Saturday, January 31, 2009

Canada wolves

Or should that read "Canada Wolves" ?...

Forget about dogs playing poker... Canada has wolves smoking cigarettes!.. They've always been more edgy than we are,.. those crazy Canada people...

I'm kidding of course... I didn't realize we were blaming Canada for our wolf problem,.. I mean wolf issue... situation...

11 comments:

Diane Lowe said...

Crazy!

I didn't realize our elk needed to be "saved". It always seemed to me that people were more worried about their sheep and cattle populations being lost to wolves than elk.

I was always under the impression that hunting should be used as an auxiliary method of keeping the prey populations in check, as opposed as the primary method.

don said...

The elk are managed by the game departments. Game departments are funded largely by hunting fees, and therefore hunting is actually indirectly a primary means of all game management wheather people are allowed to shoot or not.

This last year in western Montana they extended the elk season as didn't snow soon enough and the elk stayed up high. They needed to allow hunting longer until they reached the harvest numbers they were looking for to sustain healthy herds.

There are lots of opinions on it but I think the game departments do a good job. I spent a little time with a game dept. biologist and they keep pretty close track of things. From what I understand wolves do have an impact on elk populations especially if they are stressed to begin with.

None the less, it isn't exactly a natural relationship between wolves and elk, like it used to be because elk have been forced into the mountains more than they were in the past.

don said...

I want to add that I recently watched a documentary about wolves in Europe. In northern Europe, Sweden I think it was, the same relationship exists between hunters and wolves as it does here in the states, but in that case it had to do with Moose hunting. There were hunters who took issue with the government. Even in Spain shepherds/ ranchers had issues with wolves. In central Europe they seemed to have a more tolerant attitude.

Diane Lowe said...

That's interesting about the relationship between hunters and wolves in Europe.

I didn't mean to say the game department weren't doing a good job. I do think they try to sustain healthy-sized herds and it's truly a thankless job.

People in Europe seem so much more laid back than people in the States!

don said...

I didn't take what you said as they weren't doing a good job. You're right it must be thankless, and also dangerous.

Jules said...

LMAO!! I'm Canadian and I've never seen a bumper sticker like that one!

don said...

I never have either Jules.

The Wordpecker said...

Sure...they smoke a pack a day, but in the privacy of their dens. Certainly not within 9 metres of the entrance of a public building NOR in parking garages NOR in cars when they are driving their kids (under 16) around. The government is certainly doing its part to help them cut back. We should have them down to half-a-pack by spring. We'll work on their drug dependency issues later...

Hi Don. Hope you're doing well. I do check in from time to time. Miss you and Diane.

don said...

We've really screwed up our wolves down here in the states. They're totally spoiled. And I heard on the news that we've dumbed down our dogs too because we don't make them work. That would explain a few things in my neighborhood.

I'm sure Diane would agree that we miss you too.

I wish I knew what your real first name is,..not that I don't like the name Wordpecker...

The Wordpecker said...

My name is Corrie.

Pleased to meet you.

:)

don said...

Nice to meet you too Corrie :) And nice to know your name. That's a very nice name.