ELKampMaster

In 1995, when Canadian grey wolves were being captured to send down to Yellowstone an old feller in Hinton, Alberta inquired of the rangers, "So what are you boys up to?" "We're capturing these wolves to send down to the states in an attempt to establish a viable population in a few areas down there."

The old man shook his head and grinned, "So those folks down south, do they know what they are getting themselves into with these here grey wolves?" What do you mean? "Oh, the wolves will get established alright and they'll do just fine. Rich land, moderate climate, lots of livestock, plentiful deer and elk; those folks are going to end up with more wolves than they know what to do with! Now whose idea was this again?" Things got quiet, the rangers walked away, "radical" one muttered, "rancher" said the other.
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Two thoughts:

1. It looks like everything is working right according to plan. The wolves have indeed faired well and are "out" of the introduction areas and spreading like the plague. Looks like some good job security and new funding will be coming down the pike for some of our government employees [it was the government that imported them right?], and....

2. The damnedest things get done when the "majority" of the citizenry are sold and then endorse a "romantic idea," especially when one of the "selling points" included is that there will be essentially zero impact on that same majority's own day to day tax bill, lifestyle or livelihood.

It pays to be careful what you wish for, you just might get it, in spades! Up in Alaska and BC hunting seasons allowing a legal take of TEN wolves per day???? Helloooooo! Anybody home? If it wasn't so tragic, it would be flat out, rolling-on-the-floor funny.

Ah, silly humans anyway....

EKM

James B

I have to admit that I have mixed feelings about the wolves. I like to see and hear them when we camp in the mountains. However though I don't know how they Elk populations, I know for a fact that they really take a toll on young moose. They can take a big percentage of Moose from an area where thier population is pretty high. I also don't know how hard or easy it would be to control wolf numbers by hunting or trapping. Being a life long hunter I would have to come down on the side of protecting as much wilflife as possible.

Montana Bob

Was reading in the local paper(Missoulian) that Idaho now considers the Wolf a game animal and with that status they are working to get them managed AKA Hunted. If they can convince the Feds an open season may be in the works.