Wolves

[Bazy]

I been a long time reader of threads with few postings. Other than "poaching" I don't think I've seen a subject generate more emotions on this site than wolves.

I don't know yet where I stand in regards to the whole situation but I most certainly believe that individual states should be allowed to manage any wolf population just as they do Elk, deer, etc. I do have a couple of questions though.

Do most of the states involved reimburse ranchers for herd losses due to wolf predation?

Does Wyoming intend to establish a season for wolves or is their management plan just call for year'round hunting in certain areas?

Thanks for your replies.

 

[nochawk]

If the livestock owner can prove it is a wolf kill they get reembursed..

Wy I believe will have a LE tag for wolfs in the trophy area I believe and it is year round outside the trophy area.

 

[MortgageMan]

Just what nochawk said.

 

[ktg]

The federal government has overstepped the limits of the constitution so far it's not even funny. States should be allowed to manage them without limit. If you like wolves, move to a state that manages them to exist. If not, live in a state where you can kill 'em all. I'd like the 2nd choice. Our forefathers didn't kill 'em all for nothing.

 

[huntin100]

The problem with documented kills. Cows are out on the range, often times they are not found soon enough to tell what killed them. Ranchers just take it in the shorts. Hi diesel prices are putting a big hardship on many ranchers to survive. Losses from wolves, maybe what puts them out of business. Then ranchers sell their land for the best price. More development. Less hunting and animals. Sportsmen pay for the wolf management. Increase fees for hunting. Does having a lot of wolves sound like a good idea?

 

[sjhgraysage]

Also sometimes even if it is a documented wolf predation, the rancher applys for reimbursement and waits. I have a friend that runs a few head of cattle in Wyoming and has had at least 4 confirmed losses to wolves and last I heard from him (this past winter) he had not received a dime in compensation.

 

[Wyosheds]

LAST EDITED ON May-02-08 AT 05:38PM (MST)[p]No, not what nochawk just said.

Each state is completely defferent how they will handle reimbursement for wolf depredation.

Wyoming has classified areas of the state into two categories.

The first is a "Trophy" management area that will have hunting seasons via hunting licenses and a quota system most likely be in place for number of kills. It just so happens that 90% of Wyomings population of wolves live in this area, so they are under the protection of the area when there is not a hunting season. Ranchers also in this area are not allowed to shoot on sight for livestock depredation, and they are required to request a "Shoot on Sight" permit before they are allowed to protect their livestock. Since Wyoming has this policy in the Trophy area the state of Wyoming will reimburse livestock owners for confirmed livestock depredation.

Confirmed livestock kills come nowhere close to the actual amount of animals that are killed to wolves. Last year alone there were 55 deaths of cattle confirmed to be wolf kills in Wyoming last year by the USFWS. But the USDA reports approximatly 700 cattle were killed by wolves in Wyoming last year. So by those #'s only one cow out of every 12 was confirmed as a wolf kill.

As for Sheep the USDA approximates that 400 were killed by wolves in Wyoming while only 16 were confirmed as Wolf Kills. With sheep this would put the #'s at only one sheep out of every 25 to be confirmed.

The second category in Wyoming is the Predator area. In this area wolves can be killed on sight every day of the year by anyone. But only 10% of our states population live in these areas which equals approximatly 30-35 wolves. As of today 15 of those have been taken both by hunters and by rachers protecting livestock. Since Wyoming has allowed the Predator management area, the state of Wyoming will not reimburse rachers for livestock depredation due to wolves.

One more side not is that the Defenders of Wildlife organization who was one of the main initiators of wolf reintroduction has also stopped their reimbursement of for livestock killed by wolves due to the delisting from the Endangered Species Act.

Now here is where I got all my facts, if you care to read for yourselves.
Confirmed livestock Depredation by the USFWS.
http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie... 2007 Annual Final Report received 3-8-08.pdf

Actual amounts of cattle depredation.
http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics...ions/Livestock,_Dairy,_Poultry/cattleloss.pdf

Actual amount of sheep losses.
http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics...lications/Livestock,_Dairy,_Poultry/sheep.pdf

Wyoming Wolf/Livestock reimbursement policy
http://gf.state.wy.us/downloads/pdf/wolf_faqs_3-28-08.pdf

 

[Singleshot]

Ranchers are not always reimbursed for losses. As someone said,first you have to prove it is a wolf kill. Cow/calf pairs are often turned out on open range or forest from July to October. When cattle are rounded up in the fall you might find some cows without calves. Now try to find a dead calf that could have been dead a couple or three months and then try to find out how it died. Probably not much of a chance of proving anything. Not all dead calves are a result of wolves but those that are just cost the ranchers around $400 to $500.