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Wolves are fine and a sign of a healthy ecosystem the problem with the wolves is when they start eating and killing livestock and Susie's little purse dog.
Think about this for a moment,all the great hunting places in North America,that includes Alaska and all of Canada.They have the best hunting for all the species you care to take and they have wolves.So the argument that they will kill all the game is nonsense.We have wolves in the Big Horn Mtns. just outside of town.The elk and deer herds have never been in better shape.A few rogue wolves have taken a liking to sheep near town DFG dispatched the wolves swiftly.Respect for the wolves and the ranchers is the key to having it all.
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I live at the East Gate of Yellowstone National Park. I was born in this area and have lived here for the majority of my life. I was here at the ground floor of this debate when "they" re-introduced wolves to Yellowstone and the surrounding areas. The issue has been chewed up, regurgitated, and chewed again. Both sides quote data and provide experts who will spew forth technical and anecdotal stats ad-nausium. No one seems to come out on top.
I just could not stand ideally by while this gentleman form Buffalo Wyoming speak for all of us in Wyoming.
Like I said, I have seen personally the wolf introduced, grow, expand, and kill. I am not a biologist. I am not a trophy hunter. I have no expertise to lend. I hunt to put meat on the table. My comments are offered strictly as personal opinion and a layman's observation.
That being said, not ONE good thing has come of the re-introduction (a sill term if you ask me, the wolf was here before, and in greater numbers than folks were led to believe) of the wolf into Yellowstone and the surrounding area. Unless you count the [I]feelings[I] of longranger and his ilk.
Predation of so-called "sporting" game is through the roof. So much so that the number of licenses being sold for elk and deer etc. are being scaled back considerably. As for a the taking of "a few" sheep and "some" livestock, I direct your attention to the Montana Standard (link provided below, hopefully). 120 sheep slaughtered in one attack.
Much like humans, wolves are indiscriminant killers, and they don't just kill for food, they kill for fun too.
As for the feeding of elk, I assume you mean the feed-lots near Jackson Hole and other such places where groups of farmers and ranchers work with Wyoming Game and Fish to provide a habituated feeding ground to lure the elk away form rancher's hay fields so that the Game and Fish can avoid reimbursing rancher's and farmers for losses. Reintroduction of the wolf has just shifter the reimbursements from feed to animals slain by wolves. Last I checked, it was cheaper to feed a cow than to pay for the animal plus all the animals said animal would produce in years to come...
I feel for those of you in Washington state. If I had my way the wolf would be listed under "predator status". Shoot on sight. Shoot to kill.
http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2...jbhchghbjc.txt