Camera or gun, decisions decisions
Family trip to Yellowstone today, not many critters out today and traffic really wasn?t that bad. Kenny got to see some elk and buffalo along with several waterfalls and Old Faithfull.
On the way out after a long day I saw some cars stopped, easy sign of something maybe worth seeing is there. As we are coming up to the cars I see two black objects heading into the woods, I start blurting out ?what is that!?? Bryann starts yelling excitedly LOOK LOOK LOOK!! Right beside the truck, maybe 50 yards away is a wolf.
Hmm, the .357 is laying on the transmission hump,, nah too dang many witnesses!
I got this pic with the phone then grabbed my big Canon DSLR, got out of the truck and managed to get pics of 6 wolves. 2 jet black ones, 2 coyote colered grey ones and a all white one. Kenny had caught up with me, we were standing next to an RV stopped on the road in a small crowd, he got some pics with his phone.
Looked back at our truck, daggum my fat old ass forgot how fat and old I was, I was over 1/4 mile from my truck. Told Kenny, if those things turn and start after the crowd I don?t care whos car you jump in but it had better be quick [:D]
Here is the only pic I took with the phone, someday I?ll get the pics off my Canon.
On the way out after a long day I saw some cars stopped, easy sign of something maybe worth seeing is there. As we are coming up to the cars I see two black objects heading into the woods, I start blurting out ?what is that!?? Bryann starts yelling excitedly LOOK LOOK LOOK!! Right beside the truck, maybe 50 yards away is a wolf.
Hmm, the .357 is laying on the transmission hump,, nah too dang many witnesses!
I got this pic with the phone then grabbed my big Canon DSLR, got out of the truck and managed to get pics of 6 wolves. 2 jet black ones, 2 coyote colered grey ones and a all white one. Kenny had caught up with me, we were standing next to an RV stopped on the road in a small crowd, he got some pics with his phone.
Looked back at our truck, daggum my fat old ass forgot how fat and old I was, I was over 1/4 mile from my truck. Told Kenny, if those things turn and start after the crowd I don?t care whos car you jump in but it had better be quick [:D]
Here is the only pic I took with the phone, someday I?ll get the pics off my Canon.
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Gun then the camera[:D] 0 -
Yellowstone Wolves Protected. 0 -
Looks like a German Shepherd to me. I think I can see the tag on it's collar.
Neal0 -
Why would you even think of shooting it? 0 -
Maybe it's that Bigfoot guy SG posted about last week? 0 -
Just a camera. That's his home and we're just visitors. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Spider7115
Just a camera. That's his home and we're just visitors.
Problem is they don?t stay there and they?re not native to this area. They cause tons of damage every year that?s why states that border the park have legalized hunting of wolves.0 -
With the camera you can take pictures of a trophy and hang it on your wall
With a gun you can shoot a trophy and hang it on the wall.
the difference between the two will be that one will be 3D the other will not0 -
quote:Originally posted by nmyers
Looks like a German Shepherd to me. I think I can see the tag on it's collar.
Neal
a lot of the "wild" wolves have collars and tracking devices in them...0 -
quote:Originally posted by Big Sky Redneck
quote:Originally posted by Spider7115
Just a camera. That's his home and we're just visitors.
Problem is they don?t stay there and they?re not native to this area. They cause tons of damage every year that?s why states that border the park have legalized hunting of wolves.
Ummmm, yes they are... The last wolf pack was killed in 1926. And there had not been any in Yellowstone or surrounding areas until reintroduced...
And as far as damage goes, the eco system in Yellowstone has greatly improved since their reintroduction. So they don't cause tons of damage except maybe to Ranchers. Which are visitors to the wolves natural environment
And wolves are actually beneficial to the farmers in the area by helping control the population of a other wild animals that eats their crops.
And not that I am treehugger or anything, but it's actually the humans that are doing all the damage. We are taking away the wildlife's natural environment and food source by turning their natural environment into cities, ranches and Farms
but like I said I'm not a tree hugger or anything, I'm just stating facts. My belief is the spoils goes to the victors.
all I was doing here is dispelling the myths the ranchers would have you believe0 -
quote:Originally posted by remingtonoaks
quote:Originally posted by Big Sky Redneck
quote:Originally posted by Spider7115
Just a camera. That's his home and we're just visitors.
Problem is they don?t stay there and they?re not native to this area. They cause tons of damage every year that?s why states that border the park have legalized hunting of wolves.
Ummmm, yes they are... The last wolf pack was killed in 1926. And there had not been any in Yellowstone or surrounding areas until reintroduced...
And as far as damage goes, the eco system in Yellowstone has greatly improved since their introduction. So they don't cause tons of damage except maybe to Ranchers. Which are visitors to the wolves natural environment.
The introduced Canadian subspecies is not the same as the indigenous species that lived in the Yellowstone ecosystem (think 100 miles outside the border).
