Wolves through the Cascades

[floatwheeldrive]

Saw this article the other day and it got me thinking about how these wolves are going to continue to expand into the rest of the state and into our hunting areas. Actually, I'm guessing there are more around than we know of already. Especially, if from what I gather, OR-7 was able to travel from NE Oregon to So. Oregon and find a mate. So just thought I'd poke the bear a little bit and see what the general consensus was regarding wolves as they start to expand throughout the state. I honestly only have a problem with them if they are let to get out of control in numbers and start in on our Deer and Elk populations, leaving them to dwindle even more than they already are! Of course I'm all for controlling them when it comes to livestock depredation as well. Basically, as long as they are kept in check, a few wolves running around the state is ok with me. I'm just not sure that's even a possibility...But I'll also gladly buy a tag once it gets to the point we can hunt them!

Keep an eye out when you're in the woods this season, never know what you might run into!

Wolf Passes Through Central Oregon

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Don't know about how everyone feels about these wolves, but if I ever see one here in Colorado its.....SSS

 

[Tim McCoy]

Wyoming had the right idea, before a Fed Judge messed it up recently. Pick a core area, with lots of wilderness, say the Yellowstone complex, manage the population around the core with controlled hunting. Then treat them like a Coyote elsewhere. There is a reason wolves were run away from where people lived, not just to protect livestock. Talk to folks around Salmon ID. for some perspective.

 

[ore hunter]

I seen a wolf in the Wilson Oregon westside unit a couple years ago,,though odfw says there are none there?

 

[Musket Man]

I seen a wolf in the Wilson Oregon westside unit a couple years ago,,though odfw says there are none there?

If they say there are no wolves there it was definitely a coyote and yo should have killed it!!!

 

[Dustin23633]

If they say there are no wolves there it was definitely a coyote and yo should have killed it!!!

They say the same thing in California, but when we reply with an "Okay then Ill shoot and bring you the 'stray dog' or 'coyote' you guys can look at it." Then you get a "well now you know shooting a wolf is illegal!" but if there is no wolves why would they question that..?

 

[Iron Mike]

I would bet my bottom dollar USF&W transported that female to SW Oregon - one hell of a coincidence. I do not trust them for a second when it is about the wolves here. They did everything in their power to deny wolves were in this state until they were caught on camera wiping out sheep in Baker County. A good friend of mine who is very well respected in the community owns a chunk of land almost next door to where that occurred and he had been telling them for a year they were there. He took pictures (At a distance) of one and pictures of tracks with his 100 lb lab next to them for comparison and they would not give him the time of day.

 

[Timberstalker]

I agree Iron Mike, that bitch was planted. I heard wolves in the Silvies unit 7 years ago, I called ODFW in burns and they told me no way we're there wolves there. I heard them again last year in Mt Emily, sounded exactly the same as the Silvies Wolves. There here

 

[CrossCreeks]

Wyoming had the right idea, before a Fed Judge messed it up recently. Pick a core area, with lots of wilderness, say the Yellowstone complex, manage the population around the core with controlled hunting. Then treat them like a Coyote elsewhere. There is a reason wolves were run away from where people lived, not just to protect livestock. Talk to folks around Salmon ID. for some perspective.

Bulls Eye !! Also I see no way to sustain a wolf population without it having some effect on your Elk, Deer or Moose populations. They are not true grazers ! Also talk to some of the ranchers in Northern Wyoming !

 

[sneakypete]

I'm with CC, the three SSS!

 

[ore hunter]

it was grey,,,aprox 120lb by the looks of it,,,i suppose it could've been a throphy coyote?it was a wolf,no doubt about it.SSS next time

 

[tttoadman]

I like MM logic. It is a mutant coyote that needs to be removed from the gene pool. We are in Minam this year. I will not hesitate if I have a close encounter over there. You could easily find yourself cornered by wolves over there or stuck between cliffs next to a den.

 

[Musket Man]

I like MM logic. It is a mutant coyote that needs to be removed from the gene pool. We are in Minam this year. I will not hesitate if I have a close encounter over there. You could easily find yourself cornered by wolves over there or stuck between cliffs next to a den.

I would consider anything within rifle range a close encounter!! Always remember that "you felt threatened and you felt your wife, children, and animals were in danger".

 

[floatwheeldrive]

I did read an article recently that talked about once wolves were established, and the state allowed a hunting season on them, the deer and elk populations seemed to stabilize. As did the Wolf population. My fear, is that once you get to that step in the process, you've already gone past the point of no return. You might stabilize a wolf population and the deer and elk might stabilize at the same time, but you're probably still working with #'s of deer and elk lower than if the wolves would have been controlled from the beginning. I think there's only been 3 attacks on humans in the last 50 years in North America, but you've just got to think about livestock and wildlife they kill.

