Kind of changed my tune on the wolverines, I don’t think this is great for Co right now. It will be another nail in the MD coffin. Look at the tag cuts already happening for 10 wolves. This is the back door ban they want. Zero hate on wolverines, the anti’s/ rewilders are just using them. One we have little to no predator management as it stands and deer numbers; which are already hurting (for many reasons obviously not just predators) drop even more they will further reduce tags or close areas altogether. There goal will be achieved without any ballot initiative or state amendment.
Bipartisan bill to reintroduce wolverines in CO legislature.
- Thread starter elkduds
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LuketheDog
Well-known member
What tags did they cut for wolves? I wasn't aware that was a thing...
was wondering the same thing.
i mean, DAU 9 has a proposed a 58% reduction in rifle licenses. but, i'm not convinced they did that due to wolves.
not sure how additive wolverines will be to mule deer mortality to be honest. maybe they'll nab an occasional fawn but i can't imagine they'll be a big deal. pretty small fish compared to habitat destruction and disease.
Tag allocation in 18,28,37,371 for MD we’re cut in half, or more. For Elk we’re cut but not as drastic. The deer are struggling in a lot of the state but a cut like that only makes sense for the wolves. Heck in the management plan cpw states they will manage under objective by at least 10% to feed the wolves… well when they aren’t eating cattle at 10k a pop
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10% does not equal 58%
it's conjecture to claim they cut DAU 9 that much due to wolves.
For sure smaller fish than habitat loss. Yet it’s death by a 1000 cuts. Wolverines will 100% nab fawns, add that to the bears, coyotes, potential loss of regulation on cats, and wolves. 0 trapping, and it’s a recipe for trouble
10% for elk, check out the MD cuts. You tell me when the agency will let us know that the cuts are due to wolves… doubt they will ever admit that is what the cut is about.
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sapperJ24
Well-known member
I don't see wolverines significantly, or even minimally, impacting ungulate populations. Wolverines are primarily scavengers and small game hunters. There are isolated instances of preying on ungulates, but it is quite infrequent. Colorado can likely (eventually) support 100 or so wolverines with home ranges upwards of 100 square miles.
If 2 wolverines per 100 square miles opportunisticly nabbing a deer or two a year is the nail in the coffin for mule deer, then the deer are already a lost cause.
There are reasons to be concerned with a reintroduction effort, but I'm not seeing this as one.
With those numbers I would feel a lot better about it. Like I said 0 issue with wolverines they are awesome. My issue is with the ruling class in Co that has and continues to use things near and dear to outdoorsmen to control us or our uses. I want nothing to do with people who effectively want to end the consumptive use lifestyle in the state.
LuketheDog
Well-known member
No, you're the one who said it was due to wolves, otherwise it was just conjecture. Those are just about the most over-hunted units in the whole state, the chickens came home to roost, that's all.
Cool we can chaulk the 10% elk cuts up to coincidence too, seriously though you think CPW will tell us what cuts are for wolf food and what are from over hunting?
i'm saying if they cut it for the wolves why was it 58% for MD rifle licenses (93% for doe rifle) instead of 10%?
i really don't think they have any reason to lie about what the tag cuts would be for. if it was for wolves it would probably behoove them to be honest about it and I think the DWMs would not shy away from it either.
these cuts for DAU 9 definitely seemed like they were about due regardless. admittedly a nearly shockingly high cut though.
Northwoods
Well-known member
Agreed!CPW seems to favor reintroduction. I'm aware resources for reintroduction get subtracted from resources h for managing existing habitat and wildlife. I greatly dislike wolf reintro, other CPW reintroductions have been extremely successful: moose, elk, bighorn. Lynx, hard to say. Ferrets have it rough but I'm rooting for them. Wolverines, can't think of a reason why not.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is a nationally recognized leader in conservation, outdoor recreation and wildlife management. The agency manages 42 state parks, all of Colorado's wildlife, more than 300 state wildlife areas and a host of recreational programs. CPW issues hunting and fishing...cpw.state.co.us
