Wintering Colorado Elk and Wolves
Elk
Contributors to this thread:
Elkhunters and wildlife viewers, I am concerned that sometime in the future wintering elk scenes like the one pictured in the photo (which was taken a few days ago) will not exist. This photo was taken in an area where wolf dumping is supposed to occur. Am I overly concerned? Badbull
This is what I’m blessed to see almost daily in the winter near my place. We’re not in one of the wolf dump zones, but I fully expect the wolves will be here in no time. Yes, I’m concerned.
Matt
Looking at what happened in the Yellowstone area, everybody should be concerned.
Thanks to the clowns in ur state and the gov that sceen will change. Only good wolf is a dead one. Good luck.
If we end up somewhere between the low numbers from CPW and the 750 the prowolfers are pushing for, that's around 500 wolves.
That's about 10,000 elk per year, 30 elk per day turning into wolf poop. Assuming 1/2 of their attempts succeed, that's 60 chases a day, 365 days a year where wolves are hanging out.
I'm no genius but yes, things will be changing quite a bit.
You guys are overreacting I watched the latest wolf meeting. The wolves will only eat the few sick elk with CWD.
I drove thru Cowdrey today on my way ice fishing. Lots of elk near the roads in that area.
Why would you be concerned? This is going to complete the ecosystem. The beavers are going to thrive. The trout fishing will ne excellent. You won’t have to worry about non resident hunters coming to your state and your chances of hitting an elk or deer will be zero. You might save a lot on your car insurance! You won’t have to take off of work to hunt AND there will be no need to buy hunting equipment or licenses. Wolves are going to improve your debt to income ratio and help your marriage. It’s going to be the best thing since sliced backstraps.
Those elk will be wolf poop. Look low after the introduction.
How many wolves did they release in Colorado?
None yet. Starts soon. Goal is to reach 200 minimum population so far. The phase after that hasn't been given a number.
save those photos to reminisce.
I was assured by some wolf hippies on an ice fishing forum that I am a dumb ass, and that there will only be a few wolves, and that wolves and elk thrive together. Wyoming has wolves and great elk hunting, and the elk herd in Wyoming has doubled since the introduction of wolves, so wolves will be a bonus for Colorado.
Wow. First off, most of WY doesn't have wolves. and the ones that are there, migrated.
I swear there are too many people in this country that really shouldn't be allowed to vote. They are too mis informed.
Supposed to be only 200ish released in WI back in 1995. Even with a couple of years (and I mean only a couple) of a wolf season since then, that "managed release" is now up to over 2000 wolves and there are very few deer left in the northern part of WI compared to the past. Unless you live in an area where the neighbors band together to take care of the wolves, you won't see hardly any deer and nor will you see the elk numbers CO. I feel for the western state hunters as the areas are so large that it's hard to make a dent in the wolf population. Happy wolf hunting!
Glunt you must not have watched the meeting the wolfies are pushing for 750 wolves
I did. The CPW plan is 200 wolves for phase 3, no number for phase 4 which is what to do once they reach that. Could easily exceed even the prowolf 750 number. My guess is since we are way more liberal than MT, ID and WY and it was many years of battles to get management there (still a fight), odds are wolves will go mostly unchecked with some government removal when packs are big offenders. All those states are way over the numbers laid out in the beginning. We have a lot of elk but apparently very little room in the budget to deal with reduced revenue from tags if elk numbers drop significantly.
Looks like a recipe for disaster but everyone informed knows that. Informed people on both sides know where this likely heads. One side is jumping for joy.
The prowolf groups say 750 but no lethal management. Well, that basically means the only limit is when they run out if food.
Yep I believe that is the goal
Glunt with no legal management they as you know will take over and eat and kill everything in Colorado…these people suck
And we’ll all live happily ever after…. With no hunting. For the 99th time there’s really only one way to ethically handle it. Do not pass up an opportunity to do your part!
Is the wolf impact on deer the same as elk or is that just mountain lion fare?
Shoot the wolves and don't talk about it. Lots of us on the same page with that.
And tie their collars to logs and float them down the river! Yeah, I saw that show too!
I’d strap the collar to a BHA member’s Subaru…if I was inclined to poach a wolf that is. :-)
Matt
Wondering if BHAwill set up a GoFundMe to pay the legal fees and fines.. these wolves will be watched and tracked closer than the original GYE dumps, with waaay better technology.
I"m with Scoot. Do your part.
Not to worry, they'll get the easy prey first, with an initial focus on cleaning out the Moose herds, before they switch over to full-time hammering of the elk on their wintering grounds.
By the way that triple-S stuff might feel good to say, but it's a fantasy. Even in the states where wolves can be LEGALLY taken by hunting and trapping, and a fat bounty exists, wolf numbers are still difficult to manage.
I'm just glad they are releasing them this coming December, you know when all the herds are vulnerable while foraging through the snow
Sticksender you got that right. Opportunities are few and far between. Very.
December! Really? That’s a terrible idea!!!!!!!
Even if we get to a point where we can start taking wolves legally, we can't trap in CO. like other states can. We won't be making a big dent with any legal take.
I just finished reading the entire, Draft Wolf Management Plan for Colorado. I would suggest that, if you have not, at least read the summary and conclusion and then see the generalized report on wolves and their possible affect on and elk, deer and moose.. See on the CPW website.
Glunt@work's Link
Link for those who take Paul's suggestion
My take away from that link is to be sure the wolf you SSS doesn't have a collar...if you are inclined to SSS, of course.
Matt
Thanks for the link. I am afraid that the possible results will be the same as what happened in Idaho back in the late1980's and early 1990's where my elk hunting area was ruined by the ballooning wolf population destroying the elk herd. Sadly, I think Sticksender is correct and they want to speed up the killing process by dumping in December. Badbull
Blue State and wolves. Colorado is screwed! Hope you're getting some from the Midwest! The only way we'll get rid of them.
One of my favorite shirts to wear out west, especially in the airports. As people see the shirt, they get that warm look on their face like "how nice", until they figure out what it really means!