Wolf hunts in Idaho, Montana still stirring up controversy

The wolf hunt in Idaho is proceeding with remarkable hunter success in some of the state's 12 hunting zones, and in Montana, where limited hunting is underway, the general season opens Sunday.

Hunting wolves in both states, made possible after the removal of the predators from the endangered species list last spring, is controversial, and animal rights groups are trying to stop the hunts.

The latest campaign was launched by Defenders of Wildlife, which is asking for donations to pay for an ad to be placed in New York's Times Square through Dec. 15. "Hundreds more wolves will be targeted in the coming weeks and months, threatening the very recovery of these amazing animals," the group states on its website. The group also is urging people to sign an online petition that will be sent to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, "urging him to withdraw his flawed delisting rule that prematurely removed vital protections for wolves in the northern Rockies region--before a lasting wolf recovery slips from our grasp."

Sportsmen's groups, meanwhile, are backing state wildlife agencies claiming that wolf numbers in the northern Rockies have increased to the point where the animals need to be managed, via controlled hunting, to minimize interaction with ranchers and threats to livestock.

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, in an action alert sent to members, cited a recent study by Montana State University that links the reintroduction of wolves into Rocky Mountains to a decline in elk numbers in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem.

The study, published in July, found that wolves have caused elk in the region to change their foraging habits to such an extent that herds are producing fewer calves. All elk are losing weight in the winter and the presence of wolves, the study claims, causes elk to browse more on woody shrubs or low tree branches in safer forested areas rather than grazing on grass in open meadows where they're more vulnerable to wolf predation.

Through Wednesday in Idaho, which has a statewide quota of 220, 73 wolves had been killed, one of them  by an alleged poacher. In Montana, which has a quota of 75, 12 wolves have been harvested during special back-country hunts.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo of gray wolves courtesy of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

Note: To follow this blog on Twitter please visit @latimesoutposts

Comments

[Sam]

this is funny, i ran by this article/argument out of interest - it's interesting that the arguments that appeal to science and objectivity agree in a balance of wolf preservation and hunting.

here are the arguments:

Argument 1. let the wolves multiply at will (because they're so poor, it's morally wrong, i like them) --> this argument is voiced at least 15 times by various people above.

Argument 2. let the numbers be controlled (and preserved) by law as best fits all species in the area, including elk, moose, bear, and livestock. This argument is voiced about as many times (15 or so).

Argument 3. Kill all the wolves...wait, no one makes that argument.

Hmmm, who is being reasonable?

[J Greenwood]

this msg is for all those mislead idiots out there. no one is talking about whipping the wolves out we are talking about keeping them in check so just shut your liberal mouths an worry about some thing u know about. you need look at some facts get the story straight or better yet go spend some time in montana or idaho an see first hand what is happened to the the deer, elk and moose population then u will be able to understand they need managed. wolves are cool but hey so are deer, elk, moose and all the other prey animals. if nothing is done next you idiots will be mouthing off on how we need to save the deer, elk and moose an put them on the list. our states have been able to manage every other predator just fine so dont just jot stupid crap down you no nothing about.

[Lynne Stone]

jjarvis - as I've said to you before on other blogs, you lie.

tlm - you don't know anyone else who has seen the Phantoms so you come with my name to blame for wolf-haters trying to kill them. Give me a break.

Cindy - Your statement that only people from out of state want wolves in Idaho is BS. I've lived in Idaho for 30 years and support the right for wolves to exist here.

[J. Jarvis]

Lynne Stone makes money off wolves...I can understand her hate towards hunters....So i have to just disregard her lies about wolves not affecting idaho elk herds....We are managing wolves just like every other big game species.....I think it may be a good idea to eliminate the basin and phantom packs....Once she stops seeing dollar signs for her little wolf field trips and paintings...Folks can go back to enjoying the pet wolves in Yellowstone....Lynne is currently under review for Illegally interfering with hunts and harrassing game animals....take her drivel for what its worth....

[tim johnson]

I dont think you want Canadien grey wolves eating your pets do you? Canadien grey wolves are not an indigenous species. Yellowstones buffallo #'s are down- elk way down, moose spiraling towards protection. Management is the only solution to protecting the wolf and the big game herds. Sportsman have always been the only support mechanism for western lands and resources. Stay on the sidewalk where your safe- mountains are for conservatives! Without sportsman, none of this would be possible including your beloved national parks. Now feeding stations for wolves! There are no elk left to eat in yellowstone so next time you come west bring your dog the wolves need something to eat.

[Jim]

I can't believe the amount of folks that are so uneducated about wildlife management. You antis are so out of touch with the real world it is pathetic. To David, you are a retard liberal wacko. Just for entertainment go to the NRA website and spend a few minutes reading what they have to say. You are desperate for knowledge, you have none on this subject. Have you ever seen dirt or just pavement?

