The great "shooting an alpha wolf makes things worse" debate

[Mark-R]

So we've all heard the argument that killing an alpha wolf will make things worse, generating more wolves because the alpha restricts the breeding of other wolves in the pack.

After doing some research, this is what I've found:



Here's Dr. L. David Mech, wolf expert, in his own words, even admitting he is partially blame for this outdated way of thinking.



And here's his paper for those who like details.
“ The paper is considered by many to be a turning point in understanding the structure of wolf packs.”
https://www.wolf.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/267alphastatus_english.pdf

So given the notion that a pack is basically a family, is it realistic that the father/mother can control the breeding of his/her offspring?
If so by what mechanism? How do you stop a canine in heat?
I'd assume that at maturity, a wolf will eventually leave the family pack to start his own.
I couldn't find any hard data that supported the idea of the "alpha restricting breeding".
All I found was data that showed disrupted packs might target domestic animals slightly more the following year, probably due to loss of hunting proficiency.

Bottom line, should we get off the couch and do some predator control to help out the ungulates this winter?
Or does killing a single wolf make things worse?

[brn2ryd]

Time to get off the couch

[GEF]

What Ted Nugent said "wackem and stackem "

[chilcotin hillbilly]

Killing the alpha doesn't make a difference in breeding patterns.
The CO service a few years back heli gunned a pack near Clinton that was devastating ranchers cattle right on the ranch.
Once a wolf was trapped and collared the Judas wolf led the team to a pack of 13. Two males 11 females. After killing the the whole pack they found all 11 females where carrying pups.

[Ride Red]

Killing the alpha doesn't make a difference in breeding patterns.
The CO service a few years back heli gunned a pack near Clinton that was devastating ranchers cattle right on the ranch.
Once a wolf was trapped and collared the Judas wolf led the team to a pack of 13. Two males 11 females. After killing the the whole pack they found all 11 females where carrying pups.

That would have been a lot of mouths to feed, hence why we need to keep culling them and under control.

[Walking Buffalo]

Review the results of 100 events where the Alpha pair was removed and you'll read a hundred different conclusions.

[huntingfamily]

What Ted Nugent said "wackem and stackem "

This is all you need to do...