Have our State Game Officials lost their minds over bringing back Wolf populations?

[oli700]

"Within three years of wolf recolonization of the study area, elk gradually utilized more structurally complex landscapes [not open ridges like Oli700 says]

I reread all my postings, don't remember saying that.....I'm not getting in the mud over this, wolves are here, not going anywhere.......go hunting there are worse things in life

 

[U201491]

The Cougar are your problem, Not the wolves or Bear in Oregon.

 

[156256Hunter]

The Cougar are your problem, Not the wolves or Bear in Oregon.

Wolves in NE Oregon are a big problem because elk and deer numbers were already below management objectives in many units. Assuming you eat meat, if you're grilling 3 ribeye steaks for you and two friends but then 4 more buddies call and say they're coming over to eat, I assume you'll run to the store for more ribeyes.

Check out the map of the known wolf packs in the NE Oregon region, and then (consistent with my above quoted info from ODFW) consider that with already high cougar (and black bear) populations and lower elk numbers, the rapid increase in wolves will depress elk and deer numbers even more.

This eventually affects (or should affect) longer term ODFW revenue, which means conservation efforts will suffer for all wildlife. Unless of course we just desperately vote to add a gas tax -- or perhaps an ammo tax -- to make up for lost ODFW revenue...

 

[U201491]

UNFB

 

[156256Hunter]

How about all the hunters in Wa and Or take a season off and not buy any tags this year.
Since the odfw and wdfw are taking the money from sportsmen and turning around and giving them a big middle finger with the whole wolf issue.
I know this would never happen but hit them in the pocket book and maybe they will pull their heads out of their ***.

No unfortunately it won't happen for a lot of people because we've all been suckered for the past 14+ years to keep unsuccesssfully applying each year for a Wenaha or Mt. Emily branch bull tag, and to buy those ODFW raffle tickets for a branch bull tag.

 

[x2ndxall]

Nope not worth the time................................................Enjoy.......................:\/\

This is what people often do when confronted with opposition to their argument if they have no facts.
What is your opinion based on? You say the other side of the argument needs to read up, but all you can post is how "dumb" others are for not blindly agreeing with you.
When someone refuses to give more than their personal opinion, it's usually because that's all they have.

 

[156256Hunter]

UNFB

Sounds like you just found the map of NE Oregon wolf packs.

 

[U201491]

Sounds like you just found the map of NE Oregon wolf packs.

NO...................................................

 

[U201491]

This is what people often do when confronted with opposition to their argument if they have no facts.
What is your opinion based on? You say the other side of the argument needs to read up, but all you can post is how "dumb" others are for not blindly agreeing with you.
When someone refuses to give more than their personal opinion, it's usually because that's all they have.

Yeah that's it No sense arguing with closed minds that live in fear and fairytales.

 

[156256Hunter]

I reread all my postings, don't remember saying that.....I'm not getting in the mud over this, wolves are here, not going anywhere.......go hunting there are worse things in life

Sorry Oli. I think I erroneously inferred from one of your comments that elk hunting in NE Oregon is really easy because they're all out on the side of an open ridge (Assuming a hunter can 100% confirm that the small bull he sees at 480 yards really is a spike for that spike only tag).

 

[oli700]

NO...................................................

whybother , its just like the anti gunners, they will not even attempt to see the other side of the coin.......rather whine than suck it up

 

[oli700]

Sorry Oli. I think I erroneously inferred from one of your comments that elk hunting in NE Oregon is really easy because they're all out on the side of an open ridge (Assuming a hunter can 100% confirm that the small bull he sees at 480 yards really is a spike for that spike only tag).

no worries, I understand its a point of frustration for many....add it to the list

 

[U201491]

The decline in populations began long before now and it was not due to wolves, but they are the convient scapegoat of the time.

2004
http://www.westernhunter.com/Pages/Vol06Issue05/ortags.html

 

[U201491]

<broken link removed>
Specifically page 18
there were no wolves in Oregon back then.

Again, Cougar are a problem due to the sheer protected over population of them, Disease is a Problem. Wolves and Black bears are not the problem.