[David]

NRA is beyond corrupt. If anything moves - they HAVE to kill it, and if you don't let them they'll raise money to beat you down.

The wolves are their man competition to "big game" hunting. So, what do they do? Kill the competition and claim it's for the better, just so they can have more elk to kill - as the un-sportsmanlike hunters sit on the dead bodies of all the families of wolves they've killed.

They target the adults, a lot of which have young. The young are left to die of starvation in the woods alone. What crap is this? Do they have ANY respect for living life? ANY? HELLO? KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. Your trigger weapons kill your own hearts and intelligence, and who has to get all the crap? Wildlife, and nature.

They ignore the line where WE'RE nature.

No, HAWLK. Who pushed and convinced "wildlife services" to start this blood-lusted hunt? Who? Hm?

My point exactly.

They spend, spend, spend to get an animal off the endangered species list, just to kill, kill, kill it.

Pitiful.

[Cindy]

It's quite amazing to alot of people who live in Idaho to hear the opinions of people who don't live, vacation, visit or know anything about our State except that most of us don't like wolves being here. I would like to see the people who are trying to save the wolves, come and move in with their families and see if they feel safe to let their children go outside and play in woods where wolves have been spotted, which could be right from your front porch, or driving down the road a mile from your house. Or how about when you take your family out camping for a weekend, and you won't let your kids out of camp to ride their bikes, or go on a hike because of the wolves. I have read some of the posts and can't believe the ignorance of people who know nothing about what happens to the cattle, or elk or the safety of the people who live here, shame on you for calling us Lobo-foes, or that Idaho is a "sorry State", where do these people live, I'm sure it's in a city where they like to look at pictures of "beautiful" wolves in paintings or at the zoo. There's also comments about how terrible it was to reintroduce the wolves back in just to kill them. I believe it was people like you, non-Idahoans, who supported them coming here, how about letting them come into your State? I say shame on you out of stater's that know nothing about us except our wolves!!!!!!!!

[Dennis]

Does it not matter that it has been hunters dollars that paid for the reintroduction of the wolves. The anti-hunting groups have nothing at stake and have not provided the capital that brought the wolves back, hunters have. When the wolves were brought back the initial plan was for around seven self sustaining packs and then the wolves were to be delisted, they are seven times that the last time I heard and their impact on the ecosystem is devastating. Do some research and learn a little about conservation.

[mick]

this wolf bs is a cheap shot at hunters and ranchers its just a way of elimaniting there opertuneities to hunt and grow food on its face its anti hunting anti gun and stupid i would kill every wolf i came across if i lived in those states that have them in fact i would kill them all year and out of season too and i would encourage all those who would do the same untill they were once agin elimanted and all this bs about nature is stupid there is over 6 billion people on this earth nature is already altered forever kill the wolves

[waypasthadenough]

The answer is simple:

Erect a 14 foot fence around all the major cities. Stock the enclosures with wolves, bears, cougars and other hungry predators. The "Liberal" citiots without enough common sense to carry a gun to defend themselves can 'get back to nature' as they are wont to do...

[Nelson Smith]

Greg Said, "....There is no 'quietly passing in the night,' no drugs to make passing more comfortable, there are no hospitals or hospice. The old don't die as a result of age but instead are captured by younger, stronger animals and consumed, their bowels usually removed while they are still alive or their windpipe crushed as they slowly suffocate. The sick and weak freeze to death, suffer agonizing afflictions or suffer the same fate as their aged counterparts who are partially consumed prior to expiring. An arrow or bullet is a much faster and humane method than Mother Nature will ever provide. .."

Nelson says, Remember, we are talking about wolf hunting here. "I suggest you look up all those animal species that have become extinct or bought to near extinction by the mercy of a bullet, trap, or arrow. I walked the Appalachian trail as a kid in my elementary school years-just made enough noise to let the black bears know I was coming during "huckleberry" season. Because of abuse at home I lived in the woods by myself, during summer break, from 4th to 8th grade.
I have flyfished with a grizzly 25 yards to my left and a bull moose closer behind me. I've run into cougars-we have cougars and black bear on our property. I have never been bothered. The scariest thing I saw was a rabid dog-and that was scary.
The buffalo, jaguars, wolves, grizzle and many others have been exposed to the consequences of sport, greed, or insecurity.
Most states have special seasons on does and other animals that are "culled" not because we want the aged animals to suffer a merciful death but because they taste better. Most bear hunters do not eat a winter killed bear or a wolf etc.
I still have my Browning Silaflex recurve-never could get used to those pulleys, sights, and thing a ma gigs on the modern sporting bow. I love the taste of good elk meat and trout fried over a campfire deep in the woods.
I enjoyed watching my Springer flush out a pheasant and trapping for mink when I was a kid. But that does not mean I am in favor of killing wolves or animals that are close to extinction, no value to me unless I am willing to eat most of it [you all know what scrabble is made of], or where over=population is such a threat that many will die of starvation. But as another person here said mother nature had no problem dealing with such until man came along.
I love life, I enjoy God's creation, I love walking upstream as I am casting my Adams dryfly and stumble onto a bear or a deer, or watching an eagle swoop down and capture a salmon in it's talons. I really don't care whether or not I catch a fish, but I do care when unreasonable fear and false justification destroy the beauty and sound of life around us.
And if you are truly concerned about suffering old animals and want to show mercy, then visit the hoods of the Crips, Bloods, Gangster Disciples, Vice Lords, Latin Kings etc and let these youth in these gangs know there is a better way so they won't end up in prison to grow old and die there or be executed; or die in the prime of their life because they flashed their gang sign or trespassed into another's gang territory; or maybe have enough concern to walk into the middle of a gang fight and watch the kids put away their weapons when you showed them you care.
Thanks for listening.
You Are Significant Because God Doesn't Make Mistakes or Junk

