I just got an email from U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho). He indicated that wolves have been de-listed from the endangered species list in many states and would soon be in Idaho. That opens the way for them to be controlled (read in hunted.) For many that’s horrible news. For those of us who live here, it’s not only a good thing, it’s about time.
Much of the income derived by Island Park residents comes from tourism. Those tourists include people who come here to ride ATV’s and snowmobiles and fishermen. But there is also a large group who come here to hunt. It is undeniable that wolves have had a dramatic negative impact on the deer, elk and moose populations.
All you have to do is take a drive through the Lamar Valley (northeast corner of Yellowstone) and see how much game you see. Yeah, you’ll see bears and wolves, but you won’t see elk (at least not to the extent you did before the re-introduction of the wolves.)
Let’s face it. Wolves have to eat to survive. While the environmentalists would have you believe that wolves eat only the sick and afflicted, that’s just not reality. Wolves “pick the low-hanging fruit.” Meaning the young, the weak, and (of course) the sick and afflicted.
The problem is that wolves are outnumbering the elk in some areas, and that means the packs are decimating entire herds. Hunting wolves, while not a great sport in itself, will have the desired effect of reducing wolf populations and keeping the balance at a level where it ought to be. Wyoming Game and Fish officials have indicated they will be letting over 1,000 wolf tags in the months to come. That’s good news for ranchers and hunters.
What do you think?
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