New plan: kill the moose to save the Caribou

[ve7iuq]

Wouldn't it be more effective and more controllable to just kill the wolves?

Oh, we can't do that anymore, because we don't eat wolves and we can only shoot what will eat!
For an accurate account of what the province of BC did about too many wolves in the 1950s and /60s, see the book, "Outposts and Bush Planes," by a BC author. Contact the publisher, Hancock House Publishers.

[Weatherby Fan]

Sounds a little ridiculous to me why would you no target real problem. And eliminate the wolves after all they are the culprits.

Oh my gosh, you wicked wicked man, you want to control the wolf population, sick *******s you are !

[northof49]

This plan is F’n ret....ard....ed. Will end up with no moose, no caribou, no deer. Reduce the wolves as in the past and all ungulates prosper. A life is a life......a wolf is no more important than a moose any way. Deal with problem at source, anything else is just plain stupid.

[bearvalley]

This plan is F’n ret....ard....ed. Will end up with no moose, no caribou, no deer. Reduce the wolves as in the past and all ungulates prosper. A life is a life......a wolf is no more important than a moose any way. Deal with problem at source, anything else is just plain stupid.

You pretty well nailed it.

[Cordillera]

In the Kennedy siding example described above there is a wolf reduction program that also covers the nearby herds quintette Moberly and Scott. Combination of First Nations ground trappers and aerial. Somewhere between 100 and 150 wolves removed each year for the last three years. And all three caribou herds are growing.

The biologists advocate that all different aspects have to be addressed at the same time. Protect caribou habitat, deal with immediate predator risk (usually but not always wolves) and reduce alternate prey levels (usually moose but not always) to something that is closer to what would exist if we didnt have so much logging and didn't have so many groceries from the early seral forests. And prevent access routes like seismic lines, snowmobile trails that make a wolf more successful.

That is the science. It clearly is a moral and ethical judgement about where you want to do these things and what you get for it. This caribou recipe will not help moose. It may not help caribou...but it will be more likely to keep caribou where they are otherwise doomed.

[northof49]

Problem is the moose numbers are just not there anymore. The wolves are the problem and their numbers need to be managed and in a more timely manner. It was well known that wolf numbers were exploding for last 15yrs and yet little was done. Now to further reduce moose numbers that are arleady in significant decline is stupid. Need to deal with the real issue....the wolves. The science tends to over complicate the obvious....or perhaps is is more about managing the optics.

[Brez]

In the Kennedy siding example described above there is a wolf reduction program that also covers the nearby herds quintette Moberly and Scott. Combination of First Nations ground trappers and aerial. Somewhere between 100 and 150 wolves removed each year for the last three years. And all three caribou herds are growing.

The biologists advocate that all different aspects have to be addressed at the same time. Protect caribou habitat, deal with immediate predator risk (usually but not always wolves) and reduce alternate prey levels (usually moose but not always) to something that is closer to what would exist if we didnt have so much logging and didn't have so many groceries from the early seral forests. And prevent access routes like seismic lines, snowmobile trails that make a wolf more successful.

That is the science. It clearly is a moral and ethical judgement about where you want to do these things and what you get for it. This caribou recipe will not help moose. It may not help caribou...but it will be more likely to keep caribou where they are otherwise doomed.

You nailed it imo.

[Greenthumbed]

How do we deal with the wolves?

Nobody really wants to hunt them. Very few hunters actively pursue wolves. And why would they? Can't eat them. The antihunting crowd will jump down any hunters throat that thinks about hunting wolves. Some hunters shoot wolves if they see them, but that's not enough to reduce the numbers.

Trappers are on the decline. It's not nearly as popular a pursuit as the old days. I'm not sure where the price of a wolf pelt is at, but I'm sure it's not great.

So, what is the solution?

[Bugle M In]

Considering that the NDP are in control right at the moment (not that it mattered with the Libs either),
nothing is going to happen....jeez, who knows, they may reduce the wolf bag limit??!!
Really, in all honesty....use the SSS method (shoot, shovel, shut up)...but instead of shoot,
you supplement 1080, but shhhhhhhh!
And ya, I know, it puts a few other critters at risk....but....it's the truth.
Otherwise, get out there and just hunt wolves exclusively.
Thinking your going to see a wolf, or take a wolf while you are out there deer or elk hunting, just doesn't happen.
Just luck if it does, but won't make a dent/difference.

[303savage]

What the frack kind of drugs are they using. Sounds kind of wizard of OZ to me.