These wolves have had a significant impact on the moose population and the Elk to an extent as the Elk try to move to areas of less wolf activity.
Until two years ago, I didn't think they bothered the mule deer, but I was on a favorite ridge in NW Wyoming that is 5 miles between trail intersections and one is able to glass nine basins from making it a dandy big mule deer hunting spot. First thing Grandson and I found a small 24" 4x4 that had been wolf killed a few weeks earlier while he was still in the velvet and then whille continuing along the ridge we found numerous piles of wolf scat of various size wolves, I smeared each pile that I came to and. Every one was the same, chock full of deer hair.
My philosophy is shoot on sight, get a bullet into as many as you can.
I have no mercy and wish we could still use 1080.0 -
quote:Originally posted by dpmule
quote:Originally posted by remingtonoaks
quote:Originally posted by Big Sky Redneck
quote:Originally posted by Spider7115
Just a camera. That's his home and we're just visitors.
Problem is they don?t stay there and they?re not native to this area. They cause tons of damage every year that?s why states that border the park have legalized hunting of wolves.
Ummmm, yes they are... The last wolf pack was killed in 1926. And there had not been any in Yellowstone or surrounding areas until reintroduced...
And as far as damage goes, the eco system in Yellowstone has greatly improved since their introduction. So they don't cause tons of damage except maybe to Ranchers. Which are visitors to the wolves natural environment.
The introduced Canadian subspecies is not the same as the indigenous species that lived in the Yellowstone ecosystem (think 100 miles outside the border).
These wolves have had a significant impact on the moose population and the Elk to an extent as the Elk try to move to areas of less wolf activity.
Until two years ago, I didn't think they bothered the mule deer, but I was on a favorite ridge in NW Wyoming that is 5 miles between trail intersections and one is able to glass nine basins from making it a dandy big mule deer hunting spot. First thing Grandson and I found a small 24" 4x4 that had been wolf killed a few weeks earlier while he was still in the velvet and then whille continuing along the ridge we found numerous piles of wolf scat of various size wolves, I smeared each pile that I came to and. Every one was the same, chock full of deer hair.
My philosophy is shoot on sight, get a bullet into as many as you can.
I have no mercy and wish we could still use 1080.
In North America there are two different types of wolves. The Northeastern at the North Western wolf. Both were indigenous to the United Statess and Canada Until they were wiped out in the United States. So they just reintroduced the same species that was here in the United States before man wipe them out.
But I do agree with you, shoot them you can0 -
Not the same, the current wolf is the Mackenzie Valley wolf that hails from Canada and the native wolf is the Northern Rocky Mountain wolf.
Now I?m sure this will be disected and called false but this is the best detailed description I could find and the comparison was made with a wolf that WAS ALREADY IN IDAHO during the relocation, which that is another interesting read, someone wasn?t truthfull!
Also the tons of damage, come up to the Madison Valley where I live and speak with the locals and ranchers about the damages caused in the valley by these wolves that have happily left thier sanctuary hammering the elk herds and livestock.
The following is a C&P
quote:PRE-INTRODUCTION RESIDENT WOLVES: WOLVES OBSERVED THREW ?1995? IN IDAHO.
* Highly secretive behavior. Very sensitive to roads and highways. Largely nocturnal.
* Usually found either as dispersed individuals or pairs.
* Packing activity was very rare except during the months of January-February.
* Pack size at breeding time was usually 4-7 individuals.
* Females (breeding bitches) retained pups for an average of 18 months.
* Pack dispersal was very consistent after breeding season.
* Litter size consistently was 1-3 pups. Bitch bred at 2-year old stage.
* Extremely selective as to food source. Rarely fed on old carcasses or kills of other species, except in the most harsh winter conditions.
* Very much an opportunist when different prey was available. Spent great percentage of hunting effort on rodent acquisition, (moles to rabbits).
* Sport-Reflex Killing almost negligible. Most ungulate depredation was consumptive, not surplus. Typical kill had hams and shoulders consumed.
* Territory of individual or pairs was quite large. Average 2 week return cycle.
* Wolf body size: Female 55 lbs.-70 lbs. Male 85 lbs.-105 lbs.
* Competition with other predator species including coyote and fox was low. Other canine species co-existed and thrived in presence of Resident Wolves.
* Habitat utilized consistently: Mid to high elevation, with forest and mixed forest. Resident Wolves were very resistive to utilizing large areas of open range land with grass or sagebrush cover.
* Older mature males almost always solitary except at breeding intervals.
* Conflict with domestic dogs very minimal except in rare cases.
* Livestock depredations extremely rare but do occur in remote areas.
* Consistent avoidance of man made structures, roads, vehicles, and humans.
NOTE: This data as well as maps locating individual wolves, as well as breeding pairs was hand delivered to Craig Groves in 1992, and entered into the Idaho Fish and Game?s Conservation Data Base by George Stephens.
