The Science Behind the Wolf Hunt

 

Misinformation from anti-hunting groups has long been a problem in the debate over wolf management in the northern Rocky Mountains. But as this video shows, the game managers in the Idaho Department of Fish and Game have the scientific proof that this year’s wolf hunt was not only warranted, but absolutely necessary considering the toll wolves have taken on wildlife and livestock throughout the region. 

While this video was made prior to this fall’s inaugural wolf hunts in Idaho and Montana, it underscores the significance of the steps both states have taken to manage wolves just like they do other wildlife species. To date, Idaho hunters have taken 119 wolves out of a quota of 220. Hunting there is scheduled to continue until March. In Montana, hunters took 72 wolves in a season that ended in mid-November. Montana officials were so pleased with their wolf season that they are currently exploring the possibility of increasing their quota for 2010.

Comments

This "scientific" picture is far from complete - 1. the video piece gave specifics on wolf #s and packs - what about elk and elk herds! Where are the "in your face graphics" on their numbers? An interesting and slightly more evenhanded comparison is a ratio of predators to prey assuming normal rates of mortality for both. That would give the "consumer" the real picture of actually how small relative predator to prey numbers really are. 2. impacts of disease as elk and deer reach record sizes disease take effect (e.g., wasting disease). No disease of elk? The elk you seemed to show looked like an injury/disease death -- I would expect wolves to not really leave much behind. 3. This video presents wolves as a causal agent that decreases elk populations, however the yearly comparisons are made to a mean. From your graphics, the mean is presented but the error about that mean is not there or obscured. The graph on elk populations over time is meaningless as an indicator of impact of wolves without the background dynamics -- error bars would work nicely here. From here, it looks like major "arm waving"......it seems like if you have such $$ and detailed data from reputable scientists, those data can be easily added in as "evidence" to round out the picture. Right now the picture is,.... we introduced this top predator, and now look how it's impacting these animals that we really like to hunt. We don't like having competition from top predators, even they were once ubiquitous throughout North America. These top predators are not the nuisance you paint them to be - they control deer and elk populations from becoming nuisances (see NJ), and top predators also release native species from the over-grazing by elk and deer. The science supports letting their populations reach the numbers they once were. What would be interesting to know is if elk hunters are bagging fewer trophies per year.?. That would be an important social science question to address as that is motivating this video is game tag sales and hunting, not wolf populations. From Anastasia Musashi on Friday, February 19, 2010 9:57 AM

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