I like the way most of you Wyoming boys think. Get a bead on this before you have to deal with what we in Idaho are dealing with. Idaho prides itself on his huge elk numbers, or we did. Back in '98 we had a estimated population of elk in the Sawtooth range of over 13000 head. That number is estimated at 2500 in '09. I've been hunting in the Salmon Region since '01 and the wolf population has not only thined out the elk, it's totally changed the elk's manerism's, breeding habit's and migration patterns. I've been hunting the Idaho/Wyoming border just south of the Park since the early '90's and the wolves have impacted the elk coming out of the Park and migrating onto the desert. They've had a significant impact.
These are not the native timberwolves that we once had. These are Canadian Grey wolves which are larger, more aggressive and reproduce faster with more pups than the timberwolf and they have larger territories per pack. I've seen plenty of does and cow's that have been killed by wolves and left for dead. One instance the wolves took the fetus of a calf out of the cows belly. The calf and fawn numbers are extremely low all across the state.
I had dinner with an attorney from the State of Idaho in October. He's a great country kid at heart that grew up hunting and sledding and enjoying the blessings we have out west. He's working on an aggressive stance from the Governor to help give the States more control on managing these terrible beasts. Idaho has been aggressively shooting wolves in the Frank Church Wilderness for over a year now from land and helicopters with little success. The Elk, Black Bear and Lion populations are dwindling.
I don't know how many tags were filled from the states 220 limit, but I'd dare say that it wasn't even 100. The state knew that there would be limited kills and that they would make a lot of $$ by selling the tags for $11 a piece.
You may have a problem with your elk population at first, but it will spread throughout more species than just elk before too long. Central Idaho is seeing a rapid decrease in the amount of Black Bear and Mountain Lion's as well as elk.
Wolves are getting so thick that they are spreading out, creating new packs and bachelor packs that are spreading into the valley's. I was riding dirtbikes at the Sand Dunes in St. Anthony on 11/28 and saw wolf tracks on the North side of the dunes. I've been seeing tracks for 2 years now on the Sand Dunes each spring and fall.
In Idaho the State sales one wolf tag for $11. But if you ask the right guy at the sporting goods store, he'll sale you a box of 20 "tags" for a discount
. You can't kill them all, but you can kill all that you see.
P.S. Send some picks of Indian Creek.....I've haven't been able to sleep just thinking about it!!
Good luck!
These are not the native timberwolves that we once had. These are Canadian Grey wolves which are larger, more aggressive and reproduce faster with more pups than the timberwolf and they have larger territories per pack. I've seen plenty of does and cow's that have been killed by wolves and left for dead. One instance the wolves took the fetus of a calf out of the cows belly. The calf and fawn numbers are extremely low all across the state.
I had dinner with an attorney from the State of Idaho in October. He's a great country kid at heart that grew up hunting and sledding and enjoying the blessings we have out west. He's working on an aggressive stance from the Governor to help give the States more control on managing these terrible beasts. Idaho has been aggressively shooting wolves in the Frank Church Wilderness for over a year now from land and helicopters with little success. The Elk, Black Bear and Lion populations are dwindling.
I don't know how many tags were filled from the states 220 limit, but I'd dare say that it wasn't even 100. The state knew that there would be limited kills and that they would make a lot of $$ by selling the tags for $11 a piece.
You may have a problem with your elk population at first, but it will spread throughout more species than just elk before too long. Central Idaho is seeing a rapid decrease in the amount of Black Bear and Mountain Lion's as well as elk.
Wolves are getting so thick that they are spreading out, creating new packs and bachelor packs that are spreading into the valley's. I was riding dirtbikes at the Sand Dunes in St. Anthony on 11/28 and saw wolf tracks on the North side of the dunes. I've been seeing tracks for 2 years now on the Sand Dunes each spring and fall.
In Idaho the State sales one wolf tag for $11. But if you ask the right guy at the sporting goods store, he'll sale you a box of 20 "tags" for a discount
. You can't kill them all, but you can kill all that you see. P.S. Send some picks of Indian Creek.....I've haven't been able to sleep just thinking about it!!
Good luck!