Craig Groves was at the time in charge of oversight of the Conservation Data Base for Idaho Fish and Game, and was an Idaho Fish and Game employee.
NON NATIVE WOLF Observed Criterion: Introduced Canadian Grey Wolf, 1996 to present.
* Exhibits low level of fear of humans. Non-secretive behavior. Minimal avoidance of humans, vehicles, domestic animals. Will cross large open terrain at will even when other options for cover are available.
* Canadian Grey Wolf is found in small to very large pack sizes. Small packs of 5 individuals are common as are large packs with over 20 members.
* Pack merging, the condition of 2 or more packs combining is being observed in many areas in the west and is not uncommon. Merged packs of over 40 wolves have been observed in the Central Idaho Wilderness.
* Females (breeding bitches) can be bred even at 1-year of age, and produce from 5-9 pups per season. The pups usually remain with the pack but can disperse or be driven off by other pack members.
* All females of breeding potential in the pack are usually bred. There is absolutely no indication that any females are kept from breeding by the theoretical ?Alpha-female.? Large packs are quickly produced and can disperse and merge several times within a week.
* Canadian Grey Wolves show a diet preference for elk but will switch at will to a secondary prey species. Low preference is shown for rodent species, but wolves do sporadically hunt rodents.
* Sport-Reflex Killing is highly developed in Canadian Grey packs. From observations in the field, 3-5 ungulates are killed for each ungulate consumed. This surplus killing is greatly increased if the pack size is large or packs have merged. Often small wintering herds of deer or elk are completely extirpated in one hunting event.
* Body Size: Females 60 lbs.-85 lbs. Males 90 lbs.-120 lbs.
* Competition with other predatory species is extreme and often fatal. Both mountain lion and bear have been impacted by attacks and from reduced available prey. Other Canines such as Coyotes and Fox have been severely impacted in most of their habitats. Fox are only able to survive in habitats that include lots of willow or dense underbrush. Coyote populations have been reduced by are persisting at lower than historic levels.
* Canadian Grey Wolves have been found to utilize all available habitats, from high elevation alpine to sagebrush deserts. This has allowed this variety of wolf to be opportunistic in all ecosystems available to it.
* Large mature male wolves remain with the pack threw out the year, sometimes dispersing for short periods of time.
* The Canadian Grey Wolf is highly predatory on all domestic canines. Hunting hounds are especially vulnerable to attacks and are usually killed outright in a confrontation by wolves.
* Canadian Grey Wolves have shown a preference for predating on domestic livestock even with abundant natural prey present. Beef calves are the most common victims of wolf depredation.
* Canadian Grey Wolves show a high level of habituation to humans, and man-made structures. It is not uncommon to find Canadian Grey Wolves in very remote areas eating out of dog dishes and coming onto porches of homes when the owners are present.
It is clear from a comparison of the two varieties of wolves that control efforts will have to take into account the realities of dealing with a wolf as different as the Canadian Grey Wolf is from wolves found in other parts of the continent. Both the high fecundity of the Canadian Grey Wolf and its depredating qualities ensures that control efforts will have to be highly organized and long term if we are to protect our magnificent wildlife from the debacle that is ongoing in Canada and in our western states.0 -
Friends who have elk hunted in the areas around Yellowstone tell me that over the past 10 or 12 years that the elk population has bottomed out .Don't know if this is true or not but they say the locals blame the wolves 0 -
people used to do the same exact thing as wolves, only they had spears.
if you, a modern human, were born in the woods, never went to school, never had to work a job, and there were 25 others just like you, you would all do the same thing as wolves.
and people have jobs, get any food they want at the grocery store, drive cars, live in houses, and what do they do? get a gun to go out and hunt deer.
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I think wolves are more like a human than people are. better, actually; their souls aren't all corroded.
nice picture btw0 -
Here's my take on it. A bunch of do-gooding tree huggers got together and said, "Lets get wolves reintroduced into Wyoming. Hey that sounds good. The locals are sure to be against it and since they are a bunch of rural republicans that would be a good way to screw with them." So they got it done.
I don't know if wolves were native to Kalifornica but I suspect they were and grizzlies too, they even have a grizzly on their state flag!
There are a bunch of national parks in the Sierra Nevada. There's Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon. I have been wanting to have grizzlies reintroduced there for a long time and wolves, wolves would be a good addition too, for the do-gooder tree huggers to enjoy.
Let's get it done.0 -
quote:Originally posted by penguin
Why would you even think of shooting it?
Do you know a more efficient way of getting one to the taxidermist?[}:)]0 -
Years ago maybe 40 or so I read a article of a speech given by Secretary of the Interior, maybe Udall, about who was really destroying the Environment (not hunters). I called it the four D's. The Destroyers were the Ditchers, Damers, Developers. Can't seem to find that speech. Anyone remember it? 0
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