Wolf Hunts Raise Complex Issues
Wolf Hunting in Idaho and Montana Poses Dynamic Dilemmas
Sep 15, 2009
Now that Idaho and Montana allow wolf hunting by sportsmen, conservationists worry about the potential consequences of the hunt.
Hunters in Conflict with Conservationists
Many residents of Idaho and Montana hunt animals like elk and deer for their meat. They fear that wolf packs are killing too many of these prey animals, making it harder for hunters to succeed in providing meat for their families.
Wildlife managers aren’t so sure this is happening. The populations of elk, the preferred prey of wolves, vary naturally from year to year for a number of reasons, such as the severity of winter weather and the amount of rainfall that nourishes the plants they eat, as well as hunting by wolves and other predators such as mountain lions. These factors make it difficult to tease out just how much wolves are affecting prey populations.
Conservationists worry that the wolf hunting programs will set back wolf recovery. They feel the state management plans don’t contain enough provisions to protect wolf populations and that hunting will disrupt the recovery process.
Wolf packs are generally family groups, with a breeding pair of parents and offspring that make up the rest of the pack. As reported in the Montana press, Defenders of Wildlife representative Suzanne Stone points out that if the adult wolves are shot, disrupting the pack structure, the young ones may scatter. Without experienced hunters to help them bring down wild prey, these inexperienced individuals could turn to easy prey such as cattle or sheep, causing serious problems for ranchers.
Even if some adults in the pack survive, the effectiveness of the hunt could be seriously compromised because wolves hunt in a coordinated fashion, with each animal having a role in the hunt. Some pack members, for example, may be the fastest runners and can chase down the prey more easily, while others are more skilled in the kill.
The Endangered Species Act and Wolves
During the 1970s, conservation biologists began to realize that many species of native animals were disappearing and that a way was needed to protect them. In 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act, and the gray wolf made the list. Gray wolves still lived in Alaska, Canada, and parts of Europe, but none existed in the wild in the western states.
The wolf’s absence was especially felt in Yellowstone National Park. As the years passed since the wolves disappeared, changes had occurred in the Yellowstone ecosystem - overpopulation of elk and coyotes and more. Biologists felt that bringing back wolves might be one way of making the ecosystem healthy again.
Return of Wolves to the West
After many years of political wrangling, a management plan for wolves gained approval. Wolves from Canada were trapped and released into Yellowstone National Park and selected areas in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming in 1995 and 1996. The recovery plan called this an “experimental population” and stated that wolves which attacked livestock could be eliminated.
The federal recovery plan also specified that when wolf populations reached a particular level, the gray wolf would be declared recovered in those states and removed from the protections of the Endangered Species Act. At that time, each state had to put forth an acceptable management plan that would control wolf numbers, at the same time assuring that enough wolves remained to maintain a healthy wolf population. While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refused to accept Wyoming’s plan as too extreme, it decided to let Montana and Idaho proceed with their wolf hunting plans.
According to Associated Press reporter Todd Dvorak, about 1650 wolves now reside in the Northern Rockies, many more than the minimum recovery goal of 300. The Idaho hunt has a goal of eliminating 220 wolves this season, while Montana is targeting 75. Both states have sold thousands of wolf kill permits to hunters. Once a quota is met, however, the remaining permits will no longer be valid.
The Unknown Consequences of Wolf Hunting
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says Montana and Idaho plan to manage for 150 wolves in each state, enough to ensure their survival. But conservationists are concerned that packs shattered by sport hunting won’t be able to thrive and hunt wild game successfully. They also worry that young wolves won’t be able to disperse effectively so that unhealthy inbreeding will be avoided.
Wolves are a top predator, a vital part of the western wildlife that helps create a balanced, healthy ecosystem. Time will tell whether sport hunting will help keep wolf populations in check or will bring about undesirable consequences.
BNC101
 |
 |
 |
