Units 1, 2 and 3
Dec. 1-31, if quotas aren’t met, the wolf-hunting season could be extended in specific WMUs. No more than 25 percent of the established WMU quota, however, can be harvested in December.
Officials recently set the statewide harvest quota at 75 wolves. Wolf hunting l icenses will be valid within the three specifically defined wolf management units, each with its own harvest quota. When a WMU reaches its quota, FWP will close the season there upon 24-hour’s notice.
Wolf licenses and regulations are available online at fwp.mt.gov , or from any FWP regional office or license provider. Wolf hunting licenses are $19 for residents and $350 for nonresidents. Hunters must have, or also purchase, a 2009 conservation license. A hunting access enhancement fee may also apply.
Harvest Reporting Requirements
Hunters have strict reporting requirements. Upon the harvest of a wolf, hunters must call 1-877-FWP-WILD (1-877-397-9453) within 12 hours to file a report. Hunters can call 1-800-385-7826 for the latest wolf h arvest status and closure information.
"It really gives us a chance to show Montana can manage wolves smartly and carefully, like it manages all other wildlife in the state," FWP spokesman Tom Palmer said Wednesday morning. "A fair-chase and science-based hunt is a critical part to the ultimate solution to manage wolves in Montana."
But Molloy also ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was likely to lose its case over the bigger question of whether wolves were appropriately removed from federal Endangered Species Act protection. Delisting the wolf in Montana and Idaho but not in Wyoming appeared to violate the agency's own rules, he said.
"The Service has distinguished a natural population of wolves based on a political line, not the best available science," Molloy wrote. "That, by definition, seems arbitrary and capricious."
Last year, the federal government attempted to take wolves off the endangered species list. The same coalition of conservation groups sued, and Molloy ruled the federal effort was illegal because Wyoming's wolf management plan was inadequate.
This May, the Fish and Wildlife Service proposed a new delisting in Montana and Idaho, with Wyoming's wolves remaining under federal protection. The conservation groups sued again, arguing the population had to be considered as a whole in the three states. They also asked Molloy to block the 2009 hunts.
The wolf advocates had to clear two hurdles to win a preliminary injunction stopping the wolf hunt. The first was to show they were likely to win the main lawsuit. The second was that irreparable harm would befall wolves if the hunt took place before the main lawsuit was heard in court.
"I think it's the better half of the loaf," EarthJustice attorney Jenny Harbine said of her client's "half-a-loaf" result. "The court determined the delisting of wolves in the northern Rockies is likely illegal, but declined to stop the hunting."
In Wednesday's ruling, Molloy wrote that all the proof before him showed hunting wouldn't hurt the wolf population as a whole.
"(A) wolf population such as the northern Rocky Mountains DPS (distinct population segment) can sustain single-season harvest rates in excess of 30 percent," Molloy wrote. "The conservative estimate in the record for the northern Rocky Mountains growth rate of 22 percent is in excess of the two states' planned kills of 21 percent of the DPS."
But that distinct population segment designation would be a problem for government lawyers to overcome, Molloy wrote. During the Aug. 31 court hearing in Missoula, Molloy observed that Fish and Wildlife Service had previously said a DPS couldn't be split up, but now was arguing the opposite.
"I imagine the defendants, the states and Fish and Wildlife Service, are scratching their heads and trying to figure out what to do next," Harbine said. "This puts them in a perilous position, legally. The court has already told them they're likely to lose the case."
Harbine said her clients were still debating whether to appeal Molloy's decision to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. That move could uphold Molloy's decision blocking the hunt, reverse it or order Molloy to reconsider different parts of the case.
If no appeal is filed, the full case would probably not reach a courtroom before early 2010.
The Fleecer pack was discovered in August after a calf was killed on a private ranch near there, said Liz Bradley, wolf management specialist with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Federal trappers with U.S. Wildlife Services set traps and caught a female wolf the next day.
That wolf was collared and found to be living with three other adult wolves that together were called the Fleecer Mountain pack. Bradley said the wolves were hanging out on the private ranch close to newborn calves.
And because it was summer there were few natural prey species around that area, which did not bode well to keep the wolves out of trouble.
