Do we have a wolf problem?

[Andrewh]

I recently got into a friendly discussion regarding the struggling populations of larger game in BC and this person is convinced it is 100% due to habitat encroachment and us 'hunters'. She is Bio teacher and doesn't seem to think that wolves have a huge impact on populations. I am not one that needs convincing so please don't rip me a new one...:)

Does anyone have links to publications regarding wolf predation and/or the impact they are having on game populations?

I know you guys have a wealth of knowledge but telling her to check out HBC might not do the trick, she needs more concrete evidence/numbers.

[REMINGTON JIM]

I recently got into a friendly discussion regarding the struggling populations of larger game in BC and this person is convinced it is 100% due to habitat encroachment and us 'hunters'. She is Bio teacher and doesn't seem to think that wolves have a huge impact on populations. I am not one that needs convincing so please don't rip me a new one...:)

Does anyone have links to publications regarding wolf predation and/or the impact they are having on game populations?

I know you guys have a wealth of knowledge but telling her to check out HBC might not do the trick, she needs more concrete evidence/numbers.

Your not joking ! are you ? Where does she teach at ?

[Andrewh]

Where does she teach at ?

No, I am serious....

Not going to give too much info on her as I don't wanna throw her to the wolves!!

[Bchunter3006]

Region 4 definitely is developing more and more of a wolf problem. This year has been way worse than previous years.

[fireguy]

Here is some reading for your teacher

http://westinstenv.org/wibio/2008/12/13/effects-of-wolf-predation-on-north-central-idaho-elk-populations/

http://www.yellowstonepark.com/2007/01/gray-wolves-impact-elk/

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/pdfs/nepa/idaho_wolf_ea.pdf

[Drillbit]

I was going to start a thread, but this is close enough.

Today on the local radio, they were saying the Cattleman's Association has paid 10 million in compensation to ranchers in the Caribou Region. This is the second year in a row. This is for predator kills, most significantly, Wolves.

How many Heli rides with an SKS will 10million get? I'm thinking enough.

[The Dude]

Here is some reading for your teacher

http://westinstenv.org/wibio/2008/12/13/effects-of-wolf-predation-on-north-central-idaho-elk-populations/

That's a really good resource FG.

Found this article off there, also involving Wolves and the "Balance of Nature"
http://westinstenv.org/wibio/2008/10/23/the-truth-about-our-wildlife-managers-plan-to-restore-native-ecosystems/

[The Dude]

Andrewh, just do a search on "surplus killing" in wolves. Another one on endagered caribou populations in some areas of bc. You can read for days.
Going back to that article on Isle Royale (Also touches on surplus killing)....REALLY diggin this website, Fireguy!

[The Dude]

Valerius Geist is a well respected Biologist in Canada, and did an about-face on wolves a few years back.
Google "Valerius Geist wrong wolves" .
Here's one of many hits:
http://www.idahoforwildlife.com/Website%20articles/Dr%20Geist/When%20ignorance%20is%20bliss.html

[bridger]

Valerius Geist is a well respected Biologist in Canada, and did an about-face on wolves a few years back.
Google "Valerius Geist wrong wolves" .
Here's one of many hits:
http://www.idahoforwildlife.com/Website%20articles/Dr%20Geist/When%20ignorance%20is%20bliss.html


Good article. Thanks for posting!

[Ride Red]

Predators have been on a serious rise for the past (approx) 10 years. Do your part with a spring bear hunt and a dog hunt as we are the best managers out there.

[steel_ram]

Taking out a few wolves here and there only helps maintain a high healthy wolf population. It either has to be a huge expensive , effort to bring them down to unnatural minimum populations, which will rebound or the natural crash. So the pendullum swings.

Why would anyone be surprised that desperate starving predators would turn to livestock, pets or even humans.

I take the cattleman's opinion with a grain of salt as I would the urban environmentalist. Both have their agenda's.

[.330 Dakota]

All she has to do is listen to the CBC news , they have been yapping about the ranchers losing stock to wolves and that the Govt is finally listening to them and that YES we have a wolf problem

[trapperRick]

I think it's a bit of both habitat encroachment is a factor for sure people wanting their 5 acres of land, roads to mines the oil batch. Wolves love roads it makes it easier for them to hunt, I saw some pics of some country in the peace and the roads were run in square blocks, looked like a chess board easy for wolves to chase game. We need some control on wolves numbers I wouldn't want to see them eliminated but controlled

[Drillbit]

Wolves love roads it makes it easier for them to hunt, I saw some pics of some country in the peace and the roads were run in square blocks, looked like a chess board easy for wolves to chase game.

That's strange. Near Horsefly, there's a Muledeer Winter Range that's been logged so it looks like a checkerboard from the sky. They say it's to help the deer survive better from wolves. Were the pics you saw completely logged with a grid of roads, or was every second square still treed?

[monasheemountainman]

a teacher that thinks she knows everything?? no F*****n way!

[Andrewh]

a teacher that thinks she knows everything?? no F*****n way!

To her defence, she is an anatomy/physiology major. She knows a lot about the human body etc but not as much about ecosystems.

Thanks for all the great links guys, some great reading for sure.

Andrew

[trapperRick]

that's strange. Near Horsefly, there's a Muledeer Winter Range that's been logged so it looks like a checkerboard from the sky. They say it's to help the deer survive better from wolves. Were the pics you saw completely logged with a grid of roads, or was every second square still treed

Not sure exactly where in the peace the pics were but the article was about how the roads were used by wolves to hunt caribou and that it made it easier for them to run down/corner game

[Livewire322]

I was going to start a thread, but this is close enough.

Today on the local radio, they were saying the Cattleman's Association has paid 10 million in compensation to ranchers in the Caribou Region. This is the second year in a row. This is for predator kills, most significantly, Wolves.

How many Heli rides with an SKS will 10million get? I'm thinking enough.
I'll bring mine as well!?

[horshur]

I was going to start a thread, but this is close enough.

Today on the local radio, they were saying the Cattleman's Association has paid 10 million in compensation to ranchers in the Caribou Region. This is the second year in a row. This is for predator kills, most significantly, Wolves.

How many Heli rides with an SKS will 10million get? I'm thinking enough.


I don't think you or maybe the CBC got there numbers right.......it might be 1 million.

I am not nor ever have been up on prices but 1.40 a pound on a 600 pound calf is $840. That would be 12 thousand calves killed by wolves.

[one-shot-wonder]

Valerius Geist is a well respected Biologist in Canada, and did an about-face on wolves a few years back.
Google "Valerius Geist wrong wolves" .
Here's one of many hits:
http://www.idahoforwildlife.com/Website%20articles/Dr%20Geist/When%20ignorance%20is%20bliss.html

Yet another interesting and informative article from VG.
Thanks for this....

[gcreek]

I was going to start a thread, but this is close enough.

Today on the local radio, they were saying the Cattleman's Association has paid 10 million in compensation to ranchers in the Caribou Region. This is the second year in a row. This is for predator kills, most significantly, Wolves.

How many Heli rides with an SKS will 10million get? I'm thinking enough.

Either your information or comprehension is slightly scewed. The $10,000,000 was taken from a predator loss report given to BC Cattlemen's Association by it's members. I counted for $20,000 of that figure and I sure as hell never got any money for my losses.
The program ends March 31, 2012, our last of 3 phone calls to the Report a Predator hotline was on Dec 31, we are still waiting for a reply from a CO. I guess our last name may have something to do with their reluctance to respond.