Albertal Wolf Management

[Hagar]

Robmcleod82,I to hunt predators and have to agree with most of what you have to say.I have only lived in Alberta for 12 years but have seen at least a dozen wolves and have not traveled much of the province.

As to the cycle of life working it self out I am not so sure.There are caribou herds that are being wiped out by wolves in the Yukon.1 herd has gone from 1500-2000 down to about 150 animals.This may not be normal but it is happening.

I do agree that it is highly unlikely that hunters along can make much of an impact but it is at least a start.

Good post Young Eldon,some good ideas with some good information.

[Robmcleod82]

I liked the post about some of the"pro" wolf hunters putting on a clinic I would show up for sure

[Traps]

Whats all the fuss about? Wolves need to eat too, right. When food runs low so will the wolves and the cylcle will repeat itself. Nature is not stagnant but people want it to be to satisfy their expectations.

[sheepguide]

Originally Posted by Traps

Whats all the fuss about? Wolves need to eat too, right. When food runs low so will the wolves and the cylcle will repeat itself. Nature is not stagnant but people want it to be to satisfy their expectations.

Your very right Traps!!! Its just tough for most guys to sit and watch them population ups and downs. All hunters do want the best for them but I think they do want the best for the animals also! Just that "NONE" of us know exactly what that is.
SG

[wolfkiller]

You guys dont see many wolves from the truck so i guess the wolf population must be low, that is absolutely the dumbest thing i have ever heard.

[marlin1]

saw one from my truck up by Nordegg actually so close I could have run him over , guess the population is up

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by Traps

Whats all the fuss about? Wolves need to eat too, right. When food runs low so will the wolves and the cylcle will repeat itself. Nature is not stagnant but people want it to be to satisfy their expectations.

Sure Traps, Nature has It's cycles. What's the fuss? To me, the fuss is I consider humans to be part of Nature, in fact, a significant part of our ecosystem. I assume you hunt and fish. Would you be happy if you could not harvest anything for 10-20 years so that nature can follow It's cycle without you?

Thank you and get to it, regarding individuals willing to put some time into hunting wolves. All sources of lethal wolf management become additive in results, it all helps.

From a link I posted earlier.

"Since the program began in 2003, more than 1,000 wolves and hundreds of black bears have been killed in an effort to drive down the number of predators.

"I think there are some real success stories here," Bruce Bartley, a spokesman for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, said.

The agency recently released its 2008-2009 predation management summary that indicates moose and caribou numbers in six predator control areas have increased. The agency points to two areas in particular as examples of where the program is showing strong results: the Nelchina Basin area and the southern Alaska Peninsula.

The program is getting substantive results in the McGrath area, where it began in December 2003. Last winter and spring, 28 wolves were killed in the McGrath area. Nineteen were taken under the program and nine were hunted or trapped.

The agency said the moose population there has grown from 2,774 in 2004 to an estimated 5,500 moose now. The goal is to reach 6,000 to 8,000 moose.

"Moose numbers have come up substantially," Bartley said.

In the Nelchina Basin area -- one of the more contentious predator control areas because it is accessible to urban hunters from the Anchorage area -- 119 wolves were killed. Fifty-five of those were taken under the control program and the other 64 were hunted or trapped.

That, the state said, helped the moose population increase 27 percent. The harvest, meanwhile, went up 18 percent."

Any more thoughts on private incentives for trappers and hunters? IMO, there is potential here.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by sourdough doug

Hey V, if you were serious about $4, I'm wide awake now.
I was about 1/2 that serious for starters. Some wolves as with all critters are worth more than others, that's why they give the average price on auction sale sheets. At the same time, prices vary from sale to sale, just like in the real world. A realistic base price would make things feasible.... have a good nite, that's where I'm headed

In B.C., some organizations offer an "incentive" of $250-$500 for the skull. Trapper keeps the hide.

Is selling wolf skulls legal here, for trapped and/or hunter harvested wolves?

[209x50]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

In B.C., some organizations offer an "incentive" of $250-$500 for the skull. Trapper keeps the hide.

Is selling wolf skulls legal here, for trapped and/or hunter harvested wolves?

I'm pretty sure we are going to end up pay one person or another to get enough wolves killed. The incentive to the trappers works for me.

