Sulu, remind me to kick george76's ass the next time he interrupts me in the middle of a 3 Stooges film...
Posted on 02/26/2006 6:42:20 PM PST by george76
Some ranchers say the wolves in the Madison Valley have grown increasingly brazen and are apparently unafraid of people.
State wildlife officials say such behavior is to be expected, given the federal protection the predators have had in the decade since being reintroduced in the Yellowstone National Park.
Jack Atcheson Jr. said he was spooked on a recent hunting trip, when three men and three mules got within 47 yards of a wolf that was staring right at them.
The Butte hunting outfitter, who books international trips, said he had never seen wolves in Alaska, Asia or other places act so boldly around people.
"It was approaching us with the wind right in its face — we were standing around the animals, but he was focused on us," Atcheson, 55, said. "He was not afraid at all."
The wolf finally stopped when one of Atcheson's hunting partners chambered a rifle, while Atcheson snapped a photo. Even then, the wolf merely lay down and stared at the hunters before eventually walking away.
Sunny Smith, manager of the CB Ranch near the Madison Range, said the wolves are "just like domestic dogs."
And with calving season just weeks away, that lack of fear has ranchers worried about the prospect of the wolves attacking livestock.
Barb Durham, a rancher whose herding dog was killed by wolves in 2004, said if ranchers had had more leeway to shoot wolves when they were hanging around ranches that year, federal officials might have needed to kill only a couple wolves instead of eliminating the whole pack.
Wolves have already wandered around their bulls this year, although none of them attacked, she said.
"They have no fear and that's been our contention all along," Durham said. "We don't hate wolves; we just want them to be a natural, wild predator and to be afraid of humans.
"If you don't let us educate them, then there's always going to be conflicts."
Wolves in Montana remain protected under the Endangered Species Act, but their recovery has led the federal government to turn management of the animals over to the state.
State officials said stories such as Atcheson's are a major concern.
"It's totally inappropriate for wolves to be that close," said Carolyn Sime, wolf coordinator for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
But she added that it's not that surprising. Wolves in Alaska have been hunted, trapped and harassed for years. And if they spot a human, they immediately run away.
Montana wolves, however, have been protected under federal law for years. Most of them have never been shot at or harassed, and none of them have been hunted.
Sime said elk in the valley pastures are also attracting wolves to the area, and thus closer to homes and livestock.
"If you look at where wolves are setting up, it's not in the backcountry, it's in the valley bottoms and foothills where people live and raise livestock and where ungulates spend winter," she said.
Sime reminds ranchers that with state oversight of the wolves, they have more flexibility to kill or harass wolves that are causing problems. It doesn't allow wolves to be killed on sight, but ranchers don't need a special permit to shoot a wolf that's about to attack livestock.
She said officials hope people take more aggressive action when a wolf is acting brazenly. In Atcheson's incident, he could have fired a rifle shot over the wolf's head to scare it.
"If wolves have uncomfortable experiences around people and livestock, that would be a good thing," she said. "By harassing them now, we may prevent problems later."
LoL... in the daylight, at night their like muslims..
"When they have no reason to fear men then men are prey...all predators...wings,fins,four or two legged come for the easy life.."
Yep. This story is a methaphor for all that is wrong with our attitude toward predators of all kinds.
Sulu, remind me to kick george76's ass the next time he interrupts me in the middle of a 3 Stooges film...
Reintroduction of wolves back east is unrealistic; unless 90% of the licensed hunters want to quit hunting. Wolves can go from 3-4 to 25-30 in a pack real quick; dependent on food supply. I pity the elk hunters out west once the wolves expand their range. Reason why their numbers need to be controlled but ya know here in alaska, vast majority of people want old wolf as part of the landscape; but not the balance of nature hogwash.
And the writer thought he was being macho using a couple of terms he had heard.
Everybody in alaska has a gun with them most of the time. Chances of old wolf getting ya, pretty slim up here and we got quite a few around. Chances of one dying from any number of causes living in society infinately higher than ending up wolf kill. Most of what lives up here trys to steer clear of people.
Guess I want realistic wolf control but also enjoy hearing wolves and want him part of the world around these parts.
Good attitude.
Rifled slugs can get out to a couple hundred yards.
You need Gary Alt and his wildlife management policies. He effectively decimated the deer herd in PA (except in the Pitt/Philly suburbs) in just a few years...
Love your tag line.
This area is as urbanized as downtown Philadelphia or Pittsburgh. Only wolves, who would be otherwise unobserved on the streets, can do the job.
An apt analogy for union workers and trade protectionists.
If you'd like to be on or off this new (maybe) Upper Midwest (WI, IA, MN, MI, and anyone else) list, largely rural issues, please FR mail me. And ping me is you see articles of interest.
Benjamin Franklin.
.300 WinMag. 100 yard shot. Bullet? What bullet?
Just bring a couple of trash bags and rubber gloves, and take the trash bags with you after the bits go in the hole.
Coyote
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