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Washington Wolf plan
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<blockquote data-quote="Mike 338" data-source="post: 684583" data-attributes="member: 41338"><p>Maybe...</p><p></p><p>I've met a few biologists and most of them are avid hunters but I'm sure there's some who aren't. </p><p></p><p>According to him, it's all textbook and pretty basic. It's how we manage game herds. If you want a healthy game herd, hunt them so their numbers don't exceed the range. If you want to see the population crash, leave them alone. A classic example is the Kiabab Plateau deer herd in Arizona. Deer standing around everywhere until most of them dropped over dead. With canines, a similar scenario would be more devastating as they are particularly susceptible to disease. I asked him, so just how long does this all take? He said that once the populations are established, it all goes pretty fast. A few years and then CRASH. Game herds come back quickly because the forage has improved due to lack of grazing/browsing and elk overpopulation is controlled through hunting and not predation so wolf numbers stabilize on the low end. It may all be theory but after the first 2 or 3 years of hunting wolves, you won't be getting those easy looks anymore. Trapping... maybe but Washington is not a trapper friendly state. </p><p></p><p>I think you nailed it. Hunters won't tolerate doing nothing as to many wolves kill to few elk. Since most DNR's are funded by Sportsmen, public (hunter) pressure has a lot of sway. Also, since your game herds will no doubt be negatively impacted anyway, this means lost revenue for the DNR. Watch your game herds become old with very few calves. Wolf tag sales make up for lost revenue so I think you'll find the DNR to be very willing partner in controlled wolf hunts.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mike 338, post: 684583, member: 41338"] Maybe... I've met a few biologists and most of them are avid hunters but I'm sure there's some who aren't. According to him, it's all textbook and pretty basic. It's how we manage game herds. If you want a healthy game herd, hunt them so their numbers don't exceed the range. If you want to see the population crash, leave them alone. A classic example is the Kiabab Plateau deer herd in Arizona. Deer standing around everywhere until most of them dropped over dead. With canines, a similar scenario would be more devastating as they are particularly susceptible to disease. I asked him, so just how long does this all take? He said that once the populations are established, it all goes pretty fast. A few years and then CRASH. Game herds come back quickly because the forage has improved due to lack of grazing/browsing and elk overpopulation is controlled through hunting and not predation so wolf numbers stabilize on the low end. It may all be theory but after the first 2 or 3 years of hunting wolves, you won't be getting those easy looks anymore. Trapping... maybe but Washington is not a trapper friendly state. I think you nailed it. Hunters won't tolerate doing nothing as to many wolves kill to few elk. Since most DNR's are funded by Sportsmen, public (hunter) pressure has a lot of sway. Also, since your game herds will no doubt be negatively impacted anyway, this means lost revenue for the DNR. Watch your game herds become old with very few calves. Wolf tag sales make up for lost revenue so I think you'll find the DNR to be very willing partner in controlled wolf hunts. [/QUOTE]
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