Captchee has pretty much nailed it as to how things are out west re: wolf re-introduction at the moment. Dog depredation by wolves has been a significant problem at least here in the Bitterroot area of Montana, with over eight of them lost in the field the year before last. These losses primarily occurred among hunting dogs......specifically from among bird dogs and cat hounds.....something which should make PETA real happy.
Our elk and deer numbers are taking a substantial hit also, as are Idaho's, to where our hunter visits at the local game check station were down this fall by 25% (some 12,000+>>>8,000+). If this continues, the Montana Dept. of FWP - an advocate for the planned federal re-introduction, will be scrambling to see where their future revenues come from. As hunter success falls off (to only 6.2% this year in our area), a proportion of license-buying, revenue-creating hunters will find it easier to just stay home and watch the Sunday football game, as some obviously did this year.
Like Captchee, I, too, have always liked the idea of a
few wolves being out and about in our woods, but we now have 'political' science replacing sound wildlife management in most instances to where the majority of folks are sceptical of departmental decisions.
Montana had a permit season as well this fall with a quota of 75 wolves, 73 being harvested, and a very minute portion of these being breeding females. Federal judge, Donald Malloy, recently said that if the protectionists revise their legal case appropriately this time around, he is likely to return wolves to endangered species protection.....for a second time. All in all, the situation should be very interesting on its present course, as something has got to give.
As to those who shoot coyotes, save your ammo as the wolves will mop them up once they get to your area!
Rob Harris