“Our biggest concern in this situation was there were no elk or deer in the area,” she said. “There was a lot of potential for further problems in there because that particular landowner was calving — we had a real chronic pattern of depredation starting and wanted to stop it before it got worse.” Another calf was suspected of being killed by wolves on Sept. 10. The landowner, who was not identified, also spotted a wolf attacking a calf shortly thereafter and unsuccessfully tried to shoot it, Bradley said.
This is what happens when the wolves kill all the wild game animals.They have to eat,so they start on the cattle,after the cattle are gone they will start after the human beings.
Some have allready done this in Alaska and chased people in other states.
FWP officials moved forward with the decision to kill the wolves. One was killed by shooting from an airplane on the ranch, prompting the pack to cross Interstate 15 and head into the Highlands, she said.
But once there the wolves were again in close proximity to cattle and also lacked natural prey. Federal trappers shot the three wolves from helicopters.
One of the wolves was hit but not recovered, although trappers suspect it died, Bradley said.
FWP has received reports of wolves in the Mount Fleecer area for years, so the pack’s appearance wasn’t that big of a surprise, Bradley said. The closest confirmed wolves to the area are a pair that has been confirmed living on the Mount Haggin Wildlife Management Area, south of Anaconda.
The Fleecer pack consisted of four adults and there was no sign of pups, she said.
Montana has an estimated 394 wolves living in 71 packs scattered throughout the state, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Fifty wolves have been killed this year through management actions in the state.
Federal Judge reached a decision on the continuance of the Grey Wolf hunt today.
He stated that the wolf hunt will continue in Montana and Idaho as scheduled.
Wisconsin is having trouble with the grey wolf also as the wolves are killing hunting dogs and people's pet dogs in their own yards.Here is more information on the wolf hunts-
Wolf hunters won the battle, but wolf supporters may win the war in the lawsuit over hunting the once-endangered species in Montana and Idaho.
U.S. District Judge Don Molloy turned down requests to stop 2009 wolf hunting seasons in the two states in an order released late Tuesday evening. In his 14-page opinion, Molloy said the 14 conservation groups opposing the hunts failed to show wolf populations would suffer irreparable harm, even if individual wolves were killed by hunters.
That means Idaho's already open wolf hunting season may continue and Montana hunters may begin hunting wolves in four backcountry regions starting next Tuesday, Sept. 15. Idaho hunters had reported four kills as of Wednesday.
"We still have a population that passed the recovery goal some time ago," U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman Joshua Winchell said in the wake of Molloy's ruling. "That's a wonderful success story that anyone interested in wolf recovery should be happy about. That plan is consistent with the overall goal of ensuring the continued success of wolves.
"Wyoming didn't put forward a plan that we were comfortable with. Montana and Idaho did. We're going to maintain our ability to manage wolves in Wyoming. At the end of the day, the Endangered Species Act is a law, and we have to make sure we follow the law."
Idaho Fish and Game commissioners authorized a quota of 220 wolves for public hunting this fall. Montana's quota is 75 wolves. Federal and state government shooters also kill numerous wolves every year in response to livestock attacks.Montana’s first-ever, fair-chase wolf hunting season is set to open Sept. 15 in some backcountry hunting districts, but the general season opener is still several weeks away.
Wolf Hunting Seasons Wolf hunting season dates correspond to Montana’s early backcountry big game and general big game rifle seasons. Season dates are:
Sept. 15–Nov. 29 in early backcountry deer and elk hunting districts 150, 151, 280, and 316
Oct. 25–Nov. 29 in statewide Wolf Management Units 1, 2 and 3
Dec. 1-31, if quotas aren’t met, the wolf-hunting season could be extended in specific WMUs. No more than 25 percent of the established WMU quota, however, can be harvested in December.
Officials recently set the statewide harvest quota at 75 wolves. Wolf hunting l icenses will be valid within the three specifically defined wolf management units, each with its own harvest quota. When a WMU reaches its quota, FWP will close the season there upon 24-hour’s notice.