[Bruce]

To all those "Hunters" out there, a true hunter hunts for food and necessity. Not for sport. And for those of you who think MAN needs to balance nature, Nature did just fine until man came along. The Indians lived in harmony with all of nature. The "Great White Hunter" just wants to conquer it. And the state that is the worst about this stuff is Alaska. Since when was shooting animals from a plane after running them down a sport or even hunting. The NRA should step in to that. That kind of slaughter give hunters and gun owners a very bad name.

[Richard Letaw]

One cannot help wondering at the motives of those who show total confidence in the judgment of U.S. Department of the Interior staff when animals are placed on the endangered list. When the animals' status is changed, loosened to some degree, that confidence transitions to mistrust and what appears almost to be hatred at times.

I expect ulterior motives are a reason for the reaction. On occasion a dislike for personal ownership of firearms can account for the mystery.

[Greg]

It is sadley humorous to monitor those citizens who praise enlistment of a species on the endangered species list, only to demonize governmental agencies responsible for the original enlistment once that species has recovered and then requires management. Typical of any government program designed to help any group, human or not, - once it starts it will never stop. It becomes a perpetual mandate for the "good" of the group. It is also typical of an uniformed and irresponsible electorate to demand a result (higher wolf population) but then refuse the consequences (population management). A balance must be maintained in nature.

All the posts which are anti-hunting base all their opinions on emotion as opposed to scientific reason, which is typical for individuals employing this rationale. Also, unfortunately, most of these individuals have no clue about, and have certainly never witnessed, the circle of life in nature outside of the TV. We who choose to participate in the circle of life are simply participants as opposed to observers. Finally, for those of us who actively participate in nature, there is an unquestionable truth that there is nothing humane about nature - nature is indifferent. Anyone who is a proponent of humane treatment would most assuredly endorse making natural death in nature illegal. There is no 'quietly passing in the night,' no drugs to make passing more comfortable, there are no hospitals or hospice. The old don't die as a result of age but instead are captured by younger, stronger animals and consumed, their bowels usually removed while they are still alive or their windpipe crushed as they slowly suffocate. The sick and weak freeze to death, suffer agonizing afflictions or suffer the same fate as their aged counterparts who are partially consumed prior to expiring. An arrow or bullet is a much faster and humane method than Mother Nature will ever provide.
PS - whom ever stated that hunting was not a sport was correct. It is something much, much more than sport. It is participating within the fabric of nature.

Posted by: Greg |

[Nelson Smith]

All the inane stats aside and uneducated comments on the justification of killing wolves from aircraft and waiting on Yellowstone's border for a wolf to exit, these mighty hunters ought to read a few books on human zoologists, animal behavioralists etc who have lived among the dreaded wolf. I read such a book in the 50's by the first man to do such and the most dangerous predator on this planet is man.
I am totally in favor of gun ownership and own/have owned some nice ones, but I am secure enough and knowledgeable enough to recognize that the "facts" concerning the murderous wolf are skewed.
If you're afraid of wolves, cougars, bears etc live in the city with concrete as your forest. Don't encroach on animals that have the right to live on their own land.
Who was here first? The wolf or man. Man trespassed onto their territory and now we want to kill them. Lazy parents ought to watch their kids if they live in the forest. Carry mace if you're afraid of bears. The animal population was well, thriving and healthy before man killed off the indians and concreted the land. Read what Lewis and Clark and others said about the wildlife in America before the great white hunter came along.

[Larry Elliott]

If California would like some wolves and grizzly bears Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming would likely be more than happy to send you some. Then you can find out how much fun they are to have around. Since grizzlies are the state animal it seems sort of silly that there aren't any living there. After all it's the natural range of both wolves and griz.

