Do we really want grey wolfs?

[oldred]

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2015/...yon-gray-wolf/

This is not a rant nor is it an anti/pro wolf statement, simply I want to know how most folks feel about the re-establishment of grey wolves? Here were I live Coyotes were something we only saw on tv/movies and read about in books until just a very few years ago but now the dang things are EVERYWHERE and are a major nuisance! The damage they do has been very costly to myself and other farmers and while I understand Coyotes are not Wolves it would seem that Wolves would only be worse so why do people think it's tragic that one was killed? I know the thinking is that Wolves should be returned to the areas they once roamed, re-establish the "natural wilderness" as the tree huggers might say but that ignores the fact that this natural wilderness did not have so many people and farms/communities close by when wolves were common, these "tree huggers need to realize that it can never be the way it once was but then that is of course just my opinion. So back to the question, honestly do we REALLY want wolves back in areas where they were killed off? Was this killing tragic or good riddance?

[leftiye]

They done good back in the early 1900s when they drove them to extinction. Same for cougars.

[captaint]

I don't know. We got along just fine without many wolves for 70 years. I really can't imagine why we need to hear them howl now. The "animal lovers" never look at the entire picture. They just want the wolves back and the hell with everything else.

[oldred]

I wish these animal lovers would look at the REAL picture, they need to see the remains of a cow and calf and the other destruction predators such as Wolves and Coyotes do. I have no problem with a controlled population of Wolves or any other natural critter in National Parks and wildlife preserves but once out of those areas some of these animals just don't fit into the environment anymore, either the people leave or the nuisance animals because it's just not practical to have it both ways.

[Geraldo]

Killing off apex predators has not done humanity any favors. In making the world safe for idiots, we've got a giant surplus of them. So I'm all for more predators. More wolves, lions, bears=fewer stupid people.

[Muskyhunter1]

You know I think wolves are beautiful creatures and they belong in our wilds.

I have hunted and trap wolves for 30 years. Having said that, they are killing machines and a pack will pretty much kill everything in your area and then move along (including yotes and foxes). Last year our deer group of 4 hunted for 6 days and all we heard or saw were timber wolves as a pack had moved into the area. I was the only one in the group that had a wolf license and I got a big female after having a pack of 6 come over the ridge behind me (I was deer bleating). Next year the other guys are going to buy wolf tags too.

The point is once they are introduced into an area, most of your Game and Fish Departments will not let you harvest them anyway. Once the wolf population explodes the city-idiots will fight you tooth and nail to not let you hunt them because they live in Disney Land and unfortunately have a say (vote). Then all the turkey, deer, moose, rabbits, grouse, beavers are gone and the wolf population becomes stressed with no food. They have eaten themselves out of house and home. Got to save the endangered wolf now. Because there are no deer, moose, caribou, turkey, etc. the Game Department wants to cut game tags.

You get how the cycle goes. I live in this cycle - good luck.

[shaper]

I was having problems with a pack coyotes running through the yard from early evening until morning. My 87 pound hound mix is scared to death of them, but the little 18 pound Scottish terrier is ready to take them all on. I called the wild life guys and they said "kill them, kill them any way you can". I don't even want to think about having a pack of wolf's doing the same thing.

[ballistim]

I don't like the fact that they've been reintroduced into the wild with no plan of controlling their numbers as a result of animal rights sentiment dictating policy, if that is going to be the way this will be handled by those in control of this program then I am against it as it is unfair to the farmers and ranchers who's livelihood is compromised, not to mention the impact on other game.

[opos]

A bit off point but similar is the liberal law that prevents any harassment of any marine mammal..as a result there is one beach called the "children's pool" in La Jolla near San Diego...they seals have taken over the entire area..the seal lovers have lobbied to have the beach area completely closed off from humans "bothering the seals"...end result? The smell for blocks is horrendous..Baby seals are becoming the main fare for white sharks that are setting up residence just off the coast (some kid on a surfboard is going to have to get killed to get their attention)..There is a huge amount of disease among the seals as they are over crowded...and now the seal lovers are whining for money to care for the seals..I can only imagine if those were wolves.

[oldred]

A bit off point but similar is the liberal law that prevents any harassment of any marine mammal..as a result there is one beach called the "children's pool" in La Jolla near San Diego...they seals have taken over the entire area..the seal lovers have lobbied to have the beach area completely closed off from humans "bothering the seals"...end result? The smell for blocks is horrendous..Baby seals are becoming the main fare for white sharks that are setting up residence just off the coast (some kid on a surfboard is going to have to get killed to get their attention)..There is a huge amount of disease among the seals as they are over crowded...and now the seal lovers are whining for money to care for the seals..I can only imagine if those were wolves.

Actually you are not at all off the point, that's exactly the kind of kind of thing I was asking about, the Wolves just happened to be the critter that was the topic of that article.