[Rantastic]

mother nature will always sort everything out in the end... Just like an ice age will wipe out all humans in 20 000 years again. But we dont want that. As humans we have the urge... no, the need to alter natures plan to suit our wants and needs. Hence we want to see more deer and elk, the wolves are not helping so we need to take them out.
I'd gladly sacrifice one species for the sake of 5 or 6. Us humans are so pompus

[ganderblaster]

Hunt on a ranchers land up by GP 3 years ago he was having real wolf problems on his ranch so he called in his trapper neighbor and in two weeks he trapped 12 wolves!The wolves are just starting a comeback to his ranch this year he said.Sounds effective to me.He used bait

[Lone_Wolf]

We humans are strange creatures. We want everything to be balanced, but we want it right now and we can't seem to let nature take care of the problem without us sticking our noses in it.

I remember only a couple years ago the deer we had around here. It was unreal. They were getting into everyones cattle feed. You didn't dare leave a pale of oats out overnight. Or God forbid, leave the granary door open! Not to mention all the damage they did to the bails which had no protection. One day when I went to feed the bulls I counted 17 deer jumping the fence, and they were leaving before I started counting! Cussed things.

Every farmer and rancher in the area moaned about our meager predator numbers and wished there were some more to slice down the deer population. Now here we are in 2010. A few years have passed since the deer had their rein of power. Coyotes and wolves have made a strong comeback here and have gotten the deer population down to a reasonable number. But people are again on the soapbox with their issues. Now the issue being presented is that our deer population is to low and we need to get rid of the predators! Cussed things.

I for one love wolves. They are beautiful. I drove down to my bait this morning to check my camera and there was a wolf there. He was very unconcerned as I emerged from the forest line. He just strolled off, stopping periodically to watch me. And a few nights ago I was out with my FoxPro howling and when I went to get it out of the tree I turn to see a wolf 30 yards away running up towards my blind to investigate. It is nice to have an adequate population of wolves here again. Unless they are bothering something or I get a chance for a trophy wolf, I'll probably shoot with my camera instead.

One thing is for sure, thanks to the predators another species besides deer is being cut down----road hunters. The laziest of hunters. If you really want to hunt, go on foot or on horseback. Sit in a blind or treestand and try some calls. You'll see much more anyway. You won't see much in your truck driving down country roads.

Nature will balance out, even if it takes a few years. Wolf population goes up, deer population goes down, wolf population goes down, deer population goes up, wolf population goes up, deer population goes down.

And just putting this out there before I step off of my soapbox-----perhaps if Fish and Wildlife would stop releasing cougars we would see a natural predator/prey balance take place.

[Rantastic]

I agree cougars should only be in the bars sucking back martinis

[wolfkiller]

If you owned cattle you wouldnt pass up shooting a wolf

[Lone_Wolf]

Originally Posted by crazy_fool1

I agree cougars should only be in the bars sucking back martinis

Agreed.

Originally Posted by wolfkiller

If you owned cattle you wouldnt pass up shooting a wolf

I agree with that. I took a shot at that wolf in the yard last week. But I am just saying that IMO a program targeting wolves in a direct attempt to run down their numbers might be a little extreme. Because I guarantee that the cycle of complaining people will repeat and in a few years everyone will be chiming in about the ridiculous deer numbers and how their bales are being ripped up every night and how we need predators to thin them out.

[ganderblaster]

I have not noticed anyone calling for complete eradication of wolves I believe we are aiming for balance here same thing with cougars need a balance their as well.I'm guessing most people complaining about deer numbers restrict hunter access as is the case on the ranch where I hunt he only lets me hunt yet complains of deer numbers nice for me but too bad for himHe is starting to have an open mind though and may soon let more on but as like most ranchers that restrict access he has had some very bad apples do very bad things on his ranch i.e a black angus cow is not a moose and may NOT be shot under the authority of a antlerless moose tag

[Outfitter2]

A few critters hanging around !!

[Rantastic]

Dude, nice stack, those are some nice specimens! and a nice log roof too. What is that exactly?