[Dave]

Maybe we should ban wolf hunts, wolves are smart. They can be trained to hunt and eat Liberals.

[Hawk]

Animal lovers used US wildlife services to bring back wolves. Now they are complaining because Wildlife services said we need to manage wolves with a hunt. Let them do there jobs. By the way Amanda it is legal to kill dog in Idaho if they are cause problems. If you don't like it stay out of the State.

[Jess]

If a state sets a quota on hunting, be it wolves or deer or wildfowl, there's a reason for it. Studies are done and wildlife officials complete research before educated decisions are made. I personally don't hunt, but I'm not going to tell somebody they can't or shouldn't as long as they're obeying the law. Especially if science supports the reasoning behind taking or killing(appeasing both sides with the terminology)a set quota of animals. I mean, you don't see any endangered species being hunted, do you? At least not legally. So if anything, the argument against hunting these wolves should be taken up with the biologists, ecoligists, and zoologists who've complete hours and hours researching the very subject. And don't just yell and scream bloody murder, either. Do your homework, because as much as wildlife defenders want to invoke emotion and what not, science dictates how and why these quotas are set. I do know that man has decimated many a species of animal here in the States and am all for wildlife conservation. But I also realize the need to control certain animal populations in order to help balance out Mother Nature herself, thereby restoring nature to a semblance of what it once was.

[TLM]

To Lynn Stone - its your own fault they are targeting the Phantom Pack.

Also the author of this piece didn't site the MSU studies so I'll provide links:

Greater Yellowstone elk suffer worse nutrition and lower birth rates due to wolves

http://www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=7324

MSU research: Bull elk oblivious to danger at dinner time

http://www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=1833

Idaho has offered wolves for adoption to other states so they would not have to be hunted. Not one state took the offer. People like Ms. Stone would rather rabies control the population than hunters.

Wolves have saturated the prime habitat and expanded out of the wilderness, their population is booming to the point they are now living around rural towns. They are NOT shy or afraid of people.

[S. L. Trout]

What is taking place is a travesty. People who hate wolves are nothing but lobo-phobics--mis-informed and callous neanderthals. U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance? Since when is hunting a true sport? Does the animal have a say? Where's the fairness in competition.

I take issue with them saying that the wolf is responsible for the decline in the elk herd in Yellowstone. They probably paid to have that study skewed in favor of massacreing wolves. I remember a NatGeo special that clearly demonstrated that areas in Yellowstone were being destroyed because of the elk's over-grazing and that the reintroduction of the wolf has turned things around for the better--for the environment and the elk.

The wolf is a magnificent creature that deserves to live and carry out his role in the ecosystem. It is ALWAYS man's fault when the natural balance in nature is upset. Hunting outside of true subsistence by the native peoples is nothing more than licensed slaughter. An animal doesn't stand a chance against all the high-tech hunting toys and gadgets that most hunters use today.
It'll be a great day in our world when hunting is tossed on the scrap heap of other cruel, inhumane and socially unacceptable practices. I'm sick and tired of seeing men gloat over the beautiful, lifeless bodies of animals. If you ask me, they're all mentally ill and in any other context of life a red flag would be raised when using the term "avid" to describe a hunter's love of killing. Imagine the obituary of a serial killer describing him as an "avid" killer of young women! Gasp! Yet we just never bat an eyelash when avid is used to describe a hunter's zeal. God created the wolf just as He breathed life into the elk, moose, white-tail. We have no right to destroy what God has given life to. I hope you all have to answer for your arrogant, self-centered behavior one day.

You will live to regret your actions, mark my words!

[Amanda]

It depresses me beyond words that people can be so cruel. We wouldn't shoot a dog, would we? So why its wild cousin? We may be humans, but do we have the authority to deem whether a species has a right to existence?

I think the Montana and Idaho governments ought to be ashamed of themselves to let such a travesty occur, and the hunters should live with that terrible guilt for the rest of their lives. If you ask me, THEY ARE the ones who have lost their right to exist.

[Barbara]

Does this make any sense? To bring these animals back from extinction just to allow rapacious humans to kill them for sport. Better that they had never been reintroduced to that sorry state of Idaho or anywhere in this country where beauty in a natural world cannot be tolerated. Where the only thing important to some feeble minds is the destruction of a species at their hands. Shame on all of you.

[Lynne Stone]

Now 74 wolves have been killed in Idaho, including another member of Sun Valley's famous Phantom Hill Pack, shot Tuesday by a hunter. This beautiful pack of black wolves, is now down to eight. Lobo-foes have stated they intend to destroy this pack, to show wolf supporters (like myself), just who runs Idaho. If the Phantoms can survive this witch hunt, then Sun Valley will become Idaho's Lamar Valley. The large herds of elk here = wolves.