How Many Wolves is Enough?

So one might ask how many wolves in Idaho should the state manage to maintain? The pro-wolf forces have an add showing the decline from near 1,000 wolves in Idaho in 2008 and 2009 as if reducing from that number is a problem. They show "Idaho's War Plan" with an objective of about 150 wolves by 2018 as if that is a bigger problem.

Just to be clear on my opinion before we go on: my answer is that Idaho doesn't need any of these imported Canadian wolves. The Endangered Species Act doesn't protect invasive species and those who planted them should be charged with a crime for the wanton slaughter of more than 180,000 Idaho Elk.

That said one can come up with a number several ways as to what might be manageable. The Idaho Elk herd is estimated at a little over 100,000 animals limited mostly by winter forage and farming interests. The annual seemingly sustainable hunter harvest of this herd is in the range of 15,000-20,000 animals when they aren't being ravished by the wolves. The Idaho Elk Management plan builds on the human value of Elk as being from Elk viewing and hunting. Both require maintaining the overall herd size in the range of 100,000 Elk.

The depredation by wolves must be limited to a small fraction of the hunter harvest; certainly under 10% of the hunter harvest but more preferably under 5%. A higher amount cannot be maintained with the herd size natural limitations. The simple reason is that there is no human value to violent killing of Elk by wolves. So we should strive to limit the total wolf killing of Elk to no more than 750-2,000 Elk per year. The lower number is 5% of 15,000 and the upper number is 10% of 20,000. Studies show each wolf kills between 11 and 35 Elk per year, with an average a little above 20. This suggests that if we have to host this invasive species then management should strive to control it to about 35-100 wolves (750-2,000 divided by 20). Thus the Idaho goal of under 150 seems too high. I believe it is driven by biologist claims that ten packs of ten (i.e. 100) are necessary to maintain biological diversity. Why Idaho should seek to maintain biological diversity for Canadian wolves is beyond me.

There is also the practical matter of paying for the depredation of private animals by wolves. Although I think that those who support the introduction of the Canadian wolves into Idaho should be held responsible to pay for same the State of Idaho has spent its money to handle this problem. Idaho Wolf Control Board

 Idaho Elk Management Plan

Wolf Ecological Benefits

I am now running into a consistent story about the alleged benefits of wolves to the Yellowstone ecosystem. The story suggests that with the reduced size Elk herd the willows have regrown, changing the rivers and encouraging the growth of other species such as beaver and waterfowl. It also suggests killing off many coyote by wolves has enhanced the population of small animals and their other predators, such as birds.

I was skeptical of such claims, mostly because of what I have personally witnessed in Yellowstone over 43 years of multiple several day visits per year, including long hikes in the backcountry where few tourists go. Also I found no actual evidence given anywhere to support such claims. Just assertions. Travelling through Yellowstone dozens of days during the wolf killing of the Elk the only change I personally notice is that the Elk are gone.

I have yet to see a wolf in Yellowstone. I also see few Grizzly bears even though they are much bigger and there are many more of them in Yellowstone. So I know the stories about tourists seeing wolves are overplayed. I know the tourists, like myself are seeing few if any Elk, whereas in times past they would have delighted seeing hundreds of Elk in the meadows.

I was skeptical because of the sheer size of Yellowstone and the places that such claims can take place. Yellowstone has over 2,000 miles of rivers. Only a few miles have willow areas to start with. I also know that Yellowstone is forever changing. I suspected that the changes from the fires in 1989 far eclipsed any effect some mammals might cause. The changes from the fire recovery are quite visible. Not only wasn't the story documented but it just didn't make sense.

Recently I found documented evidence that the claims of ecological benefit are simply untrue:  http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/10/opinion/is-the-wolf-a-real-american-hero.html?hp&rref=opinion&_r=0

Here's the more technical story: Claims of Ecosystem Changes;  Mech Technical Reference

And another from the NY Times:  NY Times

To quote in part, following some links to actual research: "Amid this clutter of ecology, there is not a clear link from wolves to plants, songbirds and beavers. Still, the story persists. ... the story can seem only a fib."

Another "urban legend". Amazing how many people believe such claptrap. This includes rangers in Yellowstone who repeat the story at ranger programs. The persistence of such legends is amazing. Someone gave me a link to a professionally made video claiming these benefits. The English accented narrator had obviously never been to Yellowstone. Nor apparently had any of the production staff. The narrator repeatedly called the Elk shown in the video deer. Apparently no one on the production staff even knew what an Elk was, yet they repeated the claims of ecological wonder. So sad.

And no one seems to care about the violent viscous killing of tens of thousands of Elk to allegedly provide new homes for 100 beaver.

Some Data

The first chart is taken directly from a full page Ad published this week again in the Idaho Statesman. It is used to make a case for letting wolves run rampant:

 

 

Thank heavens controls were implemented in 2010. Here is what they don't show you:

 

 

If you sum the above chart from wolf introduction through 2013 you get the following. In other words using the wolf proponents own data the total number of Elk killed by the Canadian wolves in Idaho through 2013 is over 180,000. That is over twice the total estimated number of Elk in Idaho. No wonder we are seeing such devastation.

 

The wolf advocates ignore these painful deaths.

I used 21.6 Elk killed per year per wolf to generate the above graph. It comes from this source:  Pro wolf estimate of elk/wolf-year The article writer was pro-wolf, minimizing the effect on the herd. Other articles suggest a range from 11-35 Elk per year per wolf.

