Just heard this morning on the local radio station that the wolf pack from Yellowstone that was lost, has been found...approximately 60 miles to the south in the National Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole. The report did not elaborate on pack size, how long the pack was missing, or how long it has been on the refuge.

Last winter there were three packs of ten wolves each roaming the Gros Ventre River drainage, killing an average of 6 elk every night off the elk feed grounds and surrounding areas. I, as well as a buddy of mine, found "wolf sign" this year while hunting the area, while seeing very little deer and elk and/or sign.

Where are those guys on the small game forum who like cat hunting?

Why don't you guys trap them, drive them over here to NYC, and we'll release them in Central Park.

Let's see how the 'elites' and bunny-huggers like it when their shih-tzus and bichon frises (and maybe a couple of their brats) get eaten!

George

[ 01-30-2003, 20:19: Message edited by: GeorgeS ]

Actually I would appreciate it if you would ship them to Michigan! We have wolves here, but they do not seem to be able to kill enough deer to keep our highways safe! Perhaps we could do a swap and keep everyone happy. You get our useless Michigan wolves, and we get your deer decimating wolves. That way you get to keep your wild life populations up, we get our highways made safe, and the bunny huggers get wolves in Yellowstone.

Axel

I know I'm preaching to the choir,but...
This was exactly what the proponents of wolf
reintroduction wanted.
Prey specie numbers so low that sport hunting can not be allowed.

JeffP you are giving them way too much credit. I doubt they thought much at all about the long term consequences or really even care.

Trapdoor,

Is the USFWS flying over the Gros Ventre drainage everyday. They found three wolves here in Fremont Co, Red Canyon south of Lander. Their flying the area everyday to keep a eye on them. One rancher said he had to gather his whole herd and bring them in because the wolves were hanging around his livestock.

The Game and Fish reported that the Federal goverment only gives the state of Wyoming $35,000 to help with the wolves, while the Wyoming state Game and Fish fork out $1.4 million a year. That money out of every hunter that hunts Wyoming.

Scratch

It doesn't sound like this bringing back the wolf is a good idea at all . Its been a debate in NY for years as the DEC has been talking about bringing them back to the Adirondacks. I'm sure there are a handfull left in the wilds up there although the DEC says they have been out of the state for years. Wonder if that would hurt the Moose comeback up there. Also there is discussion on maybe bringing back Elk to the same region.

I am not in favor of reintroducing a predator that cannot be hunted.

Axel,

I don't know about your Michigan wolves but the wolves in U.P. are doing a fine job of decimating deer populations.

Scratch,

I do not know about flying over Gros Ventre.

Last year while snowmobiling in the Gros Ventre, I was told directly by a USF&W "agent" about the wolves there. He was doing his daily patrol checking for sticker compliance on all sleds and I just happened to catch him...or he caught me...at the parking lot, so we chatted a bit about the problem. He seemed like he knew what he was talking about, but I guess you never know for sure.

Well its time we found out EXACTLY where the rocky mountain elk foundation and The Mule Deer Foundation stand in regards to Wolves. I know I will never give another cents worth of support to the rmef after seeing Wayne "Happy Words" Carleton on the last edition of the TV show Elk Country Journal! He and his pathetically naive happy words regarding Wolves in the west literally made me sick to my stomach! I think all members of the rmef should immediately call for the ouster of Wayne Carleton. The man is simply not smart enough to realize the Wolves are going to have to be severely controlled (significantly reduced from their present numbers in the western U.S.A.) or we are going to lose our Elk herds! I know I will NEVER again waste money at any rmef fundraising event or promotion until they specifically call for stringent restrictions on Wolf numbers. The rmef has been on my bad list for so long and for so many reasons that I am now going to actively counsel against supporting them. They (among many other things) have become a top heavy good old boys oblivious to what is going on in the west fundraising society.
We have got to get a handle on this Wolf situation or Elk Hunting will be history in the west in the next 10 - 15 years!
I have a specific suggestion for all sportsmen and Elk Hunters. Get your respective outdoor associations to file suit against the Department of the Interior and the U.S.F.W.S. to mandate they live by the number of Wolves they originally found acceptable to them before they reintroduced the Wolf (527 Wolves - a number they have already surpassed).
I fear for the future of Sport Hunting in the west!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Woo-hoo! Somebody's listening! Gee, curious how they found religion (kinda) all sudden-like, huh?

http://www.missoulian.com/display/inn_news/news07.txt

Redial: Thanks for the link to the Wolf article! Gee it is worse than I thought - already 700 Wolves - this is just a tragedy in the making!
Hold into he wind
VarmintGuy