M
misner5
Guest
Here's a reply I just received from IDF&G with some answers to my wolf questions. I replied requesting this type of info be more readily available via newsletter or something.
Dear Matthew, Thanks for your email. We receive many similar emails voicing concern for our deer and elk populations. The Department takes our big game management and monitoring very seriously. We have increased the winter counts of big game in areas where we have concerns about the potential for wolf impacts. To date, we have not seen any impacts on our populations that we can attribute solely to wolves. Our elk and deer populations are doing very well statewide, and even in areas where we had declining populations in the late 1990's in the Clearwater, we are now beginning to see turn-arounds. Calf cow ratios are improving as are bull cow ratios in these units. Additionally, we have seen no changes in our hunter success rates statewide. However, that does not mean there are no impacts due to wolves. Typically, declines in populations that may be caused by wolves are localized and not unit-wide. However, we are revamping our statewide big game research program to look at the potential impacts on ungulates by wolves.
This winter the USFWS is proposing to transfer much of the wolf management authority to the state. This will increase flexibility for livestock producers protecting their livestock, as well as allow the Department to remove wolves that are proven to be severely impacting big game populations. While wolves are still listed under the endangered species act however, we will not be able to remove wolves unless their impacts are clear. That means we have to consider all the other impacts, including weather, habitat, other predators, and hunting before removing them. To date, there doesn't appear to be any real problems caused by our current wolf population of nearly 500 wolves. We will continue monitoring, but you must remember that populations fluctuate naturally, and we can't maintain high levels on every piece of ground forever.
Much of what hunters are seeing is elk behavioral changes. Wolves travel on roads, trails, ridgelines, the same places people travel. Hunters are likely to see wolf activity in their area because of the travel routes. Also, elk and deer appear to be avoiding some of the more traveled corridors by wolves and people. Research has shown that elk are being displaced from some areas due to wolves. Hunters who learn how to hunt with wolves around appear to be doing as well or even better.
Hunters need to be patient and realize that wolves are now a part of our Idaho wildlife, and that they always will be. We hope to be able to hunt wolves once they are delisted, and we should be able to establish and maintain a balance between predators and prey. The delays in delisting are currently being caused by Wyoming not writing an adequate management plan. Once they do, delisting will progress and wolf management will be similar to bear and lion management - just another big game animal. In Idaho, elk hunter success averages about 22%. That means historically almost 80% each year did not shoot an elk, even when there were no wolves. I hope that everyone that isn't successful doesn't blame wolves.
Thanks for your inquiry, and I hope this helps answer some of your questions.
Steve
Steve Nadeau Statewide Large Carnivore Program Coordinator Idaho Dept. Fish and Game 600 S. Walnut, Box 25 Boise, ID 83707 Phone: 208-334-2920
-----Original Message----- From: IDFGINFO Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 11:02 AM To: Nadeau,Steve Subject: FW: What are we doing about wolves???
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 8:11 AM To: IDFGINFO Subject: What are we doing about wolves???
This message was sent from the IDFG website. This is my second request for info on the same subject. I received no reply to the first.
Are the wolves impacting our deer/elk populations as much as some say? Some say they hardly see a track of elk where they used to see elk in great numbers, Salmon, Challis, Yellow Pine, Warm Lake country.
If this is true what are you doing about it? What can I do about it? I'd heard that the state was given authority to regulate wolves if they where making a drastic impact on deer/elk population where they fell below management objectives. How are you monitoring this? Are you going to wait until the populations fall way below objectives before you act?
Are your hands tied by the USFWS? Who can I/we as hunters contact to get the delisting and manging process going?
Very concerned Idaho sportman
Matthew R Misner Mt Home
Dear Matthew, Thanks for your email. We receive many similar emails voicing concern for our deer and elk populations. The Department takes our big game management and monitoring very seriously. We have increased the winter counts of big game in areas where we have concerns about the potential for wolf impacts. To date, we have not seen any impacts on our populations that we can attribute solely to wolves. Our elk and deer populations are doing very well statewide, and even in areas where we had declining populations in the late 1990's in the Clearwater, we are now beginning to see turn-arounds. Calf cow ratios are improving as are bull cow ratios in these units. Additionally, we have seen no changes in our hunter success rates statewide. However, that does not mean there are no impacts due to wolves. Typically, declines in populations that may be caused by wolves are localized and not unit-wide. However, we are revamping our statewide big game research program to look at the potential impacts on ungulates by wolves.
This winter the USFWS is proposing to transfer much of the wolf management authority to the state. This will increase flexibility for livestock producers protecting their livestock, as well as allow the Department to remove wolves that are proven to be severely impacting big game populations. While wolves are still listed under the endangered species act however, we will not be able to remove wolves unless their impacts are clear. That means we have to consider all the other impacts, including weather, habitat, other predators, and hunting before removing them. To date, there doesn't appear to be any real problems caused by our current wolf population of nearly 500 wolves. We will continue monitoring, but you must remember that populations fluctuate naturally, and we can't maintain high levels on every piece of ground forever.
Much of what hunters are seeing is elk behavioral changes. Wolves travel on roads, trails, ridgelines, the same places people travel. Hunters are likely to see wolf activity in their area because of the travel routes. Also, elk and deer appear to be avoiding some of the more traveled corridors by wolves and people. Research has shown that elk are being displaced from some areas due to wolves. Hunters who learn how to hunt with wolves around appear to be doing as well or even better.
Hunters need to be patient and realize that wolves are now a part of our Idaho wildlife, and that they always will be. We hope to be able to hunt wolves once they are delisted, and we should be able to establish and maintain a balance between predators and prey. The delays in delisting are currently being caused by Wyoming not writing an adequate management plan. Once they do, delisting will progress and wolf management will be similar to bear and lion management - just another big game animal. In Idaho, elk hunter success averages about 22%. That means historically almost 80% each year did not shoot an elk, even when there were no wolves. I hope that everyone that isn't successful doesn't blame wolves.
Thanks for your inquiry, and I hope this helps answer some of your questions.
Steve
Steve Nadeau Statewide Large Carnivore Program Coordinator Idaho Dept. Fish and Game 600 S. Walnut, Box 25 Boise, ID 83707 Phone: 208-334-2920
-----Original Message----- From: IDFGINFO Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 11:02 AM To: Nadeau,Steve Subject: FW: What are we doing about wolves???
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 8:11 AM To: IDFGINFO Subject: What are we doing about wolves???
This message was sent from the IDFG website. This is my second request for info on the same subject. I received no reply to the first.
Are the wolves impacting our deer/elk populations as much as some say? Some say they hardly see a track of elk where they used to see elk in great numbers, Salmon, Challis, Yellow Pine, Warm Lake country.
If this is true what are you doing about it? What can I do about it? I'd heard that the state was given authority to regulate wolves if they where making a drastic impact on deer/elk population where they fell below management objectives. How are you monitoring this? Are you going to wait until the populations fall way below objectives before you act?
Are your hands tied by the USFWS? Who can I/we as hunters contact to get the delisting and manging process going?
Very concerned Idaho sportman
Matthew R Misner Mt Home