Anyway, not happy about it and I'm just waiting for the day I see one running around the Cascades. But I'm not looking forward to it.

 

[AKaviator]

I did read an article recently that talked about once wolves were established, and the state allowed a hunting season on them, the deer and elk populations seemed to stabilize. As did the Wolf population. My fear, is that once you get to that step in the process, you've already gone past the point of no return. You might stabilize a wolf population and the deer and elk might stabilize at the same time, but you're probably still working with #'s of deer and elk lower than if the wolves would have been controlled from the beginning. I think there's only been 3 attacks on humans in the last 50 years in North America, but you've just got to think about livestock and wildlife they kill.

I agree that after a reintroduction of wolves, the wolves and the deer/elk will stabilize with the deer/elk at lower numbers. But that's in a perfect-world scenario. When you have a rapid decrease in the deer/elk population, say, following a bad winter or two, the wolf population won't necessarily decrease at the same rate. Wolves are extremely opportunistic as predators and when their main source of prey is harder to find, they simply find something else to kill. They still kill the deer/elk that they find though, which can further lower that population and make recovery much slower, if at all.

There is pretty strong evidence that certain wolf packs "specialize" on some prey species; up here I know some packs that make their living killing Dall sheep. But when the sheep disappear, those wolves are just as happy to eat whatever else happens by; caribou, moose, etc. Down there it might be cattle or sheep. Wolves are highly sophisticated and adaptive. They are awesome to see but need to be managed properly or they will have a profound negative effect on an ecosystem that has not had sufficient opportunity to adapt to them.
As for them attacking humans...I know of at least three attacks in the last 4-5 years. A teacher up here that was killed and eaten while jogging, a biologist in Canada that was killed and a trapper up here that was bitten while on his snow-machine. Agreed, it doesn't happen often, but it does happen.

 

[ore hunter]

Canadian timber wolfs{aka,our new wolfs in wy,mont,and Idaho} were never originally in Oregon,,,as we all know the new wolf introduction isn't the same wolf,,it is a bigger more aggressive wolf than was here originally.thats why it wiping out Idaho,with other states to follow

 

[floatwheeldrive]

Welcome to the club CA...So wonder if the two that mated were planted or just unknown till now.

http://www.mercurynews.com/san-mateo-county-times/ci_28673591/conservation-breakthrough-wolf-pack-discovered-northern-california

 

[quicknick]

I think attacks happen a hell of alot more than people think but it doesnt get publicised or officials call it something else to protect the wolf. A buddy of mine hunts elk by elk city id every year and a couple years ago he was surrounded by a pack wolves, he said it was the scariest situation he had ever been in. These things are no joke!

 

[benjblt]

I think attacks happen a hell of alot more than people think but it doesnt get publicised or officials call it something else to protect the wolf. A buddy of mine hunts elk by elk city id every year and a couple years ago he was surrounded by a pack wolves, he said it was the scariest situation he had ever been in. These things are no joke!

A friend of mine was chased up a tree in the middle of the night in the Imnaha, OR, by some wolves. He stayed all night in the tree.

 

[badgerbob]

Saw this article the other day and it got me thinking about how these wolves are going to continue to expand into the rest of the state and into our hunting areas. Actually, I'm guessing there are more around than we know of already. Especially, if from what I gather, OR-7 was able to travel from NE Oregon to So. Oregon and find a mate. So just thought I'd poke the bear a little bit and see what the general consensus was regarding wolves as they start to expand throughout the state. I honestly only have a problem with them if they are let to get out of control in numbers and start in on our Deer and Elk populations, leaving them to dwindle even more than they already are! Of course I'm all for controlling them when it comes to livestock depredation as well. Basically, as long as they are kept in check, a few wolves running around the state is ok with me. I'm just not sure that's even a possibility...But I'll also gladly buy a tag once it gets to the point we can hunt them!

Keep an eye out when you're in the woods this season, never know what you might run into!

Wolf Passes Through Central Oregon

The real problem isn't the wolves. It is who gets to decide what to do with them. A small population, well controlled, in the most remote areas wouldn't be so bad. But the officials are untruthful. Look how long it took to even admit there are wolves in Oregon. Then all of a sudden they have data on them dating back to 2007, I think. They won't leave it alone at a small, well managed population. They think they know best and will flat lie to get their way. I don't understand how educated wildlife experts can not see the damage large, uncontrolled populations present. They need to be kept away from our communities. They need to be kept away from livestock areas. Figure it out, what areas are left. Common sense dictates that the only appropriate areas are very secluded and can only maintain a small population. It also dictates that the only way to control the population it hunting them. Do you think these ideas will be incorporated into their management goals. I think NOT.