Wolf licenses and regulations are available online at fwp.mt.gov , or from any FWP regional office or license provider. Wolf hunting licenses are $19 for residents and $350 for nonresidents. Hunters must have, or also purchase, a 2009 conservation license. A hunting access enhancement fee may also apply.
Harvest Reporting Requirements
Hunters have strict reporting requirements. Upon the harvest of a wolf, hunters must call 1-877-FWP-WILD (1-877-397-9453) within 12 hours to file a report. Hunters can call 1-800-385-7826 for the latest wolf h arvest status and closure information.
"It really gives us a chance to show Montana can manage wolves smartly and carefully, like it manages all other wildlife in the state," FWP spokesman Tom Palmer said Wednesday morning. "A fair-chase and science-based hunt is a critical part to the ultimate solution to manage wolves in Montana."
But Molloy also ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was likely to lose its case over the bigger question of whether wolves were appropriately removed from federal Endangered Species Act protection. Delisting the wolf in Montana and Idaho but not in Wyoming appeared to violate the agency's own rules, he said.
"The Service has distinguished a natural population of wolves based on a political line, not the best available science," Molloy wrote. "That, by definition, seems arbitrary and capricious."
Last year, the federal government attempted to take wolves off the endangered species list. The same coalition of conservation groups sued, and Molloy ruled the federal effort was illegal because Wyoming's wolf management plan was inadequate.
This May, the Fish and Wildlife Service proposed a new delisting in Montana and Idaho, with Wyoming's wolves remaining under federal protection. The conservation groups sued again, arguing the population had to be considered as a whole in the three states. They also asked Molloy to block the 2009 hunts.
The wolf advocates had to clear two hurdles to win a preliminary injunction stopping the wolf hunt. The first was to show they were likely to win the main lawsuit. The second was that irreparable harm would befall wolves if the hunt took place before the main lawsuit was heard in court.
"I think it's the better half of the loaf," EarthJustice attorney Jenny Harbine said of her client's "half-a-loaf" result. "The court determined the delisting of wolves in the northern Rockies is likely illegal, but declined to stop the hunting."
In Wednesday's ruling, Molloy wrote that all the proof before him showed hunting wouldn't hurt the wolf population as a whole.
"(A) wolf population such as the northern Rocky Mountains DPS (distinct population segment) can sustain single-season harvest rates in excess of 30 percent," Molloy wrote. "The conservative estimate in the record for the northern Rocky Mountains growth rate of 22 percent is in excess of the two states' planned kills of 21 percent of the DPS."
But that distinct population segment designation would be a problem for government lawyers to overcome, Molloy wrote. During the Aug. 31 court hearing in Missoula, Molloy observed that Fish and Wildlife Service had previously said a DPS couldn't be split up, but now was arguing the opposite.
"I imagine the defendants, the states and Fish and Wildlife Service, are scratching their heads and trying to figure out what to do next," Harbine said. "This puts them in a perilous position, legally. The court has already told them they're likely to lose the case."
Harbine said her clients were still debating whether to appeal Molloy's decision to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. That move could uphold Molloy's decision blocking the hunt, reverse it or order Molloy to reconsider different parts of the case.
If no appeal is filed, the full case would probably not reach a courtroom before early 2010.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Wolf Packs On The Hunt
As the population of Wolves has risen to an all time high in the western states,one has to ask himself why did we let this happen.
As humans we like to create more problems then we can manage.Most of this is due to experimenting with nature and or the land.
We do these experiments to save jobs and make more jobs,but on the other hand we cause headaches for others without thinking about what we do.
Wolves are a beautiful animal,but they have to survive also.So when they run out of food in the wild,they start too prey on livestock and pets.
It won't be long before they start preying on humans also.
I hear the old saying,Well if you don't want to have wolves in your back yard you shouldn't live around them.The problem with this story is,if you want food and meat on your table,I can't raise livestock and grow crops in the city either.
Wolves are very social animals. They live and hunt together in groups called packs. A wolf pack is really just another name for a family of wolves. A pack is usually made up of an adult male and female wolf and their offspring of various ages. Pack sizes range from three to twenty wolves.
