Wolves Have Been Released in Colorado USA

[HankBuck]

So based on the logic here, lions, leopards, and cheetahs should also never be reintroduced to their historical ranges? Predators are part of a healthy eco-system whether it’s convenient for us or not.

Aaron, your logic is correct but the circumstances & environment have changed so much over the last 150 - 200 years that it’s now inaccurate. In the continental US there is no longer 1000s of square miles of uninterrupted Wilderness - and one pack of wolves ranges over 1000s of square miles, they can travel 100+ miles in one direction in a few days, they know No Boundaries. Because a pack of wolves must Now must remain in a concentrated area - a much smaller area (a few 100 sq miles vs 1000s) they have a bigger impact on Elk, deer, Moose populations then they previously had. There is No Way to “recreate the past” Unless we completely remove all human population, cities, etc.. Wolves no longer “fit” in the Continental 48 and while they can be reintroduced - it will come at a price to other Big Game animals - including Cougar. The people most in favor of Wolf reintroduction are those that will live no where near the wolves, will Not have their livestock, pets, horses affected etc. Wolves were not eradicated from the lower 48 by accident, wolves were not compatible with human habitation 200 years ago and they are less compatible now. While I also have mixed feelings and think the loss of any native species is cause for alarm - I believe that there is now room for only a very limited wolf population and they will need to be carefully managed - hunted & trapped - to keep population levels under control.

 

[Datchew]

They want the feel good side of the equation..

But they dont want responsibility for properly managing the results of their decisions.. or to be held accountable for the consequences of the refusal to manage..

This

 

[Scott CWO]

Well that is two separate issues. All I’m saying is that apex predators belong, and play an important role in an ecosystem.

If they are properly managed, that’s a separate debate.

Well that’s politically and biologically naive at this point because it’s been shown that the other side won’t let us hunt them. There’s no trigger or population mechanism in the Colorado plan for hunting down the road. We tried to put it in place but it was defeated. What will eventually happen here is a biological imbalance when wolf numbers get too high because we won’t be able to address it. The ecosystem everyone talks about has been altered, if not destroyed, so so-called natural balances don’t happen anymore. It’s a pie in the sky idea. Colorado isn’t Alaska and I actually like wolves. I also guide in Alaska.

So, since we won’t be allowed to manage wolves, like our other wildlife in an altered ecosystem, I and many other people are against these reintroductions.

 

[RichD]

It would be fairly easy to DIY hog hunt in Texas. The Texas Parks and Wildlife website lists the locations and rules for all the public hunting lands and the permitting regs for each area. Come getcha some!

Hank you! I'll get together with my hunting partner after the holidays and see what we can put together.

 

[IronRanger]

Well, I live in NE mn and can say...

Thus ends over the counter elk tags... not sure when but sooner then expected.

 

[HankBuck]

Can’t really manage them all that well as a sportsman because they are so rangy. They get wise to snares really quick when trapping. The game managers have some success with aerial control depending on snow depth. The most effective way to manage them is to kill the pups in the den. That however is a PR nightmare that the masses never abide.

Sad day for the real residents of CO and all the animals, wild and domestic. I grew up there, on the W side. That country is no longer wild, wolves don’t belong there.

GBflyer, I think you are incorrect regarding trapping, although they are the most difficult of all North American animals to trap (more difficult then coyotes) - Good experienced trappers catch them regularly in Alaska and British Columbia, sets include snares and foot traps. Trapping is a highly successful way to “catch” wolves and in fact was the method used to capture most of the wolves that are now being reintroduced - foot traps, in Canada captured the majority of wolves later released into the US.
The difficulty in controlling wolf populations has nothing to do with wolves - it’s public opinion, ignorance, & politics that interferes with managing wolves.

Maybe I'm wrong to do this, but I consider wolves and coyotes (and hogs) to be the same......Shoot On Sight!!