[BrownBear416]

Originally Posted by crazy_fool1

Dude, nice stack, those are some nice specimens! and a nice log roof too. What is that exactly?

x2

Good job

[sourdough doug]

. What is that exactly?[/QUOTE]

It's a pole shed with enough structural support built in for sev hundred more critters like those adorning presently

[Tundra Monkey]

[QUOTE=Nature will balance out, even if it takes a few years. Wolf population goes up, deer population goes down, wolf population goes down, deer population goes up, wolf population goes up, deer population goes down. [/QUOTE]

I don't think it's that simple. The predator always wins before it loses. First they eat all the prey then they move on or die off.....she's a pretty long cycle.

Wolf hunting at best is an "opprotunistic" type kill. Even over bait you'll never clean out a pack.

Supercubs
Poison
Snares

tm

[Lone_Wolf]

Originally Posted by Tundra Monkey

I don't think it's that simple. The predator always wins before it loses. First they eat all the prey then they move on or die off.....she's a pretty long cycle.

Wolf hunting at best is an "opprotunistic" type kill. Even over bait you'll never clean out a pack.

Supercubs
Poison
Snares

tm

It is a long cycle, I understand that, I just think that maybe we need to get some concrete numbers on wolf population numbers before we assume we need to have a wolf management program. But I was mainly trying to imply that us humans are never going to be happy with the animal populations and there is no need to jump to extremes over a weak hunting season.

[bugleemin]

Check it out

www.saveelk.com

[Lone_Wolf]

Originally Posted by primosprostaff

Check it out

www.saveelk.com

That is information for the States, not up here in Alberta.

[bugleemin]

Originally Posted by Lone_Wolf

That is information for the States, not up here in Alberta.

They have the same wolves we do.....In fact we sent our wolves down there. If you spend the time to read that site it talks about Banff it talks about BC. The point is that they are a big problem and we better get our poop in a group befor it is too late

[sheepguide]

Originally Posted by Lone_Wolf

It is a long cycle, I understand that, I just think that maybe we need to get some concrete numbers on wolf population numbers before we assume we need to have a wolf management program.

No one is assuming nothing. Hunters are out there they see the increase in populations. Not everyone needs a study to understand what is happening.

[ambush]

Is interesting to me that with all the avid AFGA members on here that the wolf management study that was being done by the U of A hasn't been brought up..... Funded in part by AFGA and APOS, was in the 4th of 5 years when the permit for the study was not renewed by SRD... If you get a chance corner Mr Jim Allen and ask why a possible tool for SRD, an actual management of wolves in Alberta study would be shut down so close to completion.

If you want to learn how to kill wolves attend one of Gordie Klassen's seminars.

[Lone_Wolf]

Originally Posted by sheepguide

No one is assuming nothing. Hunters are out there they see the increase in populations. Not everyone needs a study to understand what is happening.

I know wolf populations are on the rise, I was not arguing that. But I feel everyone is entering panic city way to fast. I don't believe our wolves are a huge problem like some people are advocating. I am not saying don't shoot wolves, I am saying I would just like to see some numbers of the wolf population versus the deer and moose population before an official management program is put in place. Because I have seen a few wolves this year, but have seen a strong number of moose and deer as well.

[sheepguide]

Originally Posted by Lone_Wolf

I know wolf populations are on the rise, I was not arguing that. But I feel everyone is entering panic city way to fast. I don't believe our wolves are a huge problem like some people are advocating. I am not saying don't shoot wolves, I am saying I would just like to see some numbers of the wolf population versus the deer and moose population before an official management program is put in place. Because I have seen a few wolves this year, but have seen a strong number of moose and deer as well.

Well when I see places go from a few thousand head in the winter to a couple hundred head or less after habitat has been increased I feel that maybe its time to start worrying!

Our mountain elk are in many zones are in desperate times. When you see packs of 10 to 15 wolves in these same zones, there is a major issue.

If we feel that there is an over-population of wolves then why don't we just shoot more wolves?
Let's get out calling or set-up baits and shoot more. I get out as much as I can and shoot any wolf I see.
I know it sounds simple or easy but if we as hunters/ranchers/farmers are concerned with a growing wolf population, then let's do something about it rather than wait for the gov't to implement. Let's get off our easy chairs and way from the computers and spend more time in the field hunting these fiendish vilians down.