Idaho Wolves-Here we go again..

Yeah, for the most part I agree. I don't believe there is a viable place for wolves in the lower 48 anymore. But that is sort of a moot point now. They are here to stay. The powers that be on the wolf hugging side is extreemly powerful and influential. I have no doubt that eventually the states will have legal hunting seasons on them, but it may take a while. Wolves cannot be managed, they have to be controlled.

This battle will ultimately be decided at the Supreme Court or even Congressional level, with the re-writing of the ESA to bring into current standards. The power to control these animals must be given to the individual states in order for it to even come close to succeeding. Just my thoughts... :-k

I share your concerns. I hunt elk in the salmon river mountains and we used to see 5-10 moose duringt the season. I've haven't seen a moose in 3 years or a track. Its the wolves. Mile high outfitters which hunt down Bigcreek in the Franch church wilderness area's have posted on their website that they do not recommend customers putting in for Moose tags in unit 26. They stated that last year they only saw one cow moose. Its sad to see people in high positions in Govt. try and control something that they have no idea about. I don't even think F & G really knows whats going on. Where still filling our elk tags every year but the wolves are there.

On a different note I went into a totally different area (much farther south) scouting for mule deer this last weekend. I saw 28 cows and calves, 4 spikes and a bachelor group of 4 bulls with one being a BIG 6 point. I hiked the mountain up and down and could not find any sign of wolves.

The predation in Idaho is a serious problem. Everyone asks why are the deer herds not coming back after the 1992 winter kill. Its easy =predators. I never remember seeing bears as a kid. Almost everytime i'm in the Salmon mountains I see at least one bear. My family has killed our share over the past decade. See back in the 1960's-1980's Fish and Game had the anti predator policy. Well now they feel that predators have a place in the ecosystem, which I agree, but just not so many of them.

Ok ok i'll get off my soap box. It's a sad situation, I hope the Gov't doesnt screw this thing up.

One more thing thanks to the muleymadness crew that chimed in on my high country mule deer questions-----------I found the bucks =D>

plus-1 what has been said. I too hunt the salmon zones and have notice a difference. The sad thing is we are hoping the gov. Will make the right call but I think they will make things worse. The tree huggers have a lot of money to through at the politations. I know for a fact that a certain go green company buys elk and deer tags from Idaho so hunters can't get the tags.

I don't mind a few wolves, but their numbers are beyond reasonable right now.

While we all like to complain about the animal rights folks and their BS lawsuits, the Wyoming Legislature is also a part of the problem. As long as Wyoming's Gov't refuses to classify wolves as trophy big game animals they are going to remain protected. That holds Idaho and Montana sportsmen hostage where good management plans exist. Montana doubled the wolf quota for 2010, it's a real shame the season won't move forward.... the place I like to hunt has been hit hard by those canines. :>/

Wyoming had a good workable plan. But the *&^(*%*(^ tree huggers didn't like it and put the screws to us. Now, in order to get on with things, we have to knuckle under and meet "their" criteria. It's BS and it rubs us the wrong way. Perhaps, what we should do is go with an approvable plan now and morph it into what we want later. But it's still BS!

"Snake River Marksman" wrote: Perhaps, what we should do is go with an approvable plan now and morph it into what we want later.

Like it or not, that's likely the only way to legally win this battle. Part of the problem is that there is little research on the impacts of hunting wolves in the lower 48 states and that gives the animal rights nut bags all the footing in court.

If Wyoming did what Idaho and Montana did and start slow then ramp things up as the evidence comes in, they will then have a defensible plan backed with history, science, and solid data. That will be a much stronger case in court and it will allow the state to manage wolves as they see fit over time. Right now with the wolves back on the list the state's hands are tied and I can't buy a wolf tag.

It is fun to tell the feds to piss off, but it isn't going to do much more than feel good. We need a wolf season that is here to stay and that means playing the game in a way that works to our long term advantage.

Great feedback guys! I agree with you all that the wolf situation in Id, Wy, and Mt is out of control. They a tough animal to record data on and for that reason like stated above the tree huggers will win the battle in court, everytime. Something needs to be done!

I have a feeling that some Idaho residents will take the matters into their own hands at this point. They shut down the season, but some residents will continue their year round resident season. I'm not sayin I will, but it makes you wonder, is this the only way to fix this problem we have? I'm not a poacher by any means, but I have buddies who tell me they are shooting every wolf they see this season, tag or no tag.

"grenda" wrote:Great feedback guys! I agree with you all that the wolf situation in Id, Wy, and Mt is out of control. They a tough animal to record data on and for that reason like stated above the tree huggers will win the battle in court, everytime. Something needs to be done!

I have a feeling that some Idaho residents will take the matters into their own hands at this point. They shut down the season, but some residents will continue their year round resident season. I'm not sayin I will, but it makes you wonder, is this the only way to fix this problem we have? I'm not a poacher by any means, but I have buddies who tell me they are shooting every wolf they see this season, tag or no tag.

The illegal killing of the wolves will solve nothing for hunters and state game agencies and it will further fuel the fire under those who wish to push the wolf down our throats. They will sensationalize every poached wolf found and flash it across the internet and paper rags, shedding a black cloak over all hunters. That in and of itself will garner them tons of money from the unenlightened general public. With thier coffers briming with gold, they will redouble their efforts and slam the nail into the coffin further.

Poaching of wolves has increased dramatically in the northern parts of Minnesota and authorities are pushing for more money to hire more officers to pursue those who commiting the crime, and also asking for much higher penalties as well.

This is a very emotional issue on both sides, but will only be "won" in the hight court or political arena...damn shame is what it is. :>/

Well if you look at history the ranches will solve the wolf problem for us. ID fish and game are good they can't pin point when a wolf is poison and runs off and dies.

I agree poaching wolves is not the answer to this mess. I really don't think that hunting wolves can control the population. Yeah we may harvest 150 in year in Idaho put that does equal the number of pups born. In eary July up French Creek on the main Salmon we say Parents with 6 pups. Lets say that a one tenth of the population in Idaho has 4 pups this year, which is being conservative. That comes out to 333 new wolves. You can see the problem. Idaho says the population is at 834 wolves. I firmly believe that this is way low. Wolves adapt and are surviors. I really think it will take the states actions to control the wolf population. The wolf season is put in place to make the hunters feel like they have control of the situation. Which is good because I want a pelt and would like to hunt them. Take a look at the coyote populations, its a free for all, and yet there are as many if not more coyotes than before. Like i've said before everyone needs to harvest as many predators as the law permits. The green side of this battle will take any poachers caught and make a huge example of them. It is going to be an uphill battle, lets all hope that the right thing is done.

my two cents again

North Central Minnesota and North Eastern Minnesota is gray wolf country. Moose and deer populations are managed for the wolves hunters get any leftovers. Good deer and Moose country but mostly just enough for wolves. That''s where all the public land in the Rocky Mountain West is headed, for sure, we as hunters are far outnumbered. Big population centers to the East and West will decide our hunting future. With lots of help from anti hunting Judges.

IMO.

Up here in Alaska they are shot on site,hasnt put a dent in them.