Here in Tennessee we have a coyote problem,...and a hog problem,....at least hogs have meat value.

Coyotes and wolves have No...Zero...value. These animals offer nothing in the way of food or hide value and at least with our (Tennessee's) hunting restrictions it makes it more difficult to hunt coyotes and to justify the expenses involved for hunting/ trapping coyotes (and wolves) for sport...or conservation.

When wildlife agencies start to consider implementing critters such as wolves into an area and are so irreversibly inclined not to, then these agencies' first priority should be on controlling their population while focusing on the conservation and protection of the more valuable/usable wildlife resources.

As for where to initially release these predatory animals like wolves and coyotes, since it's the urban and suburban populations that wants these reintroduction Wildlife agencies should start by releasing these apex predators into these areas followed by a mandatory minimum 5 year study.

Ridge, I agree with you on the Hogs - they are “pigs” and Non Native that have gone feral....they were never meant to be here and should be eradicated however possible. I disagree on the wolves - they belong but in limited numbers that allows other native wildlife populations to be sustained. Coyotes, they also belong - at least West of the Mississippi which was their historical range before 1900. But I have no worries that Coyotes & cockroaches will survive and thrive without our help.

 

[JimP]

The wolves are on the move to the northwest from where they were released. They may be close to Steamboat Springs by Christmas.

I also read a article about 2 of the wolves. They came from a pack Oregon that had a history of preying on livestock.

 

[Woodcarver]

The wolves are on the move to the northwest from where they were released. They may be close to Steamboat Springs by Christmas.

I also read a article about 2 of the wolves. They came from a pack Oregon that had a history of preying on livestock.

No wonder Oregon was willing to give them to Colorado. Maybe they'll make the Wyoming border where they can be dealt with.....

 

[JimP]

Here's a news clip about the "bad" wolves

3 Colorado wolves came from packs that killed livestock in Oregon

In an interview in November, CPW told 9NEWS they would not take wolves from problem packs.

www.9news.com

 

[gbflyer]

GBflyer, I think you are incorrect regarding trapping, although they are the most difficult of all North American animals to trap (more difficult then coyotes) - Good experienced trappers catch them regularly in Alaska and British Columbia, sets include snares and foot traps. Trapping is a highly successful way to “catch” wolves and in fact was the method used to capture most of the wolves that are now being reintroduced - foot traps, in Canada captured the majority of wolves later released into the US.
The difficulty in controlling wolf populations has nothing to do with wolves - it’s public opinion, ignorance, & politics that interferes with managing wolves.

Ridge, I agree with you on the Hogs - they are “pigs” and Non Native that have gone feral....they were never meant to be here and should be eradicated however possible. I disagree on the wolves - they belong but in limited numbers that allows other native wildlife populations to be sustained. Coyotes, they also belong - at least West of the Mississippi which was their historical range before 1900. But I have no worries that Coyotes & cockroaches will survive and thrive without our help.

Not wishing to argue with you, only to say I have lived in rural Alaska in a community with a fair number of wolves for the past 30 years. I have been involved in hunting them, fur trapping and live trapping for ADFG. I’m no expert to be sure. Frustrating to see their tracks going right around the snare. It is a means of control for sure, but not that effective of one. There are not enough trappers and the critters get wise really, really fast. No, the old timers took care of business at the den. And they were way better trappers than we are.

Old trappers here will strongly disagree with the assertion that coyotes are easier. More moose get caught in a snare on accident here than coyotes on purpose. Personally I’ve shot more by happenstance than I’ve caught. We have both kinds of dog, which some will argue that the wolves kill all the coyotes. Not true either.

I don’t know a thing about hogs other than I like bacon.

 

[MarkB]

As a BC resident and a Province over run with wolves, I do not think trapping is an effective population control method. Our Province is fully covered by trapping areas and good trappers, yet wolves are still thick, coyotes and wolves do live side by side. I have called wolves with a dying deer call followed by coyote howl call then the excited pup sequence on the cas creek electronic call. Wolves often run in angry.