A wolf pack has a definite social structure and rules of conduct. The pack leaders are the alpha male and female. These two animals are dominant over all the other wolves in the pack. The alpha male and female are the only wolves that breed and produce pups in the pack, and they also get to eat first at the kill site.
Wolves regularly travel on roads and trails, just like hunters, so look for tracks and scat. Wolves will walk in each other's footsteps in single file so that a pack may appear like a single wolf.
Wolves have a good sense of smell, hearing and sight; are curious and, when seen, may linger for a few seconds before fleeing.
Wolves communicate with each other through a variety of howls and other sounds, so listen. If you howl at the right time you might draw in a wolf.
Pay attention to deer and elk behavior. Alert deer and elk may signal a wolf nearby.
After the shot, follow the wolf to retrieve and tag it as you would any other big game animal. Wolves aren’t known to defend a wounded or harvested wolf pack member.
Idaho hunters have killed two wolves today 9/1/2009,lagally.But a judge is deciding whether to delist or put the wolf back on the endangered list.
In Yellowstone Park the wolf population has risen so high that the wolves are leaving in huge numbers.They are moving to Montana at a high rate as there are around 300 wolves in the state now.
In Idaho the numbers are huge as there are around 650 wolves living there.
Gray wolf populations were extirpated from the western U.S. by the 1930s. Subsequently,
wolves from Canada occasionally dispersed south into Montana and Idaho but failed to survive
long enough to reproduce. Eventually, public attitudes toward predators changed and wolves
received legal protection with the passage of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1973.
Wolves began to successfully recolonize northwest Montana in the early 1980s.
By 1995, there were 6 wolf packs in northwest Montana. Twenty-one packs qualified as a breeding pair according to the federal recovery
definition (an adult male and female with two surviving pups on December 31). Across the
southern Montana experimental area (Central Idaho and Greater Yellowstone areas combined),
there were 29 packs, 10 of which met the breeding pair criteria. A minimum of 149 wolves were
estimated (73 in the GYA and 76 in the CID). Across northwest Montana, there were 31 packs,
11 of which met the breeding pair criteria. A minimum of 167 wolves was estimated in the
NWMT endangered area. In 1995 and 1996, 66 wolves from southwestern
Canada were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park (YNP) (31 wolves) and CID (35
wolves).
A large decline in native ungulate populations could result in an increase in conflicts with livestock and the level of wolf control,” according to FWS.
Wolves in Montana prey primarily on elk, deer, and moose. Numerous research projects are
investigating wolf-ungulate relationships. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks recently compiled
research results of wolf-ungulate interactions in southwest Montana. This report and other
information about wolves and the Montana program are available at
“ If the wolf population continues to expand, wolves will increasingly disperse into unsuitable areas that are intensively used for livestock production,” FWS reported.
“A higher percentage of wolves in those areas will become involved in conflicts with livestock, and a higher percentage of them will probably be removed to reduce future livestock damage.
Human-caused mortality would have to remove 34 percent or more of the wolf population annually before population growth would cease.
The states fish and game departments are opening a season on the wolf population this year in an effort to control their increase in population.
Idaho is issuing somewheres around 240 permits for hunters.
Montana is issuing some where close to 75 permits.
This is good news but at the same time have you seen a wolf in the wild or even heard one call.
Most people have not as I am one of those people.But if you walk through the forests today,you will notice a decline in wild game populations as I have.I go where I have had success in filling my big game tag,but this year I am having a hard time finding a track or used trail as I used to.
Even in my back yard area there used to be upwards of fifty white tailed deer,and now there is only around twenty.
I am taking into account for traffic kills and winter kills also but losing 30 deer to these two events isn't logical.
Having a hunting season on wolves is great but I will bet you that 90% of those tags will not get filled,due to a wolf is smarter then a hunter when they are both in the wolf's environment.
The only way we will be able to control these predators is by hunting with an airplane.
This is one area of distribution of the wolf.
