Syncerus1
Active Member
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- 120
Spent yesterday at the Elk Refuge in Jackson Wyoming. Immediately upon arrival I could notice something was wrong. The elk were tightly bunched in large groups and far from the usual resting/feeding areas. There were about 500 head huddled close to town in the SW corner. Proceeding north on the highway no elk were immediately visible. Glassing eastward I soon found about 1000 head grouped at a feeding station near the main (central) headquarters). No buffalo visible from anywhere on main highway. Drove in the SE entrance on dirt road, saw a few elk on the butte, and the normal Bighorns. Proceeding east to the headquarters access road we parked and noticed another bunch of elk, around 1500 - 2000 head packed into the area NE of the willows and near the last ranch house to the north.
Guys it was apparent these elk were pressured and then some. For over an hour we watched and glassed. Far to the north end of the refuge past the cottonwoods along the creek we found about 100 head of Bison widely dispersed but hugging the edge of the thin long strip of cover. The balance of the refuge, even the far north along the Kelly road was devoid of wildlife. OK there were two moose in the river corridor spotted half way to Kelly, and about 50 head of elk scattered along the river corridor.
I knew the problem was WOLVES. Not anything else. We went back to the SE corner and parked at the widest plowed area before the gate to the headquarters about 1/4 mile before the road ends. Sitting quietly glassing northward, our senses were triggered by a low rumbling growl ascending to a deep full throated howl from the timber about 350 yards to the south. A chorus of voices then joined in and soon it became a symphony of a wolves voices. IT sounded like about a dozen animals. This went on for about ten minutes, then all would be quiet to a few minutes then start again. The pack, unseen, were moving slowly in the timbers edge to the east. The chorus was full throated and in your face loud. Then another chorus of wolves opened up to the north from the edge of the flat east and past the last ranch house. A black and two greys were easily spotted and watched for over an hour.
The overall experience was outstanding, but at what cost? I have more experience than most with wolves firsthand, in Alaska, and more recently in Idaho. I appreciate the animal in all its natural place as a predator, BUT at what cost? Our elk herds in Wyoming and Idaho are pressured like never before in the last 100 years. The Refuge numbers are visually down, and where else are the elk/bison supposed to go? Why have a Refuge if it just a food source for the predators?
We talked to and showed one couple the sights and sounds of the wolves. They were in awe at the sounds and the visceral response it evokes in most people. Another guy was a equally impressed but blamed HUNTING on the reduced elk/bison numbers, even though the evidence was right before his eyes.
Just a note, we live in this corner of the world, see the Refuge and Parks in all seasons, are avid hunters and appreciate wildlife. But the wolf issue really is difficult. In related discussions with Refuge and Park visitors they only want to see the wildlife. They know little, and cannot appreciate how the numbers in in the Winter months on the Refuge represent all/majority of the animals spread over thousands of square miles during the rest of the year. They expect a natural ZOO experience on a grand scale set among some of the world's best scenery, and sometimes we the hunting community enable this experience by paying for this with our efforts and hard earned dollars to the appreciation of few in the general public.
Anyway just thought I would share yesterdays experiences. I apologize for the length.
Guys it was apparent these elk were pressured and then some. For over an hour we watched and glassed. Far to the north end of the refuge past the cottonwoods along the creek we found about 100 head of Bison widely dispersed but hugging the edge of the thin long strip of cover. The balance of the refuge, even the far north along the Kelly road was devoid of wildlife. OK there were two moose in the river corridor spotted half way to Kelly, and about 50 head of elk scattered along the river corridor.
I knew the problem was WOLVES. Not anything else. We went back to the SE corner and parked at the widest plowed area before the gate to the headquarters about 1/4 mile before the road ends. Sitting quietly glassing northward, our senses were triggered by a low rumbling growl ascending to a deep full throated howl from the timber about 350 yards to the south. A chorus of voices then joined in and soon it became a symphony of a wolves voices. IT sounded like about a dozen animals. This went on for about ten minutes, then all would be quiet to a few minutes then start again. The pack, unseen, were moving slowly in the timbers edge to the east. The chorus was full throated and in your face loud. Then another chorus of wolves opened up to the north from the edge of the flat east and past the last ranch house. A black and two greys were easily spotted and watched for over an hour.
The overall experience was outstanding, but at what cost? I have more experience than most with wolves firsthand, in Alaska, and more recently in Idaho. I appreciate the animal in all its natural place as a predator, BUT at what cost? Our elk herds in Wyoming and Idaho are pressured like never before in the last 100 years. The Refuge numbers are visually down, and where else are the elk/bison supposed to go? Why have a Refuge if it just a food source for the predators?
We talked to and showed one couple the sights and sounds of the wolves. They were in awe at the sounds and the visceral response it evokes in most people. Another guy was a equally impressed but blamed HUNTING on the reduced elk/bison numbers, even though the evidence was right before his eyes.
Just a note, we live in this corner of the world, see the Refuge and Parks in all seasons, are avid hunters and appreciate wildlife. But the wolf issue really is difficult. In related discussions with Refuge and Park visitors they only want to see the wildlife. They know little, and cannot appreciate how the numbers in in the Winter months on the Refuge represent all/majority of the animals spread over thousands of square miles during the rest of the year. They expect a natural ZOO experience on a grand scale set among some of the world's best scenery, and sometimes we the hunting community enable this experience by paying for this with our efforts and hard earned dollars to the appreciation of few in the general public.
Anyway just thought I would share yesterdays experiences. I apologize for the length.