What does control wolves is snow, night vision and helicopter gunships. But at $7000 per kill and antis crying loud I do not think that will EVER be used to control lower 48 wolves.

A repeat of other states 20 year issue with management is about to commence I say.

Sad for all.

MB

 

[Woodcarver]

Here's a news clip about the "bad" wolves

3 Colorado wolves came from packs that killed livestock in Oregon

In an interview in November, CPW told 9NEWS they would not take wolves from problem packs.

www.9news.com

What?!? You mean a government agency lied to another government agency?!? I'm shocked! Shocked I tell you!

 

[HankBuck]

Not wishing to argue with you, only to say I have lived in rural Alaska in a community with a fair number of wolves for the past 30 years. I have been involved in hunting them, fur trapping and live trapping for ADFG. I’m no expert to be sure. Frustrating to see their tracks going right around the snare. It is a means of control for sure, but not that effective of one. There are not enough trappers and the critters get wise really, really fast. No, the old timers took care of business at the den. And they were way better trappers than we are.

Old trappers here will strongly disagree with the assertion that coyotes are easier. More moose get caught in a snare on accident here than coyotes on purpose. Personally I’ve shot more by happenstance than I’ve caught. We have both kinds of dog, which some will argue that the wolves kill all the coyotes. Not true either.

I don’t know a thing about hogs other than I like bacon.

GBFLYER, well You live in Alaska and I’ve gone there once - so I yield to You, you’ve got real experience in Wilderness and I’m just a “visitor”. I will also weigh your trapping opinion heavier then mine - you’ve trapped wolves and that’s something I’d love a chance at - Coyote & Fox are the best I’ve managed to catch - so far. My “trapping wolves” opinion is based on conversations with two experienced trappers I’ve met - one in Alaska and one in BC, both caught wolves each year - snares and foot traps, the BC guy seemed to prefer snares. I ran his trapline with him twice while he was guiding me for Cougar Hunt....no catches either time. For me, my trapping experience was muskrats and rabbits as a kid then beaver & racoon when I started trapping again a few years ago - couldn’t trap a Fox or Coyote to save my life but finally figured it out 3 years ago and manage 2-3 coyote each season and 1/2 dozen Red Fox, not bad because we don’t have many where I live. Fox are easier then coyote and I always “thought” Wolf was the TOP prize....wish I lived in an area where I could give them a try. Based on the topic “controlling” wolves vs just trapping them for hobby or pelts - I guess you are right....catching a couple wolves a season (from random packs) might not be enough to slow down a Pack of 8 - 20 animals and the livestock/wildlife damage they can do. I think Ranchers and some Guides in Montana and Idaho do their own wolf control and keep quiet about it.

 

[1dirthawker]

The basic problem is one that is the same around the world: megafauna AND apex predators typically do not play well with our current structure in the world. as people have multiplied, we take up space that the grizzly bear used to live in in California. the locals killed them off as they collided with the bears killing livestock, etc. the solution of the day was to eliminate the bears AND wolves.

in Africa it is elephants. its not that they are endangered as much as they need space that has been taken up by the surge of africans. crop raiding elephants and buffalo still exist today and they create problems that become unbearable when people are killed. at that point they are eliminated.

I would love to drop 150 grizzly and brown bears and a couple hundred wolves in close proximity to those that vote yes on bringing them in. (like LA or Denver, New York, etc.) then they can re-learn from the past that big bears do not do well around livestock and people. imagine if just 5 grizzly bears were released in central park,(NY) do you think they would be allowed to live a week?

if the predators are not managed, and very closely managed, they will overpopulate and create issues that are difficult to deal with.

the problem is similar to the illegal alien crisis we have now. they are not a problem, until they affect YOU and then all of a sudden, they are a problem that is hard and expensive to fix. just ask mayor adams of NYC.

my 2 cents