Overview of Wolf Ecology in Montana
Wolves were distributed primarily in the NRM region of western Montana east to the Beartooth
face near Red Lodge. Montana wolf pack territories average around 200 square miles in size but
can be 300 square miles or larger. Montana packs include a combination of public and private
lands. The average pack territory in Montana is comprised of about 30% private land. Most
Montana packs do not live strictly in back country wilderness areas. Of the 60 packs in
Montana, 11-12 (about 20% of all Montana packs) reside most of the year in remote backcountry
wilderness areas or Glacier National Park. Many others live in areas of remote public lands. But
the majority live in areas where mountainous terrain, intermountain valleys, and public / private
lands come together.
This is where the landowner will continue to have trouble controlling the wolf.
Dispersal distances in the northern Rockies average about 60 miles, but dispersal's over 500
linear miles have been documented. A 500-mile radius from any wolf pack in YNP, Glacier
National Park (GNP), or any pack in western Montana would plausibly reach all the way to
Montana’s eastern border. Montanans should be aware that wolves are established well enough
in the northern Rockies now that a wolf could appear where none has been seen for decades.This means in your back yard.
Wolves are capable of covering long distances in relatively short periods of time and often travel
separately or in smaller groups. The travel ability of wolves, combined with the fact that packs
split, with sub-groups traveling separately, can give an impression that there are more wolf packs
and territories than is actually the case. Pack monitoring efforts, especially when combined with
public / agency wolf reports, eventually leads to a conclusion about how many packs exist.
I know the friends of wildlife will cry foul if this happens but they will also pay more for their meat products.Plus loose their own pets to the wolf,and don't think the wolf will not eat you or your child either.
With the population growths of Grizzly Bear and Wolves,the hiker is going to have to be real careful and hike in groups or quit hiking all together.
I know when I am in the woods hunting or hiking I carry my weapon at all times,and I'm not talking about pepper spray either.
As humans we like to create more problems then we can manage.Most of this is due to experimenting with nature and or the land.
We do these experiments to save jobs and make more jobs,but on the other hand we cause headaches for others without thinking about what we do.
Wolves are a beautiful animal,but they have to survive also.So when they run out of food in the wild,they start too prey on livestock and pets.
It won't be long before they start preying on humans also.
I hear the old saying,Well if you don't want to have wolves in your back yard you shouldn't live around them.The problem with this story is,if you want food and meat on your table,I can't raise livestock and grow crops in the city either.
Wolves are very social animals. They live and hunt together in groups called packs. A wolf pack is really just another name for a family of wolves. A pack is usually made up of an adult male and female wolf and their offspring of various ages. Pack sizes range from three to twenty wolves.
A wolf pack has a definite social structure and rules of conduct. The pack leaders are the alpha male and female. These two animals are dominant over all the other wolves in the pack. The alpha male and female are the only wolves that breed and produce pups in the pack, and they also get to eat first at the kill site.
Wolves regularly travel on roads and trails, just like hunters, so look for tracks and scat. Wolves will walk in each other's footsteps in single file so that a pack may appear like a single wolf.
Wolves have a good sense of smell, hearing and sight; are curious and, when seen, may linger for a few seconds before fleeing.
Wolves communicate with each other through a variety of howls and other sounds, so listen. If you howl at the right time you might draw in a wolf.
Pay attention to deer and elk behavior. Alert deer and elk may signal a wolf nearby.
After the shot, follow the wolf to retrieve and tag it as you would any other big game animal. Wolves aren’t known to defend a wounded or harvested wolf pack member.
Idaho hunters have killed two wolves today 9/1/2009,lagally.But a judge is deciding whether to delist or put the wolf back on the endangered list.
In Yellowstone Park the wolf population has risen so high that the wolves are leaving in huge numbers.They are moving to Montana at a high rate as there are around 300 wolves in the state now.
In Idaho the numbers are huge as there are around 650 wolves living there.
Gray wolf populations were extirpated from the western U.S. by the 1930s. Subsequently,
wolves from Canada occasionally dispersed south into Montana and Idaho but failed to survive
long enough to reproduce. Eventually, public attitudes toward predators changed and wolves
received legal protection with the passage of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1973.
Wolves began to successfully recolonize northwest Montana in the early 1980s.
