Wolves and Elk

[MT_mulies]

I have a question for everyone that will get some blood boiling probably. What has been your general view of wolves, has it ever been persuaded one way of the other, are they really that bad, do they have any benefits? I know what most elk hunters such as myself think. I was just curious to see what people think. Cause were I hunt I haven't seen any drastic change in elk numbers and I live in SW Montana within 1 1/2 of the park. I majored in ecology and just graduated this year. So I had lots of presentations and projects due on wolves. I heard from Yellowstone Park Rangers, FWP, a guy who was a main instrument in the wolf reintroduction (he likes to hunt elk and deer on the Montana Idaho border), Professors, tree huggers, and anti-wolf groups in the last 4 years.

 

[ghost]

There is an area in Idaho where I used to hunt that Elk wouldn't make a sound. No cow call or bugle.  And they started going into the thickest stuff where a 15 yard shot would be a long shot. Plenty a times we had elk 5-10 yards away and we couldn't see them. We had hunted that area for a lot of years and never found it to be that way until the last two times we went up there. Wolfs were pretty think in that area and we would see tracks daily. Also had a few sleepless nights as we could hear them messing with the horses. I believe elk learned not to make a sound as it would sound like a dinner bell to the wolfs.
It's pretty bad, that used to be a GREAT area.

 

[Fullabull]

Everyone I know who hunts in an area with wolves has experienced a huge decline in game animals. they came up with the same management plan here in WA for number of breeding pairs as Idaho...  ???  don't know how they think WA has the same number of game animals as Idaho to support that number. I don't think they have any idea what they are doing with that.

 

[Jeremiah Johnson]

Wolves of this type especially were a bad idea to introduce. I have seen in my areas of Idaho where I have hunted for 30+ yrs elk changing their habits. They do not talk if the wolves area in the area. This area has not been affected in numbers to date, but the concern is they will if the population continues to escalate. My Montana area has seen a change in the numbers and they again have changed their vocalizations patterns. If they are allowed to be hunted year around we may be able to control them, but as we have seen there are too many political pressures preventing what needs to be done to manage them appropriately, as evidenced by the recent closure around Yellowstone. Idaho is doing it right and there is a running tally we can all view under the wolf tabs in the ID Fish and Game. We unfortunately have to adapt to a changing time with these predators in the mix.   

 

[jamase]

Most of the years I've bow hunted have been In Idaho after the wolves were introduced..  there are still elk around but not near as many.. areas I used to alway find elk have been elkless the past couple of years... tons of wolf sighn old and not so old..If the elk numbers are not way down then the elk are certainly much more on the move..I see more elk close to civilization than I do back where I like to hunt..

 

[Wapiti1]

I have been hunting the Imnaha unit in Oregon for the past 20 years and never heard a wolf until this year, talking with other hunters and they stated the elk where gone in 3 out 4 draws we hunt. I hope this area does not turn into Idaho. Talked with a ODFW ranger, he stated enjoy it while you can. I am not happy to here this. These wolves where never native to the nw anyways, they are a bigger bread than what used to be here. I hope ODFW will learn from Idaho's experience.

 

[lavacrawler]

I cant remember the last time I was out on a Archery hunt and didn't see or hear signs of wolves. Two of the Zones I hunt here in Idaho have been drastically affected by the introduction of these ruthless killers. Opening day we talked to a Idaho F&G officer at the trail head and asked about the wolf population in the area. He swore it wasn't as bad as other areas and only had one or two in the area. Hiking out later in the season we were watching a bull and small group of cows just before dark and then the canyon just errupted with howls. The pack we witnessed was a lot more then a onesy twosy. Since then I've always wondered if the officers really dont know what the numbers are or are they just strait faced lying to us.

 

[buckykm1]

I have hunted by Ennis, MT the last 5 years, and there is definitely a decline in Elk numbers, do to the Wolves.
3 years ago, I had a Rancher ask me to shoot any Wolf that I see, he had already lost 18 calves to wolves that he new of.

Kevin

 

[Kmbingham92]

The problem with the wolves is not just the killing to eat they do but the killing to kill that creates the bigger problem. In addition to this, the mere presence of wolves has an effect on the cows where they will not reproduce causing an even bigger decline in our elk herds than what the killing causes. I have not had the chance to kill a wolve yet but hope in the near future I have the opportunity. We should all do our part as hunters to take care of as many wolves as we can while we can to help protect the elk we love and enjoy hunting.

 

[lang]

Looking at the Gardner herd since the reintroduction you would think you'd be seeing less elk.  I've read they went from 20k to about 4k animanls since the reintroduction.  One of the other number that scares us is that to keep wolf numbers level you have to harvest 40% of the overall numbers to keep it level. 

 

[TooLucky406]

Anyone who hunt elk religiously, like myself, and hunt elk where wolves are present will notice elk decline, elk behavioral change, etc. I'm having to hunt further and further East(MT) due to wolf pressure. Also, unlike you "MT Mulies,"  I have notice a HUGE impact on elk numbers in SW MT. This ranging from Wise River to Lima. The last three seasons, the elk herds haven't been the same, each year getting worst! We use to see elk and hear bulls bugling in every drainage we hunt.  Now you'll be lucky to even see any elk sign! I believe it'll be at least 10 years before we see the number of elk  we had in MT 5 years ago. Our wolf management is just begining to get more proactive, with trapping being allow. Hopefully this will help speed up the elk "restoration!"