Wolves...Region 8

[LBM]

Region 8 has the highest FSR density in the province and only getting worse.
Oddly, I see my majority of wolf tracks on roads.
As the roads increase and the timber decreases....... think you get the picture
Now read this.

"Wolves, which are a major predator, can travel up to four times faster on roads, and that makes their hunting way more efficient than under natural conditions," explained Scott McNay, the wildlife biologist in charge of the restoration program.

So whos to blame the humans building all the roads making it easier for the wolves or the wolves killing the animals.

[Ohwildwon]

There is "science" saying the the pack will always split and become more productive, and there is science saying that this scenario may or may not happen. Other research shows cases where removal of the Alpha pair results in the whole pack dissolving from infighting/chaos.

Be very suspicious of research that states a species will act only in a certain way. There will often be a bias involved.

So back it up with some science or its fake news, right?

#jasmine

[338win mag]

I wont be checking any nutsacks for the Alpha wolf thing, just start shooting.

[Whonnock Boy]

Going to ask my boy if he wants to head out for poke first, he's pretty keen, then I'll send you some intel.

Where abouts?
I'm very interested in shooting wolves in region 3.

[Bugle M In]

I have always seen that wolves like the roads, so yes, in my opinion, the more roads, the worse the #'s can become.
I also think, and this is just my opinion, but ever since the pine beetle really started to show it's effects and real potential for destruction, and the logging Co's started to literally cut anything that was still green, before the beetle
got to it, that wolves have exploded in #'s because of that.....
Basically, when the snow gets deep enough, which happens faster in open clear cuts, rather then under the tree canopied areas (unlogged), that the wolves become very efficient at killing.
Ever watch a pack of wolves take down a healthy elk?....that elk steps into one snowdrift, that is a little deeper with snow then rest, and they get tripped up real quick, and that's it...the wolves have that animal down in seconds!
I think because of all the logging we've done the last 15 - 20 years now, and at a high rate because of the beetle,
has led to the wolves increase in population, because it has even given them a larger advantage when hunting their
prey now.....that's what my eyes are telling me anyways...
As for the roads, yes, the wolves like them a lot for traveling, but in my opinion, if it was "only" the fact that we had more roads in the back country, we may not be seeing the high wolf #'s we do now.
I really do think it is the open landscape that we have created, and especially during the winter months, that has led to the wolves increase.
Either way, yes, I do think man was responsible for that.
And no matter what we recreational weekend hunters do to help remove wolves, I doubt we will put a dent into the #'s and like others say, possibly just make it worse.
So, we either let the wolves hammer all the game, until they are gone, and thus, they the wolves eat themselves out
of house and home, which I question how many years that will take....or..
the ministry really has to do something about it.
Sadly though, I think this government would rather see the wolves perish naturally, and instead, take away opportunities for us, and tell everyone else that they are doing this to ensure that ungulate #'s increase to everyone else.
If we had doubts in the past that the ministry was going to set a policy that would help remove wolves with the former government, we can feel pretty assured that this ministry now, under the new regime, will doing nothing at all....at least not what we were hoping!
We won't be wondering where the deer are...
We will be wondering where we will still be allowed to hunt.

[Ourea]

So whos to blame the humans building all the roads making it easier for the wolves or the wolves killing the animals.

Roads aren't going anywhere.....

[Linksman313]

Just chiming in from 8-14, 8-15, found much smaller WT and grouse density noted in the areas I hunt in these regions. Last year on last evening of season (Nov) was hunting northeast corner of 8-15 and saw nothing but Wolf trails everywhere. Got them howling as the sun went down. This year first spring thaw went back to shed hunt and observed more of the same (dense track), this season can't find a single deer hair in same habitat that was successful for years. Suspect deep snowpack/cold temps and predators are the high percentage cause IMO.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

I have no doubt that roads increase the predation efficiency by wolves ...but they are still efficient predators away from human influence.
Look no further than the thread on wolves in the Tuchodi. No roads...no logging....no oil and gas development.

SSS

[Ourea]

I have no doubt that roads increase the predation efficiency by wolves ...but they are still efficient predators away from human influence.
Look no further than the thread on wolves in the Tuchodi. No roads...no logging....no oil and gas development.

SSS

Or my thread "Death of a Valley".

http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showth...th-Of-A-Valley

Zero access yet took a thriving elk herd and cleaned them out.

There is Way more to the wolf explosion than simple "cycles".

Another reason to support a sustainable science based funding model.
With money and more science based research a better understanding can be reached how to help with all wildlife issues.

[LBM]

Roads aren't going anywhere.....

Apperantly they are as you posted in thread #22