Wolves

[Doe Nob]

Lots of wildly different information about wolves and how they are impacting the animals in the Gila and surrounding area. Hard to know what to believe.

I'll be out there in October, but thought it was a good topic to discuss. Who's got information?

 

[xtreme]

Certainly no shortage the places I have been including the Gil's The game warden advised me no to shoot a coyote because they look so much alike. I feel like I can recognize either on sight. I was in 16c last. There are lots of them, but lots of elk too.

 

[eastmont]

I just hope when it comes to delisting they don't repeat the mistakes they did in MT/WY/ID. Make the delisting process/plan air tight to ward off as many lawsuits as they can when they come.

 

[bghunter]

Certainly no shortage the places I have been including the Gil's The game warden advised me no to shoot a coyote because they look so much alike. I feel like I can recognize either on sight. I was in 16c last. There are lots of them, but lots of elk too.

I think that game warden was wrong, he should say shoot it because it looks like coyote

 

[kidoggy]

Certainly no shortage the places I have been including the Gil's The game warden advised me no to shoot a coyote because they look so much alike. I feel like I can recognize either on sight. I was in 16c last. There are lots of them, but lots of elk too.

I'd of told that game warden ,he should study the two and learn to tell the difference, or resign. just cause he can't discern the two doesn't mean everyone else cannot do it

 

[AKaviator]

Not to argue but...

It's not always easy to distinguish between a young wolf and a coyote. I've seen that mistake several times, even among experienced hunting guides. (although not on your new Mexico ones.)

The biggest difference is; no one is really going to fuss much if you shoot a coyote but, get caught shooting a "endangered species" wolf and the fine can go to $50,000. Better be darned sure before pulling the trigger and ready to do some fast digging!

 

[kidoggy]

Not to argue but...

It's not always easy to distinguish between a young wolf and a coyote. I've seen that mistake several times, even among experienced hunting guides. (although not on your new Mexico ones.)

The biggest difference is; no one is really going to fuss much if you shoot a coyote but, get caught shooting a "endangered species" wolf and the fine can go to $50,000. Better be darned sure before pulling the trigger and ready to do some fast digging!

may not be EASY to distinguish but it is possible. I agree, better be darn sure before pulling the trigger. that is how I was taught regardless of the prey.

 

[Doe Nob]

I just hope when it comes to delisting they don't repeat the mistakes they did in MT/WY/ID. Make the delisting process/plan air tight to ward off as many lawsuits as they can when they come.

That's a long way off. Don'' quote me on numbers, but something like 110 breeding pairs and they want 350 for a "sustainable population" So 3x more than they have now...

 

[eastmont]

With up to a dozen pups from a pack each year. We be there quicker than you think. The rockies went from <100 to over a 1000 in less than ten years.

 

[rammont]

All animal population growth rates are exponential (unless something catastrophic happens) so the population grows faster as it increases. For a general rule of thumb, it's common to see a wolf population grow by 300% in 5 to 10 years when you start with 110 breeding pairs. I ran in to one study that states that it's common to underestimate wolf population growth rates (depending upon how you monitor the population they say that underestimating by as much as 27% is not unusual). You can't help but wonder how much money was spent on that study - all they had to do was ask any rancher in the Idaho, Montana, Wyoming areas, they would have been able to tell the "experts" that they were underestimating the population growth rate several years ago.

 

[xtreme]

Something seems wrrong, I have hunted unit 12 and wolf sign is everywhere, we even got to see a lynx in unit 12. Locals in NM don't seem to complain like they do in Idaho. Could it be because they are not the same wolf? It does not seem to need being on the endangered list. FYI the lynx came to a gut pile but I had already seen his track. My fellow hunter was 18 yes from the lynx.