As I remember the whole reason that they put the wolves in the Gila, was because there were abundant elk to feed them, and supposedly they would not want to eat beef then. Un- fortunitly, cattle are easier to kill than elk.
The USF&W asked for public comment "before deciding" if they would re-establish, I was outspoken against, even though I knew they had already deciced and may have been fishing for names of future trouble makers.
I told them wolves already existed in the San Mateo Mtns, and re-establishment was a joke, but stated that didn't go along with the agenda they had in mind.
Last year my cousin last 12 head of cattle and his neighbor about the same in the San Mateo Mtns to wolves. The neighbor saw two wolves at 60 yds watching their children playing in their yard.
They called in and the wolves were removed to the Gila. The male wore a collar and they knew him but the female they didn't know, or where she came from. I'm sure she was from the pre-existing pack. They remembursed the neighbor some but not my cousin. The rancher has to prove wolves killed the cattle.
IMO any hunter that favors have the wolves should put themselves on list with the game and fish that can never hold hunting licence again. If they want wolves, the wolves can eat the deer or elk that would have been theirs.
Check out the Idaho blog and how the elk hunters have been affected there by wolves.