To me an ecosystem just isn't an ecosystem without large predators. I love that we have wolves but like everyone else has pointed out, they need to be managed. I am personally amazed that WI has lost this battle yet the western states are a go year after year. Everyone knows it's BS but the court systems suck.

It's also funny that year after year the same 900-1000 numbers are thrown around. (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman), I've been seeing those numbers for 10 years. Deer populations have gone up in most a lot of areas but yet the wolf numbers have stagnated?

Now that there is snow on the ground I can take anybody out to walk in the tracks of wolves. (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) I've had wolves walk in my tracks. Can you say not afraid of humans? People wonder why I carry a side arm at all times.

There is big money in wolf management. If you think the states are going to trade that for a few license sale revenue, your sadly mistaken.

Not sure I am following Rally. Help me understand.

Please me too Rally? I know from a friend the boots on the ground dealing with problem wolves aren't compensated much, is the money up the chain somewhere?

Osky

They likely can't get all but more as many as they can would be good , train up teams of college kids that are biology or ecology or similar majors to micro chip if nothing else , microchips are low cost and inject-able under the hide at the back of the neck.

some combination of seasons or do staggered zones seasons to have more resources for tagging in a zone for season.

Do any of the lower 48 States actually have harvest quotas large enough( approximately 50% of the population estimate) to actually limit wolf population growth?

Or are they just offering a harvest opportunity to allow people to have another meaningful outdoors experience?

Not sure. I guess we can start to review each state's management plan for wolves to see if we can get some clues. Where do you want to start? Here is Idaho's plan. Any interesting information in here?

https://idfg.idaho.gov/old-web/docs/wolves/plan02.pdf

We are over run with wolves in the area I trap. Firearms deer hunters complain that they come into camp and try to steel their deer off the meat poles. They are not hard to catch/hold. In that area I have caught more wolves then coyotes...research would appear to suggest they are the reason for a significant decrease in the coyote population in this area.

When Minnesota had wolf seasons 6-7 years ago I believe the total number allowed taken was around 230 per year state wide. They kept a daily total and ended it when the number was reached. Hunters didn't do well, trappers did.

Osky

"During the big game hunting season, sportsmen can harvest wolves when they’re out hunting deer, elk and other species. About 30,000 hunters buy wolf tags each year. Harvest averages about 145 wolves per year."

I don't know what they charge for a wolf tag, but that looks like pretty good money for 145 wolves.

$13.75 Resident
$31.75 Non-resident

It would appear from internut research that Idaho appears to be moving past this to more of a Control policy.

All I can say is that I have hunted in Taylor County Wisconsin in the National Forest the past 35 years and the deer hunting has been very poor the past 8 years. We rarely see a deer through the 9 day gun season. It use to be awesome trophy deer hunting prior to that. We only see wolves and their tracks now. Every year we see less and less hunters because there are no deer left. Very Sad!

That would be like a 10% harvest rate. I hope that made people feel like they were doing something?

Speaking of harvest rate, here is the WI report for one of the last year that we had a season. I notice that different areas of the state had a different harvest rate. Anything we can learn from it?

https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/documents/reports/graywolfharv.pdf

Looks like they were trying to keep them bottled up into two parts of the State.

Dirt that would be 10% harvest if you believe the total state population. Knowing the areas I hunt and the square miles involved and what I see to accurately count in winter tracks, I believe the state total to be low. Just my thinking nothing official.


Osky

https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/1709627-Federal-wolf-trapping-program-runs-out-of-money

MN had been killing nearly that many each year as part of the damage program. One costs money and the other generates $. Wonder why that keeps getting funded yet sportsmen are only left with the tab? Trust the the other groups to lead the fight....Well look where that got us!

Where you find wolves you will not find the coyotes you are looking for in that area. Coyote numbers in an area or lack there of are a great indicator of the wolf population. No coyote= wolves on the other hand wolf country can be great fox hunting/trapping opportunities. Wolf and coyote compete for the same food sources and the wolf will not tolerate them. Wolves will tolerate the fox for that same reason

I would like to hear the logic on this as well. Wisconsin DNR has said that they are going to wash their hands of the whole wolf deal if they are not allowed a season to control them. There has always been a handshake deal between the states and the feds as far as investigation goes when it comes to the wolf. Whether it be livestock/dog predation or illegal killing of a wolf. If there was so much money in it for the state doubt seriously that the DN would take this type of stance.

I think you might be confusing DNR policy and a bill that was introduced at the state capital. That will would have prevented DNR personnel from assisting on anything things related to wolves until the season was returned. That bill did not happen, but take note of the author--Senator Tiffany. It was an effort to pressure our federal representatives to get it done. He is now running for a house seat to replace Duffy. One of the big reasons that many animal rights activists have started to call for a season is because they understand the blow back the failure to have a season has caused. Delisting the wolf is no longer the goal for many--dismantling the ESA is entering the conversation IMO.

https://www.wpr.org/congressional-bid-remove-wisconsin-wolves-endangered-species-list-falls-flat

That may very well be. A friend who is an area supervisor warden for the local 3 counties passed this info on to me while he was "checking" my hunting license. Something else that he said related to this subject was that from July until the end of gun deer season that on average in the northern counties 1 warden per county dedicates about 80% of their time working wolf issues in one fashion or the other which keeps the counties from doing what they are hired to do