The Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, has tentatively approved the removal of up to 18 wolves from the West Fork in the Bitterroot National Forest. When an endangered species is listed as “non-essential experimental” under the Endangered Species Act the Secretary of the Interior is able to approve the killing of the endangered animals if they are believed to be having a detrimental effect on another species under the 10(J) rule. Wolves are believed responsible for decimating the West Fork’s elk population from between 1,600 and 2,400 animals to a current population of 764. Elk calf recruitment has fallen to record lows with a calf:cow ratio of 11:100 which is unsustainable. It is believed calf:cow ratios need to be about 30:100 to sustain an elk herd.
Hunt May Not Work
Renowned wolf biologist, Dr. L. David Mech told me in a recent interview that removing wolves from the West Fork region would probably have little to no effect on restoring elk numbers. Wolves have a high birth rate and new wolves are likely to quickly claim territory opened by killing the current wolves. Dr. Mech believes we would have to remove far more wolves than the Federal Government will consider allowing to have any chance at helping the elk population.
In a previous interview, biologist Dr. Val Geist stated that well over 50% of the wolf population would have to be killed every year for a number of years to have any positive effect on elk populations.
Both biologists stated that wolves are fully recovered and have been since at least 2002 but wolf advocacy groups have continually fought delisting in the court of Federal Judge Donald Molloy. Consequently, state wildlife managers have been unable to use the means necessary to find a balance between wolves and elk.
Wolf Numbers are Minimums
One of the problems in reporting wolf numbers is the published numbers are absolute minimums according to Dr. Mech. And the higher the minimum number the greater the percentage it is under the actual number. Montana, Idaho and Wyoming have a minimum reported number of 1650 wolves. Dr. Mech believes that the actual number of wolves is closer to 4000. Dr. Mech mentioned his disappointment that the media continues to report the “minimum” number like it is an actual wolf count.
In the West Fork, the reported minimum number is 30 wolves of which the Feds have tentatively approved the removal of 18. The problem is according to Dr. Mech’s math the actual number of wolves in the West Fork could be as high as 100. If there are 100 wolves in the West Fork, removing 18 would provide little help for the struggling West Fork elk. If Dr. Geist is correct in his assessment, we would have to kill 50 wolves per year for several years to have any positive effect on the declining elk populations.
Wolves are recovered but not delisted?
The Endangered Species Act is broken when the top biologists in the field of wolves agree wolves have been recovered for at least 9 years but remain on the Endangered Species List due to frivolous lawsuits filed by radical activist organizations. My interviews with some less than radical wolf activists reveal discontent with these lawsuits as well. Most anyone can see that continually pushing the controversy is hurting wolves and reducing what support they have with moderate people. The one clear point to take from these lawsuits is it is in the best economic interests of some activist groups to keep the wolf controversy burning. Front page news means donations. The question I have for everyone is, why would you donate to a group that is USING wolves at the expense of wolves to make economic gains?
Look at the facts. Talk to the experts. Wolves are RECOVERED.
Public Comments wanted
The draft environmental assessment as well as Montana’s plan and public comments can be found at http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/wolf/.
Written comments can be submitted online at http://www.regulations.gov or mailed to Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R6-ES-2011-0022; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203.
The deadline for comments is April 12.
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This is just bs. The same thing is happening in WI with the deer numbers, they keep giving out the number of wolves we have, but the number has been the same the last 10 years. I fear the same thing is gonna happen here, before the real numbers are told our deer population is going to be so low, they will not beable to rebound as long as the predator base is kept alive and well. We have the wolves, but we also have the coyotes. And if they do manage to get a wolf hunt, we still have to contend with coyotes killing the deer as well. It’s failed policy at it’s finest.
Wake up and smell the blood.
The federales are a lying pack of wolves in sheep’s clothing. Every single thing they do is done with lies and malice. The results are the same, money for them and damage and death for us.
30 wolves in the West Fork? Ive seen 14 in one day in the overwhich drainage 7 years ago! Quit hunting the west fork 3 years ago when I shot a real nice bull and came back for it the next day and got hide and hair and wolf tracks all over it..Seen 3 different packs in the hughes creek drainage..Started hunting the Selway Idaho around the Nez perce pass same story They may be worse over there My dad seen 10 in about 4 hours 2 years ago! poor outfitters are going down fast! Its to the point now its not worth getting mad about, It’s just sad that was absolutely beautiful Elk country. I saw this coming 10 years ago bunch of idiots in charge! Everyone of them!
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