 

[156256Hunter]

The decline in populations began long before now and it was not due to wolves, but they are the convient scapegoat of the time.

2004
http://www.westernhunter.com/Pages/Vol06Issue05/ortags.html

Right, due in large part to cougar and bear predation (which in turn was caused by the 1990s banning of hunting cougar and bear with dogs--Oregon is unique in that way from most other Western states). But when you add another predator to the mix (or four more buddies at your BBQ party with only three steaks), it's logical to assume that more meat (elk/deer) get consumed, whether it be by wolves, or by cougars who now have more (leaner, less nourished) elk in their hunting areas because the elk were chased out of their traditional range.

In other words, wolves aren't a scapegoat: they're carnivorous, unmanaged predators added to the top of the wildlife food chain, and are consuming deer and elk.

So my point is that elk and deer numbers were already low enough, and now with the rapid increase in wolves, they'll go even lower. Unless of course we can somehow introduce into Oregon large herds of the mighty (and tasty) Tofu buffalo.

[Edit: I guess you will continue to discount or ignore the ODFW study/information regarding black bear predation, as well as the effect of wolf predation on the wildlife food chain and numbers.]

 

[156256Hunter]

whybother , its just like the anti gunners, they will not even attempt to see the other side of the coin.......rather whine than suck it up

Easy there big fella. Please don't call me a whiney hunter, or compare me to an anti-gunner. Thanks.

 

[oli700]

QUOTE "SOU"
Historic records indicate both subspecies of elk were numerous and widely distributed in Oregon
prior to arrival of non-native settlers. According to Vernon Bailey in his "The Mammals and Life
Zones of Oregon" (1936), Rocky Mountain elk occupied the whole of the Blue Mountain Plateau
in Northeastern Oregon. There are records of elk being plentiful in the Enterprise area in the
Wallowa Mountains, and sightings and remains are reported from the Bums area and the John
Day River. Bailey reported seeing old elk antlers at ranches throughout the Blue Mountains in
1895-96 and was told there were still a few elk in the wildest parts of the Blue Mountains.
Roosevelt elk were apparently abundant in much of Western Oregon in the early 1800s. The
Lewis and Clark expedition heavily depended on elk for survival during the winter of 1805-06 at
the mouth of the Columbia River. Numerous other historical reports indicate elk were plentiful
throughout most of Western Oregon, although less so on the extreme southern coast and in the
Siskiyou and south Cascade mountains.


wow, what happened, I mean all this with those mean old wolves around steeling everyone's souls

Wolver were better managers of the game than any college educated GOVERNMENT jerk off you all place so much stock in managing your hunting for you, "may I shoot now ?"

 

[oli700]

Easy there big fella. Please don't call me a whiney hunter, or compare me to an anti-gunner. Thanks.

hey , quit whining and acting like they do and I'll think about it

 

[156256Hunter]

hey , quit whining and acting like they do and I'll think about it

I'll stop complaining about the ever-decreasing elk numbers (and the inability for 14+ years to draw a branch bull tag) if each year for the next ten years you mail me a blank check so I can buy a ton of ODFW raffle tickets for a branch bull tag (and maybe a mule deer buck tag, since I only draw one of those every other year). If Taku will chip in too, I'd be very grateful. That way all three of us can support Oregon's wildlife and the ODFW's conservation efforts. Thanks!

 

[U201491]

And Idaho has one of the strongest herd years in history and they have a very healthy wolf population. But they also speak to why there is a decline in Oregon and it is not wolves. They are again the scapegoat.
You can keep fooling yourself, but the facts do not change. You can also go find anything you want to back up your desire to kill a wolf, but sorry they are not the problem. What is wrong is food disease, Closed lands, Overpopulated cougars. Solve those issues and the wolves will actually give you healthy strong herds. Yes they need management just like all things in this day and age, but they are NOT the real problem !

http://magicvalley.com/lifestyles/r...cle_b98d5296-c08f-5dfe-9af8-0417323a7c8d.html