By 1995, there were 6 wolf packs in northwest Montana. Twenty-one packs qualified as a breeding pair according to the federal recovery
definition (an adult male and female with two surviving pups on December 31). Across the
southern Montana experimental area (Central Idaho and Greater Yellowstone areas combined),
there were 29 packs, 10 of which met the breeding pair criteria. A minimum of 149 wolves were
estimated (73 in the GYA and 76 in the CID). Across northwest Montana, there were 31 packs,
11 of which met the breeding pair criteria. A minimum of 167 wolves was estimated in the
NWMT endangered area. In 1995 and 1996, 66 wolves from southwestern
Canada were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park (YNP) (31 wolves) and CID (35
wolves).
A large decline in native ungulate populations could result in an increase in conflicts with livestock and the level of wolf control,” according to FWS.
Wolves in Montana prey primarily on elk, deer, and moose. Numerous research projects are
investigating wolf-ungulate relationships. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks recently compiled
research results of wolf-ungulate interactions in southwest Montana. This report and other
information about wolves and the Montana program are available at
“ If the wolf population continues to expand, wolves will increasingly disperse into unsuitable areas that are intensively used for livestock production,” FWS reported.
“A higher percentage of wolves in those areas will become involved in conflicts with livestock, and a higher percentage of them will probably be removed to reduce future livestock damage.
Human-caused mortality would have to remove 34 percent or more of the wolf population annually before population growth would cease.
The states fish and game departments are opening a season on the wolf population this year in an effort to control their increase in population.
Idaho is issuing somewheres around 240 permits for hunters.
Montana is issuing some where close to 75 permits.
This is good news but at the same time have you seen a wolf in the wild or even heard one call.
Most people have not as I am one of those people.But if you walk through the forests today,you will notice a decline in wild game populations as I have.I go where I have had success in filling my big game tag,but this year I am having a hard time finding a track or used trail as I used to.
Even in my back yard area there used to be upwards of fifty white tailed deer,and now there is only around twenty.
I am taking into account for traffic kills and winter kills also but losing 30 deer to these two events isn't logical.
Having a hunting season on wolves is great but I will bet you that 90% of those tags will not get filled,due to a wolf is smarter then a hunter when they are both in the wolf's environment.
The only way we will be able to control these predators is by hunting with an airplane.
This is one area of distribution of the wolf.
Overview of Wolf Ecology in Montana
Wolves were distributed primarily in the NRM region of western Montana east to the Beartooth
face near Red Lodge. Montana wolf pack territories average around 200 square miles in size but
can be 300 square miles or larger. Montana packs include a combination of public and private
lands. The average pack territory in Montana is comprised of about 30% private land. Most
Montana packs do not live strictly in back country wilderness areas. Of the 60 packs in
Montana, 11-12 (about 20% of all Montana packs) reside most of the year in remote backcountry
wilderness areas or Glacier National Park. Many others live in areas of remote public lands. But
the majority live in areas where mountainous terrain, intermountain valleys, and public / private
lands come together.
This is where the landowner will continue to have trouble controlling the wolf.
Dispersal distances in the northern Rockies average about 60 miles, but dispersal's over 500
linear miles have been documented. A 500-mile radius from any wolf pack in YNP, Glacier
National Park (GNP), or any pack in western Montana would plausibly reach all the way to
Montana’s eastern border. Montanans should be aware that wolves are established well enough
in the northern Rockies now that a wolf could appear where none has been seen for decades.This means in your back yard.
Wolves are capable of covering long distances in relatively short periods of time and often travel
separately or in smaller groups. The travel ability of wolves, combined with the fact that packs
split, with sub-groups traveling separately, can give an impression that there are more wolf packs
and territories than is actually the case. Pack monitoring efforts, especially when combined with
public / agency wolf reports, eventually leads to a conclusion about how many packs exist.
I know the friends of wildlife will cry foul if this happens but they will also pay more for their meat products.Plus loose their own pets to the wolf,and don't think the wolf will not eat you or your child either.
With the population growths of Grizzly Bear and Wolves,the hiker is going to have to be real careful and hike in groups or quit hiking all together.
I know when I am in the woods hunting or hiking I carry my weapon at all times,and I'm not talking about pepper spray either.
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