Alaska Wolf Management

[yukon254]

Last week in Whitehorse, the Yukon Wolf Conservation management review board held its final public meeting. They have held meetings in all Yukon community's to get the publics opinion on revising the wolf management plan. In every community they have heard the same thing over and over.... we have a wolf problem. Strong support in all community's for some type of management of our wolf population was voiced. It looks like they will use an "incentive" program for trappers/hunters. This will work by giving a certain amount of money per wolf.

The part Alaskans might find interesting was a retired biologist spoke at the Whitehorse meeting about your program and how horrible it is. A local outfitter had some hard data on your program and gave a very good rebuttal. You can look at the website here, http://www.yfwcm.ca/YukonWolfPlanReview You can read the community summaries on this site as well.

[AlaskaTrueAdventure]

I don't get it.
This forum generally has a group of "wolf haters"....kill 'em all!
And generally a group of "wolf lovers".....let nature work it all out naturally.
Sportsmen vs subsistence, Moose eating folks vs beautiful canine folks.
Yet not one forum member has approached this hot potato, or potatoe for you politician types.
Isn't it those darn wolves killing all our sheep and mooose and caribou?
Or is it just those pesky black and brown bears killing everything else?

So is this simply a Canadian concern that only Yukon 254 should care about? Or does an Alaskan hunters, guides, or naturalists want to contribute (again) to our collective education concerning wolf killing/management?
And what about that "money per wolf kill", or wolf bounty system Yukon 254 mentioned.

[Akres]

I don't get it.
This forum generally has a group of "wolf haters"....kill 'em all!
And generally a group of "wolf lovers".....let nature work it all out naturally.
Sportsmen vs subsistence, Moose eating folks vs beautiful canine folks.
Yet not one forum member has approached this hot potato, or potatoe for you politician types.
Isn't it those darn wolves killing all our sheep and mooose and caribou?
Or is it just those pesky black and brown bears killing everything else?

So is this simply a Canadian concern that only Yukon 254 should care about? Or does an Alaskan hunters, guides, or naturalists want to contribute (again) to our collective education concerning wolf killing/management?
And what about that "money per wolf kill", or wolf bounty system Yukon 254 mentioned.

There comes a time, when it is wise to back off on such "hot" issue as controlling wolves....this apparently is just one of those times. Perhaps someone with close association to the resource will pipe up.

But I think it is ludicrous to discuss Canadian Ways and Means, as they take it much more serious and don't Play Around with them like Alaskan's.

[yukon254]

I dont agree ATA. I think one side is "percieved" to be wolf haters, but I dont think they are.

I posted this for three reasons #1 to show how "we" (public and wildlife managers) can work together. And should in my view.

#2 I think its interesting that a biologist can slam management policies AFTER he is retired. Why didnt he say something while he was still on the job? Then when he was confronted with some data, from Alaska he was at a loss for words.

#3 Thought it might be interesting for Alaskans to read through the community summaries and get a feel for Yukon residents opinions on not only wolf management, but wildlife populations in general.

Almost every community feels ungulate populations are rapidly declining. As far as killing all the wolves, we already know they are very resilient critters. Now the western states are shooting them from choppers. Estimates Ive heard on that is it costs tax payers aprox 30 k per wolf!

[Akres]

Good for reading and wishful thinking but...
By and Large Alaskan's much prefer the Professional's take the Heat for what is considered by most today to be an Unsavory Practice. Collectively today, imo, the preponderance Alaskan's are much too busy with making money, to be concerned about managing resources. A few hundred dollars "bounty" would not suffice to cover expenses.

[yukon254]

How about $1000 ??

[GD Yankee]

Here is a question. Who's $1,000 should be used to control predation assuming they should be "controlled"? Federal, state money, or private money? If Federal or State, why should my tax dollars to be used to kill bears and wolves? Would there be "predator control" in order to enhance hunter's successful harvest percentages of sheep, moose and caribou or would it be to preserve the viability of a specific herd?

All I think bounties do is transfer tax money to individuals. Those people who feel that game is being impacted by predators should get out there and shoot more predators (within established regulation) and not ask others to pay for it.

[yukon254]

GD the point is, when wildlife managers (govt employees) do the predator control, you pay for it. You pay a LOT for it. Fish / Game told us in 92 it cost them an average of 30k PER WOLF. What they are proposing is simply a cheaper method of doing the same thing.

Yes if you read the community summaries you will see that residents right across Yukon believe some form of predator control is needed. I certainly cant speak for the entire Yukon but I know the areas I hunt sure need it.

The idea that they will actually listen to residents, and are seeking input from the people who spend time on the land, like trappers, outfitters, and hunters, is a good thing in my books.

A fellow at the Whitehorse meeting told the review committee, to look at calf mortality. I couldnt agree more. That number is the most important number IMO. If there is a lack of feed, we will know it, by the condition of the animals we see. If they are suffering from disease again we will know it by the condition of the animals we see, lets not spend millions doing studies (like we did before 92) to try and figure out why our ungulate population is in decline. ( look no further than the Chisana caribou herd, and the money we spent on studies, when the locals knew it was a major wolf problem) When 80 to 90% of your calf crop is not making it until fall, how can a herd stay stable???

[AniWahaya]

I don't get it.
This forum generally has a group of "wolf haters"....kill 'em all!
And generally a group of "wolf lovers".....let nature work it all out naturally.
Sportsmen vs subsistence, Moose eating folks vs beautiful canine folks.
Yet not one forum member has approached this hot potato, or potatoe for you politician types.
Isn't it those darn wolves killing all our sheep and mooose and caribou?
Or is it just those pesky black and brown bears killing everything else?

So is this simply a Canadian concern that only Yukon 254 should care about? Or does an Alaskan hunters, guides, or naturalists want to contribute (again) to our collective education concerning wolf killing/management?
And what about that "money per wolf kill", or wolf bounty system Yukon 254 mentioned.

Its simple, no more wolves = no more wolf haters.

[AniWahaya]

There comes a time, when it is wise to back off on such "hot" issue as controlling wolves....this apparently is just one of those times. Perhaps someone with close association to the resource will pipe up.

But I think it is ludicrous to discuss Canadian Ways and Means, as they take it much more serious and don't Play Around with them like Alaskan's.

Alaskan ways and means is more better described as going right in for the kill. Isn't that right? But, then again wolves aren't worth fighting for.

[ak_cowboy]

You realize this post is two years old...

sent from my igloo