Here is what the above source says, "The only good figures over several years come from the winter wolf studies on the northern range. [of Yellowstone] There is an early winter study when prey are strong and a late winter study when prey after weaker. The average since the winter studies began was 1.4 elk per wolf per month for the early study and 2.2 elk per wolf/month in the late winter study. The average is 1.8 elk per wolf. People multiply that by 12 and come up with 21.6 elk per wolf a year."

I used 21.6 because it is the best I can find. Other estimates range from 11-35 per year per wolf. I suspect 21.6 is too high on average. Other studies claim a wolf needs about seven pounds of meat per day to be healthy and breed. (That also seems like a lot to me.) Even a calf elk provides over 50 pounds of meat. Large cows and bulls provide over 200 pounds of meat: a 30 day supply. I can see how eating of fetuses would increase the number but wolf eating other stuff like deer, moose, bison, and coyote would reduce it.

Despite some claims to the contrary wolves do not eat all of the Elk meat they bring down. Sometimes they just eat the fetus out of a cow. Thus it is more correct to speak of Elk killed than Elk eaten.

The Sad Story

The Sad Story for the Elk

The above link is not for the weak of heart. It depicts what is really happening from the introduced wolves in Idaho. It is indeed a sad story.

I don't know what goes on in the minds of those who want these introduced wolves to run rampant through our states. They should plant them in their own backyards. I'd like to see them charged for all this wanton killing they have caused.

Keep in mind that the average wolf kills 20 plus Elk per year. I don't know if they count a cow elk killed to remove the fetus as one, two, or three kills in that accounting.

Keep in mind also that wolves have MUCH higher reproduction rates than Elk. Wolves can have six or more pups. Elk only one or two. Elk calf survival is in the range of 30-50%. That is why the wolves so effectively devastate Elk herds.

Of course eventually the wolves eat themselves out of house and home, and their number decline. This leaves a situation such as Lewis and Clark found when they traversed this country: essentially no game. That seems to be where the wolf proponents want to go. I can't understand why. But then I don't understand the motivations of terrorists that kill innocent people either.

My Local Elk

These are Elk, partially on my front yard. We also get them in the backyard. When I say the planted wolves can come into my backyard I mean it literally. You will not see groups like this in Yellowstone any more because the wolves have eaten them. They won't get that chance in my backyard which is probably why the wolves are staying away and the Elk come here.

Save our Elk!

Having experienced the terrible decline of the Elk herd in Idaho and Yellowstone National Park I was appalled to see a full page Ad in our local paper, running every Sunday, depicting the "war on wolves" as if it were something we should be opposed to. I am very much in favor of it. I don't consider it "Governor Otter's War". I consider it our (the people of Idaho and the world)  war in support of future generations.

This week the paper published my letter in response:  Idaho Statesman Letter

I felt that since the people sponsoring these Ads obviously had a lot of money to spend on a misguided mission I needed to do something in response. This is my start on it.

The fundamental problem with wolves and the reason they were removed from Idaho and Yellowstone National Park in the first place is that they have a voracious appetite for Elk. I am an Elk lover. We have a local Elk herd (I'll post some images later) that visits our house. We are happy to feed them our flowers and trees and enjoy watching them. That will soon be gone if the people that planted these voracious predators have their way and wrest control of our outdoors back from the State of Idaho. IMHO they ought to release the wolves in their own back yards...not mine.

EACH WOLF KILLS OVER 20 ELK PER YEAR. The people that want these things to run uncontrolled throughout Idaho, including my back yard but not theirs, seem to have no conception of this FACT. Since wolves live five to ten years in the wild every wolf will kill between 100 and 200 Elk during its lifetime. I think each Elk is worth 20 or more wolves, not the other way around.

To give you a visual, this is about the average number of Elk killed by ONE WOLF EACH YEAR. Multiply that by the five or so years each wolf lives and you begin to get the idea. Not a trade I'm willing to make! (PS: I took this picture in my back yard. It is personal for me.)

I have been visiting Yellowstone since 1970. We raised our children viewing hundreds of Elk on each visit to the Park. These people have denied our Grandchildren that experience. The last two times I visited Yellowstone (one last week) I saw only three Elk each time, and they were hiding in the trees. As the quote in my letter shows, that herd has been devastated by over 80%. So have the Elk in the Lolo region of Idaho. I believe the devastation to be equally severe wherever the wolves have made homes but haven't yet found the data to support it on other areas.

One of the reasons I prefer Elk over wolves is that they are good to eat. I hunt for them. This last week I found the Elk had been cleared out of my present hunting area by the wolves. The first morning out I heard the wolves yapping and baying all morning. The next morning my son's friend shot a deer and he and my son were set upon by the wolves within 20 minutes whilst cleaning the deer. They managed to keep them at bay. We saw no Elk on this hunt...one where we always saw dozens before.

I had a similar experience hunting Elk in the Sawtooth wilderness a few years ago. All we found were Elk carcasses clearly killed and dismembered by wolves.

Letting wolf packs grow unmanaged is advocated by many if not most wolf advocates. They rest their arguments on the notion that there were many wolves and ungulates living peacefully together before the extinction of the wolves in the lower 48 states in the early 1900s. That perception is wrong. Lewis and Clark described the areas around what is now Yellowstone National Park as having very little wildlife. The best study I can find to date of the first Euoropeans travelling in this area in the 1800s strongly confirms that there were few wolves in Yellowstone...and few large mammals in total. Pre 1900 Study The wolf advocates are chasing an ideal that never existed.

Here's a video that exposes much of the problem:

Crying Wolf

This has got to stop!

Please do what you can to get these Canadian wolves eradicated in Idaho and Yellowstone. They don't belong here.