Here's the article from today's paper:

http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2004/01/08/news/01elkbzbigs.txt

Duh...those yellow collared four-legged that the feds dropped on us a few years ago really dont have much impact do they??? I figure that you could take three "yellowstone biologists" have them count the same pile of rabbit pellets and come out with three different answers...all echoing different versions of federal imperialism in game management.

my $.02


swede

: Wyoming wolves.



It was just on the Wyoming evening news, K-2 to be exact. Winter counts of elk are down in areas near the park. This winters count was down close to 1000 head over last year, like posted above lowest since 1970. And fall kills were down in addition, leading to all speculation that wolves are directly responsible for fewer elk! DUH! Must be rocket science. It was also stated on the program that fewer tags will issued in adjacent areas. And success will reflect the decline. I hope you enjoyed what we used to have.



They like to use the weather excuse. It's the drought they say. Well all of Wyoming has been suffering through a drought the last 5 years, and in non-wolf areas, (south central Wy.) the elk are doing fine and actually expanding thier range. But up in the heavey wolf areas numbers are declining. Must be a selective drought!!!!!

Seems to me there might be a solution to the problem Alaska seems to have figured out how to "protect" the Moose...

I'm hoping this will prompt WY to quit playing dickey-doo with the feds and construct a plan that will get passed and have an impact. Can't wait to apply for a wolf tag in WY!

One thing I have to ask though, is that even though the herd is at the lowest point since the '70's has it been below, at, or over carry-capacity during that time? To have elk you have to have food and elk can and do overgraze. Now if they'd just get a bit more lax with the law regarding hunting in the park!

Well this is exactly what the anti's wanted. They have been trying to abolish the Park hunting for years. Now that wolves are controlling the numbers guess what. Don't need those late season hunts on elk coming out of the Park.

I hope someone will forward a copy of this article to the wolf lovers at the "happy words only" - rockie mountain elk foundation! I have long since erased them from my address book.
We need to control the wolves or they will destroy both Elk Hunting here in SW Montana and the income, industry and traditional recreational opportunities that have existed here!
I would much rather retain the Elk herds here that Hunters have paid for and fought for decades to bring back, establish and maintain than any number of Wolves!
And do not for one moment forget what the Wolves are doing to our already rare opportunities to Hunt Moose and Big Horn Sheep!
Yes I told everyone I knew and anyone that would listen to me (I was ignored by the state and federal agaencies - obviously!) that the re-establishment of wolves in the numbers the tree huggers mandated would eventually destroy sport Hunting in many areas! This is proof of the start of that backhanded and cowardly conspiracy by the bunny huggers ultra-liberals and bureaucrats succeeding!
S.S.S.!!!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

The RMEF straddles the fence, yes they have done lots of good for elk and elk habitat. And yes the wolf is undoing all they have done! But they won't speak out. The only response I got from them, via a letter to editor, was that they were urging agnecies to delist so some control could take place.

They are the one organization that should be jumping up and down and screaming bloody murder to conrtol the wolf. But they straddle the fence and stay warm and fuzzy. I dropped my membership when the wolves were released in 95 when they printed the pro wolf articles, and urged my sons who are outfitters to do like wise. They finally have. No more donations and no more trips to banquets. I attended two a year and always, "ALWAYS" blew several hundred bucks on auctions and raffles. NO MORE!

Them not fighting the wolf reintrodcution would be like DU condoning filling in marshes and farming every duck nest under a corn field.

It's not just the elk. The mule deer are taking a big hit too. And they have been having a tough time as it is lately. If something isnt done soon, we may be looking at a whole new hunting world.