[Hickok]

The people of earlier generations got rid of them for good reason. I don't want them around in the woods.

[SteveS]

There's a place for all of natures creatures. Animals like wolves, bears, cougars, etc. were eliminated from human populated areas for a good reason. The local school yard is not the place for them.

The fact is, wildlife needs to be managed and humans are the ones to do that management.

There are still vast areas of wilderness in the world for these animals to live. Let them live there.

[Ramar]

Wolves are like "measles" killem off and forget about it.
Ramar

[Rick Hodges]

Our fore fathers were wise men. They spent untold time, effort, and dollars trying to eradicate the wolf. That was good enough for me. We can't keep them limited to "wilderness" areas and they are destructive killing machines. They are already taking livestock and pets, our children will be next. There is certainly no need to introduce them...the world would be a better place without them. Perhaps we should reintroduce polio and smallpox too?

[10x]

Sadly folks do not realize that the habitat requirements of wolves and their place in nature have been long gone.
Introducing a pack of wolves into an area that has its predator prey relationships in near balance is just like releasing a pack of wolves in Los Angeles or New York city.
It screws things up - for the wolves and for their prey species.
Introducing wolves into land that was once wolf habitat but has changed through 70 years of land management will result in an ecological disaster as well as an agricultural disaster.
The argument that New York and Los Angles are "not wolf habitat" is probably valid. Sadly after wolves have been gone for 50 to 70 years, they land they once occupied is no longer wolf habitat either. But folks see the trees and the limited spaces and have romantic dreams. There is nothing romantic about a pack of wolves running down deer in deep snow and starting to rip apart and eat a living animal .

[GhostHawk]

Scientists tabulated results for 150 years and said "Look, in 150 years there is no documented evidence of a wolf attacking a man"

So they figured they wanted the wolfs back.

What they didn't know, is that wolves is smarter than scientists.
They don't attack groups, they don't attack pairs. In fact they don't attack anyone in sight of anyone else.
So all attacks are undocumented. No one survives if they wolves decide to attack.

Now we are starting to hear rumblings, of people being attacked. A dead Kayaker on the west coast.
http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/new...lf-stalked-him

No, we do NOT want wolves back. Alaska, Canada, parts of northern Minnesota ok, but if they venture from there they should be shot on sight. With a 100,000 dollar bounty on their head.

I've lived up in northern Minnesota, I've been stalked while hunting, hear them howl close at night as they scout where you are, what livestock you might have, and how many people are there.

They have an instinct for singling out the loner, the old, the weak, the sick.

You want to bring the wild back, best be sure of what you ask for.
Go LIVE alone in the wilderness for a year.
Then see if you change your mind.

[trapper9260]

I say that if there is a plan to mange them then ok but the so call do gooders , do not have a clue on wildlife.Like is stated that alot of city people do not have any idea of it all.When wildlife start to show up in there back yard they will then say some thing.As long wild life is kept in check ok for how I see it.But if not then someone need to wake up.I have wolf and coyote around my house here and seen them.They not cause any problems yet here and will see how they go.I do trap the coyotes and try to keep them in check.

[rush1886]

Short answer is no, you don't want them, if you can stop them. Gov't has a way of running roughshod over civilians however.

I live approx. 75 miles from Yellowstone, where wolves were reintroduced "TO THE PARK" late in the 90's. Wolves don't recognize park boundaries.

Inside maybe 100 mile radius of my house, we used to have fantastic elk, mule deer and Shiras moose hunting. What we have now is a shame. Additionally, in the last 3-5 years, every winter, wolves are being seen in human population areas. One recent sighting was 6 miles from my front door. It is only a matter of time before a wolf/human attack occurs.

If you can, stop the reintroduction effort!

[dakotashooter2]

As we all know members of the canine family have adapted very well to human intrusion. Dogs were easily domesticated and adapt well to humans and their habitat. Coyotes are demonstrating that they too can adapt to the human environment but still remain wild. It's not much of a reach to think that wolves can make a similar adaption. The problem is that wolves are far bigger and more dangerous. An animal that can take down a moose will have little fear of a human. Hunting them keeps their numbers in control and gives them some fear of humans. Without that control you will have the equivalent of free roaming pit bulls........ Wolves are magnificent animals.....in small doses................

[oldred]

Scientists tabulated results for 150 years and said "Look, in 150 years there is no documented evidence of a wolf attacking a man"

So they figured they wanted the wolfs back.

Good point! Ok let's see if we can analyze the rational behind the "do-gooders" efforts to reinstate the Wolf, they have been gone for 75 years and we want to bring them back. They then point to the fact there have been no wolf attacks and no damage reports from Wolves the last 75 years so obviously Wolves and man can get along in nature!

I suppose however that sounds logical to them, or at least that kind of thinking is common amongst them.